Christs Justification of Marys Choice, Part 4
IV. What are the common excuses of this Sin?
Obj. 1. Some say, that it is but few Persons, at least not all, that are fitted for, and called to great employments; they that cannot do greater matters, must do lesser.
Ans. All are not called to Govern Kingdoms, nor to be Teachers and Pastors of the Church; but all have some Talent, which they must use and answer for; and all may do somewhat which tendeth to the common good; the Servant or Labourer that Ploweth, Soweth and Reapeth, doth serve the Common-wealth; and if his Master live idly, and spend his time in Gaming, Plays, or other vanity, can he excuse it by pleading a greater incapacity than his Servant had? A Mason, a Carpenter, a Tailor, a Sweep-chimney, do that which is needfull to be done; and shall rich men live idly, and do no good, because they are rich?
Obj. 2. I was not bred up to labour, they that were bred up to it, must use it.
Ans. If you were not bred up to some Calling or Employment, profitable to your self and others, you were bred in sin, and then it's time to break it off; Idleness, with Pride and Fulness, are noted to have been Sodoms sins; and will you not amend, because you were bred in sin? can you bear the doom of the unprofitable, slothful Servant, Math. 25? Or will it excuse you because you have been slothfull from your youth?
Obj. 3. God doth not require toil and labour from those that are rich, and need it not.
Ans. God doth not require the same kind of labour from all; but if he give you more than the poor, he requireth not less but more from you; that is, your constant diligence in more profitable work; else you may as well say, That God is the Governour of none but the Poor, or that he looketh for least Service, where he giveth most wages.
Your labour is not only to supply your own needs, but to profit others, and for the common good.
And the more you do in way of Duty, the more you receive and profit your selves. Idleness is your own loss to Soul and Body.
Obj. 4. Men need Recreation and Relaxation.
Ans. What do you need it for? Is it not for your work, and your health, to enable you to work? Use no more than furthereth your health and work, and that shall not be called needless.
Obj. 5. Little things are usefull in their places; Christ saith of some such, These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Ans. No doubt but there are things good and needfull of several degrees; all are not of the most needfull kind: But what's this to that which is not needfull? or that hindereth more needfull things, as afore described?
Obj. 6. Old men are incompetent Judges of the case of Youth, as not having their inclinations to Sports and Pleasures; and all men, especially Divines and Lawyers, and such like grave men, who are themselves taken up with greater matters, are incompetent Judges of the affairs of Women, their Cloaths, their Furniture, their Expences and their Imployments, and are apt to call all needless, which is below their work.
Ans. Yet Christ thought himself meet to judge of the choice of Martha and Mary, and Solomon to give directions to Women, and so did St. Peter and St. Paul: Old men were once young, and know what youthfull inclinations are, and grave men that live among Women, see their business, and know their reasons: And if all sorts of persons shall judge Ministers, Lawyers and Judges incompetent to judge of their Tradings, Actions and Affairs, and so appropriate the judgment of them to themselves alone, then all persons will by their own judgments be alwaies in the right, and none will be capable of amendment; the Proverb is, A stander by may see more than a Player; but it is confessed that a just Judge must hear and consider the whole case.
Obj. 7. We shall be derided if we are singular.
Ans. Will God deride you for obeying him? hath not he said, Be not conformed to this world? You will be derided and persecuted too by wicked men, if you will be true to Christ, to Godliness, Sobriety and Honesty, and is that a good reason why you should be sensual, worldly and ungodly?