themselues it was the reuenging power of some angrie God for the sinne of somenotorious wretch that was amongest them Seeing therefore neither they nor Ionah praying had appeased the tempest but it was rather increased and no man confessed hee was that sinner they take counsell and agree to find him out by lots Wherein let vs obserue first neuer a one of them is of Dauids spirit who when he saw the people plagued said Lord it is I Euery man excuseth himselfe for euery man would extenuate his owne sinne and diminish it and euery one thinketh his sinne salued when he hath excused himselfe Let Adam bee his owne iudge and hee will say The woman tempted him to sinne and let the woman be her owne iudge and she will say Yonder Serpent perswaded her to it Let euery one be his owne iudge and there will be such posting off of sinne that neuer a one will be found guiltie There is none that will bee so impudent as to say he hath no sinne at all yet fewe that will freely confesse they haue greiously sinned Therefore these here say euery man within himselfe though he be a sinner yet hee is no great sinner None are accounted sinners vnlesse they bee openly detected of some notable and hainous crime If they bee Dicers swearers drunkards brawlers pickers flatterers pro phaners of the Saboath sleepers at Church and such like they be not thought sinners these actions are counted no sins but rather recreations For the multitude count none sinners vnlesse they be theeues traitors open and grosse Idolaters and taken with such like capitall crimes no nor these neither were it not for feare of the law as none among the Iewes but Publicans were counted sinners all the rest were good fellowes and iust men The Papists say Some thoughts affections words and outward actions not agreeing with the Law of God are easily washt away with a little holy-water c. they are not deadly they deserue not the wrath of God they are but veniall Did you euer read of these veniall sinnes in the Scripture But thinke you they haue nothing but Scripture Yes they haue Decrees they haue decretals the Ceremonies whereof obserued these veniall sinnes are soone pardoned and they haue a Pope that can forgiue any sinnes Thus they lesson sinnes thus they abate the price of sinnes and they can buy our sinnes with money or redeeme them with Masses and by a little shorte penance purchase a large and long pardon And as the Mariners euery man thought hee was no great sinner so Ionah thought with himselfe Though I bee a great sinner yet am I not so greious a sinner as these Idolatrous heathens or if hee throughly condemned himselfe yet vnwilling to be knowne such a rebell hee thought it may bee it is most likely they are many I but one peraduenture therefore the lot will not fall vpon mee like a theefe which notwithstanding in his owne heart hee acknowledge himselfe guiltie of that wherewithall hee is charged yet will not confesse vntill the matter bee throughly sifted and so clearely prooued to his owne face in such sort that he cannot for shame though with shame he confesse denie it Therefore if God had not sifted out this sinner the better Ionah would not haue beene knowne the man and the Mariners would still haue contended who was the lesser sinner therefore they consult to cast lots Let vs cast lots They did not vse to cast lots this was no custome among the Mariners but the tempest was so wonderfull that it made them seriously to thinke of God and willing to vse the meanes prescribed by god for the ending of doubt full matters acknowledging that hee ordereth all and the Pro. 18. 18 Pro. 26. 33. lot is the sentence of God by the falling of the lot he reuealeth the truth These like worldlings neuer confesse God but when he commeth in a tempest they will not see his mercie vntill his iustice appeare they will not acknowledge Gods gouernement before he bring on them some iudgement like Pharaos sorcerers who confessed not Gods Maiestie while they liued at ease but when the Lord plagued them then cried out This is the finger of God Exod. 52. Exo. 8. 