Sermon XXIII
OF TEMPTATION
Matthew 4:1–11, Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered, &c.
THIS text hath therefore been appointed to be read in the beginning of the solemn fast which hath hitherto been commanded for forty days, that the example of Christ being commended to Christians, they might thereby be provoked to keep that fast so much more religiously, which surely was nothing but a vain trifle. First, for that no man is able to follow the example of Christ, who lived without any meat forty days and so many nights; Christ rather followed the example of Moses herein, than gave unto us any example to follow. Moses received the law, was forty days and forty nights in Mount Sinai without meat, so long time would Christ also fast, coming to bring and publish a new law. Again, this fasting is a perverse thing, inasmuch as it was ordained of men. For although Christ fasted forty days, yet have we no word of his, whereby he hath commanded us also to do the same. He did many other things besides, notwithstanding he will not have us also to do them; those things that be hath commanded us to do, those things, I say, we must endeavour to do, whereby we may obey his will; but the most pestilent thing of all herein was, that we took upon us and used fasting as a good and meritorious work, not to tame the flesh thereby, but to satisfy for sins, and to procure the favour of God unto ourselves; which wicked opinion made our fasting so foul, filthy, and abominable before God, that no feastings, banquets, gluttony, and drunkenness are so filthy and detestable before him, and it were better to eat and drink day and night than so to fast; and although this ungodly and wicked intent had not defiled our fasting, but that it had been ordained for chastising the body, nevertheless, forasmuch as it was not left free, that every one might have taken it upon him of his own accord, but it was enforced by the laws of man, so that most which fasted, fasted against their wills, and with a grudging mind, it could not be but vain and unacceptable to God. I speak not what other hurt it did to women with child, in young children, and in the
weak and aged. Wherefore we will more rightly consider this text, and see what manner of fasting it teacheth by the example of Christ.
The scripture commendeth unto us two sorts of fasting which are laudable: one, which is taken upon us of our own accord, to tame the flesh, whereof the apostle speaketh, 2 Cor. 6, where he exhorteth us to behave ourselves as the ministers of God, by labours, watchings, and fastings among the rest. Another, which indeed is not taken upon us willingly, yet is willingly borne of us, when by reason of need and poverty we have not whereon to feed; whereof Paul speaketh in the first epistle to the Corinthians, chap. 4:11, "Even unto this present hour we both hunger and thirst." And Christ, Matt. 9:15, "When the bridegroom shall be taken from them, then shall they fast." This fasting Christ teacheth us by his present example, who being alone in the desert, and having no meat, did suffer hunger and need patiently. The first of these two fasts, may, when we please, be left and broken with eating of meat: but this last must be suffered until the Lord end and break it. Now the cause why the evangelist did so diligently first declare, that Jesus was led up of the spirit into the wilderness, that he should there fast and be tempted, is this, lest that any taking upon him to fast of his own mind, and for his own profit sake, should in vain endeavour to follow this example of Christ; for he must look for the leading up of the spirit, he will cause fasting and temptation enough: for he that without the leading of the spirit should voluntarily bring himself into danger of hunger, or any other temptation, when by the blessing of God he hath what to eat and drink, and whereby to live quietly, he, I say, should plainly tempt the Lord.
We must not procure to ourselves poverty and temptation, they will come soon enough of themselves, only when they are sent of the Lord, we must endeavour to bear them patiently; Jesus, as the evangelist writeth, "was led up of the spirit into the wilderness," he did not choose to himself the wilderness; they are led by the Spirit of God, which are the sons of God, Rom. 8:14. The good things which the Lord giveth, he giveth for this, that we may enjoy them with
thanksgiving, not that we should neglect them, tempting him. Moreover, this history is written unto us both to instruct, and also to exhort; to instruct, that we may learn hereby, that Christ by this his fasting, hunger, temptation, and victory against Satan did serve us, and furthered our salvation; that whosoever believeth in him may never need, or be hurt by any temptation, but rather shall abound with good things in the midst of poverty, and be safe in the midst of temptation, for that his head and Lord, Christ, hath overcome all these things for him, whereof by faith he is most certain, according as the Lord himself saith, John 16:33, "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." And if God could without meat nourish his Christ forty days and so many nights, so he can also Christians. We are exhorted also here, that according to this example of Christ, we suffer hunger, temptation, and other necessities when they come, and when the case so requireth, to the glory of God and profit of our neighbours, and surely if we do earnestly confess and stick to the word of God, these things will undoubtedly come unto us.
