MARY SITTING AT CHRIST'S FEET. A Sermon preached at the Funeral of Mris Mary Swain, the wife of Mr William Swain, at Saint Buttolph's without Aldersgate. Declaring her Christian life, and comfortable death, for the encouraging of all Christian Gentlewomen, and others, to walk in the steps of this religious gentlewoman already departed. By Lancelot Langhorne, Preacher of the word of God. Vade sed incultus. PROV. 31.10. Who shall find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above the pearls. LONDON, Printed for Arthur johnson, 1611. TO THE RIGHT Worshipful and virtuous Lady, Christiana Leveson, wife to the Right Worshipful, Sir john Leveson, Knight, grace and peace in Christ jesus. MADAM, COnsidering with myself, that our nature is such, as we cannot endure that these praises should be ascribed unto others (though they duly deserve them) which we think ourselves worthy of (though indeed most unworthy) I resolved with myself to commit this Sermon to the patronage of some one, who might be able to defend the truth of it against the malicious traducing, and repining of the envious, and amongst many, I could find none more fit than yourself; partly because with MARY, you have chosen the better part, and that (according to your name) your heart is the seat and temple of virtue: partly by reason of that long continued love & familiarity which hath been between you; as also because of that full experience, and true trial you had of her spotless conversation: therefore pardon my boldness, and as you love virtue, and have the praises of this rare jewel enclosed in your breast: so let them have your loving protection, and holy imitation, to your unspeakable comfort in this life, and the eternal salvation of your own soul in the life to come. Yours in the Lord, Lancelot Langhorne. To the Reader. CONDEMN not me, gentle Reader, for publishing this Sermon, because I seek not myself, but the continual remembrance of this virtuous Gentlewoman upon earth; and was moved thereunto by persuasions of others, who also procured it to be licensed. Accuse me not of flattery: for my conscience bears me witness (as thousands can also testify) that all I have said is but a part of her praises. Tax not my too much brevity, that I have not enlarged it as I might, because I would have no more printed than was first preached; and this length best befits a Funeral, which (like life of man) is but a span long. Yours in the Lord, L. L. MARY SITTING AT CHRIST'S FEET. LUKE. 10.42. Mary hath chosen the better part, which shall not be taken away from her. IN this Story, recorded by the Evangelist, there is mention made of two Sisters, two Actions, & a twofold Censure upon both, by our Saviour; The Sisters, Martha and Mary: the Actions, Martha troubled herself about many things; Mary sat at jesus feet, and heard his preaching: whereupon Martha was displeased that Mary did not help her: But Christ answers, that Martha was troubled about many things, whereas one was needful, and that Mary had chosen the better part, which should not be taken away from her. Christ loved them both, and they both show their love to Christ: Martha in entertaining him, Marry in hearing him: For as Caluin saith: Laude digna Marthae hospitalitas: Martha is praiseworthy for her hospitality; but in that she busied herself above measure, and did not with Mary, choose the better part, therefore Christ blames her. Non Dominus opus reprehendit, sed munus distinxit, saith S. a Aug. Se● 27. de verbis Dom. Augustine: The Lord doth not blame her work, but doth distinguish of both their offices: Nec Martha in bono ministerio reprehenditur, sed Maria quòd meliorem partem sibi elegerit antefertur, saith S. b Ambros. i●. Luc. Ambrose upon this place: Neither is Martha blamed in her good service, but Mary is preferred, because she chose the better part. Martha in domum suam recepit salvatorem in terris: Maria potiùs cogitat quemadmodùm suscipiatur ab eo in domo, non manufacta, sed aeterna in coelis saith S. c Bernard de assump. Mariae Ser. 3. Bernard: Martha receives her Saviour into her house upon earth: Marry rather thinks how she may be received by him in a house d 2 Co. 5.1 Not made with hands, but eternal in the Heavens. The one is busy in entertaining Christ into her house, the other is careful to receive him into her heart. And this Christ prefers before the other: That Mary had chosen the better part, which shall not be taken away from her. Some, by Martha and Mary, understand the Active and Contemplative life; that they must be as sisters, both dwelling in one house, both lodging in one heart: or that they are the two Wings of the Soul, by which it soars up from earth to Heaven. And why may we not apply them to the Body and the Soul of every faithful Christian? both beloved of Christ, both entertaining him: two sisters united in life, and separated only by death: The Body (the elder sister) is troubled about many things, as delicate feeding, warm Clothing, daily Sustentation, e Mat. 6.23. Continual recreation: whereas the Soul (Marry) thinks one thing necessary: To sit at Christ's feet, and to hear his preaching. Martha (the Body) is here presented to our eyes: Marry (her blessed Soul) rests at the feet of jesus Christ, which sits at the right hand of God in heaven. But leaving Allegories, let us fall upon the literal sense, which is Christ's approbation of Mary's choice, and leaving to compare Martha with Mary, let us compare Mary with Mary; this Mary before our