Page:Cry to the whole earth; a sermon preached by the Reverend Mr. John Welch.pdf/3

(3) A to the whole.

Mary hath choſen the good part which ſhall not be taken away from her.

S Chriſt did ſhew himſelf loving to Lazarus and his ſiſters, in that he raiſed Lazarus from the death of the body, and then from the death of the ſoul: So did his ſiſters here ſhew their thankful minds unto Chriſt again; the one by receiving him into her houſe, and the other by entertaining of him into her heart. As he was God he was entertained by Mary, and as he was man he was received of Martha. They both deſired to entertain our Saviour, as Jacob and Eſau, Gen xxvii. deſired to pleaſe their aged father; but Mary made choice of the better part, and was preferred her ſiſter, as Jacob ſped ſooneſt of moſt dainty veniſon, and prevented his brother of the bleſſing: And altho' the cares of Martha, in her entertaining of Chriſt, be not to be miſliked of, yet Mary's diligence in hearing Chriſt's doctrine, is of purpoſe preferred to Martha's care; to declare unto us that it is much better with Mary to ſtudy in the word, 'and firſt to ſeek the kingdom of God,' Mat. vi. 35. than with Martha to labour in the world, and to neglect that heavenly kingdom. And yet notwithſtanding ſuch is the corruption of this ruſty age, that our greateſt care is to provide for this preſent life, as did that rich man, Luke xii. that enlarged his barns, wherein to put his ſtore for many years; but we never, or very late, do provide for that life to come, like to that other rich man that never thought of heaven till he was tormented in hell, Luke xvi. In the 5th of John, Chriſt A 2