Maries Choice

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 saide, Maister, doest thou not care, that my sister hath left mee to serue alone? bid her therefore that she helpe me.

41 And Iesus answered, and said vnto her, Martha, Martha, thou carest and art troubled about many things.

42 But one thing is needefull, Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

AS Christ had shewed himselfe louing vnto Lazarus and his sisters, in raising him from ¹ the death of the bodie, and then from the death of the soule: so doe they heere 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 ² and Esau desired to please their aged father: but Mary made 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 bee misliked, yet Maries diligence in hearing his doctrine, is of purpose preferred, to teach vs, that it is much better with Marie to study in the worde, and first to seeke the kingdome of God, than with Martha to labour in the worlde, and to neglect that ³ heauenlie 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 loue the whole familie, and here he is saide to come vnto them. For whome hee loueth hee cannot choose but visite, like the friendes of Iob that came to comfort him in his great aduersitie: yea, and the greater loue he beareth vnto any, the oftner hee wil resort ⁴ vnto 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 ⁵ more kind then Iacob was, for he came not till hee was sent for with horses and Chariots: but Christ came of his owne ⁶ accord to this beloued familie.

Thus doth hee alwaies preuent vs with his blessings: before he was desired he came into the world, he called his Apostles before they came to him, and before hee was requested hee came vnto this noble house. O happie house that entertained 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 departe out of their coastes, preferring their swine aboue their Sauiour: ⁷ but this godlie familie receiued them 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 ⁸ shall certainly bee rewarded at the dreadfull day: for with this and such like workes of mercy, the Lorde shall answere the sentence of iudgement, which is to bee denounced against the wicked, that neuer exercised those workes of mercie

Let vs learne by their example to bee harborous, and giuen to hospitalitie, which is so often commended vnto vs in the Scripture, and shall bee so richly rewarded at the last day. Those godly Fathers, Abraham and Lot, entertayned Angels in the habite of staungers: so wee may dayly entertayne ⁹ Christ Iesus in the habite of a poore man, of a blinde man, of a lame man, and whatsoeuer is done vnto anie of these that are his members, hee accounteth and accepteth as done vnto himselfe.

Nowe as the vertue of hospitalitie is commendable in all sortes of men: so is it more especiallie commended to the Ministers, who are expreslie commaunded by the Apostle among other thinges, to bee giuen to hospitalitie. ¹⁰ Vnto the Leuites in the time of the lawe, the Lord appoynted cities of refuge, to signifie that the Ministers house shuld ¹¹ be the poore mans harbour, and his store their treasurie: but the true Ministers of our dayes haue no cities of refuge for others, for they haue none for themselues: they haue not where with to relieue the wants of others, for they haue not to relieue their owne.

When Martha had thus entertayned Christ as hee was man, into her house, Marie began to entertayne 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 hee tooke occasion to teach and instruct the family, and instead of bodilie foode, which they bestowed vppon him, to giue vnto them the food of the soule. Thus doth he alwayes shew himselfe a thankfull guest, into what house soeuer he entreth, he leaueth better things behind him than he findeth, he loues not to be in Zachees debt for his dinner, ¹² for instead thereof hee bringeth saluation to his house neither doth he leaue his suppervnpaid for here, for in stead thereof he bestoweth vpon them an heauenly sermon. This should be the exercise of faythfull Ministers, when they are inuited to great feasts, that as they are called the salt of the ¹³ earth, which serueth to season the meates, to make them sauorie, and preserue them from putrifaction, so they shoulde season the table talke with some godly conference, to minister grace vnto 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 worldlie 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 ¹⁴ he 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 ¹⁵ and 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 word, and to make it vnfruitefull. For Moses was vnfit to ¹⁶ talke with God till he had put off his shooes, and the blind man vnfit to come to Christ, till hee had throwne away his cloake: so wee must thinke our selues vnfit to heare the worde, and vnapt for euerie heauenly exercise, till wee haue put off our shooes, that is, our worldly cogitations and affections, and till we haue cast away our cloake, that is, all lets and impediments which might hinder vs 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 vs when we are most priuate: he appeared to Abraham sitting in the doore ¹⁷ of his Tent. The holy Ghost came downe vpon the Apostles, and filled all the house where they were sitting. The Eunuch sitting in his chariot, was called and conuerted by ¹⁸ Philips 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, and was perfectly instructed in the law of the fathers. ¹⁹

Her humility 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 departe to helpe her sister, to signifie that the hearing of the word must be preferred before all worldly busines.

