God in humilitie and sinceritie and in full assurance of faith continually who without end is to be sought because without ende hee is to be beloued The third thing contained in our dutie is what effect this seeking and praying ought to worke in vs comprehended in these words If thou bee pure and vpright if the cloudes be full they will powre forth raine vpon the earth and vnpossible it is that a man that seeketh after God and prayeth vnto the Almightie should not bring foorth the fruites of a good life for if the tree bee good the fruites cannot bee bad and if the head of the water be pure it will send foorth pure waters into the cesternes Wherefore as good motions are stirred vp by prayer so must they bee fostered by practise of life according to that of the Apostle Quench not the Spirite nor greiue the holy one of God by whome yee are sealed to the day of redemption 1. Thes 5 He quencheth dearely beloued the spirit which being once lightned with the sparkles of faith and felt Gods Ephes 4. motions in his heart doth neglect to increase the one to a flame and the other to good workes in his life but with the dogge turneth to his vomits and with the Sowe that was washed to her wallowing againe in the mire Therefore beloued loue and seeke the Lord pray to the Almightie be pure and vpright in conuersation flie from sinne as from a Serpent for if thou come neere it will bite thee The teeth thereof are as the teeth of a Lyon to slay the soules of men and all iniquitie is as a two edged sword the wounds that it giues cannot bee healed I dare not stand as I would vpon these points fearing tediousnesse wherefore let this suffice for the former general part concerning the dutie we owe vnto God Now Gods promises for the performance hereof yeeld vnto vs most plentifull matter of doctrine and consolation First of his iustice that as hee will suffer no sinne vnpunished so he will suffer no good worke vnrewarded but giueth to euery seuerall action his seuerall hire and iust recompence of reward Shall the houre come in which all that are in their graues shall heare a voyce and come forth they that haue done well to the resurrection of life they that haue done euill to the resurrection of condemnation Shall the Lord search Ierusalem with Lanthornes Shall all full corners bee sweept and all pleites and wrinkles bee vnfolded Shall the Sea graue death and hell giue vp all that is in them And shall all the dead both great and small stand before God when the books are opened And shall euery man haue praise of God according vnto his deseruing Shall wee then discerne betweene the vessels of honour and of wrath between sheep and Goates the iust and vniust Finally shall there be an infallible generall and incorrupt iudgement wherein the booke of all our offences shall bee laid wide open Now God bee mercifull vnto vs bee fauourable O Lord be fauourable But to proceede it is thy nature O Lord to gather 1. Thes 5. vp the wheate and burne the tares to cut downe all fruitlesse trees and cast them into the fire yea into a fierie Ephe. 4. furnace that neuer shall bee quenched into an vtter darknesse where is weeping wailing gnashing of teeth then be fauourable O Lord be fauourable Doth not the Lord spare Dauid a king and a Prophet for murther Doth hee not spare the Sichemites for adulterie Nor Absalom for treason Nor Saule for tyrannie Nor Eli for negligence nor A chab Ieroboam nor Iezabel for cruelty nor Herod Nabuchadnezzar and Lucifer for pride nor Pharaoh for incredulity Then beefauorable O Lord be fauourable to vs in whom almost euerie one of these sinnes doe dwell and remaine Did the Lord for corruption ouer flow the world with water Did hee burne Sodome for her villanie Did hee cast Adam and Eue out of Paradise for eating of the forbidden fruite Did hee stone a poore wretch to death for gathering chips on the Sabboth day Then bee fauourable O Lord bee fauourable vnto vs. But doth not the Lord spare the Cedar tree for his height nor the Oke for his strength Nor the Poplar for his smoothnesse Nor the Lawrel for his greennesse No verily from the Cedar that is in Lybanon euen to the Hysop that groweth out of the wall yea euery one that bringeth not forth good fruite is hewne downe and cast into the fire it is a righteous thing with God to render vengance to those that disobey him and to destroy such as haue forsaken the law by euerlasting perdition Behold the Lord shall come in the great and latter day of iudgement when none shall escape his iudgement seate with clouds shall hee come and euery eye shall see him euen they which pierced him thorow shall also waile before him being summoned all to appeare most fearefully before his imperiall throne of maiestie then bee fauourable O Lord bee fauourable Alas with what eies shal wee miserable sinners behold him so gloriously sitting in his royall kingdome with all his mightie and holy Angels and whole number of Saints sounding with the voice of the Archangell and trumpet of God causing the heauens to passe away with a noyse and the elements to melt like waxe and the earth to burne with the workes thereof Yea with what eyes shall wee behold him when wee see the Sunne darkened the Moone eclipsed and the stars fall downe from heauen But alas when hee taketh the furbished blade into