Twelve Sermons, Sermon 5
MARIES CHOISE.
Luke 10. 38. 39. &c.
38 Now it came to passe as they went, that hee entred into a certaine towne, and a certaine woman named Martha, receiued him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sate at Iesus feet, and heard his preaching.
40 But Martha was cumbred 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 said vntounto her, Martha, Martha, thou carest and art troubled about many things.
42 But one thing is needfull, Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
AS Christ had shewed himselfe louing vntounto Lazarus and his sisters, in raising him from Iohn 11the death of the bodie, and them from the death of the soule: so doe they here shewe their thankefull mindes to Christ againe, the one by receiuing him into her house, and the other by entertaining him into her heart. As hee was God, he was receiued of Mary: as he was man, he was receiued of Martha. They both desired to entertaine our Sauiour: as Iacob and Esau desired to please their aged father: but Mary Gen. 27made choise of the better part, and was preferred before her sister, as Iacob sped soonest of most dainty venison, and preuented his brother of the blessing. And although the care of Martha in 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 Mary to studie in the worde, and first to seeke the kingdome of God, than with Martha to labour in the worlde, and to neglect that Math 6. 35heauenly kingdome. And yet notwithstanding, such is the corruption of this rusty age, that our greatest care is to prouide for this present life, as the rich man, Luke. 12. that inlarged his barnes wherein to put his store for many yeares: but wee neuer or verie late remember to prouide for the life to come, like that other rich man, Luke. 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 the whole familie, and here he is said to come vntounto them. For whome hee loueth hee cannot choose but visite, like the friends of Iob that came to comfort him in his great aduersitie: yea, and Iob 2the greater louelove he beareth vntounto any, the oftner hee will resort vntounto them, yea, he will come and dwell with them, Ioh. 14. 23. Like Iacob that came downe into Egypt, to his beloued sonne Ioseph, and dwelt in Goshen. But Christ is yet Gen 47more kind then Iacob was, for he came not till hee was sent for with horses and Chariots: but Christ came of his owne Gen 45accord to this beloued familie.
Thus doth he alwaies preuent vsus with his blessings: before he was desired he came into the world, he called his Apostles before they came to him, and before he was requested hee came vntounto this noble house. O happie house that entertayned such a guest, but thrice happie inhabitants to whome such a guest would vouchsafe to come! When hee came to the swinish Gadarens, they desired him to depart out of their coastes, preferring their swine aboue their Sauiour: Luke 8but this godlie familie receiued him into their house, preferring their God before their golde, and the health of their soules before their worldlie wealth. They receiued him into their house, who had not a house wherein to put his head. Wherein their hospitalitie is commended, and Math 8. 19shall certainly bee rewarded at the dreadfull day: for vvith this and such like workes of mercy, the Lorde shall answere the sentence of iudgement, which is to bee denounced agaynst the wicked, that neuer exercised those workes of mercy.
Let vsus learne by their example to bee harborous, and giuen to hospitalitie, vvhichwhich is so often commended vntounto vsus in the Scripture, and shall be so richly rewarded at the last day. Those godly Fathers, Abraham and Lot, entertained Angels in the habite of straungers: so wee may daily entertaine Gen. 18 Gen. 19Christ Iesus in the habite of a poore man, of a blinde man, of a lame man, and whatsoeuer is done vntounto anie of these that are his members, he accounteth and accepteth as done vntounto himselfe.
Nowe as the vertue of hospitalitie is commendable in all sortes of men: so is it more especiallie commended to the Ministers, vvho are expreslie commaunded by the Apostle among other thinges, to bee giuen to hospitalitie. 1. Tim. 3. 2.VntoUnto the Leuites in the time of the lawe, the Lord appoynted cities of refuge, tosignifie that the Ministers house shuld Num. 3. 5▪be the poore mans harbour, and his store their treasurie: but the true Ministers of our dayes hauehave no cities of refuge for others, for they hauehave none for themselues: they hauehave not where with to relieue the wants of others, for they hauehave not to relieue their owne.