19 Let vs cast lots that we may know for whose cause this euill is come vpon vs. Why what are they the better when they know him what would they doe with him on whome the lot should fall Surely they supposing or rather clearely seeing this tempest to bee sent from some wrathfull power and that for some one mans sinne amongst them they determined hauing found him to sacrifice him vnto the God that was so offended by him God turneth euill into good but the deuill turneth good vnto euill The Gentiles had a custom in the time of the common plague to sacrifice one for the rest This custome they tooke by imitation of the Iewes in offering beasts of Abraham in offering his son the deuill that father of lyes and schoolemaister of all mischiefe teaching them So the deuill tooke aduantage to doe euill by the seruice of God in mouing the Gentiles to worke abhomination by offering men imitating the Iewes commaunded sacrifices But if they had rightly known the true God they would haue taken their sinnes by the throat and haue sacrificed them Come let vs cast lots The mariners were not so wise to preuent the tempest before it came as they bee diligent to alay the tempest when it may not be layd wee ouertaken with Gods iust iudgements are very carefull alwaies to vse all meanes to bee rid of them But who keepeth a watch of his owne waies and diligently laboureth to keepe himselfe free from that which necessarily draweth on it selfe Gods iudgement who purgeth himselfe of his sinnes least he bee sicke who letteth or fetcheth out his corrupt bloud of pride lust couetousnesse least hee be sore who keepeth a good dyet and maketh his choyse of holy excercises godly companions religious conferences c. But knowe wee hee is not safe that is not sound neither he sound that is intemperate So they cast lots Whether it be lawfull to cast lots it is not euident by this example because they were Gentiles and therefore no president for vs but so farre may wee vse them as the word doth lead vs and no further There are two Goates brought to Aaron that hee might Leuit 16. cast lots to see which Goate should bee killed and which should not these Goates signifie Christ for as hee dyed hee liued againe and as hee was buryed he rose againe Againe Num 34. Iosua 7. the land of Canaan is parted by lots to see what part each Tribe should inhabite Againe that theefe Achan is found out by lots first by his Tribe then by his Family and lastly by his particular person Againe it is said that Saul was chosen king by lots and least any should haue said that it was his good lucke 1. Sam.
Christ Iesus the true looking-glasse in whom he shall finde vs most pure and innocent and to shine most clearely in the righteousnesse which hee had giuen vs by faith so that wee appeare not in our owne righteousnesse but in the righteousnesse of the Lambe who hauing taken away the sinnes of the worlde and hauing made vs as white as snowe though wee were as red as crimson sayth hee will be mercifull to our iniquities and will remember our sinnes no more Of him doe all the Prophets beare witnesse that through his name all that beleeue shall receiue remission of their sinnes Againe Drinke ye all of this for this is my bloud which is shed for the remission of sinnes Christ gaue himselfe for our sinnes that hee might deliuer vs from the curse of the Law euen according to the will of the Father Christ bare our sinnes in his owne body on the tree that we being deliuered from sin might liue in righteousnes by whose stripes wee are healed for we were as sheepe going astray but are now returned to the shepheard and bishop of our soules It is no more but beleeue and be saued beleeue and receiue remission beleeue and lay off thine owne righteousnesse and inuest thy selfe with the righteousnesse of the vnspotted Lambe Dauid was young and after was old yet in all his daies he neuer saw the righteous forsaken Sometimes he scourgeth his children but like a louing Father hee layeth no more vpon them then they are able to beare for hee afflicteth them for his owne iustice because they are sinners for his wisedome to exercise their faith for his mercie to cause them to repent but this is the end of all hee helpeth them in their distresses hee reuengeth himselfe vpon his enemies and giueth to his people rest and quietnesse O that we would therefore prayse the Lord and forget not all other his singular benefites O that wee woulde confesse that his mercy endureth for euer The third thing to note in his promises is his bountifull kindnesse in requiring so small a thing with so great and liberall blessings and bindeth himselfe by obligation as it were that as sure as we performe the one so hee will notfaile to accomplish the other The fourth is his patience and long suffering which is not slacknesse as some men account slacknesse but is patience because willingly hee would haue no man perish but gladly woulde haue all men to come to repentance Hee is content to stay our leasure till wee seeke and pray vnto him and neuer smiteth till there bee no hope of redresse The fift is his loue in that hee is content to stirre vs vp to holy exercises and puritie of life and to allure vs with faire promises of ayde and prosperous increase of all his blessings in this world The particular examination of these blessings would require a larger