The Sinful Mans Search, Part
MARIES CHOISE.
LVKE. 10.38, 39, &c.
38 Now it came to passe as they went, that he entered into a certaine towne, and a certaine woman named Martha, receiued him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Marie, which also sate at Iesus feete, and heard his preaching.
40 But Martha was combered about much seruing, and came to him, and said, Master, doest thou not care, that my sister hath left me to serue alone? bid her therefore, that she helpe me.
41 And Iesus answered, and sayde vntounto her, Martha, Martha, thou carest and art troubled about many things:
42 But one thing is needfull, Marie hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken awaie from her.
AS Christ had shewed himselfe louing vntounto Lazarus and his sisters,Iohn. 11. in raysing him from the death of the body, and then from the death of the soule: so doe they heere shew their thankful minds to Christ againe, the one by receiuing him into hir house, and the other by entertaining him into hir heart. As he was God hee was receiued of Mary: as hee was man hee was receiued of Martha. They both desired to entertaine our Sauiour as Iacob and Esau desired to please their aged father,Gen. 27. but Mary made choise of the better part, and was preferred before hir sister, as Iacob sped soonest of most daintie Venison, and preuented his brother of the blessing. And although the care of Martha in the entertaining of Christ be not to be misliked; yet Maries diligence in hearing his doctrine is of purpose preferred, to teach vsus, that it is much better with Marie to studie in the worde,Math. 6, 33 and first to seeke the kingdom of God, then with Martha to labour in the worlde, and to neglect that heauenly kingdom. And yet notwithstanding, such is the corruption of this rustie age, that our greatest care is to prouide for this present life, as the rich man, Luk. 12. that enlarged his barnes wherein to put his store for many yeares: but we neuer or very late remember to prouide for the life to come, like that other rich man, Luk. 16. that neuer thought of heauen, till hee was tormented in the flames of hell.
In the 11. of Iohn, Christ is said to louelove his whole familie; and heere he is said to come vntounto them. For whom he loueth he cannot choose but visit,Iob. 2. like the friends of Iob that came to comfort him in his great aduersitie, yea and the greater louelove hee beareth vntounto any, the oftner he will resort vntounto them, yea hee will come and dwell with them.Gen. 47. Iohn. 14.23. Like Iacob that came downe into Egipt, to his beloued sonne Ioseph, and dwelt in Goshen. But Christ is yet more kinde then Iacob was,Gen. 45. for hee came not till he was sent for with horses and Chariots, but Christ came of his owne accord to this beloued familie. Thus dooth he alwayes preuent vsus with his blessings: before hee was desired hee came into the world, hee called his Apostles before they came to him, and before he was requested he came vntounto this noble house. O happy house that enterteyned such a guest, but thrise happie inhabitants to whome such a guest woulde vouchsafe to come! When hee came vntounto the swinish Gadarenes, they desired him to depart out of their coasts, preferring their Swine aboue their Sauiour:Luke. 8. but this godly family receiued him into their house, preferring their God before their golde, and the health of their soules, before their worldlye wealth.Matth. 8.19 They receiued him into their house, who had not a house wherein to put his head.Matt. 25. Wherein their hospitalitie is commended, and shall certainely be rewarded at that dreadfull day: for with this and such like works of merciemercy, the Lord shall answere the sentence of iudgement, which is to be denounced against the wicked, that neuer exercised those workes of merciemercy. Let vsus learne by their example to be harberous and giuen to hospitalitie, which is so often commended vntounto vsus in the Scripture, and shall bee so richly rewarded at the last day. Those godly Fathers Abraham and Lot,Gen. 18. Gen. 19. enterteyned Angels in the habite of strangers: So wee may dayly entertaine Christ Iesus▪ in the habite of a poore man, of a blinde man, of a lame man, and whatsoeuer is doone vntounto any of these that are his members, he accompteth and accepteth as doone vntounto himselfe. Now as this vertue of hospitalitie is commendable in all sorts of men: so is it more specially commended to the ministers, who are expressely commanded by the Apostle among other things,1. Tim. 3.2 to bee giuen to hospitalitie.Num. 35. VntoUnto the Leuites in the time of the lawe, the Lorde appointed citties of refuge, to signifie that the Ministers house should bee the poore mans harbor, and his store their treasurie: but the true ministers of our dayes hauehave no citties of refuge for others, for they hauehave none for themselues: they hauehave not wherewith to releeue the wants of others, for they hauehave not to releeue theyr owne.
