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 conveniently 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:

Had she judged better, and been inclined better, Martha would have chosen better.

Before we come to the principal Doctrines, we may profitably note these observations by the way:

1. Note here, that the nearest natural relations (as brothers and sisters, yea, parents and children) are not always of one mind or way in the matters of their salvation. Greater difference may be between them, than this between Martha and Mary in the text. They may rise up against each other, and seek each others' lives, as Christ foretold, Mark xiii. 12. And therefore father, mother, brother, sister, and all are to be denied for Christ (that I say not hated, as Christ saith, Luke xiv. 26.) when they stand in opposition to him. The same parentage and education made not Esau and Jacob of a disposition, or of one mind or way; nor Isaac and Ishmael; nor Shem and Ham; nor would restrain Cain, the first man born into the world, from cruelly murdering his brother, upon a difference about their religions, caused by his own ungodly mind; even because his "own works were evil, and his brother's righteous and acceptable to God;" 1 John iii. 12. And therefore parents must patiently submit (having done their duty), if even the children of their bodies should prove reprobates. And brothers and sisters must submit, if these in so near a relation be castaways. God hath not promised that all our kindred shall be saved. Rejoice that you are not yourselves forsaken; and be glad that any and so many are sanctified, though further from you in the flesh; and love them in their more excellent relation to Christ and you.

2. Note here, how our Lord doth spend his time in the place and company where he is. When he entereth into a house, he is presently at work in teaching poor souls the way to God; or else how could Mary have been employed in hearing him? In our places and measure we should imitate him in this. Can you come into any house or company and find nothing to say or do for God? Are there none wiser than yourselves that you may learn of, as Mary did of Christ? Nor none more ignorant whom charity requireth you to teach? Nor none that need a quickening word, to mind them of their everlasting state? As soon as worldly, or vain ungodly people get together, they are presently upon some

worldly, or vain discourse. And if you be indeed a heavenly and spiritual people, should you not be more ready when you come together, for heavenly, spiritual discourse? Have you not a thousandfold more to set your tongues on work? The necessities of the hearers, the hopes of doing good, the presence of God, the sense of the duty, the sweetness of the subject, the avoiding of sin, and the blessing of God's acceptance to yourselves? O had we but the skill, and will, and diligence, that this interlocutory preaching by holy conference doth require, what a supply-party would it be for the promoting of men's salvation, where the more public preaching of the Gospel is wanting? Who can forbid us by familiar discourse to exercise our charity, in minding poor, regardless sinners of the life to come? and exhorting them to due preparation and repentance? and to open to them the riches of Christ, and set forth his love, and draw them to embrace him?

3. Note here, how carefully we should take the present opportunities of our souls, to hear and learn as Mary did. She stands not cavilling like our full-stomach hearers, that ask, How can you prove that I am bound to hear such a lecture, or to come to church and hear a sermon twice on the Lord's day, or to come to the minister to ask advice, or be instructed by him? No more than a hungry man will ask, How prove you that it is my duty to eat every day? Or than a sick man will say, How prove you that I am bound to seek to the physician, to go or send to his house, and to look after him? As there is much in the very new nature, and health, and relish of a gracious soul, to decide such controversies as these without any subtlety of argument, so a Christian's prudence and care of his salvation will tell him, that when Christ hath a voice to speak to him, it beseemeth him to have an ear to hear; and that the sermon telleth the hearer the season of his duty, and the offer of a mercy telleth when it is our duty to accept it, without any other more particular obligation; unless when we can truly say as before God, that some duty that at that time is greater, hindereth us. These are easy questions to those that savour the things of the Spirit. When Christ is speaking, Mary will be hearing; and lesser things shall not call her off.

If any shall say, 'So would we too, if we could hear Christ,' I answer, Remember that he never intended to