Page:Cry to the whole earth (2).pdf/16

 16       earnest and importunate with us before he        can reclaim us. So when God spake to       Abraham, he calls him twice by name, Gen. xxii. Christ called Peter thrice by name, John xxi. to cause him to make his three- fold confession, for satisfaction of his three- fold denial. And when the Lord spake unto Samuel, he called him several times by name, 1 Sam. iii. before he answered. For such is the 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 ad- monitions, 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 immoder- ate care. The other is, his friendly de- fence of Mary's choice. Although 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 bestowed upon him. If we