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12 great mercy of God, that he is even content to admoniſh us often of our duty; and again, ſuch is the dulneſs and perverſeneſs of our crooked natures, that we cannot be gained by our firſt admonitions, but the Lord muſt call us both often and earneſtly, before we will hearken unto him.

There are two things in this ſpeech of Chriſt's to be obſerved; the firſt is his modeſt reprehenſion of Martha's immoderate care: The other is, his friendly defence of Mary's choice. Altho' Martha was very careful to entertain Chriſt in the beſt manner, yet if he perceived any thing in her, that is worthy of reprehenſion, he will not ſtick to tell her of it, he will not ſoothe her in her ſaying, nor ſoothe her in her own conceit, for all the trouble and coſt that ſhe be ſtowed upon him. If we ſhould be invited to ſome man's table, and kindly entertained thereat, it would be unkindly taken, if we ſhould find fault with any miſorder: But for as much as all Chriſt's actions are the only inſtructions of chriſtians, therefore every chriſtian man, but eſpecially preacher, to whom it more particularly appertaineth, muſt learn by this example, how to behave themſelves when they are invited to great feaſts, namely to ſpeak to the conſcience freely, when they ſhall ſee a fault. The beſt requital that we can make for our good cheer, is to give good counſel, and wholeſome admonitions to them that invite us. When Chriſt dined with the Phariſee, Luke xi. 18. and was miſliked for not waſhing before dinner, he thereby took occaſion to reprove their hypocriſy, even their outward ſhew of holineſs, which was the moſt frequent ſhew and ſin of the Phariſees. And at