Her diligence and humilitie serueth to condemne our negligence & 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 slowe to come to the Church: as the Rauen vvas to come to the Arke, and as loath to spend any time in ²⁰ the seruice of God, as Pharaoli vvas loath to let the Israelites goe to serue the Lorde. If a commoditie were to bee seene ²¹ whereout some profit might arise, how carefull would vvee be to procure it? what paines woulde we take to get it? Absolon was not more desirous of a kingdome, than the rich ²² men of our time are desirous of golden gaine. But if it bee a matter of cost or trouble, if they cannot heare the worde preached without some hinderāce to their worldly busines, and some extraordinary charge to their purse, then like the Gadarenes, they are content to take their leaue of Christ and his worde, and had rather lose that heauenlie pearle, than ²³ they would part from their worldly pelfe.

Thus in Christ wee haue 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 ²⁴ worde, to be instant in season and out of season, and let Christians learne by her example, first to seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnes, and then to prouide for ²⁵ the 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 thankefull minde vnto him that had done so great thinges for them, hee had raised her brother Lazarus from death to life, therefore he was worthy 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 ²⁶ deserued such entertainement for her sonnes reuiuing: then surelie our Sauiour Christ was worthie to bee welcome hether, where he had raised Lazarus out of his graue, wherein hee had lien by the space of foure daies before. It was well done therefore of Martha to shew her thankefull minde vnto Christ, but it was not wel done at that time to shew her ²⁷ selfe thankefull in that manner, it was then time to heare the worde: for at that time Christ preached the worde, it vvas 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 ²⁸ willed him so earnestly to watch and praie. When Christ preached out of Simons shippe to the people that stoode ²⁹ vpon the shore, it was no time for Peter to play the Fisher-man. 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 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 callinges, to follow Sermons: so must we not bestowe the Sabboth, which is consecrated to the seruice of God, in following the workes of our vocation. All thinges haue their appointed time (saith the wise man) Eccle. 3. and euerie 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: many in our daies will neither labour for Christ, nor heare of Christ: but as the Israelites were wearie of their ³⁰ iourney in the wildernes, and lothed that heauenly Manna; so these men are wearie of euerie godly exercise, and are soone cloyed with the word of God.

The fiue foolish Virgins wasted their oyle to no purpose, and while they went to buy, were excluded the marriage: ³¹ and these foolish men spende this time of grace vaynely 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 profite, 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 olde worlde, that ate and dranke, that married wiues, and gaue in marriage, while ³² Noah was preparing the Arke for the sauing of his householde. And as Baals priestes wounded themselues to serue ³³ their idol: so these men take dangerous courses, and 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 ³⁴ his dreames: and the sonnes of Ishai, that disdayned their brother Dauid, for his forwardnesse in the combate with Goliah.