When Martha had thus entertained Christ as hee was man, into her house, Mary began to entertaine him as hee was GOD into her heart, she sate at his feete to heare his preaching, for no sooner was Christ come into the house, but that he tooke occasion to teach and instruct the familie, and in stead of bodily foode, which they bestowed vppon him, to giuegive vntounto them the foode of the soule. Thus doth he alwaies shew himselfe a thankfull guest, into what house soeuer he entreth, hee leaueth better things behind him than he findeth, hee loues not to bee in Zacheus debt for his dinner, Luke. 15for in stead thereof hee bringeth saluation to his house, neither doth he leaue his supper vnpaid for here, for in stead thereof he bestoweth vponupon them an heauenly sermon. This should be the exercise of faithfull Ministers, when they are inuited to great feastes, that as they are called the salt of the Math 5. 13earth, which serueth to season the meates, to make them sauorie, 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 fauorers 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 incumbred with much seruing, where a little seruice had bin sufficient, but Mary is attentiue to heare the word of God, which neuer can be heard sufficiently.
Mary sitteth to heare the word, as Christ vsed to sit when Math. 5. Luke 4 Iohn 8he preached the word, to shew that the word is to be preached and heard with a quiet minde. In a still night euerie voyce is heard, and when the bodie is quiet, the minde most commonly is quiet also. But Martha is troubled with other affaires, and therefore vnfit to heare the word: as the ground that is surcharged with stones, or ouergrowne with weedes Math 5. 13and thornes, is vnfit to receiue the seede, or yeeld any fruite to him that tilleth it. As often therefore as we come to heare the word of God, we must not come with distracted minds, wee must not trouble our selues with the cares of this life, which (as our Sauiour saith) are thornes to choake the Luke 8. 14 Exod 3 Mark 10word, and to make it vnfruitfull. For as Moses was vnfit to talke with God till he had put off his shooes, and the blinde man vnfit to come to Christ, till he had throwne away his cloake: so wee must thinke our selues vnfit to heare the worde, and vnapt for eueryevery heauenly exercise, till wee hauehave put off our shooes, 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, we are fit to deale with heauenly matters, therefore the Doctors conferred sitting in the Temple: and God delighteth to deale with vsus when we are most priuate: he appeared to Abraham sitting in the doore Gen. 18 Actes 2of his Tent. The holy Ghost came downe vponupon the Apostles, and filled all the house where they were sitting. The Eunuch sitting in his chariot, was called and conuerted by Actes 8Philips preaching.
Marie sate at Iesus feete, yet sate she not sleeping, as many sit at the preachers feete, but she sate at Christ his feete, and heard his word. As Paul was brought vp at the feete of Gamaliel, Actes 22and was perfectly instructed in the law of the fathers.
Her humilitie is commended, in that she sate at Iesus feet, to shew that the word is to be heard with all humilitie: her diligence and earnestnes appeareth, in that shee would not depart to helpe her sister, to signifie that the hearing of the word must be preferred before all worldlie busines.
Her diligence and humilitie serueth to condemne our negligence, and contempt of Christ and his word: we do not sit at Christ his feete, nay wee rather set Christ at our feete, when we are so negligent in hearing of his word.
Wee are as slovve to come to the Church, as the Rauen Gen 8vvas to come to the Arke, and as loath to spend any time in the seruice of God, as Pharaoh vvas loath to let the Israelites Exod 8. 32goe to serue the Lord. If a commoditie vvere to bee seene vvhereout some profite might arise, how careful vvould vve be to procure it? vvhat paines vvould vve take to get it? Absolon 2. Sam 15vvas not more desirous of a kingdome, than the rich men of our time are desirous of golden gaine. But if it be a matter of cost or trouble, if they cannot heare the worde preached without some hinderance to their worldly busines, and some extraordinarie charge to their purse, then like the Gadarenes, they are content to take their leaue of Christ and Luke 8 Math 13. 49his worde, and had rather lose that heauenlie pearle, than they would parte from their worldlie pelfe.