The present text therefore containeth a marvellous consolation and strengthening of faith against the filthy and incredulous belly, which being diligently and faithfully weighed, our conscience shall be very much comforted and strengthened, that we may not be careful for living, but trust with a full confidence, that God will give us plentifully those things that be necessary. Now, that this temptation also is incident unto it is manifest; for as Christ was led aside into the wilderness, that is, was left alone of God, angels, men, and all creatures, which might help him so also it falleth out with us, we are led up into the wilderness, we are forsaken and left alone; and this indeed is it which especially grieveth us, to feel or perceive nothing whereunto we may trust, or from whence we may look for help; as when it lieth upon me to prepare sustenance for me and mine, and I have nothing at all of myself, neither perceive any help coming from any man, neither know where to look for any. This is to be led up into the desert, and to be left alone; I being in this case, am in the true exercise of faith; then I learn how I myself am nothing, how weak my faith is, how great and rare a thing sound faith is, and how deeply
abominable incredulity is settled in the hearts of all. But he that hath as yet a purse heavy with money, a cellar full of wine, a garden replenished with grain, he is not yet led up into the wilderness, or left alone, and therefore cannot feel temptation while these things remain. Secondly, Satan cometh, and tempteth Christ with this care for the belly, and diffidence of the goodness of God, saying, "If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread," as if he should say according to the Dutch proverb, "Trust in God, and in the mean time neglect to bake bread, tarry till a roasted chicken fly into thy mouth." Go now and say that thou hast a God, who is careful for thee; where is now thy heavenly Father, who hath so great a care of thee? Hath he not fairly forsaken thee? Eat now and drink of thy faith, and let us see how thou shalt be sufficed; it were well with thee, if thou couldst feed on stones; what a goodly son of God art thou? How fatherly doth he behave himself toward thee? He sendeth thee not so much as a piece of bread, but suffereth thee here to be pined with hunger. Go now, and believe yet that thou art the son of God, and he thy Father. Surely with these and such like cogitations he tempteth all the children of God, which Christ also undoubtedly felt, for he was not a block or stone, but very man, although pure from sin, as he also continued, which is not given unto us.
Now that the devil tempted Christ with care of the belly, diffidence and wicked desire, the answer of Christ doth sufficiently declare: "Man liveth not by bread alone:" which is as much as if he had said, thou wilt have me have regard to bread; thou dealest with me, as though I ought to have no other care alone, but of meat and food for the belly. This temptation is very common, even among men that are of the most perfect sort, but they especially feel it which, when they are poor, have notwithstanding a wife and children to nourish and maintain, and therewithal an empty house. Hereupon Paul called covetousness the root of all evils, for that it is the right offspring of diffidence; and what thing else, but this diffidence and care of the belly, is the cause that many are so loth to marry? What else doth hold so many thousand men in whoredom and Unchaste living, and detaineth them from matrimony, but this immoderate care of the
belly, and ungodly fear, lest they should be pined and perish with hunger? But the present deed and example of Christ should be thought upon, who although he had been without meat forty days and so many nights, yet was he not quite forsaken and left destitute. But the angels at the last came, and ministered all things necessary unto him. Thirdly, we may see here how Christ meeteth with this temptation of the belly, and overcometh it. He seeth nothing indeed but stones, and that which cannot be eaten, therefore from those things that were before his eyes he removeth his mind to the word of God, thereby both strengthening himself, and overthrowing the devil. On which word, Christians, especially when poverty presseth them, and all things seem to be turned into stones, and the mind doth now tremble for fear of hunger, ought with a strong faith to lay hold, and answer the temptation that would quite discourage them, What if the Whole world were full of bread? yet doth not man live by bread alone, there is need of another thing, that is, of the Word of God.
