hich determined that in the [weat of our faces we shall eat our bread, Gen. 3. 19. and even in innocency Adam was put into the garden to drefs or till and keep it, Gen. 2. 15. with quietness we mult labour and cat our own bread, and if any will not work, neither should he eat, 2 Theff. 3. 12. 10. See Pauls example,v.8. [Neither did we eat any mans bread for nought: but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you ] We must labour, working with our hands, that we may have to give to him that needeth, Eph. 4. 28. And if our bodies have not competent employment; they will grow fuch rufty unfit inftruments for the foul to work by, that when Melancholy, or other difeafes have difabled them, the foul it felf will have the lofs, and he that will do nothing but hear, and pray, and meditate, is likely fhortly to be scarce able to pray and meditate at all, (unless it be one of a very strong and healthfull constitution.)

No one therefore from this determination of Christ to Martha, is to be driven from their lawfull Calling into a contrary extream. But this was not the cafe between Mary and Martha: It was afpecial opportunity which then was to be taken: We must first feek Gods kingdom, and its righteoufnefs: and prudently take fuch opportunities for our fouls as we can, without omitting greater duties, and as our cafe requireth: not taking as much food as we can ingeft, but as much as we can digeft: It is poffible to eat too much, but not to digeft too well. A Chriftian must have prudence, when two duties come together, to know which at that pre ent time is the greateft, and to be preferred: which dependeth much on the neceffity, and the ends: the good that will follow the doing of them, and the hurt that will follow the omiflion: And without this prudential difcerning of time and duty, we shall never order our converfations aright, but fhall live in a continual fin, when we are doing that, which in its own nature and feafon is our duty.

A poor man may not Read and Hear fo frequently as a Rich (ordinarily,) nor a Servant as the Mafter; because there would greater evils follow the omiffion of their common labour at that time.

Thus much being faid for the Explication of the Text, there is no more neceffary but what will fall in most conveniently

with the Matter: The fenfe is as if Chrift fhould have faid [Martha, Martha; Iknow thou doft all this in love to me, and meanest well in it; and it is no more then whats thy duty in its proper feafon: But O what is the food that perisheth in compari fan of that which endureth to everlasting life! It is my meat and drink to do the will of him that fent me, in feeding and in faving fouls: 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 chofen care and trouble about many things, and made thy felf a great deal ado; but Mary bath chofen that one thing that was necessary, which is the better part, and therefore it shall not be taken from her, but he shall poffefs the benefit of her choice. ]

Where note for the fuller understanding of it, the true oppo fition between the cafe 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, diftracted or disturbed by the cumberance of her bufineffes: but Mary was quietly hearing and learning how to be free from care and trouble, and how to artain Everlasting reft.

3. As to the quality of their bufinefs; Martha's was of lefs neceffity or concernment, though good and honeft in its place: but Mary's was about the thing of abfolute neceffity.

Alfo Martha's was Good in its feafon, but a leffer good: but Mary's was that Good part, which containeth all other good, or referreth to it, and therefore was to be prefer

red.

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

Yet in thefe different cafes, each one had her choice: Had Martha chofen better, fhe had had better. And the choice much proceeded from the judgement and disposition: Had the judged

better,

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better, and been inclined better, Martha would have chofer better..

Before we come to the principal Doctrines, we may profitably ro:e thefe Obfervations by the way.

1. Note here that [the neereft Natural Relations (as Brothers. and Sifters, yea, Parents and Children) are not alwayes of one mind or way in the matters of their falvation.] Greater difference. may be between them, then this between Martha and Mary in the Text. They may rife up against each other, and feek each others lives, as Chrift foretold, Mark 13.12. And therefore Father, Mother, Brother Sifter, and all are to be denyed for Chrift (that I fay not hated, as Chrift faith, Luke 14.26.) when they stand in oppofition to him. The fame parentage and education made not Efau and Jacob of a difpofition, or of one mind or way: nor Ifaac and Ifmael: nor Sem and Cham: nor would reftrain Cain, the first man born into the world, from cruel murdering his brother, upon a difference about their Religions, caufed by his own ungodly mind; even because his own works were evil, and his brothers righteous and acceptable to God, 1 John 3. 12. And therefore Parents muft patiently fubmit (having done their duty) if even the children of their bodies fhould prove reprobates; And Brothers and Sifters muft fubmit, if thefe in fo neer a relation be Caft-awayes: God hath not promifed that all our kindered fhall be faved. Rejoyce that you are not your felves forlaken, and be glad that any, and fo many are fanctified, though further from you in the flesh; and love them in their more excellent relation to Chrift and you.

