Page:Cry to the whole earth; a sermon preached by the Reverend Mr. John Welch.pdf/8

 of coſt and trouble unto them; if they cannot hear the word preached, without ſome hindrance to their worldly buſineſs, and ſome extraordinary charge to their purſe, then like to the Gadarenes, Luke viii. they are content to take their leave of Chriſt and his word, and would rather leave that heavenly pearl, than part from their worldly pelſ, Mat. xiii 49.

Thus, in Chriſt we have a pattern of a good paſtor, and in Mary the pattern of a good hearer; let miniſters learn by this example, to take all occaſions to preach the word, to be inſtant in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, Tim. iv. 2. and let chriſtians learn by her example, Mat. vi. 'Firſt ſeek the kingdom of God and his righteouſneſs,' and then to provide for the things of this life. While Mary was careful for the food of the ſoul, Martha was curious to provide food for the body; her greateſt care was to entertain Chriſt, and to make him good cheer to teſtify her thankful mind unto him, that had done ſo great things for them; he had raiſed her brother Lazarus from death to life: Therefore he was worthy to be well entertained. If Elias deſerved to be well dealt withal, at the hands of his hoſteſs, Kings. xvii. whoſe ſon he reſtored to life; or Eliſha deſerved ſuch entertainment for her ſon's reviving, 2 Kings iv. then ſurely our Saviour Chriſt was much more welcome hither, ſeeing he had raiſed Lazarus out of his grave, where he had lain by the ſpace of four days before, John xi. It was well done therefore of Martha to ſhew her thankful mind to Chriſt; but it was not well done at that time, to ſhew herſelf thankful in that manner, for it was then time to hear the word; becauſe at that time Chriſt preached the word; it was not convenient time for her to ſpend on other affairs, and to neglect the greateſt affair, even the means of her own ſalvation; it was not unlawful