his hand when hee is readie to throw the fierie thunderboults of his wrath when he summoneth before him the worme that neuer dieth the fire that neuer shall bee quenched to reuenge vpon the wicked into what a plight are they then driuen Then leaue they off Bee fauourable O Lord bee fauourable and say to the hils O ye mountaines come and couer vs. O yee waters come and ouerwhelme vs woe woe woe how great is this darknesse The godly on the other side are bathed in such streames of blisse and aduanced to such happinesse as neither tongue can vtter nor heart conceiue The second thing wee haue to note in his promises is his mercy which exceedeth all his works For God though hee haue giuen a curse of the law against sinners yet seeing Christ for the penitent hath borne the curse whereby his iustice is not impared he is content to accept our weaknes as our strength to recompence our imperfection with reward of greatest perfection and that which wee can performe but in small part hee is content to accept as whole nor for any desert of ours but in satisfaction of his sonne who payd with the seale of his owne bloud the ransome for our sinnes hee hath cancelled the hand-writing that was against vs. Wherefore wee are to pray vnto God that whensoeuer our sinnes shall come in question before him that hee would looke vpon
let them that be swearers be swearers still let them that be wantons be wantons still let them that be carelesse prelates be carelesse still let them that be vsurers be vsurers still but saith Salomon Remember thy end that thou shalt be called to iudgement at the last for altogether This is the counsell of Salomon the wisest then liuing what a counsell is this for a wise man such a one as was Salomon In the beginning of his booke he saith All is vanitie and in the end he saith Feare God and keepe his Commandements in the 12. Chapter he saith Remember thy maker in the dayes of thy youth But here hee saith Reioyce O yong man in thy youth Here he speaketh like an Epicure which sayth Eate drinke and bee merry heere hee counseles and heere hee mockes yet not after the manner of scorners although they deserued it in shewing their foolishnesse as it is in the first of the Prouerbes Hee laughed at the wicked in derision as in the second Psalme God seeing vs follow our owne wayes For when he bids vs pray wee play and when he bids vs runne wee stand still and when he bids vs fast wee feast and send for vanities to make vs sport then hee laughs at our destruction Therefore when Salomon giueth a sharpe reproofe and maketh you ashamed in a word hee scoffingly bids you doe it againe like a Schoolemaister which beateth his Scholer for playing the truant hee biddeth him play the truant againe O this is the bitterest reproofe of all But least any Libertine should misconster Salomon and say that hee bids vs be merry and make much of our selues therefore he shutteth vp with a watchword and setteth a bridle before his lips and reprooueth it as he speaketh it before hee goeth any further and sayth But remember that for all these things thou must come to iudgement But if we will vnderstand his meaning hee meaneth when hee saith Reioyce O young man Repent O young man in thy youth and when hee saith Let thy heart cheare thee Let thy sinnes greiue thee for hee meaneth otherwise then he speaketh hee speaketh like Michai in the booke of Kings the second Chapter Goe vp and prosper or like as Ezechiel Goe vp and serue other Gods or as Saint Iohn speaketh in the Reuelation Let them that be wicked bee wickea still But if there were no iudgement day that were a merry world therefore saith Salomon when thou art in thy pleasures flaunting in the fields and in thy braue ruffes and amongst thy Louers with thy smiling lookes thy wanton talke and merry iestes with thy pleasant games and loftie lookes Remember for all these things thou shalt come to iudgement Whilest the theefe stealeth the hempe groweth and the hooke is couered within the baite wee sit downe to eate and rise vp to play and from play to sleepe and a hundred yeares is counted little enough to sinne in but how many sinnes thou hast set on the score so many kinds of punishments shall bee prouided for thee Howe many yeeres of pleasure thou hast taken so many yeeres of paine how many drammes of delight so many pounds of dolour when iniqui tie hath plaid her part vengance leapes vpon the stage the Comedie is short but the Tragedie is longer the blacke gard shall attend vpon you you shall eate at the table of sorrow and the crowne of death shall bee vpon your heads many glistring faces looking on you and this is the feare of sinners when the deuill hath entised them to sinne hee presumeth like the old Prophet in the booke of kings who when he had entised the yong Prophet contrarie to the commaundement of God to turne home with him and to eate and drinke he cursed him for his labour because he disobeyed the commaundement of the Lord and so as a Lyon deuoured him by the way The foolish virgins thinke that their oyle will neuer bee spent so Dina stragled abroad whilest shee was defloured what a thing is this to say Reioyce then Repent what a blanke to say Take thy pleasure then thou shalt come to iudgement It is as if he should say Steale and be hanged steale and thou