discourse then fearing tediousnesse I dare presume to trouble you withall wherefore a word of each and so I end Touching the first where it is said God will awake vp vnto thee it is a greater benefit then the words import for it signifieth not onely that he will heare thee but that hee will also doe what thou desirest and satisfie thy request As long as the sinner sleepeth the Lord is sayd to be asleepe but as soone as the sinner awaketh from sinne Psal 78. God will arise saith Dauid and his enemies shall be scattered and they that hate him shall flye before him as the smoake vanisheth before the wind and as the waxe melteth before the fire euen so shall the wicked perish at the presence of God Wherefore as Paul exhorted the Ephesians so I exhort you Awake thou that sleepest stand Ephes 5. vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light awake vnto God and God will awake vnto thee and Christ euen the sonne of God the bright morning starre shall giue thee the light of life In the second hee promiseth aboundance of worldly blessings in recompence of prayer for it is sayd Hee will make the habitation of thy righteousnesse prosperous that is Reue. 22. 2. Ps 1. 12. Prou. 28 the Lord will make peace within thy wals and prosperitie within thy places hee will commaund his blessings to be with thee in thy storehouse and in all thou settest thy hand vnto hee will open vnto thee his good treasures euen the heauens to giue raine on thy land in due season Thou shalt lay vp gold as the dust and the gold of Ophir as the flint of the ryuer thou shalt wash thy pathes with butter and thy rockes shall powre out riuers of oyle thou Iob. 22. Ps 1. 28. shalt call saluation thy wall and prayse shall be in thy gates Loe thus shall the man be blessed that feareth God Lastly for being pure and vpright hee will make thy latter end greatly increase and that thou mayest the lesse mistrust his promise he will doe it though thy beginning be but small Heere brethren yee see what a sea of matter is offered me whereunto if I would commit my selfe I might discourse vnto you what strange euents by Gods prouidēce haue hapned in the worlde what great Kings and potentates haue been plucked downe from their thrones and what contemptible persons in the eye of the world haue Hest 8. Gen. 30. Dan. 6. beene aduanced to their roomes How Mardocheus a stranger was exalted into Hamans place how Ioseph and Daniel the one a bond-man in Egypt the other a captiue in Babylon were made Princes in those kingdomes But because I will not ouermuch transgresse the bondes of modestie or hold you longer then in this place I haue beene accustomed onely remember what the Prophet sayth He raiseth the needie out of the dust and lifteth the poore out of the mire that be might set him with the princes euen with the princes of Psal 113 the world Remember the example of Dauid whom the Lorde Psal 78. chose and tooke from the Ewes great with yong that hee might feede his people in Iacob and his inheritance in Israel Remember the example of Iob how the Lord turned the Iob. 42 captiuitie of Iob as the riuers of the south how hee blessed the last dayes of Iob more then the first how hee gaue him sheepe and camels and oxen and shee asses in more abundance then he had before how hee increased him with sons and daughters euen to the fourth generation so that hee died being olde and full of dayes Remember euen our Psal 126 owne estate for whome the Lord hath done great things alreadie as created vs and redeemed vs and sanctified vs and not long since deliuered vs from the gaping iawes of those that sought to sucke our bloud Vpon some he hath Psal 41. bestowed humilitie whereby their mindes are adorned with vertue honor vpon others whereby their persons are inuested with maiestie vpon others comelines wherby the other two are graced vpon others Orchards
which they planted not at least vnto which they gaue no increase vpon others increase of vertuous children whereby their posteritie is preserued vpon others the free passage of his word which a long time had been obscured by ignorance the mother of deuotion as the shauelings call it but vnder a stepdame of destruction as we perceiue it though he bestowe but some one or two of his blessings vpon vs yet how much are wee bound for these blessings to sing praise and honour and glory vnto him that sitteth vpon the throne and vnto the Lambe for euer But vpon whom hee hath bestowed all these blessings O how strictly by good cause are they bound to magnifie the Lord and to reioyce in God their Sauiour Examine then your owne consciences I beseech you whether God hath bestowed all these blessings vpon you or no and if he haue O what Psal 