eyes, with Mary in the text: one commended by God, the other no less commendable before God; as Christ vouch safeth with his own mouth to commend the one: so the tongue of an Angel were but sufficient to praise the other: For as the Philosophers say: Excellens obiectum corr umpit sensum: The brightness of the object doth weaken the sense: So my mouth is too rude to speak the praises of so excellent a creature: when I have said all I can, I shall say too little. Momus may well accuse me of speaking too rudely, or too sparingly, but not of flattery. I fear nothing but sinking, while I wade into the depth of her virtues: Therefore, with f Math. 14.30.31. Peter upon the water, I will take Christ by the hand, and from Christ's mouth speak Mary's commendation: I come not to extol flesh and blood, but to describe those grace's God had endowed her withal, and not only from report (for I have conversed with her almost these four years, and was present with her the most part of her sickness) and sure I am, out of mine own experience, that Mary with Mary hath chosen the better part, which shall not be taken away from her. In the words observe in general two things. 1. The person approved. 2. Her wisdom for which Christ approves her. The person commended, Marry; her wisdom for which she is commended: That she did choose the better part, which shall not be taken from her. In her wisdom two things. 1. The Action. 2. The Object. The action, That she did choose; the object, the better part, which should not be taken from her. In the Object two things. 1. The Excellency. 2. The Perpetuity. The excellency, that it was Better: The perpetuity, It should never be taken from her. In each of these, three things shall be handled. 1. Mary's Commendation. 2. Mary's Imitation. 3. Our Application. Mary's Commendation: laid down in the Text: That she did choose the better part, which shall not be taken, etc. Mary's Imitation: the same with the Text: That she likewise hath chosen the better part, which shall not, etc., Our Application: taught from the Text, That we also make choice of the better part, which shall not &c. That so we may make these two Maries our examples, to follow in the way to Heaven, that thereby we may find favour with God and men, That with Mary we may live in God's fear, and with Mary die in God's favour: of these in their order, and first of the person approved. The person approved is named by Christ Mary: we find but three Maries spoken of in the Gospel, and all for good: Marry, the mother of jesus, Mary Magdalene, which (as most affirm) is this Mary in my Text: and Marry, the mother of james and joses. One bears Christ in her womb, the other washes his feet with her tears, and wipes them with the hair of her head, Her Commendation. and here sits at Christ's feet: the third, with the two other, stand by his cross, when he is crucified, and seek him in his grave after he was buried. We find not so many virtuous women of any other name in Scripture, not that the name makes them the holier, but that their virtues make the remembrance of their names blessed, I could stand upon the letters of the name if it were so profitable, Maria. (M) standing upon three bases or feet, M to signify their steadfast faith in the blessed Trinity, one God and three persons: A (a) an interjection of sorrowing, their repentance: R (r) with two branches like a tree, the sweet fruit of their virtue and holiness: I (i) the least of the letters, Their great humility: A (a) the first letter in the Alphabet, and the last in the name, Their charity; the chiefest of all virtues, because it g 1. Cor. 13 13. 2 Mary's imitation. Luk. 11.27.28. continues last. This Mary parallels the other Maries; She bore Christ, though not in her womb, yet (which is more) in her heart: often she washed his feet with the tears of repentance: stood at his Cross, to the washing away of her sins in his blood: often she sought him in his grave, to the mortifying of her sins: and daily sought him at the right hand of God in Heaven, for the pardon of her sins; we shall find more virtues in her life, than letters in her name. Marry by interpretation is as much as Stella maris, the Star of the Sea, which standing immovable in the midst of heaven, doth direct the Mariners. As the Stars are fixed in the volume of the heavens, so Mary in my Text, is a fixed Star in the volume of Gods written book: A direction for all Christians to the Haven of happiness. Though this Mary presented to our eyes, be not in Gods written book, yet in the Lamb's book of life, her name is written in Heaven. A Star, for purity of heart: A Star, for the shining light of life and conversation, A fixed Star, for her heart was fixed upon the Lord, yet never moved backward, nor never stood still, but as (The Sun in the firmament) rejoiced to run her course. 