darest strangle sin the cradle for all the wisdome in the world will not helpe thee else but thou shalt be in admiration like dreamers which dreame strange things and knowe not how they come He saith Remember iudgement If thou remember alwaies then thou shalt haue little list to sin if thou remember this then thou sahtl haue little list to fall downe to the deuill though hee would giue thee all the world and the glorie thereof Salomon saith The weede groweth from a weede to a cockle from a cockle to a bramble from a bramble to a brier from a brier to a thorne Lying breeds periury periury breedes haughtines of heart haughtines of heart breeds contempt contempt breedes obstinacie and brings forth much euill And this is the whole progresse of sin he groweth from a lyer to a theefe from a theefe to a murtherer and neuer leaueth vntil hee hath searched all the roome in hell and yet hee is neuer satisfied the more hee sinneth the more hee searcheth to sin when he hath deceiued nay he hath not deceiued thee assoone as hee hath that he desireth hee hath not that hee desireth when he hath left fighting he goeth to fighting againe yet a little and a little more and so wee flit from one sinne to another While I preach you heare iniquitie ingender within you and will breake forth as soone as you are gone So Christ wept Ierusalem laughed Adam brake one and wee breake ten like children which laugh and cry so as if wee kept a shop of vices now this sinne and then that from one sinne to another O remember thy end saith Salomon and that thou must come to iudgement What shall become of them that haue tryed them most Bee condemned most Reioyce O young man in thy youth But if thou marke Salomon he harpes vpon one string hee doubles it againe and againe to shew vs things of his owne experience because wee are so forgetfull thereof in our selues like the dreamer that forgetteth his dreame and the swearer his swearing So wee begge of euery vncleane spirit vntill wee haue bumbasted our selues vp to the throat filling euery corner of our heartes withall vncleannesse and then we are like the dogge that commeth out of the sinke and maketh euery one as foule as himselfe therefore sayth Salomon If any one will learne the way to hell let him take his pleasure Me thinke I see the Dialogue betweene the flesh and the Spirit the worst speaketh first and the flesh sayth Soule take thine ease eate drinke and goe braue lye soft what else should you doe but take your pleasure thou knowest what a pleasant fellowe I haue beene vnto thee thou knowest what delight thou hast had by my meanes but the soule commeth in burthened with that which hath
horrible it is when you thinke of torment passing all tormentes and yet a torment passing all that yet this torment is greater then them and passing them all Imagine you see a sinner going to hell and his sumner gape at him his acquaintance looke at him the Angels shoute at him and the Saintes laugh at him and the deuils rayle at him and many looke him in the face and they that said they would liue and dye with him forsake him and leaue him to pay all the scores Then Iudas would restore his bribes Esau would cast vp his pottage Achan would cast downe his golde and Gehezi would refuse his giftes Nabuchadnezzar would bee humbler Balam would bee faithfull and the Prodigall would be tame Mee thinkes I see Achan running about where shall I hide my golde that I haue stolne that it might not bee seene nor stand to appeare for witnesse against mee And Iudas running to the high Priests saying Hold take againe your money I will none of it I haue betrayed the innocent bloud And Esau crying for the blessing when it is too late hauing sold his birthright for a messe of pottage Woe woe woe that euer wee were borne O where is that Diues that would beleeue this before hee felt the fire in hell or that would beleeue the poorest Lazarus in the world to bee better then himselfe before the dreadfull day come when they cannot helpe it if they would neuer so faine when repentance is too late Herod shall then wish that hee were Iohn Baptist Pharaoh would wish that hee were Moses and Saul would wish that hee had bene Dauid Nabuchadnezzar that hee had beene Daniel Haman to haue beene Mardocheus Esau would wish to bee Iacob and Balam would wishe might die the death of the righteous then hee will say I will giue more then Ezechias crie more then Esau fast more then Moses pray more then Daniel weepe more then Marie Magdalen suffer more stripes then Paul abide more imprisonments then Michai abide more crueltie then any mortall man would doe that it might bee Ite Goe yee cursed might be come yee blessed Yea I would giue all the goods in the world that I might escape this dreadfull day of wrath and iudgement and that I might not stand amongst the goe O that I might liue a begger all my life and a Leaper O that I might endure all plagues and sores from the top of the head to the sole of my foote sustaine all sicknesse griefes that I might escape this iudgement The guiltie conscience cannot abide this day The silly sheepe when shee is taken will not bleate but you may carry her and doe what you will with her and shee will bee subiect but the swine if shee bee once taken shee will roare and cry and thinkes shee is neuer taken but