Thus in Christ wee hauehave the patterne of a good pastour, and in Marie the patterne of a good hearer: Let Ministers learne by his example, to take all occasions to preach the 2. Tim 4. 2worde, to bee instant in season and out of season▪ and let Christians learne by her example, first to seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse, and then to prouide for Math. 6the things of this life.
While Marie was carefull for the foode of the soule, Martha was curious to prouide foode for the bodie, her greatest care was to entertaine Christ, & to make him good cheere, to testifie her thankfull minde vntounto him that had done so great thinges for them, hee had raised her brother Lazarus from death to life, therefore he was worthie to bee well entertained.
If Elias deserued to bee well dealt withall at the hande of his hostesse, whose sonne he had restored to life: or Elisa 1. King 17 2. King 4deserued such entertainement for her sonnes reuiuing: then surely our Sauiour Christ was worthie to bee welcome hether, where he had raised Lazarus out of his graue, wherein he had lien by the space of foure dayes before. It was well done therefore of Martha to shew her thankfull minde vntounto Christ, but it was not well done at that time to shew her selfe Iohn 11thankefull in that manner, it was then time to heare the worde: for at that time Christ preached the worde, it was no time for her to spend that time in other affaires, and to neglect the greatest affaire, the meanes of her owne saluation.
It was not vnlawfull for Martha to labour, no more than it was vnlawfull for Peter to sleepe: but when Christ was preaching, it was no time for her to bee so busie in seruing, no more than it was time for Peter to sleepe, when Christ Math 25willed him so earnestly to watch and praye. When Christ preached out of Simons shippe to the people that stoode Luke 5vponupon the shore, it was no time for Peter to play the Fisherman. But when Christ had left speaking, and commaunded him to lanch into the deepe, then it was time for Peter to let downe the net. There is a time wherin we ought to labour in our vocation, and a time wherein we ought to heare the word, and as wee may not vtterly neglect our lawfull callings, to follow Sermons: so must we not bestow the Sabboth, which is consecrated to the seruice of God, in following the workes of our vocation. All things hauehave their appointed time (saith the wise man) Eccle. 3. and eueryevery thing is seemely in his conuenient season, but when thinges are done preposterously and out of order, there followeth confusion.
Although Martha did not heare Christ, yet did she labour for Christ: marry in our dayes will neither labour for Christ, nor heare of Christ: but as the Israelites were wearie of their Num 21iourney in the wildernes, and lothed that heauenly Manna; so these men are wearie of eueryevery godly exercise, and are soone cloyed with the word of God.
The fiue foolish Virgins wasted their oyle to no purpose, Mat 26and while they went to buy, 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 bee feared. The day serueth for their pride or profite, the night is spent in sporte and pleasure, and no time is left to heare the worde. When we are praying, they are playing: when we are preaching, they are eating and drinking, like the olde worlde, that ate and dranke, that married wiues, & gaue in marriage, while Gen 6Noah was preparing the Arke for the sauing of his householde. And as Baals priestes wounded themselues to serue Heb 11 1. King 18their idol: so these men take dangerous courses, & strangely trouble themselues to serue the diuell.
Now Martha findeth her selfe agrieued, and begins to enuie her sisters exercise, as Iosephs brethren enuied him for Gen 37 1. Sam 17.his dreames: and the sonnes of Ishai, that disdayned their brother Dauid, for his forwardnesse in the combat with Goliah.