3 Our Application. For our Application: Let us become shining Stars, grace our names with virtues, that with Mary, the memorial of our names may be blessed. Wisdom as (Augustine saith) consisteth chiefly in Choosing and Refusing: In choosing the Good, and Refusing the Evil: The first thing in her wisdom is, Elegit; The Action: She hath chosen; But how was it in Mary's power to choose the better part? Howsoever in civil actions we have Free-will, to choose or refuse, yet as the same actions are good, we have no ability at all in ourselves. Of ourselves we are not able to think one good thought: saith the Apostle:, ● Her commendation Power we have to think, but no power to think that which is good: To come to Church, to hear the word, is a Civil Action; we have power to come, or not to come, but to come with a desire and love to the word, to glorify God for the saving of our souls, by Nature we have no power at all. Therefore in that Mary chooseth, it is Actus Naturae, an act of Nature; but in that she chooseth the better part, it is Actus Gratiae, an act of Grace: He that commends her for her choice, gave her power to choose the better part. Elegit, as one saith, (id est) Deus volentem trahit, & coronat sua dona in nobis, ut dicamur fecisse & elegisse nos, quae ipse in nobis est operatus. She hath chosen (that is) God drew her being made willing, and he doth crown his gifts in us, that we may be said to have done, and to have chosen those things, which he himself hath wrought in us. Unless God did first choose us, we should never choose him: Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, saith Christ. 1. joh. 4.19 We love him, because he loved us first, saith his Apostle. For even as the heat of the Sun falling upon our body increaseth our heat: so the feeling of God's love towards us, makes us love God again; His election of us, makes us elect and choose him. The word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath chosen: that she did not embrace the pleasures of this world all her life, and made choice of the better part, at her death; they that do defer it so long, it is to be feared, it will be too late: for Sera poenitentia nòn est vera poenitentia: Late repentance is seldom true repentance; but Elegit, She hath chosen. So this Mary being a chosen and elect vessel of God, 2 Mary's imitation. sanctified from the Womb, by God's grace did choose the better part: not at her Death, but all the time of her pilgrimage, she led an Angelical and holy life. This Good part was her Treasure all her Life, and at her Death (as you shall hear) she had the comfort of it. For our application; 3 Our application. let us not wallow in the pleasure of sin all our life, and think it shall be in our power at our Death, to choose the better part: but with this Mary let every one of us prepare & provide for the time to come, & be sure that we can say every one to his own soul, Elegi: I have chosen the better part, which shall not be taken away from me. And now I come to the Object, the Centre and heart of the body of my Text: The better part: That as Martha was troubled about many things, she had chosen the better part, etc. Christ here useth a metaphor taken from heirs that divide their inheritance: for amongst the Romans, and other Nations, as Seneca saith, there was a custom, that the eldest child must divide the inheritance into as equal parts as he could, and then the youngest did first choose: So Martha and Mary (being sisters) they divide Christ as an inheritance, between them: Martha dividing, as being the eldest, 1 Her commendation. and Mary did choose, as being the youngest: And she chose the better part, etc. Now the part that she did choose, is, that she sat at Christ's feet, and heard his preaching: sought her salvation, neglected all, in regard of this: esteeming it no profit to gain the whole world, and to lose her soul. It is said by some, that she never looked man in the face, after her conversion, but Christ: And this we may note, that she never came unto Christ, but she fell down at his feet: When she anointed him: Luk. 7.38. john. 11.32 john. 12.3. Mat. 28.9. When she besought him for her brother Lazarus: At the supper in Bethania: After his Resurrection: And now when she heard him preach. And herein appeared her great humility. 2 Mary's imitation. But this Mary hath not fallen at Christ's feet five times, but all the days of her life: how she loved the Temple of God, the House of Prayer? She considered that one thing was needful: though she had but a weak body, yet she respected neither health, nor life, so she might sit at Christ's feet, & hear his word. How often did she fall at Christ's feet to pray unto him? She prayed, not three times a day, with Daniel, but Continually. I have often observed her, that all the time she was not employed in household business, she spent it in meditation and prayer; and if at any time she used ordinary recreation, to bear her Husband and his friends company, her affections were so wholly set upon heavenly things, as she often used this gracious and sanctified speech: This is a passing away of the time, but no redeeming of the time. And such a care she had to prepare herself for an other world, to have oil in her lamp, when the Bridegroom came, as she was still afraid, lest God should take her away when she was so employed: Her whole care and desire was (with Mary) to sit at Christ's feet, to hear God speaking unto her, or else to speak unto God by prayer: And the oftener she fell down and kissed her saviours feet, the more desirous she was: The oftener she heard the word, the oftener she prayed: the more ardent and strong her desires were, the more Gods graces were increased in her. And as it is said, that when Anthaeus wrestled with Hercules, the oftener he fell to the ground, receiving strength thereby, he became more valiant in fight: So the oftener she fell down at the feet of her Saviour, and wrestled with God, the more strength she received against the assaults of sin and Satan, and rose up more rich in grace then before. 