When Martha had thus enterteyned Christ as hee was man into hir house, Marie began to enterteine him as he was God into her heart, shee sat at his feete to heare his preaching, for no sooner was Christ come into the house, but that hee tooke occasion to teach and instruct the family, and in steede of bodily food which they bestowed vppon him, to giuegive vntounto them the foode of the soule. Thus dooth he alwayes shew himselfe a thankfull guest, into what house so euer hee entreth, he leaueth better things behind him then he findeth, hee loues not to be in Zacheus debt for his dinner,Luke. 19. for insteed thereof he bringeth saluation to his house, neither dooth hee leaue his supper vnpaide for heere, for insteed thereof hee bestoweth vppon them a heauenly sermon. This should be the exercise of faithfull ministers when they are inuited to great feasts, that as they are called the salt of the earth,Matth. 5.13 which serueth to season the meates to make them sauery, and preserue them from putrifaction, so they should season the table talke with some godly conference, to minister grace vntounto the hearers, Ephe. 4, 29.
These sisters were godly women, and both earnest fauourers of Iesus Christ, and yet in the manner of their deuotion there is such difference, that the worldly affection of the one may in some sort be misliked, in respect of the godly exercise and practise of the other: Martha is sore encumbred with much seruing, where a little seruice had beene sufficient: But Marie is attentiue to heare the worde of God which neuer can be heard sufficiently.
Matth. 5.Marie sitteth to heare the word, as Christ vsed to sitte when he preached the word,Luke. 4. to shew that the word is to bee preached and heard with a quiet minde.Iohn. 8. In a still night eueryevery voyce is heard, and when the body is quiet, the minde most commonly is quiet also. But Martha is troubled with other affayres, and therefore vnfit to heare the word: as the ground that is surcharged with stones,Math. 5.13. or ouergrowne with weedes and thornes, is vnfit to receiue the seed, or yeeld any fruite to him that tilleth it. As often therefore as wee come to heare the word of God, wee must not come with distracted mindes, wee must not trouble our selues with the cares of this lyfe,Luke. 8.14. which (as our sauiour saith) are thornes to choake the worde, and to make it vnfruitfull.Exod. 3. For as Moses was vnfit to talke with God till he had put off his shooes,Marke. 1…. and the blind man vnfitte to come to Christ till hee had throwne away his cloake, so we must thinke our selues vnfit to heare the word, and vnapt for eueryevery heauenly exercise, til we hauehave put off our shoes, that is, our worldly cogitations and affections, and till we hauehave cast away our cloake, that is, all lets and impediments which might hinder vsus from profiting in our profession.
When our mindes are quiet,Luke. 3. we are fitte to deale with heauenly matters, therefore the Doctors conferred sitting in the Temple: and God delighteth to deale with vsus when wee are most priuate:Gen. 18. hee appeared to Abraham sitting in the doore of his Tent. The holy Ghost came downe vponupon the Apostles,Acts. 2. and filled all the house where they were sitting. The Eunuch sitting in his charret,Acts. 8. was called and conuerted by Philips preaching.
Marie sat at Iesus feete, yet sat shee not sleeping as many sit at the Preachers feete, but shee sate at Christ his feete and heard his worde. As Paul was brought vp at the feete of Gamaleell,Acts. 22. and was perfectly instructed in the law of the Fathers.
Hir humilitie is commended, in that she sat at Iesus feete, to shew that the word is to bee heard with all humilitie: hir diligence and earnestnes appeareth, in that shee would not depart to helpe hir sister, to signifie that the hearing of the word must be preferred before worldly businesse.
Hir diligence and humilitie, serueth to condemne our negligence, and contempt of Christ and his word: we doo not sit at Christ his feete, nay we rather set Christ at our feet, when wee are so negligent in hearing of his worde.
Wee are as slowe to come to the Church,Gen. 8. as the Rauen was to come to the Arke, and as loth to spend any time in the seruice of God,Exod. 8.32. as Pharao was loth to let the Israelites goe to serue the Lord. If a commoditie were to bee seene whereout some profit might arise, how carefull would wee be to procure it? what paines would wee take to get it? Absalon was not more desirous of a kingdome,2. Sam. 15. then the rich men of our time are desirous of golden gaine. But if it bee a matter of coste or trouble, if they cannot heare the worde preached without some hinderance to their worldlye businesse, and some extraordinarie charge to their pursse, then like the Gadarenes,Luke. 8. Matt. 13.45 they are content to take their leaue of Christ and his worde, and had rather loose that heauenly Pearle, then they would parte from their earthly pelfe.