Now forasmuch as these words are of marvellous force and efficacy, we must a little stand upon them, and endeavour to declare them, and not lightly pass them over. These words, therefore, Christ took out of the fifth book of Moses, Deut. 8:3, where Moses speaketh thus unto the Israelites: The Lord thy God "he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna (which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know), that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live." Which is as much as if he had said, Whereas he suffered thee to hunger, and yet thou didst not perish, thou mayest thereby easily know that it is God which sustaineth thee by his word, even without bread; for if we did live and were nourished by bread alone, it were necessary that we should be always filled with bread; but it is the word of God that nourisheth us, which he will have preached, that we may know that he is our God, and that he will show himself bountiful and gracious unto us. We are taught, therefore, by this answer of Christ and testimony of Moses, that he which believeth in the word of God shall undoubtedly
have experience of two things. First, that when meat is wanting, and he is pinched with hunger, he is well sustained and strengthened by this word, that he die not, or perish with hunger, as if he did abundantly enjoy meat; this word of God, which he obtaineth in heart, nourishing and strengthening him without meat and drink; and if he have but a little meat, he shall perceive that little, although it were but even one piece of bread, to feed and nourish him no less than if he did enjoy princely fare; for not by bread, but by the word of God the body is nourished and preserved, like as by it the body was made, as also all other things, like as by the word they were created, so also by it are they preserved. The other thing, which we are here taught that the believer shall have experience of, is, that at the length he shall assuredly receive bread, from whencesoever it come, yea, although it should rain down from heaven, as manna did to the Israelites, in a place where no other bread could be gotten.
Let a Christian quietly promise to himself and look for these two things, his hope cannot be frustrate, either he shall have in hunger somewhat to eat from whencesoever it be given him, or his hunger shall be made so tolerable unto him, that he shall be no less fed than if he were fed with bread, the power of the word of God nourishing and sustaining him. Those things that I have said of bread, that is, of meat, are also to be understood of drink, apparel, house, and all things necessary unto this life. It may be indeed that a godly man do need apparel, or an house, &c., but at length he shall have them; the leaves falling from the trees shall sooner be turned into coats and cloaks, than we can be left naked, or surely those garments which we have shall not wax old, which the Israelites tried, whose clothes and shoes in the desert were not torn, as also a most wide wilderness was unto them instead of houses, places unpassable passable, unwatery watery, finally, the stony rocks fountains of water; for the word of God standeth sure and unmoveable: the Lord he careth for you; and Paul saith, "God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy," 1 Pet. 5:7, 1 Tim. 6:17. Also Christ saith, Matt. 6:33, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow." Such words and
promises of God must needs remain true for ever, and therefore no good thing can be wanting to them that believe; this even daily experience may teach us. We see commonly poor folks and their children to be better liking than many rich folks and their children, for that the use of their small sustenance is by the blessing of God increased, and doth much more feed and nourish them, than all that most abundant sustenance doth feed and nourish the rich. Now, whereas the wicked do sometime suffer need in the time of famine, some do even die through hunger, that is, the special vengeance of God, as is also the pestilence, war, and such like; otherwise it plainly appeareth, that not meat, but God doth feed and sustain us.