99. Psal 96. great cause haue you to come before his face with praise to sing loud vnto him with Psalmes to worship to fall downe before him to giue vnto the Lord the glory of his name to bring an offering of thanksgiuing and to enter into his courts with praise And yet who knoweth whether the Lord hath greater blessings for you in store yee may bee sure hee will pull downe the mightie from their seates and exalt the humble and meeke Surely the Lord doth vse vertue as a meane to bring vs to honour and whosoeuer you shall see endued with the vertues of this Text I meane with seeking vnto God with prayer and puritie of life yee may bee sure there is a blessing reserued for him of the Lord yea such a blessing as though his beginning be but small yet his latter ende shall greatly encrease God encrease the loue of these things in our hearts and make vs worthy of Christs blessings which hee hath plentifully in store for vs that after hee hath heaped temporall blessings vpon vs hee would giue vs the blessing of all blessings euen the life of the world to come FINIS Maries Choyce Luke 10. 38. 39. c. 38 Now it came to passe as they went that hee entered into a certaine towne and a certaine woman named Martha receiued him into her house 39 And shee had a sister called Marie which also sate at Iesus feete and heard his preaching 40 But Martha was cumbred about much seruing and came to him and sayd Maister doest thou not care that my sister hath left me to serue alone Bid her therefore that shee helpe me 41 And Iesus answered and said vnto her Martha Martha thou carest and art troubled about many things 42 But one thing is needefull Marie hath chosen the good part which shall not be taken away from her AS Christ had shewed himselfe louing vnto Lazarus and his sisters in raysing him Iohn 11. from the death of the body and then from the death of the soule so doe they heere shew their thankful minds to Christ again the one by receiuing him into her house the other by entertaining him into her heart As hee was God he was receiued of Mary as he was man he was receiued of Martha They both desired to entertaine our Sauiour as Iacob and Esau desired to please their aged Gen. 27 Father but Mary made choyce of the better part and was preferred before her sister as Iacob sped soonest of most daintie venison and preuented his brother of the blessing And although the care of Martha in entertayning of Christ be not to bee misliked yet Maries diligence in hearing his doctrine is of purpose preferred to teach vs that it is much better with Mary to study in the word and first to seeke the kingdome of God then with Mat. 6. 35 Martha to labour in the world and to neglect that heauenly kingdome And yet notwithstanding such is the corruption of this rustie age that our greatest care is to prouide for this present life as the Rich man Luke 12. inlarged his Barnes wherein to put his store for many yeares but wee neuer or very late remember to prouide for the life to come like that other Rich man Luke 16. that neuer thought of heauen till he was tormented in the flames of hell In the 11. of Iohn Christ is sayde to loue the whole Familie and here hee is sayd to come vnto them For whom hee loueth hee cannot chuse but visite like the friendes of Iob that came to comfort him in his great aduersitie Iob. 2. yea and the greater loue hee beareth vnto any the oftner hee will resort vnto them yea hee will come and dwell with them Iohn 14. 23. Like Iacob that came downe into Egypt to his beloued Sonne Ioseph and dwelt in Gen. 47 Gen 45. Goshen But Christ is yet more kinde then Iacob was for hee came not till hee was sent for with horses and chariots but Christ came of his owne accord to this beloued familie Thus doth hee alwayes preuent vs with his blessings before hee was desired hee came into the world hee called his Apostles before they came to him and before hee was requested hee came vnto this noble house O happie house that entertained such a ghest but thrice happie inhabitants to whome such a ghest woulde vouchsafe to come When hee came to the swinish Gadarens they desired him to depart out of their coastes preferring their swine aboue their Sauiour but this godly family Luke 8. receiued him into their houses preferring their God before their golde and the health of their soules before their worldly wealth They receiued him into their house who had not a house wherein to put his head Wherein their hospitalitie is commended and shall certainly bee Mat. 8. 