heart. It is seriousness and earnestness about fleshly vanity, and want of seriousness about things spiritual and eternal, which is the temperament and character of the hypocrite. And here I would entreat some that I hope are godly, to forbear so suspicious and disgraceful a course as they are openly guilty of; I mean when they talk so concernedly and eagerly about their meat, and drink, and clothes, and every fleshly thing, as if their hearts were set upon them. Passion and chiding if all be not as their fancies or appetite would have it, doth shew that they are dangerously diseased at least. This meat is not well drest, and the other is too little, or too much; and that sauce is not rightly made, and something or other is still amiss. And all these are talked of as seriously as if the fleshly appetite were the man. In a word, the more serious any man is about great things, the more indifferent he will be about things indifferent. And the more indifferent a man is about the greatest things, the more earnest and serious will he be about things indifferent; and vice versa,' the more serious he is about things indifferent, the more indifferent he will be about the one thing necessary, Taking great things for small, and small things for great; necessary things for indifferent, and indifferent or smaller things for necessary, is the folly, and the sin, and the damnation of the ungodly. And because all men will do as they are, it is also the corrupter, troubler, and divider, of the Christian societies, in doctrine, worship, discipline, and conversation, and the confounder of the world. Of which faith and serious godliness is the remedy, which valueth and useth all things as they are, September 29, 1684. THE ONE THING NECESSARY; OR, MARY'S CHOICE JUSTIFIED. LUKE x.41. Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things; but one thing is needful. HAVING long ago, published some sermons on the One Thing Needful, in a Treatise called, "A Saint or a Brute," I find by more experience than I had then, that it is more necessary to say something on the former part of the text than I thought it was. I then lived among poor, labouring, honest people, who had indeed some temptations from outward wants, but little from wealth and superfluities, nor had leisure to waste time upon so many trifles as I see rich and idle persons think they have. It is here very considerable, 1. That the Author of this reproof was one who was not to be suspected to mistake through ignorance, or want of love to Martha. And though he lived in a low manner, and not as the rich, yet it was not because he wanted such things that he blameth the minding of unnecessary things, for he was Lord of all; and for our sakes he became poor, yet suffered as rich men, that are supposed to be usually the greatest sinners. "He made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death :" Isa, liii. 9. 2. And that his reproof was very serious and compassionate, repeating her name, " Martha, Martha." 3. The person reproved was not a wicked, fleshly, worldly person; but one that was beloved by him, and a religious believer. 4. The matter which she is reproved for is partly positive expressed (being "careful and troubled about many things"), and partly implied as privative; not preferring the one thing needful at that time so much as she should have done. Which implieth, 1. That the many things were needless, or less needful things. 2. That they took up both her unseasonable time, and the cares of her mind, unto her trouble. I need no more words to convince you that Christ here teacheth us this lesson, viz. 'That care and trouble about many needless or less needful things, hindering them from the due minding of the one thing needful, is a sin which Christ reproved in Martha, and therefore blameth in all others who are guilty of it.' Here, I. Let us consider what Martha's sin in particular was. II. Whether we are not like to be more guilty of the like. III. In what kind this sin is usually committed. IV. What are the excuses for it. V. What is the evil of it which deserveth such reproof. VI. What use we should make of Christ's reproof. I. Martha's sin (already mentioned) was overmuch care and trouble about her table for Christ's entertainment, while Mary sat hearing his holy discourse; which shewed that she had less appetite than Mary to the holy doctrine of Christ, that could be more easily without it. 2. And that she overvalued the lower part, his bodily entertainment. Yet there were these extenuations of it. 1. It was not doing any sinful work in itself. 2. It was not needless in its time and measure. We are allowed to pray for our daily bread; and here is no mention of any superfluities or excess: and so worthy a guest deserved the best provisions: and it is probable that Martha was the chief housekeeper, to whom it most belonged. And no doubt it was a work of love and honour to Christ. Yet though it was for his own person, and had such excuses, Christ would not take part with it, or forbear to blame it. And indeed one half of her fault lay in blaming her sister that was wiser, aud chose better than herself; and Christ spake this as much to justify Mary, as to blame Martha, as the following words shew. II. And if we judge but by her quality and case, and ours, we are far liker to be thus culpable than Martha was. For, 1. That country was poor in comparison of ours, and had not half the temptations to many needless things, as we have by our riches and their effects. 2. Christ would not have endured such vanities and excesses as we are usually guilty of. 3. It is like, Martha, that was so familiar with Christ, was less addicted to vanities than we now are. 4. Our common vanities, for which few of the better sort blame themselves, have no such extenuations or excuses as the case of Martha had. III. But we need no more to convince us, than to name some of the many instances in which our sin is far, yea, very far worse than Martha's. 1. How much of most men's thoughts and time is taken up with the needless cares to grow richer, and be better provided in the world? From one end of the year to the other how great a proportion is thus laid out? Cannot we serve God's providence, and labour in our callings, and do our duty, without such a measure of care and trouble? Into how narrow a compass do worldly cares and troubles cast God's service, and men's cares and thoughts of their endless state in the hearts and houses of most men! These thorns and briars are so rank and plentiful, that they choke much of the seed of the Gospel, and make true godliness and heavenly delight to wither away, and come to little. 2. How many needless cares and troubles have most about God's part and providence, which belongs not to them; fearing what may befal them, lest they should be poor or oppressed, or suffer by others, when they should spend those thoughts in caring for their duty, and trusting the love and faithfulness of God? And no other care will avoid their suffering. 3. How much needless, yea, and brutish thoughts and works have many to please and gratify their appetites? What a base, and yet costly service have they that serve a greedy throat, and a beastly fancy! Had God taken away many men's health, and appetite, that meat and drink had been loathsome to them, it had been a mercy to many such, who by the pleasure that they have in these, are made slaves to the flesh, and sinks of shameful sin, and the football of temptations, and live under continual |