3 Our application. For our application: Let us learn to humble ourselves at the feet of jesus Christ, and then we shall profit by his word to the saving of our souls: and our prayers shall be heard, as the Apostle saith: Cast down yourselves before God, and he will lift you up, The higher men intent to build, the lower they lay the Foundation: So God will never exalt thee, except thou be'st first humbled, and fall down at his feet: Christ himself was not exalted, Phil. 2. but by Humiliation: the lowest Valleys are most fruitful: God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the Humble: yet few imitate Mary herein, they will set Christ at their feet, Tread the blood of the Lamb under their feet: But they will not fall down at the feet of Christ, and (with Mary) choose the better part, etc. Now let us come to the Excellency of this Object, in that he calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: The good part. Augustine he turns it meliorem partem: the better part: The word in the original is the Positive, but I understand the words to be spoken Comparatively, that Christ compares Mary's part with Martha's, and that the Positive is either put for the Comparative, as some translate it, meliorem, the better part, or else for the Superlative, as others translate it, Optimam, the best part, as Mat. 18.8. where the word is in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: It is good for thee; and yet the Positive is there put for the Comparative: It is better for thee, etc. as we translate it: So here it is called the good part, which is better than Martha's, and also the best: for they have the best part that have the Lord for their portion. 1 Mary's commendation. This good part is that Summum bonum, the chief good, even Christ jesus and his merits, in comparison of which, Phil. 3.8. all things else are but Dongue: for having Christ she had all things; no graces which did belong to the comfort, or saving of her soul, could be wanting unto her: for She did choose to hear the word, which is the power of God to salvation, to every one that believeth, which wrought grace in her heart, which is crowned with glory in heaven. 2 Mary's imitation. But let us leave Mary in our Text, and behold what rich graces this good part wrought in the breast of this our Mary; which appeared both in her life, and at her death. First, for her piety towards God; She was truly religious, her Profession was not Hypocritical, nor Verbal, but she feared God with her heart: For her conversation in the world; it was Pure and unspotted: so as Envy might carp, but malice could not condemn: she was of wonderful meek and quiet spirit, which afore God is a thing much set by, and as they that knew her had experience of it: so especially her Husband, with whom she lived for the space of 33 years, and I have heard him often say: That in all that time he never received an unkind word from her mouth, or cause of discontent; where also we may behold Her great wisdom in Household government: And moreover, so great was her love unto her Husband, as she expressed it in her exceeding great love, and care of his own kindred: for she loved him in them, as appeared both in her life, and at her death. Her greatest and last care upon earth was, that seeing God had given him no children by her, he would be a father in providing for them, which were left unto her, as to a mother. Again, for her modesty and gravity she was matchless: In her attire she condemned the monstrous pride of this age, which is amongst women, 1 Pet. 3.3. as the Apostle enioines virtuous wommen: Her apparel was not outward in broidered hair, or gold put about, or in putting on of apparel, but the Hid man of her heart was uncorrupt. Her carriage generally towards all was so mild, so wise, so discreet, so loving, as it pleased all, wrought an admiration in the eyes of all at her death, caused great lamentation in the hearts of all, drew tears from the eyes of all; Her name by her Father was Winhall. and lastly did Win-all that knew her. And as all shall miss her, so especially the poor: for she was so charitable, as if she were made of the bowels of mercy & compassion: full of pity towards the distressed, full of mercy towards the needy: her poor neighbours shall have cause daily to bewail her death: For she stretched out her hand to the poor, Pro. 31.20 and put forth her hand to the needy: And what she had, she bestowed it not upon vain toys, but laid it upon the backs of the poor members of Christ, in clothing the naked, and feeding the hungry; She was a Nurse to the Fatherless Children, eyes to the blind, feet to the lame; the blessing of them that were ready to perish, came upon her. Thus in her life she chose the better part, laid up her treasure in heaven, a good foundation for the time to come, that when Christ shall give the last Sentence, she shall hear these comfortable words: Come thou blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for thee: For what thou hast done unto one of these, thou hast done unto me. And when God summoned her with sickness to leave this world, and with the New-yeare to set her heart in order for a new world, though her whole life were a meditation of death, her whole life a preparation for death; yet out of her great humility, she confessed her great unworthiness at the feet of her Saviour, that she was an Unprofitable servant: and being taught by the Spirit of God, that none shall be saved, but such as continue to the end, she still prayed unto our Saviour for perseverance: and (which is worthy to be