to bee slaine So of all things the guiltie conscience cannot abide to heare of this day for they know that when they heare of it they heare of their owne condemnation I thinke if there were a generall collection made through the whole world that there might bee no iudgement day then God would bee so rich that the world would go a begging bee as waste wildernesse Then the couetous Iudge would bring forth his bribes then the craftie Lawyer would fetch out his bagges the Vsurer would giue his gaine and the idle seruant would digge vp his talent againe and make a double thereof But all the money in the world will not serue for our sinne but the Iudge must answere for his bribes hee that hath money must answer how hee came by it iust condemnation must come vpon euery soule of them then shall the sinner bee euery dy ing and neuer dead like the Salamander that is euer in the fire and neuer consumed But if you come there you may say as the Queene of Saba sayde of King Salomon I beleeue the report that I heard of thee in mine owne Countrie but the one halfe of thy wisedome was not tolde mee If you came there to see what is done you may say Now I beleeue the report that was told mee in my owne countrie concerning this place but the one halfe as now I feele I haue not heard of now chuse you whether you will reioyce or remember whether you will stand amongst you blessed or amongst you cursed whether you will enter while the gate is open or knocke in vaine when the gate is shut whether you will seeke the Lord whilest he may be found or be found of him when you would not bee sought being run into the bushes with Adam to hide your selues whether you will take your heauen now here or your hell then there or through tribulation to enter into the kingdome of God and thus to take your hell now here or your heauen then there in the life to come with the blessed Saintes and Angels so that hereafter you may lead a new life putting on Iesus Christ and his righteousnesse FINIS THE SINFVLL MANS SEARCH Iob. 8. 5 6. 7. 5 If thou wilt earely seeke vnto God and pray vnto the Almightie 6 If thou bee pure and vpright then surely he will awake vnto thee and make the habitation of thy righteousnesse prosperous 7 And though the beginning be but small yet thy latter end shall greatly increase IN a sicke and euill affected body dearly beloued we vsually see preparatiues ministred that the maladies may bee made more fit and pliable to receiue wholesome medicines The like yea and greater regard ought wee to haue of our soules which being not crasie only or lightly affected with sinne but sicke euen vnto death had need to bee prepared with threates and exhortations comforts and consolations one way or other that they may bee made fit not to receiue the preparatiue but the perfection of happie saluation And for this cause haue I made choyse of this part of Scripture as of a light to shine vnto vs in darkenes a direction to our steps and a lanthorne to our pathes while wee wander through the boystrous waues of this wicked world The text is plaine and obiect to euery mans capacitie naturally budding vnto blossomes The first containing our duetie which we are to performe towards God The second Gods promises if wee performe this duetie Our duetie towards God is implyed in these three conditions First If thou wilt earely seeke vnto God Secondly If thou wilt pray vnto the Almightie Thirdly If thou be pure and vpright so thot the whole consisteth on these three points First what it is that God requireth namely Diuision a diligent and speedy search in these words If thou wilt seeke earely Secondly how thy search is to bee made in prayer in these words If thou wilt pray to the Almightie Thirdly what effect these things ought to worke in vs a puritie and sinceritie of life in these words If thou be pure and vpright As our duetie towards God consisteth in three points so Gods
alleadging these strickt places against vs The soule that sinneth shall die the death Cursed is hee that abideth not in euery point of the law to doe it On the other side hee bringeth in our consciences to witnesse against vs and then inferreth this hard conclusion Therefore there is no hope in saluation Then if hee see that wee appeale from iustice to mercie and say At what time soeuer a sinner repenteth the Iudge putteth all his wickednesse out of his remembrance hee dealeth with vs as craftie worldings deale in matters of Lawe who when they see their matters passe against them in higher Courtes bring downe their case into the Countrey to bee decided by the Neighbours who either for their simplicitie cannot or for their fauour dare not iudge of the truth of the matter 1 So our aduersarie though God himselfe doe discharge vs though our conscience doth testifie our innocencie yet hee accuseth in the thirde court before men where hee is bold to powre out his whole venome and poyson of his malice against vs and to forge what lies and slaunders and libels he list because he knoweth they shal be receiued as true 2 Thus hee accuseth Christ Iesus our blessed Lord and Sauiour before Pontius Pilate and caused diuers false and vntrue witnesses to come in against him But if hee were malicious onely to wish our destruction and not mightie to wreake his malice wee should haue little