John Welch

“ As the head and the foot are both needful in the body, so Mary and Martha are both needful in a commonwealth. Man hath two vocations, the one earthly by his labour, the other heavenly by his prayer. There is the active life, which consisteth only in practising the affairs of this life, wherein man shews himself to be like unto himself, which is an earthly man, caring for earthly things; and there is the contemplative life, which consisteth in the meditation of heavenly things ”

“ As often therefore as we come to hear the word of God, we must not come with distracted minds, we must not trouble ourselves with the cares of this life, which, to our Saviour faith, are but thorns to choak the Lord, Luke viii. ”

“ Amongst us, if there be any that be more forward in religion than others be, or more diligent to hear the word as Mary was, they shall not want some one or other to censure them at their pleasure, yea, to find fault, and also condemn them for so doing. ”

“ There is a time wherein we ought to labour in our vocation, and a time wherein we ought to hear the word of God; and as we may not utterly neglect our lawful callings to follow sermons, so we must not bestow the sabbath, which is consecrated to the service of God, in following the works of our vocation; all things have their appointed time, faith the wise man, and every thing is seemly in its convenient season, Eccl. iii. but when things are done preposterously, and out of order, then followeth confusion Although Martha did not hear Christ, yet did she labour for Christ ”

“ If we make choice of any other thing besides, it must be taken from us, or we must be taken from it: But if we make choice of this one thing, it shall never be taken from us, neither in this life, nor the life to come. ”

“ 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 preachers 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. ”

“ If John the Baptist be temperate in his apparel and diet, they will say he hath a devil: if Paul answer discreetly for himself, he shall be charged to be mad with over-much learning; yes if our Saviour Christ himself frequent the company of sinners, to welcome them from sin, they will not stand to call him a friend and companion of publicans and sinners, Luke vii. ”

“ For such is the great mercy of God, that he is even content to admonish us as often of our duty; and again, such is the dullness and perverseness of our crooked naturcs, 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. ”

“ Yet are not the godly herewith to be discouraged, or to desist from their godly exercise the more of that; for as the Lord answered for Mary when she held her peace herself, so the Lord will defend their cause, and take their part against their adversaries; howbeit the godly be sufferers of their injury. The Lord cannot abide to hear his servants evil spoken of, but is always ready to maintain their right, and to answer for them: He will not suffer Laban to speak one ill word to his servant Jacob, Gen xxxi. ”

“ And for as much as many things are so troublesome, and one thing is so needful, let us ever be seeking that needful thing, even the end of all things, that is, to learn to fear God, and to strive continually to keep his commandments, Eccl. ”

“ Mary hath a double portion, she both heard the word, and also ate of the meat which her sister dressed. For godliness hath the promise of this life, and of that which is to come, i Tim. iv. 8. As for all things, whether they be honours, promotions, pleasures, or whatsoever else, they serve only for the maintenance of this present life, which is but short, and also very subject to mutability: But the word of God is the food of the soul, the bread of life, that immortal feed which bringeth forth fruit unto eternal life, i Pet. ”

“ O happy house that entertained such a guest; but thrice happy inhabitants to whom such a guest would vouchsafe to come. When he came unto the swinish Gadarenes, they desired him to depart out of their coasts, Luke viii. preferring their swine above their Saviour: But this godly family gladly received him into their house, preferred their God before their gold, and their soul's health before their worldly wealth. They received him into their houses, who had not a house of his own to put his head into, Mat. ”

“ Thus doth Christ always shew himself a thankful guest: For in whatsoever house be entereth in, he leaveth better things behind him than he findeth: He loves none to be in Zaccheus' debt for his dinner, for inste (illegible text) thereof he bringeth salvation to his house; neither does he here leave his supper unpaid, for instead thereof he bestoweth on them a heavenly sermon. This should be the exercise of al faithful ministers. when they are invited to a great feast, that as they are called the salt of the earth, Mat. ”