These two sisters, that in other things agreed so well together, in this doe differ so much, that Christ must hauehave the hearing of the matter, and decide the controuersie, Martha plaieth the plaintife, and accuseth her sister. Mary the desendant answereth by her aduocate, and Christ himself that tooke vponupon him the office of an Aduocate, is become the Iudge, and giueth sentence on Maries side: Martha complaineth of her sisters slouthfulnes, and seemeth after a sort 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 how willing wee are to please our selues in our owne conceites, and how readie to conceiue amisse of others doings, yea, sometimes to preferre out owne defects; before the perfections of other men. If Dauid chasten his soule with fasting, it shall bee turned to his reproofe: If he put on sackcloth, to testifie his cōtrition, they iest at him, and the drunkardes make songs of Psal 69him. If Iohn Baptist be temperate in his apparell and diet, they will say he hath a diuell. If Paul answere discreetly for Luke 7. 33.himselfe, he shall be charged to bee madde with ouermuch Actes 26 Luke 7. 34learning; yea, if our Sauiour Christ himselfe frequent the cōpanie of sinners, to reclaime them from sinne, they will not sticke to call him a friend and companion of Publicans and sinners. Amongst vsus, if there be any that bee more forward in religion than the rest, & more diligent to heare the word, as Marie was, there shall not want some or other to censure them at their pleasure, yea, to find fault, & to condemne thē for so doing, yet are not the godly to bee discouraged herewith, or to desist from their godly exercises: for as the Lord answered for Marie, when she held her 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 of, but is alwayes readie to maintaine their right, and to answere for them. He will not suffer Laban to speake an ill worde to his seruant Iacob. And if Aaron & Miriam murmure Gen 3. 24 Num 12against Moses, the Lorde will punish it with leprosie. What a comfortable thing is this to the godly, yt the king of kings will take their partes, and will not suffer them to sustaine any wrong? He is a most sure and trustie friend, that will not abide his friends to be backbited or ill spoken of, but either he will answere in their defence, or he will finde some meanes to stop their mouthes, and restraine the slaunderous tongues of their enemies, as sometime he stopt Balaams passage, Num 22when he went to curse his people, & caused the dumbe beast to speake, and to reprooue the madnes of the Prophet, 2. Pet. 2. 15rather than hee would hauehave his people to be cursed.
The repetition 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. So when God spake vntounto Abraham, hee called Gen 22him twise by name: Christ called Peter thrife by name, Iohn 21. to cause him make his three-folde confession, to make amends for his three-folde deniall. And when the Lord spake vntounto Samuel, he called him 4. seuerall times by name, before he answered: for such is the great merciemercy of 1. Sam 3God, that he is content to admonish vsus often of our duetie, & such is the dulnes & peruersenes of our crooked nature, that wee cannot be gained by the first admonition: but the Lord must cal vsus oftē & earnestly, before we wil hearkē vntounto him.
There are two thinges 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 careful to entertaine Christ in the best manner, yet if he perceiue any thing in her worthie of reprehension, hee will not sticke to tell her of it: hee will not soothe her in her saying, nor smoothe her in her own conceit, for all the trouble and cost that shee bestowes vponupon him. If we be often inuited to some mans table, and kindly entertained, it would be vnkindly taken, if wee should finde fault with any disorder: but for as much as all Christ his actions are the instructions of Christians therefore eueryevery Christian, but especially Preachers, whom it more specially concerneth, must learne by this example how to behaue themselues, when they are inuited to great feastes, namely, to speake their conscience freely when they see a fault. The best requitall that we can make for our good cheare, is to giuegive good counsell and wholesome admonition to them that inuite vsus. When Christ dined with the Pharise, Luke 11. and was misliked for not washing before dinner, he tooke occasion to reproue their hypocrisie, their outward shewe of holinesse, Luke 14which was the sin of the Pharises: and at an other time he noteth them, for pressing to the chiefe places at banquets, & sheweth what modestie is to be obserued in sitting down to meate, and what guests should be bidden to our table. So should Preachers behaue themselues tovvards those that inuite them to great feastes, vvhen they see perhaps some fault or disorder, either in the master of the house, or in some other of the guestes, to say vntounto them thus, or otherwise as the case requireth: I will warne you of one thing that will doe you good, that you would leaue your vsurie and extortion, your couetousnes & oppression, that you would leaue your swearing & blaspheming the name of God, that you would forbeare to prophane the Lordes Sabboth, that you would leaue your pride and excesse in your diet and apparell, 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 bee espied almost in eueryevery place, and these are the faultes which the faithfull minister of Christ Iesus should not leaue vnreproued wheresoeuer he commeth. But as Elias told Ahab of his Idolatrie, though he were his king, and Iohn Baptist tolde Herode of 1. King 18 Math 14 Marke 6. 20his adulterie, though he did many things for him, and heard him gladly: so should the Preachers reprooue the people for their notorious offences, notwithstanding some fauours and curtesies receiued from them.