cause to feare but he is mightie therefore he is tearmed a lion the power of darknesse a great Dragon which drewe to the earth the third part of the starres of heauen that is with earthly Luke 11. Ephe 6. Reue. 12. temptation to haue ouerthrowne them which seemed to shine in the church of God as lampes and starres O then how easie is our ouerthrow if the Lord did not hold vs vp which shine not as starres in heauen but creep like wormes on earth 3 Yet if hee were but malicious and mightie it were better with vs but hee is fierce and therefore called a roaring Lion who laying waite for the bloud of the godly stirreth vp bloud-thirstie persecutors to make themselues drunke with the bloud of Saintes as most greiuously hee did from the time of Iohn Baptist to the raigne of Maxentius the space of 294. yeares slaying some by the sword burning other with fire hanging some on the gallowes drowning some in riuers stabbing some with forkes of yron pressing others vnto death with stones deuouring many thousands of the tender lambs of Christs flocke 4 To this malice might and rage is added his subtil policy which he vseth in circumuenting the faithfull he doth not pitch his tents in any one place but walketh about from place to place to spie out his best aduantage in the Iohn 1. night hee soweth tares and in the day hee hindreth the growth thereof 5 He proceedeth after further and addeth to his pollicy industrie hee considereth our natures and dispositions and to what sinnes wee doe most incline and thereunto hee applyeth himselfe sometimes by flattery sometimes by feare sometimes by feeding our humours hee subtilly inticeth vs sometimes by violence hee goeth about to enforce vs sometimes by changing himselfe into an Angell of light hee endeuoureth to betray our soules into his hands and in whatsoeuer estate hee findeth vs hee thereby taketh occasion to lay siege to our soules Thus ye see noted in a word the force of our aduersarie examine now yourselues whether you haue any thing in your selues and you shall find nothing but weaknesse and corruption It is God that giueth strength to the mighty wisedome to the prudent and knowledge to the vnderstanding hee teacheth Dauids hand to fight Psa 144. and his fingers to battle hee giueth strength to his armes to breake abow euen abow of steele wherefore let neither the wise man glorie in his wisedome nor the strong man in his strength but let him that glorieth glorie in the Lord. Secondly wee are to seeke vnto God alone because none is so present as hee for God because hee is Almighty and with his power filleth both heauen and earth is present alwaies with them that feare him and readie to succour them in distresse The Lord is neare to all that call vpon him in truth hee heareth our gronings sighs and knoweth what things are necessarie for vs before wee aske The third reason why we must seeke vnto God is none is so able to helpe as hee but of this I shall haue particular occasion to speake when I come to this point And pray vnto the Almighty The fourth reason why we must seeke Christ alone is because there is none so willing to helpe vs as hee It is a great courage to vs to make suite when wee are perswaded of the willingnesse of him to whome we make suite I pray yee who was euer more carefull for our saluation and more watchfull ouer vs than the Lord who euer put his trust in him and was confounded In this respect hee is called a Father because as the father tendreth his sonne so the Lord doth all those that put their trust in him Can there bee any more willing to helpe vs than Christ whose whole head was sicke and whose heart was heauie for our sakes yea in whose bodie from the sole of the foot to the crowne of the head was nothing but wounds and swellings and sores but alas this was nothing to that hee suffered for our sakes Hee was compassed about with feares and horrours till his sweat was drops of bloud and his bones bruised in the flesh hee was whipped and scourged and chastised with sorrowes till hee cryed out in the bitternesse of his soule O Lord if it bee possible let this cup passe from mee The heauie hand of God was so grieuous vpon him that hee brused his very bones and rent his reynes asunder hee could finde no health in his flesh but was wounded yea wounded to the death euen the most bitter death vppon the Crosse His tender fingers were nayled to the Crosse his face was wrinkled with weeping and wayling his sides imbrued and gored with his owne bloud spurting and gushing fresh from his ribbes the shaddow of death was vpon his eyes O what greife could bee like this or what condemnation could bee so heauie sith there was no wickednesse in his hands sith he was the brightnesse of his fathers glorie and the Sunne of righteousnesse that shined in the world as to see his dayes at an ende to see such throbbing sighs and carefull thoughts without cause of his so deepely ingrauen in the tables of his brest But was this all No my brethren sith his excellencie was such aboue all creatures that the worlde was not worthy to giue him breath it was a greater greife vnto him to see himselfe made a worme and not a man ashame of men and contempt of the people to see his life shut vp in shame and reproches how could
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