Thus in Christ wee hauehave the patterne of a good Pastor, and in Marie the patterne of a good hearer: Let Ministers learne by his example, to take all occasions to preach the word,2. Tim. 4.2. to be instant in season and out of season, and let Christians learne by hir example,Matth. 6. first to seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse, and then to prouide for the things of this lyfe.
While Marie was carefull for the foode of the soule, Martha was curious to prouide foode for the bodie, hir greatest care was to enterteyne Christ and to make him good cheere, to testifie hir thankfull minde vntounto him that had doone so great things for them, hee had raysed hir brother Lazarus from death to life, therefore hee was worthye to bee well enterteyned.1. King. 17.
If Elias deserued to bee well dealt withall at the hande of his hostesse, whose sonne he had restored to life:2. King. …. or Elysa deserued such enterteynement for hir sonnes reuiuing; then surelie our Sauiour Christ was worthie to be welcome hither, where hee had raysed Lazarus out of his graue, wherein hee had lyne by the space of foure dayes before.Iohn. 11. It was well doone therefore of Martha to shewe hir thankefull minde vntounto Christ, but it was not well doone at that time to shewe her selfe thankefull in that manner, it was then time to heare the worde: for at that time Christ preached the worde, it was no time for hir to spende that time in other affayres, and to neglect the greatest affaire, the meanes of hir owne saluation.
It was not vnlawfull for Martha to labour, no more then it was vnlawfull for Peter to sleepe, but when Christ was preaching, it was no time for hir to bee so busie in seruing, no more then it was time for Peter to sleepe when Christ willed him so earnestly to watch and praye.Matth. 26. When Christ preached out of Symons ship to the people that stoode vppon the shore,Luke. 5. it was no time for Peter to play the Fisherman. But when Christ had left speaking and commanded him to launch into the deepe, then it was time for Peter to let downe the net. There is a time wherein we ought to labour in our vocation, and a time wherein we ought to heare the word, and as we may not vtterly neglect our lawfull callings, to followe sermons, so must wee not bestow the Sabaoth which is consecrated to the seruice of God, in following the workes of our vocation.Eccle. 3. All things hauehave their appointed time (saith the wise man) Eccle. 3. and eueryevery thing is seemely in his conuenient season; but when things are doone preposterously and out of order, there followeth confusion.
Although Martha did not heare Christ, yet did she labour for Christ: many in our dayes will neyther labour for Christ, nor heare of Christ, but as the Israelites were wearye of their iourney in the wildernesse,Num. 21. and lothed that heauenly Manna, so these men are wearie of eueryevery godly exercise, and are soone cloyed with the word of God.Matth. 25. The fiue foolish Virgins wasted their Oyle to no purpose, and while they went to buie, were excluded the marriage, and these foolish men spende this time of grace vainely and wantonly, as though after this life there were no time of iustice and vengeance to be feared. The daye serueth for their pride or profit, the night is spent in sporte and pleasure, and no time is left to heare the worde. When wee are praying they are playing; when we are preaching they are eating and drinking, like the old world,Gen. 6. Luke. 17. that eate and dranke, that marryed wiues, and gaue in mariage while Noah was preparing the Arke, for the sauing of his houshold. And as Baals Priests wounded themselues to serue their Idoll,Hebr. 11. 1. King. 18. so these men take dangerous courses, and strangely trouble themselues to serue the diuell.
Nowe Martha findeth hir selfe agreeued, and begins to enuie hir sisters exercise,Gen. 37. as Iosephs brethren enuyed him for his dreames, and the sonnes of Ishai that disdained theyr brother Dauid for his forwardnesse in the combat with Goliath.1. Sam. 17.