Howbeit, whereas God feedeth the world with bread, and not with his word alone without bread, he therefore doth it, that he may so hide his work, and exercise our faith; so he commandeth the Israelites, that they should prepare themselves to battle, and yet he would not have the victory to be gotten by their sword and labour; but he himself would by means of their sword and labour overcome and vanquish the enemies. Here also it might be said, that the soldier doth slay and overcome the enemies, not by his sword alone, but by the word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God; whereupon David saith, Psalm 44:6, "I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me." And again, "He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: He taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man," &c., Psalm 147:10. Nevertheless God useth men, swords, horses, and bows, howbeit not by the power and strength of them, but by them as by certain means and instruments he himself fighteth and overcometh; this he hath sufficiently declared oftentimes, when he hath overthrown the enemies and delivered his people, which surely he daily doth, when the case so requireth. After the same sort God useth bread also, by it, forasmuch as it is made for that use, he feedeth us, howbeit when it is wanting, he nevertheless feedeth them that be his, even by his word, without bread, as he doth at other times by bread, so that bread doth as it were work under God, as the apostles and preachers of the word in spiritual and evangelical meat serve under him, as it is mentioned, 1 Cor. 3, for as God useth their ministry to
teach men, he himself by his Spirit speaking in their hearts through it, and doing all things alone, which he both is able to do, and oftentimes wont to do, without the ministry of the preachers of his word, although he will not in the mean season have the ministry of his word to be despised, and so himself tempted; so to the nourishing of our outward man, he outwardly useth bread, although he doth make by his word inwardly, that we be nourished and strengthened, which he can as well do, as he is wont to do when bread is away, that all our nourishment may be attributed to the word and not to bread, which he useth as an instrument, but yet of no necessity. That I may speak briefly, all creatures do as it were serve under him, and are his instruments, without which notwithstanding he is able, and oftentimes wont to work; by this means providing, that we may depend on his word alone, neither trusting more unto him, when we have bread and other things which our life useth, neither less when we want them, but may use them with giving of thanks when he bestoweth them upon us; when otherwise, we may patiently be without them, being certain, nevertheless, that we shall live and be nourished in both times, both when we have them, and when we have them not. And by this faith that vain and ungodly care of the belly, greedy desire of things, and carefulness of life are overcome.
"Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city," &c. This temptation is quite contrary to the former; he assaileth us with such temptation also, whereby he goeth about to move us to tempt God, even as he willeth Christ to cast himself down from a pinnacle of the temple, and so tempt God, when there were ladders, by which he might descend; and that this temptation provoketh to tempt God, it is manifest even by the answer of Christ, who answereth Satan in this manner: "It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." Hereby he signifieth, that the devil would provoke him to tempt God. Now this temptation doth not amiss follow the former; for when the devil perceiveth the heart, that in poverty and necessity it trusteth in God, he by and by maketh an end of tempting by care of the belly and desire of things, as being weaker than that by it he may overthrow one so strong in faith.
He thinketh therefore with himself, If he profess himself to be of so religious and assured a mind, I will on this side also give occasion to sin; and so he setteth upon him on the right side, affirming that that is to be believed which the Lord hath neither spoken, nor commanded to be believed, as is this: If he should bring thee to such madness, that when thou hast bread at home given thee of God, as he of his goodness giveth unto us every day, thou wouldest not use it, but wouldest procure to thyself necessity and hunger, saying, I must trust in God, I will not feed on this earthly bread, I will tarry till God give me other from heaven. This were to tempt God; for he doth not command thee to believe, that that thing shall come unto thee whereof thou hast need, if it be already come of his liberality; for why shouldest thou believe that he will give that which thou hast already of his gift? Thou seest therefore that the devil doth here object a certain necessity and need unto Christ, where there is none; for there was a sufficient mean to descend from the pinnacle of the temple, neither was it reason to attempt this new, unaccustomed, and unnecessary mean whereunto Satan persuaded. Moreover, allegorically, we may by this doing of Satan perceive his craft and subtilty. "The devil taketh him," saith the Evangelist, "up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple." By this temptation he replenisheth men with cogitations that seem most holy, that they may think themselves most plentifully endued with faith, and to stand in a very holy place, whenas notwithstanding they are set, not in the temple, but on the temple, that is, not in the sincerity of faith, but in a vain outward show of faith; nevertheless he is in the mean season in the holy city, because that this kind of men is wont to be nowhere but among Christians, where the word of the Lord and the preaching of faith is daily heard, who also like unto Satan have sentences of scripture in readiness, as concerning the words, although they always pervert and wrest them to their own error and false imaginations; so Satan recited here unto Christ, out of the 91st Psalm, that God doth command his angels concerning his children, that they keep them, lifting them up with their hands. But the deceiver concealed that which is added, that is, in their ways. For thus hath the Psalm 91:11, "For he shall give his angels charge over
thee, to keep thee in all thy ways." So that the custody of angels is not by the commandment promised unto us, unless we walk in our ways which he hath prescribed us. If we walk in them, we shall assuredly be kept of angels; howbeit the devil saith nothing of the ways of the Lord, but promiseth, by corrupting the saying of the Psalm, that it is commanded to the angels, to keep us in what ways soever, whereof the Lord hath commanded nothing. And this is Satan's seducing, and persuasion to tempt God. But this temptation doth not easily happen in these outward things, as are bread, apparel, houses, &c.
