Page:Cry to the whole earth; a sermon preached by the Reverend Mr. John Welch.pdf/10

 left to hear the word. When we are praying, they are playing, when we are preaching, they are eating and drinking, like the old world, that ate and drank, Gen. vi that married wives; and was given in marriage, Luke xvii. while Noah was preparing the ark for ſaving of his houſhold, Heb. xi. And as Baal's prieſts, 2 Kings xxi. wounded themſelves to ſerve their idols; ſo theſe men took dangerous counſel, and ſtrangely troubled themſelves to ſerve the devil. Now Martha findeth herſelf grieved, and beginneth to envy her ſiſter's exerciſe, & Jofeph's brethren envied him for his dreams, Gen. xxxvii. and the ſons of Jeffe, who diſdained their brother David, for his forwardneſs to combat with Goliah, 1 Sam. xv. Theſe two ſiſters that in other things agreed ſo well together, in this do ſo much differ, that Chriſt muſt have the hearing of the matter before him, and divide the controverſy. Martha playeth the plaintiff, and accuſeth her ſiſter; Mary, the defendant, anſwereth by her advocate, and Chriſt himſelf that took upon him the office of an advocate, is become the judge, and giveth ſentence on Mary's ſide; Martha ſhe complains of her ſiſter's ſlothfulnefs, and ſeemeth after her ſort, to blame our Saviour for winking at it, requiring him to ſee the matter redreſſed ſpeedily. But Chriſt, he firſt reproveth Martha's curioſity, and then excuſeth, yea, and commendeth Mary's care. In Martha's doing, it declares to us how willing we are to pleaſe ourſelves, in our own conceits, and how ready to conceive amiſs of the doings of others; yea, ſometimes to prefer our own defects before the perfections of other men. If David chaſten his ſoul with faſting, Pſal. lxix. It ſhall be turned to his reproof; and if he put on ſackcloth, to teſtify his contrition, they jeſt at him, and the drunkards make ſongs of him. Luke vii. 33. If John the Baptiſt be temperate in his