19 rewarded at the dreadfull day for with this and such like workes of mercy the Lord shall answer the sentence of iudgement which is to bee denounced against the wicked that neuer exercised those workes of mercy Let vs learne by their example to bee harberous and giuen to hospitality which is so often commended vnto vs in the Scripture and shall bee so richly rewarded at the last day Those godly Fathers Abraham and Lot entertained Angels in the habite of strangers so wee may daily entertaine Christ Iesus in the habite of a poore Gen. 18 Gen. 19 man of a blind man of a lame man and whatsoeuer is done vnto any of these that are his members hee accounteth and accepteth as done vnto himselfe Now as the vertue of hospitalitie is commendable in all sorts of men so is it more especially commended to the Ministers who are expresly commaunded by the Apostle among other things to bee giuen to hospitalitie 1. Tim 3. 2 Num. 35 Vnto the Leuites in the time of the lawe the Lord appointed cities of refuge to signifie that the Ministers house should bee the poore mans harbour and his store their treasure but the true Ministers of our daies haue no cities of refuge for
and quite changed the matter and said You shall not dye Thus sinne creepes vpon vs while doubt fulnesse remaineth in vs so God saith You shall bee saued the trembling flesh saith Peraduenture I shall c then commeth Sathan and he saith Thou shalt die so that if you will aske what is the faith of sinners or if you would haue it defined it is this peraduenture yea peraduenture The sinners faith no if you will aske mee whereupon this faith is grounded it is vpon ifs and ands this is the faith of the vngodly to say If so bee God will helpe vs for they can not assure themselues of any helpe But we may not doubt of our God and say It may bee or If peraduenture for we may freely pray to our God with confidence and may say Our God and the God of Ionah will surely helpe vs and hath helped vs. But yet let vs know that we haue sinned like Infidels and doe deserue to bee punished like the Egyptians If so be he will c. Thus if commeth in like a little leauen which sowreth the whole lumpe of dow and like the moth which eateth the whole wedding garment and this same littletheef hath stolen away all the Papists faith Therefore with them wickednesse lyeth sicke in bed and calleth to euery one that commeth by Call vpon thy God and pray for me if so bee hee will looke vpon vs and helpe vs and so their hope when the tempest commeth is either an easelesse horrour or a comfortlesse doubting If so he will thinke vpon vs. Our God thought vpon vs in the time of trouble he thought vpon vs and layd the tempest when our enemies called vpon their Gods Saints and Angels But what doe wee meane beloued whē mercie is come to send for iudgement for though we bee saued with Israel wee deserue to be plagued with Pharao because wee are not thankefull for this namely that the Lorde hath thought vpon vs in our distresse for hee trauelleth with mercie and laboureth till hee bee deliuered hee goeth laden like a Bee but wants a hiue There are two hands a hand to giue a hand to receiue Gods hand to giue and mans hand to receiue the hand of God is a bountifull and a mercifull hand a hand loden with liberalitie full of gracious gifts therefore let vs stretch foorth the good hand to receiue it thankefully to embrace it chearefully to entertaine it and carefully to keepe it let vs receiue it by the hand of faith the hand of loue and the hand of prayer for who so commeth with his hand shall be filled and who so commeth without it shall goe emptie away because they haue despised the wayes of God for when I instructed them they would not heare and what I taught them they would Pro 1. 24 25. not learne saith the Lord. Ionah wakened thus and thus exhorted to call vpon his God soone no doubt perceiued his danger and partly with the horrour for his sinne partly for feare of the deserued and thus threatned drowning and other punishments without question was grieuously vexed For hee could not but see that the very dumbe creatures were bent against him for his disobedience the wind blowes as though it would ouerturne all the waters roare as though they would drowne all the ship tumbles as though shee were weary of all and albeit the Mariners had cryed and cast out the wares as though they would loose all yet the tempest rageth still their danger is greater then euer Wherefore now one might haue saide to Sathan Sathan thou perswadedst him to flie from his defence for his safetie and madest him beleeue that hee would come safe to Tarshish and there liue at libertie and ease enioying all temporall benefits at his pleasure but now thou hast brought him into the prison of the ship and it is tost thus by this tempest likely to destroy him thou leauest him in the greatest danger and reioycest that Ionah quaketh at the tempest