observed) though through the whole course of her life, her soul was still powered out in prayer unto her God, yet she found by experience, that when the body is weak with sickness, the heart is not so fit for prayer. Let us hear her words, which she uttered unto two reverend Divines, Mr Chark. Mr Paget. and often repeated to us that were present with her in time of her sickness: Let none defer their preparation, nor their prayers unto the bed of their sickness: for then the mind is too much troubled with the grief of the body, to be employed as they ought in spiritual exercises: Yet she was strong in faith, and had strong consolations, and still did cast her hope (the sure and steadfast anchor of her soul) upon Christ jesus, the forerunner in heaven: and often she desired in her prayers that Death might not be bitter unto her, to shake her faith, or remove her affections from her God, but that she might have an easy passage; And behold the Lords mercy; all that day before she departed (though her memory was good, & her senses perfect) yet she said she felt no pain, and so could not be persuaded that Death was so near. But she left the world with no more striving or grief, then if she had been cast into a slumber, or fallen asleep, as Saint Hierome saith of john the Evangelist: Quòd fuit à dolore mortis extraneus: That he was freed from the sorrows of Death: and as it is written of HENOCH That walking with God he was taken away. So though her body must remain in the dust, until the last resurrection, yet her death was so easy, that it seemed rather to be a Change, than a Death; rather a Blessed Assumption, than a Violent dissolution: Now she found to her endless comfort, that with Mary She had chosen the better part, which should not be taken away from her. 3 Our Application. Let us all for our application learn of a woman of the weaker sex: especially women, imitate her in her Piety, in her meekness of spirit, in her obedience to her Husband, her Modesty, her Gravity, Mildness of Nature, in her Charity; Imitate her in her Life, that you may be like her in her Death; Imitate her in her Grace, that you may be partaker of her Glory: Make choice of this part, which shall never be taken from you. As it is good, so it is perpetual: Many excellent earthly blessings are bestowed upon man by God: Sed pereunt cum pereunte, they perish with the using, either they will leave us, or we must leave them, but whosoever doth inherit this part, shall keep it without fear of losing: 1 Mary's commendation. Non auferetur, It shall not be taken from them. Marry considered that all things under the Sun are vanity, and therefore she made choice of the better part, which shall never be taken from her. 2 Mary's imitation. So this Mary had many outward blessings, which flesh and blood might have rejoiced in; She was well descended, but she considered that of all other vanities, Honour is but a vain title: For her person, a comely and grave Matron; but she remembered what salomon's Mother saith: That favour is deceitful, Pro. 31.30. and beauty vanity, but the woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. She lived very comfortably with a loving and kind Husband; yet she knew that once they must part. God blessed her with plenty in the world; but she knew that riches are uncertain: For long life that she knew by her own experience, that longa vita, est longa agritudo, long life is a long sickness, the things that were vantage unto her, she accounted loss for Christ's sake; as she said the same day she departed, She would not change her estate, in that she was removing out of the body to the Lord, for all the world. 3 Our Application. For our application let us imitate her happy choice, set our affections on things that are above, and not on things that are on the earth, wean ourselves from the love of these worldly vanities, which at last we must lose or leave, and set ourselves to attain this good part, which shall never be taken from us: To have Christ dwell in our hearts in this world, that we may dwell with him in the world to come, where is true Nobility, in that we shall be Heirs & Coheirs with Christ: where is true Honour, in that we shall be crowned with the crown of righteousness: where is true Beauty, Mat. 13.43. in that we shine as the Sun for evermore: where we shall have long life, even life everlasting: where we shall have true Riches, an immortal inheritance reserved for us in the Heavens: where for the Company of our dearest friends whom we love best, Psal. 16.11. we shall enjoy the company of holy Angels, blessed Saints, even the presence of God, Where is fullness of joy & at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore: where we shall have more comfort & happiness in one day, then, possibly we could have in ten thousand upon earth, if the world should make us her Minions: and (which is worth all) we shall enjoy them with a Non auferentur, never to be taken from us. Let us then cast down ourselves at Christ's feet, that we may with Mary have everlasting joy in the kingdom of heaven. Let us with this Mary live like Saints in this world, that with Mary and the rest of the Saints we may be glorified in the world to come: Which the Lord grant unto us all for Christ jesus sake, that sits at the right hand of God in heaven, to whom with the holy Ghost, one God, and three persons be ascribed all Honour, Glory, Power, praise, Dominion, and Thanksgiving of us, and all creatures, now and evermore. Amen. FINIS.