If Christ had cause to finde fault with Martha for her too much diligence in his entertainement, it seemes he was not curious of his diet, but would hauehave bene content with simple cates: he was no delicate or daintie guest, he did not affect or delight in sumptuous banquets, or costly fare, hee rather requireth a religious heart, a constant faith, a willing minde to heare the word, with an earnest care to liue thereafter. These are the thinges wherein the Lorde delighteth, these are the iuncates which he desireth, and which hee preferreth before all earthly cheare.
Thus is Martha reprehended for her curiositie: now let vsus see how Marie is excused and commended for her godly care. One thing is necessarie (saith Christ;) and what is that one thing? Euen to heare the word preached, which is the power of God to saluation, to eueryevery one that beleeueth. A man may better want all thinges, than that one needefull thing, and yet we desire all other thinges, and neglect that one thing, which is so needefull.
This one thing hath Marie chosen, and therefore hath chosen the better part. Marthaes part is good, because it prouideth for this present life: but Maries part is better, because it leadeth to eternall life. It is good to bee occupied about our calling, to get our liuing: but it is better to bee occupied in hearing the worde, which is able to saue our soules. As the head and the foote are both needefull in the bodie, so Mary and Martha are both needful in a Commonwealth: man hath two vocations, the one earthly, 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 be like himselfe, and there is the contemplatiue life, which consisteth in the meditation of diuine and heauenlie thinges, wherein man sheweth himselfe to be like the Angels: for they which labour in their temporal vocations, doe 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, because they are continually exercised in hearing and praying.
Christ loued Martha for her hospitalitie, as Isaac loued Esau for his venison. So did he louelove Marie for her diligence Gen. 25. 28.in hearing his word, as Rebecca loued Iacob for he arkning to her voice. A nurse which hath her breast full of milke, doth louelove the child that sucks it from her: and Christ which hath his breast full of heauenly milke, is glad when he hath children to sucke the same. Let vsus therefore (as the Apostle willeth vsus. 1. Pet. 2. 12.) laying aside al maliciousnesse, and al guile, and dissimulation, and enuie, and all euill speaking, as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word, that we may growe thereby to bee perfect men in Christ Iesus: let vsus breathe after the fountaine of liuing water, which springeth vp vntounto eternall life, as the faintie Hart desireth Psalm 42. 1the water brooke to quench his thirst: and for as much as many things are so troublesome, and one thing is so needefull, let vsus seeke that one needful thing, the end of all thinges, euen to feare God and keepe his commaundements, which Eccle 12. 13 Heb 11. 6we learne by hearing the word of God, wherby faith (without the which it is impossible to please God is begotten and nourished in the hearts of men.Rom 10. 17
This is that good part which Mary hath chosen, by so much better than her sisters choise, because it concerneth a better life, and hath the fruition of this present life. Mary hath a double portion: she heard the worde, and ate of the meate which her sister dressed, for godlinesse hath the promise 1. Tim. 4. 8of this life, and of the life to come. As for all other things, whether they be honors, promotions, pleasures, and what not? They serue only for the maintenance of this present life, 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. 13that immortall feede which bringeth forth fruite vntounto eternall life. Let the worde of God therefore be pretious vntounto Luke 21. 33vsus, because it is so permanent: for heauen and earth must passe, but the word of God endureth for euer. If we make 1. Pet 1. 25choise of any thing beside, it must bee taken from vsus, or wee shall bee taken from it: but if wee make choise of this one thing, it shall neuer be taken from vsus, neither in this world, nor in the world to come. The Lord graunt that we be not only hearers; but doers of the word, that it may be truly said of vsus, as Christ said of his Disciples that heard his preaching, Iames. 1. 22Behold my brother, my sister and mother: or as he answered Math 12. 50 Luke 11. 28the woman that commended his carnal kindred, Blessed are they that heare the word of God, and keepe the same.
FINIS.