These two sisters, that in other thinges agreed so well together, in this doe differ so much, that Christ must haue the hearing of the matter, and decide the controuersie, Martha playeth the plaintife, and accuseth her sister. Mary the defendant answereth by her aduocate, and Christ himselfe that tooke vpon him the office of an Aduocate, is become the Iudge, and giueth sentence on Maries side: Martha complaineth of her sisters slouthfulnesse, and seemeth after a sort to blame our Sauiour for winking at it, requiring him to see the matter redressed speedilie. 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 our 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 contrition, ³⁵ they iest at him, and the drunkardes make songes of him. If Iohn Baptist be temperate in his apparrell and diet, ³⁶ they will say he hath a diuell. If Paule answere discretlie for himselfe, he shall be charged to be madde with ouermuch ³⁷ learning; yea, if our Sauiour Christ himself 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 vs, if there be any that bee more forward in religion than the rest, and 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 be discouraged herewith, or to desist from their godlie exercises: for as the Lorde answered for Marie, when she helde her peace: so the Lorde will defend their cause, and take their parte against their aduersaries. The Lord cannot abide to heare his seruants ill spoken of, but is alwayes ready to maintayne their right, and to answere for them. He will not suffer Lab an to speake an ill word to his seruant Iacob. And if Aaron & Miriam murmure ³⁸ against Moses, the Lord will punish it with leprosie. What a comfortable thing is this to the gadly, that y^e king of kinges will take their partes, and will not suffer them to sustaine any wrong? He is a most sure and trustie friend, that wil not abide his friends to be backbited or ill spoken of, but either he vvil answere in their defence, or he vvill finde some meanes to stop their mouthes, and restraine the slanderous tongues of their enemies, as somtime he stopt Balaams passage, ³⁹ when he went to curse his people, & caused the dumbe beast to speake, and to reproue the madnes of the Prophet, ⁴⁰ rather then he vvould haue 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 vvith vs, before hee can reclaime vs. So when God spake vnto Abraham, hee called ⁴¹ him twise by name: Christ called Peter thrice by name, Iohn 21. to cause him make his three-folde confession, to make amendes for his three-folde deniall. And when the Lord spake vnto Samuell, he called him 4. seuerall times by ⁴² name, before hee answered: for such is the great mercie of God, that he is content to admonish vs often of our duty, & such is the dulnes & peruersenes of our crooked nature, that we cannot be gained by the first admonition: but the Lord must cal vs oftē & earnestly, before we wil hearkē vnto 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 verie careful to entertain Christ in the best manner, yet if hee 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 smooth her in her owne conceit, for al the trouble and cost that shee bestowes vppon him. If we be often inuited to some mans table, and kindlie 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 euery 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, namelie, to speak their conscience freely when they see a fault. The best requitall that wee can make for our good cheare, is to giue good counsell and wholesome admonition to them that inuite vs. When Christ dined with the Pharisie, Luke 11. and was misliked for not washing before dinner, he tooke occasion to reproue their hypocrisie, their outward shew of holines, ⁴³ which was the sin of the Pharisies: and at another time he noteth them, for pressing to the chief places at banquets, & sheweth what modesty is to be obserued in sitting down to meate, and what guests should be biddē to our table. So should Preachers behaue themselues towards 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 guests, to say vnto 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 vsury and extortion, your couetousnes & oppression, that you would leaue your swearing and blaspheming the name of God, that you woulde forbeare to prophane the Lordes Sabboth, that you woulde 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 neighbours.

These are the faultes which are easie to bee espied almost in euery 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 Idolatry, ⁴⁴ though hee were his king, and Iohn Baptist told Herode of his adulterie, though he did many thinges for him, and heard him gladly: so shoulde 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 haue beene content with simple cates, he was no delicate or daintie guest, hee did not affect or delight in sumptuous banquets, or costhe fare, hee rather requireth a religious heart, a constant faith, a willing mind 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 he preferreth before all earthly cheare.

Thus is Martha reprehended for her curiositie: nowe let vs see how Marie is excused and commended for her godlie care. One thing is necessarie (saith Christ;) and what is that one thing? Euen to heare the worde preached, which is the power of God to saluation, to euerie one that beleeueth. A man may better want all thinges, than that one needefull thing, and yet we desire al 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, 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 Common-wealth: man hath two vocations, the one earthly, by his labour, the other heauenly by his praier. There is he actiue life, which consisteth in practising the affaires of this life, wherein man sheweth himselfe to be like himself, 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 temporall vocations, doe liue like men, but they which labour in spirituall matters, liue like Angels. When they heare the word, God speaketh vnto them: when they pray, they speake vnto God, so that there is a continuall conference betweene God and them, because they are continuallie exercised in hearing and praying.