These two sisters, that in other things agreed so well togither, in this doo differ so much, that Christ must hauehave the hearing of the matter, and decide the controuersie; Martha plaieth the Plaintife and accuseth hir sister; Marye the defendant, answereth by hir Aduocate, and Christ himselfe that tooke vppon him the office of an Aduocate, is become the Iudge, and giueth sentence on Maryes side; Martha complaineth of hir sisters slothfulnesse, and seemeth after a sorte to blame our Sauiour for winking at it, requiring him to see the matter redressed speedily. But Christ first reprooueth Marthaes curiositie, and then excuseth, yea and commendeth Maries care. In Martha it appeareth howe willing wee are to please our selues in our owne conceits, and how ready to conceiue amisse of others dooings, yea sometime to prefer our owne defects, before the perfections of other men. If Dauid chasten his soule with fasting,Psal. 69. it shall bee turned to his reproofe; if hee put on Sackcloth to testifie his contrition, they iest at him, and the drunkards make songs of him:Luke. 7.33. if Iohn Baptist be temperate in his apparrell and dyet, they will say hee hath a diuell.Acts. 25 If Paul answere discreetely for himselfe, he shall bee charged to bee mad with ouermuch learning;Luke. 7.34. yea if our Sauiour Christ himselfe frequent the companie of sinners, to reclaime them from sinne, they will not sticke to call him a friend and companion of Publicans and sinners. Among vsus, if there be any that be more forward in religion then the rest, and more diligent to heare the worde, as Marie was, there shall not want some or other to censure them at their pleasure, yea to finde faulte and to condemne them for so doing: yet are not the godly to bee discouraged herewith, or to desist from theyr godly exercises: for as the Lorde answered for Mary when shee held hir peace; so the Lorde will defend their cause, and take their part against their aduersaries. The Lorde cannot abide to heare his seruants ill spoken off, but is alwayes ready to mainteine their right, and to answere for them.Gen. 31.24. He will not suffer Laban to speake an ill worde to his seruant Iacob. And if Aaron and Myriam murmure against Moises,Num. 12. the Lorde will punish it with leprosie, what a comfortable thing is this to the godly, that the king of kings will take their parts, and will not suffer them to susteyne any wrong. Hee is a most sure and trustie friend, that will not abide his friend to bee backbited or ill spoken of, but eyther hee will answere in their defence, or hee will finde some meanes to stop the mouthes, and restraine the slanderous toungs of their enemies, as somtime he stopt Balaams passage,Num. 22 when hee went to curse his people, and caused the dumbe beast to speake, and to reprooue the madnesse of the Prophet, rather then he woulde hauehave his people to bee curssed.2. Pet. 2.1…
The repitition of Marthaes name, argueth the vehemencie and earnestnesse of this admonition. The Lord is faine to be very earnest and importunate with vsus, before hee can reclaime vsus.Gen. 22 So when God spake vntounto Abraham, hee calleth him twise by name; Christ called Peter thrise by name, Iohn. 21. to cause him make his three-fould confession, to make amends for his threefold deniall. And when the Lorde spake vntounto Samuel,1. Sam. 3. hee called him foure seuerall times by name before hee answered; for such is the great merciemercy of GOD, that he is content to admonish vsus often of our dutie, and such is the dulnesse and peruersenesse of our crooked nature, that wee cannot bee gayned by the first admonition: but the Lord must call vsus often and earnestly, before we will harken vntounto him.
There are two things in this speach of Christ to be obserued. The first is his modest reprehension, of Marthaes immoderate care: the other is, his friendly defence of Maries choise.
Though Martha was very carefull to entertaine Christ in the best manner, yet if he perceiue any thing in hir worthie of reprehension, he will not stick to tell hir of it: he will not sooth hir in hir saying, nor smooth hir in hir owne conceit, for all the trouble and cost that she bestowes vponupon him. If we be often inuited to some mans table, and kindely enterteyned, it would bee vnkindlye taken, if wee should finde fault with any disorder, but forasmuch as all Christ his actions are the instructions of Christians, therefore eueryevery Christian, but especially Preachers, whome it more specially concerneth, must learne by this example how to behaue themselues, when they are inuited to great feasts: namely to speake their conscience freely when they see a fault. The best requitall that wee can make for our good cheere, is to giuegive good counsell and wholsome admonition to them that inuite vsus. When Christ dined with the Pharisey, Luke. 11. and was misliked for not washing before dinner, hee tooke occasion to reprooue their hypocrisie, their outward show of holinesse, which was the sinne of the Pharises: and at another time he noteth them, for preasing to the chiefe places at banquets,Luke. 14. and sheweth what modestie is to bee obserued in sitting downe to meate, and what guests should be bidden to our table. So should Preachers behaue themselues towards those that inuite them to great feasts, where they see perhaps some fault or disorder, either in the Maister of the house, or in some other of the guests; to saye vntounto them thus or otherwise, as the case requireth: I will warne you of one thing that will doo you good, that you would leaue your vsurie and extortion, your couetousnesse and oppression, that you would leaue your swearing and blaspheming the name of God, that you would forbeare to prophane the Lords Sabaoth, that you would leaue your pride and excesse in your dyet and apparrell: that you would forbeare to speake ill of any behind their backes, or to beare any malice or hatred to any of your neighbors. These are the faults which are easie to be espyed almost in eueryevery place, and these are the faultes which the faythfull minister of Christ Iesus should not leaue vnreprooued wheresoeuer he commeth,1. King. 18. but as Elias tould Ahab of his Idolatrie, though hee were his king, and Iohn Baptist tould Herod of his adulterie,Math. 14 Mark. 6.20 though he did many things for him, and heard him gladly: so should the preacher reprooue the people for their notorious offences, notwithstanding some fauours and curtesies receiued from them.
