cause them that scorn it as a needless thing, to make it their daily business and delight. It would tell the sluggish, senseless sinner, that he hath work of everlasting consequence upon his hand, and that it is no time to dream or loiter: and it would tell the brutish sensualist that there are more sweet and durable delights; and the time-wasting fool that time is precious, and he hath none to spare and cast away, having so great a work to do. It would set men on seeking with greatest diligence, the kingdom which before they did but dream of; and would turn the very stream of their hearts and lives on that which before they minded but as on the by. In a word, it would make the earthly to become heavenly, and the fleshly spiritual, and the slothful to be diligent, and rotten-hearted sinners to become renewed saints, as all must do that ever will be saved. And if these words of Christ be not thus received by you, and work not such wonders on men's hearts, it is not because there is any want of fitness in the text, but because men's hearts are hardened into a wilful contempt of the most precious truths, which in themselves are apt to change and save them.

Of all ways of teaching, history is accounted one of the most effectual; because it hath the greatest advantage on our apprehensions, as setting our lesson before our eyes in the great character of example, and not only in the smaller letter of a naked precept. And of all history, what can be more powerful, than, 1. Where one of the actors is the eternal Son of God; and that not above our reach in heaven, but here in our flesh, on the stage of this sublunary world? 2. And the other actors are such as most fitly represent the different actions of all the world, at least that live within the sound of the Gospel; and lay open the great question about which the world is so much divided. 3. And when the matter itself is of the greatest consequence that can be imagined; even concerning the present choice and resolution of our hearts, and that expending of our time, and that business and employment of our lives, on which our endless life dependeth. All this you have here set out even to the life, before your eyes, in the glass of this example in my text: and the Lord of life doth call you all to see your faces in it; and here plainly sheweth you what will be expected from you; and what you must be, and do, and trust to; and this not in any long and tedious discourse, that might overwhelm

your memories, or weary your attentions; but in very brief, though full expressions.

'Is it a fit thing

As Jesus entered into Bethany, Martha (who it seems was the owner of the house) received and entertained him. No doubt but a great company followed Jesus; or his disciples, that ordinarily accompanied him, at least. Martha thinks that having entertained such a guest, it were a great neglect, if she should not provide for him and for his followers; and therefore she is busy in doing what she can ; but the number is so great, that she is oppressed with the care and trouble, and findeth that she hath more to do than she is able, her sister, that she thought should have helped her in such a case, is sitting with the disciples at the feet of Christ, to hear his word. Martha seeing this, is offended at her sister, and seems to think that Christ himself is too neglective of her, or partial for her sister; and therefore thus pleads her cause with Christ, "Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore, that she help me." As if she had said, that both thyself and all this company should be unprovided for, and have neither meat nor drink? Or is it fit that all should be laid on me, even more than I can do, while she sits hearing with the disciples? Deal equally and mercifully, and bid her help me.' And indeed most people would think that this was but a reasonable motion, and that when Christ was made the judge between them, he should have decided the case on Martha's side; but he did not so: But, 1. Instead of commending Martha for her care and diligence, he sheweth her error, by a gentle, but yet a close reproof: "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things." 2. Instead of reproving Mary for negligence of her duty in the house, he highly commendeth her for the seasonable doing of a greater work: "Mary hath chosen the good part." 3. He groundeth the reason of his judgment on the different nature and use of their employments: "One thing is needful;" in comparison of which, the rest were all unnecessary things, and such as then might have been neglected. 4. And so he passeth sentence on Mary's side, that the good part which she hath chosen, "shall not be taken away from her:" in which he not only answereth Martha with an express denial, as if he should say, 'I will not take off Mary from the work which she hath chosen ;'

`but also on that occasion doth point out the durable nature of the good which she had chosen, and promise the continuance of it.

Concerning Martha, some expositors run into two extremes. Some think that she was an unregenerate worldling, and savoured only fleshly things, and that these words of Christ describe her state as one that had not yet made choice of the one thing needful, and the better part. But it is only her present action that Christ doth reprehend and censure, and not her state. Her entertainment of Christ, and speeches to him, and other passages, give us great probability that she was a true disciple, as after it is said that Jesus loved her; John xi. 5.

On the other side, one learned annotator thus paraphraseth the words of Christ to Martha, Thou takest a great deal of unnecessary, though not culpable pains;' as if Christ's words were no reprehension of her, nor her course blameworthy.