2. Note here, how our Lord doth fpend his time in the place and company where he is. When he entreth into a houfe, he is prefently at work in teaching poor fouls the way to God; Or elfe how could far have been imployed in hearing him? In our places and measure we fhould imitate him in this: Can you come into any houfe or company, and find nothing to fay or do for God? Is there none wifer then your felves that you may learn of, as Mary did of Chrift? nor none more ignorant whom Charity requireth you to teach? Nor none that need a quickening word, to mind them of their everlasting ftate? As foon as worldly, or vain ungodly people get together, they are prefently upon fome worldly, or vain difcourfe: And if you be indeed a heavenly

heavenly and fpiritual people, fhould you not be more ready when you come together, for heavenly Spiritual difcourfe? Have you not a thoufand fold more to fet your tougues on work? The neceflities of the hearers: the hopes of doing good; the prefence of God; the fenfe of the duty; the sweetness of the fubject; the avoiding of fin; and the blefling of Gods acceptance to your felves? O had we but the skill,and will, and diligence, that this interlocutory preaching by holy conference doth require, what a fupply party would it be for the promoting of mens falvation, where the more publick preaching of the Gospel is wanting? Who can forbid us by familiar difcourfe to exercise our charity, in minding poor regardless finners of the life to come? and exhorting them to due preparation, and repentance, and to open to them the riches of Christ, and fet forth his love, and draw them to embrace him.

3. Note here, how carefully we should take the present opportunities for our fouls, to hear and learn as Mary did. She stands not cavelling like our full ftomackt hearers, that ask, How can you prove that I am bound to hear fuch a Lecture, or to come to Church and hear a Sermon twice on the Lords day, or to come to the Minifter to ask advice, or be inftructed by him? No more then a hungry man will ask, How prove you that it is my duty to eat every day? Or then a fick man will fay, How prove you that I am bound to feek to the Phyficion, to go or fend to his house, and to look after him? As there is much in the very New nature, and health, and relifh of a gracious foul, to decide fuch Controverfies as thefe without any fubtilty of argument; fo a Chriftians prudence and care of his falvation will tell him, that when Chrift hath a voice to fpeak to him, it befeemeth him to have an ear to hear; and that the Sermon telleth the bearer the feason of his duty, and the offer of a mercy telleth us when it is our duty to accept it, without any other more particular obligation unless when we can truly fay as before God, that fome duty that at that time is greater,hindreth us. Thefe are eafie queftions to thofe that favour the things of the Spirit. When Chrift is fpeaking, Mary will be hearing; and leffer things fhall not call

her off.

If any fhall fay, So would we too, if we could hear Chrift] I anfwer; Remember that he never intended to abide himself on earth, and teach his Church perfonally by his own mouth; but C

hatlı

hath appointed Meffengers and Officers to proclaim his Laws unto the world, and tender them his grace, and faith, [He that beareth you beareth me; and he that defpifeth you defpifeth me, Luke 10. 16. and he that defpifeth, defpifeth not man but God, I Thef. 4.8. And he that will not now believe and hear Chrift fpeaking by his Minifters, when he is acknowledged to be the fon of God, and his fealed Word hath had fo long poffeffion in the world, would hardly have regarded Chrift himself in a time when he appeared in the form of a fervant, and was found in fashion as a man, and was believed on but by a few perfons then counted but inconfiderable.

4. Note alfo, the humility and teachableness of Difciples in. thofe times, who were wont to fit learning at their Teachers feet: Which was then an ordinary cafe, and not of Chrift Difciples only. Paul was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, Aits 22. 3. Not like the proud and felf-conceited part of our bearers in these times, that come to hear fomewhat for their malicious or contentious minds to quarrel with, and expect that their Teachers tel them nothing but what is agreeable to their own conceits, and think us to be injurious to them, if we would heal their ignorance or impiety, and make them any wifer or better then they are; and that reproach us and set themselves against us as their ene mics, if we will not be ruled by them and humour them in all our administrations, as if we were the patients and they the Phyficion, we the learners and they the Teachers, yea we their fervants, and they our Guides and Rulers in the matters of our own Office.

But let us come clofer to the words themfelves, and confider of the Inftructions which they afford us, which are these.

Doct. 1. It is but One thing that is of abfolute neceffity; but it is many things that thofe are taken up with, that neglect that one. Doct. 2. The One thing needful leadeth to content ; but the many things of the world do trouble, and difquiet, and distract the foul.

Doc. 3. All men where the Gospel is preached, have their choice whether they will feek and have the one thing neceffary, or trouble and diftract themselves with the many things that are unnecessary.

Doct. 4. They that choose the One thing neceffary, do choose the good part; and they that choose any other, do make an evil and unhappy choice...

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