Page:Everlasting love of God, and Mary's good choice.pdf/20

 ſerve to condemn our negligence and contempt of Chriſt and his word; we do not ſit at Chriſt's feet, nay, we ſet Chriſt at our feet, when we are ſo careless in hearing of the word; we are as ſlow to come to the church, as the raven was to come to the ark of Noah, Gen. viii. and as loath are we to ſpend any time in the ſervice of God, as Pharaoh was loath to let the Israelites go to ſerve the Lord. If a commodity were to be ſeen, out of which ſome profit or worldly gain may arise, how careful would we be to procure it? What pains would we take to get it? Absalom was no more deſirable of a kingdom, than are the rich men of our time desirable of golden gain; but if it be a matter 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 the heavenly pearl, than part with their worldly ſelf, Matth. xii. 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 his example, to take all occasions to preach the word; to be instant in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, 2 Tim. iv. 2. And let Christians