Page:Everlasting love of God, and Mary's good choice.pdf/18

 be misliked, in respet of the godly exércise and practice of the other. Martha is ſore incumbered with much ſerving, when a little ſervice had been ſufficient; but Mary is attentive to hear the word of God, which never can be heard ſufficiently. Mary ſitteth, to hear the word, Matth. v. as Christ seth to ſit, when he preached the word, Luke iv. to declare unto unto us, that the word is to be preached and heard with a quiet mind.—In a ſtill night, every voice is heard; and when the body is quiet, the mind most commonly is quiet also. But Martha is troubled with other affairs, and therefore unfit to hear the word, as is the ground that is covered with ſtones, or overgrown with weeds and thorns, which is indeed unfit to receive the ſeed, or to yield any fruit to him that tilleth it, Matth. xiii. 20. As often, therefore, as we come to hear the word of God, we must not come with distracted minds, we must not trouble ourselves with the cares of this life, which, as our Saviour faith, are but thorns, to choak the word, and to make it unfruitful, Luke viii. 4. For, as Moses was unfit to talk with God, till he had put off his ſhoes, Exod. iii. and the blind man unfit to come to Christ, until he had thrown away his cloak, Mark x. ſo we must think ourselves unfit to hear the word of God,