Thou mayest find indeed some rash heads, which for no cause do put their life, goods, and good name in great danger, as they do which go on warfare of their own accord, which leap rashly into most deep waters, or go voluntarily into other no small dangers. Of whom Jesus, the son of Syrach, saith, "He that loveth danger, shall perish therein," Eccles. 3:26, whereof the Germans have a proverb, "Self do, self have," what every one followeth, that he cometh unto. So it is almost usual that none are oftener drowned, than they that are most exercised in swimming, and none fall more perilously than they which use to attempt high matters. But he shall be hardly found, which having a false and overmuch confidence in God, attempteth any such thing, or useth not the things present, as bread, apparel, house, and such like, looking with peril, while God provide otherwise for him by miracle. We read of a certain hermit, who because he had vowed to take bread of no man, brought himself into peril by hunger, and so perished, and undoubtedly went straight to hell, because of that false faith and tempting of God, which he learned no other where but of the devil, so that his madness was altogether like that whereunto Satan here persuadeth Christ, viz., that he should cast himself down from a pinnacle of the temple; howbeit thou shalt find very few which do follow this hermit, and do defer to enjoy temporal things present for that they hope that God will give them other from heaven.
But in spiritual things which concern the nourishment, not of the body, but of the soul, this temptation is wont to be both mighty and
often; in these God hath appointed a certain manner whereby the soul may be fed, nourished, and strengthened, both most commodiously and also most blessedly, so that no good thing at all can be wanting unto it. This nourishment, this strength, this salvation, is Christ our Saviour, in whom the Father hath most abundantly offered and given all good things. But there are very few which desire him, the most part seek some other way, whereby their souls may live and obtain salvation. Such are all they which seek salvation by their works. These are they whom Satan, having set on a pinnacle of the temple, biddeth them cast themselves down, and they obey him; they descend, whereas it is no way, that is, they believe and trust in God, yet so, as they trust also in their own works, in which is no place at all for faith, and trust no way or path unto God, wherefore throwing themselves down headlong, they break their neck, falling into utter desperation. Now Satan persuadeth miserable men unto this madness, as also he persuaded Christ to cast himself down from a pinnacle of the temple, by places of scripture perverted and misapplied, wherein works are commanded, whereby he maketh them believe that the angels shall keep them, that is, that they shall be approved of God, whenas indeed they can by nothing so offend him, as by that mad trust and confidence in works; for they acknowledge not that the scripture doth nowhere require works without faith, or that it doth everywhere require a sound and lively faith from which works proceed. We have at large declared who are such, namely, incredulous hypocrites, which are given to works without faith, which falsely boast of the name of Christians, challenging to themselves to be chief in the flock of Christ; for this temptation must be in the holy city. Now these two temptations, and the causes of them, do greatly differ. In the former cause why men do not believe, is need and hunger, for they are thereby moved to distrust God, and despair of his goodness. In the latter the cause why they do not believe, is overmuch abundance, for that miserable men are full of most plentiful and abundant treasure, so that they loathe it, coveting to have some other special thing, whereby they may procure the salvation of their souls. So our case standeth ill in both respects: if we have nothing we despair, and distrust God; if we have
plenty of things we loathe them, and require other, being then also void of faith. Concerning the first, we fly and hate scarcity and seek plenty; concerning the latter, we seek scarcity and fly plenty. Howsoever God dealeth with us we are not content; our incredulity is a bottomless pit of malice and ungodliness.
"Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain." Here he tempteth with vain glory and power of the world, as by the words of the devil doth plainly appear, who showing Christ the kingdoms of the world, offered them to him, if he would worship him. By this temptation they are overcome which revolt from faith, that they may enjoy glory and power here, or at least do so temper their faith that they lose not these things: in the number of these are all heretics and troublers of the church, which do therefore either live, or oppugn the sincerity of faith, that being exempted out of the common number they may be extolled on high. So we may place this temptation on the right hand, as the first assaileth us on the left; for as the first temptation is of adversity, whereby we are moved to indignation, impatience, and diffidence, so this third temptation is of prosperity, whereby we are provoked to delights, glory, pleasures, and whatsoever is excellent and delectable in the world. The second temptation is altogether spiritual, whereby Satan, by deceit, and marvellous and secret subtilty, goeth about to withdraw man from faith; for whom he cannot overcome with poverty, scarcity, necessity, and misery, them he tempteth with riches, favour, glory, delights, power, &c., and so he assaileth us on either side, yea, when he prevaileth by neither way, he goeth about, as Peter saith, and attempteth all means, that whom he can overcome neither by adversity, that is, by the first temptation, nor by prosperity, that is, by the third temptation, he may overcome either by error, blindness, or false understanding of the scriptures, that is, by the second temptation, which is spiritual, and therefore most hurtful; by which, if he prevail against any, they are also overcome both on the left side and on the right; for whether they suffer such poverty, or enjoy plenty of things, whether they contend, or yield unto all things, both
is nothing while they are in error, either in patience in adversity, or constancy in prosperity, can be of no importance.
For in both even heretics oftentime do notably excel, and it is a practice of the devil oftentimes to feign himself overcome in the first and third temptation, that he may reign victor by the second; he can be content, that they that be his, do oftentimes suffer poverty patiently, and do also contemn the world, although they do neither of them with a simple heart and sincere faith. Every one, therefore, of these three temptations is grievous and very hard, but the middle one is most perilous of all, for it assaileth the doctrine of faith, and is spiritual and wont to deceive in spiritual things. The other two also do assail faith, howbeit in these outward things, as adversity and prosperity, although they do also urge us very sore; for it cannot be a little grievous to suffer poverty, to want bread, and such other things necessary: again, it is no less grievous to neglect, and wholly to deny, favour, glory, riches, friends, companions, and other commodities which we have; but an entire and sound faith in the word of God can perform both notably, and if it be a strong faith, they seem very easy and delectable unto it. We cannot certainly know the order of these temptations which happened to Christ, for that the evangelists have not described them after one order; for Luke hath set that last, which Matthew hath set in the midst, and that which Matthew hath set last, Luke hath placed in the midst. But they do not so much consist in the order; notwithstanding, when any will teach the people concerning these temptations, it were better to follow the order of Luke; for he may fitly say, and thus rehearse, that Satan doth first tempt us with poverty and adversity, whereby if he prevail not, then he tempteth us with prosperity and glory, which if he do in vain, then he assaileth us with all his might, and tempteth us with error, lies, delusion, and other spiritual subtilties; yet neither is this order always observed of Satan; but he tempteth Christians sometime with the first, sometime with the third temptation, as he hath and seeth occasion. Matthew was not careful to rehearse them in that order, which they have almost by their own nature, and which may be commodious for him that shall teach of them. Yea, it may be that they happened not unto
Christ by any certain order, but that he was assailed of Satan one day with this, another day with that, during the space of those forty days, as Satan thought it most convenient and meet for his purpose.
"And behold angels came and ministered unto him." This I think was done corporally, that they having taken bodies appeared and ministered unto him meat and drink, as his servitors at the table, and ministers of all other things necessary for his life. Yea, and I think that the devil also appeared unto him in corporal form, perhaps as an angel; for in that he took Christ, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple; also whereas in a moment he showed him all the kingdoms of the world, he sufficiently declared that he was more than man, and such a one surely he showed himself openly, when he offered that he would give unto him those kingdoms, and required that he would worship him; and undoubtedly he did not appear like a devil when he did these things, for he loveth to appear after a fair sort, especially when he will lie and deceive; for then he transformeth himself into an angel of light, as Paul witnesseth. Now this is written chiefly for our consolation, that we may not doubt that many angels shall minister unto us, when one devil tempteth us, if we fight valiantly; for if we stand fast in faith, God will not suffer us to be troubled and pinched with poverty more than is meet; that he will sooner send his angels to minister unto us, to be our butlers, our cooks, and to help us in all our necessities; neither are these things written for Christ's cause, whom they cannot profit, but they are written for us, that we may learn to believe that, if the angels ministered unto him, they shall, also, when the case so requireth, minister unto us, his brethren and members. The Lord give us faith to believe this.