If Christ had cause to finde faulte with Martha for hir too much diligence in his enterteinement, it seemes hee was not curious of his dyet, but would hauehave beene content with simple cates: he was no delicate or daintie guest, hee did not affect or delight in sumptuous banquets, or costly fare, he rather requireth a religious heart, a constant faith, a willing mind to heare the word,Luke. 11.28. with an earnest care to liue thereafter. These are the things wherin the Lorde delighteth, these are the iuncates which hee desireth, and which he preferreth before all earthly cheere. Thus is Martha reprehended for hir curiositie: now let vsus see how Marie is excused and commended for hir godly care. One thing is necessary (saith Christ) and what is that one thing? euen to heare the word preached,Rom. 1.16. which is the power of God to saluation, to eueryevery one that beleeueth. A man may better want all things then that one needful thing, and yet we desire all other things, and neglect that one thing which is so needfull. This one thing hath Marie chosen; and therefore hath chosen the better part. Marthaes part is good bicause it prouideth for this present life: but Maries part is better, bicause it leadeth to eternall life. It is good to be occupyed about our calling, to get our liuing: but it is better to bee occupied in hearing the word, which is able to saue our soules. As the head and the foot are both needfull in the body, so Marie and Martha are both needfull in a commonwealth: man hath two vocations, the one earthlye by his labour, the other heauenly by his prayer. There is the actiue life, which consisteth in practising the affayres of this life, wherein man sheweth himselfe to bee like himselfe, and there is the contemplatiue life, which consisteth in the meditation of diuine and heauenly things, wherein man sheweth himselfe to bee like the Angels: for they which labour in their temporall vocations, do liue like men; but they which labour in spirituall matters, liue like Angels: When they heare the word; God speaketh vntounto them: when they pray, they speake vntounto God; so that there is a continual conference betweene God and them, bicause they are continually exercised in hearing or praying.
Christ loued Martha for hir hospitalitie, as Isaac loued Esau for his Venison. So did he louelove Mary for hir diligence in hearing his word, as Rebecca loued Iacob for harkning to hir voice.Gen. 25, 28. A nursse which hath hir brest full of milke, doth louelove the child that sucks it from hir: and Christ which hath his brest full of heauenly milke, is glad when he hath children to suck the same.1. Pet. 2.1.2. Let vsus therfore (as the Apostle willeth vsus, 1. Pet. 2.1.2.) laying aside all maliciousnesse, and all guile, and dissimulation, and enuie, and all euill speaking, as new borne babes desire that sincere milke of the worde; that we may grow thereby to bee perfect men in Christ Iesus: let vsus breath after the fountaine of liuing water, which springeth vp vntounto eternall life, as the faintie Hart desireth the water brook to quench his thirst,Psal. 4…, 1. and for as much as many things are so troublesome, and one thing is so needefull, let vsus seeke that one needfull thing,Ecol. 12, 13. the end of all things, euen to feare God and keepe his commandements, which we must learne by hearing the word of God,Heb. 11.6. whereby faith (without the which it is impossible to please God) is begotten & nourished in the hearts of men.Rom. 10.17
This is that good part which Marie hath chosen, by so much better then hir sisters choise, bicause it concerneth a better life, and hath the fruition of this present life. Mary hath a double portion: She heard the word;1. Tim. 4.8. and eate of the meate, which hir sister dressed, for godlinesse hath the promise of this life, & of the life to come. As for all other things, whether they be honors, promotions, pleasures, and what not, they serue onelyonly for the maintenance of this present lyfe, which is so short, and subiect to mutabilitie: but the word of God is the foode of the soule, the bread of life,1. Pet. 1, 13 that immortall seede which bringeth foorth fruite vntounto eternall life. Let the worde of God therefore be precious vntounto vsus,Luk. 21, 33 because it is so permanent, for heauen and earth must passe,1. Pet. 1, 25 but the worde of God endureth for euer. If we make choise of any thing beside, it must be taken from vsus, or we shal be taken from it: but if we make choise of this one thing, it shall neuer bee taken from vsus neither in this world nor in the world to come. The Lord grant that wee be not only hearers but doers of the word,Iames. 1, 22. that it may be truly sayd of vsus, as Christ said of his disciples, that heard his preaching, Behold my brother, my sister, and mother:Math. 12, 50 or as hee answered the woman that commended his carnall kindred;Luk. 11, 28. Blessed are they that heare the word of God, and keepe the same.
FINIS.