But the plain truth lieth between these two extremes. Martha, though most probably a true disciple, was here to blame, in preferring a lesser duty before a greater, and doing that unseasonably, which in due time was to be done, and in neglecting an opportunity for the hearing of Christ's word, which Mary took. It was not only blameless, but a duty in itself to make provision for Christ and his attendants; but she should have been hearing first while he was preaching, and taken that opportunity for the benefit of her soul. It was no ordinary preacher that was come under her roof: his stay was not like to be long: his doctrine concerned her salvation: she knew not whether ever she should have the like opportunity again; and therefore she should have rather stayed for his own direction, when to go make provision for their bodies, than to have omitted the hearing of his word. But you will ask perhaps, When a sermon and other worldly business fall out at once, are we always bound to hear the sermon?'

I answer, no, not always; for else in great cities that have frequent preaching, you should do nothing else but hear. We have a body as well as a soul, and must have meet employment for both; and must make due provision for both; and must be serviceable to the bodily welfare of others, and to the common good. Our bodily labour and temporal em

ployment must be conscionably followed, as well as our spiritual; for God hath determined that "in the sweat of our faces we shall eat our bread;" Gen. iii. 19. And even in innocency Adam was put into the garden to dress or till and keep it; Gen. ii. 15. With quietness we must "labour and eat our own bread; and if any will not work, neither should he eat ;" 2 Thess. iii. 10. 12. See Paul's example, "Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you;" 2 Thess. v. 8. We must "labour, working with our hands, that we may have to give to him that needeth;" Ephes. iv. 28. And if our bodies have not competent employment, they will grow such rusty, unfit instruments for the soul to work by, that when melancholy or other diseases have disabled them, the soul itself will have the loss; and he that will do nothing but hear, and pray, and meditate, is likely shortly to be scarce able to pray and meditate at all, (unless it be one of a very strong and healthful constitution).

No one therefore from this determination of Christ to Martha, is to be driven from their lawful calling into a contrary extreme. But this was not the case between Mary and Martha: it was a special opportunity which then was to be taken. We must first seek God's kingdom, and its righteousness, and prudently take such opportunities for our souls as we can, without omitting greater duties, and as our case requireth; not taking as much food as we can ingest, but as much as we can digest: it is possible to eat too much, but not to digest too well. A Christian must have prudence when two duties come together, to know which at that present time is the greatest, and to be preferred; which dependeth much on the necessity, and the ends; the good that will follow the doing of them, and the hurt that will follow the omission. And without this prudential discerning of time and duty, we shall never order our conversations right, but shall live in a continual sin when we are doing that, which in its own nature and season is our duty.

A poor man may not read and hear so frequently as a rich (ordinarily); nor a servant as the master; because there would greater evils follow the omission of their common labour at that time.

Thus much being said for the explication of the text,

there is no more necessary but what will fall in most convéniently with the matter. The sense is, as if Christ should have said, Martha, Martha, I know thou dost all this in love to me, and meanest well in it; and it is no more than what is thy duty in its proper season; but O! what is the food that perisheth in comparison of that which endureth to everlasting life! It is my meat and drink to do the will of him that sent me, in feeding and in saving souls. Thou hadst now an opportunity to hear my word, the word of the Son of God, thy Saviour, and thereby to have promoted thy everlasting happiness, as Mary doth; and this should have been preferred even before this provision for our bodies; and if for this thou hadst now omitted thy care and labour about meat and drink, I would not at all have been offended with thee thou hadst thy choice, and Mary had her choice; thou hast chosen care and trouble about many things, and made thyself a great deal ado; but Mary hath chosen that one thing that was necessary, which is the better part, and therefore it shall not be taken from her, but she shall possess the benefit of her choice.'

Where note, for the fuller understanding of it, the true opposition between the case of Mary and Martha.

1. As to the matter; Martha had many things in hand, a multifarious care and trouble; but Mary had but one.

2. As to the manner and effects of their employments; Martha was full of care and troubles, distracted or disturbed by the cumbrance of her businesses; but Mary was quietly hearing and learning how to be free from care and trouble, and how to attain everlasting rest.

3. As to the quality of their business; Martha's was of less necessity or concernment, though good and honest in its place; but Mary's was about the thing of absolute necessity.

Also Martha's was good in its season, but a lesser good; but Mary's was that good part, which containeth all other good or referreth to it, and therefore was to be preferred.

4. And therefore as to the continuance; Mary's being a more eligible employment, and about an everlasting treasure, shall not be taken from her, when the fruit of Martha's employment will quickly have an end.

Yet in these different cases, each one had her choice; had Martha chosen better, she had had better. And the choice much proceeded from the judgment and disposition: