Christs Justification of Marys Choice, Doctrine
But whose part doth Christ take, and which of them doth he justifie? The Defendant Mary, and that 1. With a Compassionate reproof of Martha, 2. With the Reason of Mary's Justification, 3. And with a Sentence of Blessing added to her defence: Whence we learn,
Doct. 2. That when wiser Christians and their better Choice and work, are accused by them that preferred less needful things, Christ will be the Advocate and Judge, and will defend and justifie the wrongfully accused. He will in this Case take the accused's part.
Martha accuseth her Sister to Christ, she expecteth that he should blame her as neglecting her duty, and leaving all the trouble and care on Martha: But Christ doth not answer her Expectation, but justifieth the Wise and Innocent.
Reas. 1. For it is his Office to be both the Advocate and the Judge: And he will do it in perfection, without errour or injustice. He well knoweth who is in the right, and none can deceive him by false Accusations or false Witnesses.
2. He is so nearly related and deeply obliged to defend the Innocent or Just, that he will never fail them. They are his Members, and his Love engageth him: He spared not his Life and Blood for them, and will he not speak for them? They are his purchase, and interest, his peculiar redeemed ones, and will he forsake his Interest, and his Own?
3. Indeed in plain Justice he is bound to justifie them against such injurious Accusations: For it is he that commandeth them to do what they are accused of: It is for obeying him: If it were a fault, it would be his that bid them do it. Nay how much hath he done to bring his Servants to that Holy Choice and Faithful Duty, which in the world they are commonly accused for! Alas we were not forward to it of our selves. It was not we that made the Law, which so strictly forbiddeth Sin, and commandeth Duty: The Bible is not of our making: It is not we that made the Law, to Love God with all our Heart, and Soul, and might, and our Neighbour as our selves; not to take his Name in Vain, to worship God in Spirit and in Truth, &c. And it was a higher cause than our own power, which taught us and inclined our Hearts to obey these: Many a Message did Christ send us, by his Bible, Ministers and Spirit, before we were heartily drawn to yield: Many a daies Patience did he use, and many a threatning to drive us to it, and many a Mercy and Promise to draw us, and many a Book and Teacher to Instruct us, yea and many an Affliction to Correct us; And will he not justifie us for that which he so earnestly commandeth us, and with so much ado doth bring us to obey? Did he come into the world, and live and dye, to save his People from their Sins, and purifie to himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works, (Tit. 2. 14.) and will he forsake them when they are accused for obeying him? Where shall we meet with a man of any common honesty, that would do thus by his poorest Servant? And shall not the Judge of all the Earth do righteously. For our parts, if we are accused for Serious Piety, or any duty which Christ commandeth us, it is his command that was our reason and obligation, and which we have to alledge for our defence. If that have not Authority and Truth enough to justifie us, we have no other Justification. Indeed Christ should forsake himself if he thus deserted us: He should take the blame upon his own Laws, yea and on all the works of his Grace and Spirit, and all that he hath done to bring us to that which the world and our flesh was so much against.
4. He defendeth his Disciples against the Pharisees Accusations on Earth, and will he afterward forsake them?
5. He hath appointed the great day to judge the World in Righteousness, even the secrets of men, and to bring all things open into the manifesting light, even all Truth and Falshood, and all the hidden works of Darkness: Therefore undoubtedly all Truth, all Righteousness, and all that is of God, shall be fully Justified, and Gods Truth in all, when false Accusers shall be all found Lyars.