and hath his heart a king for feare of the danger thus threatned due to rebellion yea seekest also to drowne him and that also in hell howsoeuer thou pretendest a desire to preserue him from troubles and procure him many pleasures with much securitie O most wretched and deceitfull lyer he that trusteth his enemie and he that beleeueth thee shall euer bee deceiued And now might Ionah say Beware by mee for thus hath the tempter deceiued me he hath allured mee with flattring fantasies and perswaded me that it was but an easie thing to flie from the presence of the Lord that seeth alwayes all things and from whom no man no nor secret lurking in any mans heart can be hid but all are alwaies in his presence Hee made me beleeue that light could bee brought out of darknesse that good may come of euill for he assureth mee that if I would set forth toward Tharshish I should not onely shun the presence of the Lord but should liue at ease like one vnknowne both for my vocation and also for my behauiour in the execution thereof and so I might creepe into a familiaritie with these people and enioy the benefite of thy societie Otherwise if I went to Niniuie as the Lord commanded they would hate and persecute mee yea and so I should end my life in miserie both because they being Gentiles and I a Iewe they cannot abide mee for the one holdeth the other in contempt and also because of my message namely a prophecie of destruction grounded vpon a reproofe of their vile and sinfull pleasures Which message Sathan perswaded mee would be so hainously taken that no death nor torment that they could deuise for mee would bee thought sufficient and so I should bee sure neuer to escape their hands aliue if I went as though the eternall and most glorious God which sent me thither were not able to defend mee from all euill when I came thither as well as hee did Daniel in the Den of Lyons and Christ in the wildernesse among the sauage beastes And when Sathan had thus perswaded mee I beleeued him and so tooke my iourney to flye from the presence of the Lord if I could haue performed my intention But the Lord hath beheld the stubbournnesse and disobedience of my heart and therfore followeth mee with great displeasure hee hath sent out this tempest vpon the sea whereby wee are like to be ouer whelmed and so neere as we are to the water so neere we are to death by all likely-hood THE SECOND SERMON OF the punishment of Ionah Ionah 1. 7. Afterward they said euery one to his fellow Come and let vs cast lots that we may know for whose cause this euill is come vpon vs So they cast lots and the lot fell vpon Ionah NOw followeth another meane which the Mariners vse to appease the tempest They cast lots But first they consult and consent to cast lots The tempest was so strong that they concluded with
no more then it was vnlawfull for Peter to sleepe but when Christ Mat. 25. was preaching it was no time for her to bee so busie in seruing no more then it was time for Peter to sleepe when Luke 5. Christ willed him so earnestly to watch and pray When Christ preached out of Simons shippe to the people that stood vpon the shore it was no time for Peter to play the fisherman But when Christ had left speaking and commaunded him to launch into the deepe then it was time for Peter to let downe the net There is a time wherein wee ought to labour in our vocation and a time wherein we ought to heare the word and as we may not vtterly neglect our lawfull callings to follow sermons so must we not bestow the Sabboth which is consecrated to the seruice of God in following the workes of our vocation All things haue their appointed time sayth the wise man Ec 3. and euery thing is seemely in his conuenient season but when things are done preposterously and out of order there followeth confusion Although Martha did not heare Christ yet did shee labour for Christ many in our dayes will neither labour for Christ nor heare of Christ but as the Israelites were Num. 21 wearie of their iournie in the wildernesse and loathed that heauenly Manna so these men are wearie of euery godly exercise and are soone cloyed with the word of God The fiue foolish Virgins wasted their oyle to no purpose and while they went to buy were excluded the marriage Mat. 25 and these foolish men spend this time of grace vainely and wantonly as though after this life there were no time of Iustice and vengeance to bee feared The day serueth for their pride or profite the night is spent in sport and pleasure and no time is left to heare the Worde When wee are praying they are playing When wee are preaching they are eating and drinking like the old worlde that eate and dranke that married wiues and gaue in marriage while Noah was preparing the Arke for Gen. 6. Heb. 11. 