Christ loued Martha for her hospitalitie, as Isaac loued Esau for his venison. So did hee loue Marie for her diligence ⁴⁵ in hearing his word, as Rebecca loued Iacob, for hearkning to her voice. A nurse which hath her breast full of milke, doth loue the child that sucks it from her: and Christ which hath his breast full of heauenly milke, is glad when hee hath children to sucke the same. Let vs therefore (as the Apostle willeth vs. 1. Pet. 2. 12.) laying aside all maliciousnes, and all guile, and disimulation, and enuie, and all euill speaking, as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the worde, that we may growe thereby to bee perfect men in Christ Iesus: let vs breath after the fountaine of the liuing water, which springeth vp vnto eternall life, as the faintie Hart desireth the water brooke to quench his thirst: and for as much as ⁴⁶ many things are so troublesome, and one thing is so needeful, let vs seeke that one needful thing, the end of all thinges, euen to feare God and keepe his commandementes, which we learne by hearing the word of God, wherby faith (without ⁴⁷ the which it is impossible to please God) is begotten and nourished in the hearts of men.

This is that good parte 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. Marie hath a double portion: she heard the worde, and ate of the meate which her sister dressed, for godlinesse hath the promise ⁴⁸ of 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 breade of life, ⁴⁹ that immortall seede which bringeth forth fruite vnto eternall life. Let the worde of God therefore bee pretious vnto ⁵⁰ vs, because it is so permanent: for heauen and earth must passe, but the word of God endureth for euer. If wee make ⁵¹ choise of any thing beside, it must be taken from vs, or wee shall bee taken from it: but if wee make choise of this one thing, it shall neuer be taken from vs, neither in this worlde nor in the world to come. The Lord graunt that wee be not only hearers, but doers of the word, that it may be trulie said of vs, as Christ said of his Disciples that heard his preaching, ⁵² Behold my brother, my sister and mother: or as he answered the woman that commended his carnall kindred, Blessed ⁵³ are they that heare the word of God, and keepe the same.

Notes

1. Iohn 11 ↩
2. Gen. 27 ↩
3. Matth. 6. 35 ↩
4. Iob. 2. ↩
5. Gen. 47 ↩
6. Genes. 45 ↩
7. Luke. 8 ↩
8. Matth. 8. 19. ↩
9. Gen. 18 Gen. 19 ↩
10. 1. Tim 3. 2 ↩
11. Num. 35 ↩
12. Luke. 15 ↩
13. Math 5. 13 ↩
14. Math. 5 Luke. 4 Iohn. 8 ↩
15. Math. 5. 13. ↩
16. Luke. 8. 14 Exod. 3 Mark. 10 ↩
17. Gen. 18 Acts. 2 ↩
18. Acts. 8 ↩
19. Actes 22 ↩
20. Gen. 8 ↩
21. Exod. 8. 32 ↩
22. 2. Sam. 15. ↩
23. Luke. 8 Math. 13. 40. ↩
24. 2. Tim. 4. 2 ↩
25. Math. 6 ↩
26. 1. King. 17 2. King. 4 ↩
27. Iohn 11 ↩
28. Math. 25 ↩
29. Luke, 5 ↩
30. Num. 21 ↩
31. Mat. 25 ↩
32. Gen. 6 ↩
33. Heb. 11 1. King. 18 ↩
34. Gen. 37 1. Sam. 17 ↩
35. Psal. 69 ↩
36. Luke. 7. 33 ↩
37. Actes. 26 Luke. 7. 34 ↩
38. Gen. 3. 24 Num. 12 ↩
39. Num. 22. ↩
40. 2. Pet. 2. 1[…]. ↩
41. Gen. 2[…]. ↩
42. 1. Sam. 3 ↩
43. Luke. 14 ↩
44. 1. King. 18 Math. 14 Marke. 6. 20 ↩
45. Gen. 25. 28 ↩
46. Psalm. 42. 1 ↩
47. Eccle. 12. 13 Heb. 11. 6 Rom. 10. 17. ↩
48. 1. Tim. 4. 8 ↩
49. 1. Pet. 1. 13 ↩
50. Luke. 21. 33 ↩
51. 1. Pet. 1. 25 ↩
52. Iames. 1. 22 ↩
53. Math. 12. 50 Luke. 11. 28 ↩