1. King 18 the sauing of his household And as Baals Priests wounded themselues to serue their idole so these men take dangerous courses and strangely trouble themselues to serue the deuill Now Martha findeth her selfe agreiued and begins Gen 37. 1 Sa. 17. to enuie her sisters exercise as Iosephs brethren enuied him for his dreames and the sonnes of Ishai that disdained their brother Dauid for his forwardnes in the combate with Goliah These two sisters that in other thinges agreede so well together in this doe differ so much that Christ must haue the hearing of the matter and decide the controuersie Martha playeth the plaintife and accuseth her sister Marie the defendant answereth by her aduocate and Christ himselfe that tooke vppon him the office of an aduocate is become the Iudge and giueth sentence on Maries side Martha complayneth of her sisters slothfulnesse and seemeth after a sort to blame our Sauiour for winking at it requiring him to see the matter redressed speedily But Christ reprooueth Marthaes curiositie and then excuseth yea and commendeth Maries care In Martha it appeareth how willing wee are to please ourselues in our owne conceits and how ready to conceiue amisse of others doings yea sometimes to preferre our owne defects before the perfections of other men If Dauid chasten his soule with fasting it shall bee turned to his reproofe If he put on sackcloth to testifie his contritiō they Psal 69. iest at him and the drunkards make songs of him If Iohn Baptist be temperate in his apparell and diet they will say Luke 7 33 he hath a deuill If Paul answere discreetly for himselfe hee shall bee charged to bee mad with ouermuch learning Act. 26 Luke 7. 34. yea if our Sauiour Christ himselfe frequent the company of sinners to reclaime them from sinne they will not sticke to call him a friend and companion of Publicans and sinners Amongst vs if there bee any that bee more forward in religion then the rest and more diligent to heare the word as Mary was there shall not want some or other to censure them at their pleasure yea to find fault and to condemne them for so doing yet are not the godly to be discouraged herewith or to desist from their godly exercises for as the Lord answered for Mary when shee held her peace so the Lord will defend their cause and take their part against their aduersaries The Lord cannot abide to heare his seruants ill spoken of but is alwayes ready to maintayne their right and to answer for them Hee will not suffer Laban to speake an ill word Gen. 3. 24. Nu. 12. to his seruant Iacob And if Aaron and Miriam murmure against Moses the Lord will punish it with leprosie What a comfortable thing is this to the godly that the king of kings will take their parts and will not suffer them to sustaine any wrong Hee is a most sure and trusty friend that will not abide his friendes to bee back-bited or ill spoken of but eyther hee will answere in their defence or he will find some meanes to stop their mouthes and restraine the slandrous tongues of their enemies as sometime hee stopt Balaams passage when hee went to curse Gods people and caused the dumbe beast to speake and reproue Nu. 22. 2. Pet 1. 5. the madnesse of the prophet rather then he would haue his people to be cursed The repetition of Marthaes name argueth the vehemencie and earnestnes of this admonition The Lord is faine to bee very earnest and importunate with vs before hee can reclaime vs. So when God spake vnto Abraham bee called him twise by name Christ called Peter thrice by name Iohn 21 to cause him make his threefolde confession Gen. 22. to make amends for his three-fold deniall And when the Lord spake vnto Samuel hee called him 4. seuerall times by name before hee answered for such is the 1. Sam. 3. great mercie of God that hee is content to admonish vs often of our dutie and such is the dulnesse and peruersnes of our crooked nature that wee cannot bee gained by the first admonition but the Lord must call vs often and earnestly before we will hearken vnto him There are two things in the speech of Christ to be obserued The first is his modest reprehension of Marthaes immoderate care the other is his friendly defence of Maries choyce Though Martha was very carefull to entertaine Christ in the best maner yet if hee perceiue any thing in her worthy reprehension hee will not sticke to tell her of it hee will not sooth her in her saying nor smooth her in her owne conceit for all the trouble and cost that shee bestowes vpon him If wee be often inuited to some mans table and kindly entertained it would be vnkindly taken if wee should find fault with any disorder but for as much