IN this Story , recorded by the Euangelist , there is mention made of two Sisters , two Actions , & a two-fold Censure vpon both , by our Sauiour ; The Sisters , Martha and Mary : the Actions , Martha troubled her selfe about many things ; Mary sate at Iesus feete , and heard his preaching : whereupon Martha was displeased that Mary did not helpe her : But Christ answers , that Martha was troubled about many things , whereas one was needfull , and that Mary had chosen the better part , which should not bee taken away from her . Christ loued them both , and they both shew their loue to Christ : Martha in entertaining him , Mary in hearing him : For as Caluin saith : Laude digna Marthae hospitalitas : Martha is praise-worthy for her hospitality ; but in that she busied herselfe aboue measure , and did not with Mary , choose the better part , therefore Christ blames her . Non Dominus opus reprehendit , sed munus distinxit , saith S. a a Aug. Se● 27. de verbis Dom. Augustine : The Lord doth not blame her worke , but doth distinguish of both their offices : Nec Martha in bono ministerio reprehenditur , sed Maria quòd meliorem partem sibi elegerit antefertur , saith S. b b Ambros . i● . Luc. Ambrose vpon this place : Neither is Martha blamed in her good seruice , but Mary is preferred , because shee chose the better part . Martha in domum suam recepit Saluatorem in terris : Maria potiùs cogitat quemadmodùm suscipiatur ab eo in domo , non manufacta , sed aeterna in coelis saith S. c c Bernard de assump. Mariae Ser. 3. Bernard : Martha receiues her Sauiour into her house vpon earth : Mary rather thinkes how she may bee receiued by him in a house d d 2 Co. 5.1 Not made with hands , but eternall in the Heauens . The one is busie in entertaining Christ into her house , the other is carefull to receiue him into her heart . And this Christ preferres before the other : That Mary had chosen the better part , which shall not be taken away from her .

Some , by Martha and Mary , vnderstand the Actiue and Contemplatiue life ; that they must be as sisters , both dwelling in one house , both lodging in one heart : or that they are the two Wings of the Soule , by which it soares vp from earth to Heauen . And why may we not apply them to the Body and the Soule of euery faithfull Christian ? both beloued of Christ , both entertaining him : two sisters vnited in life , and separated only by death : The Body ( the elder sister ) is troubled about many things , as delicate feeding , warme Clothing , dayly Sustentation , e e Mat. 6.23 . Continuall recreation : whereas the Soule ( Mary ) thinkes one thing necessary : To sit at Christs feet , and to heare his preaching . Martha ( the Body ) is here presented to our eies : Mary ( her blessed Soule ) rests at the feet of Iesus Christ , which sits at the right hand of God in heauen .

But leauing Allegories , let vs fall vpon the literal sence , which is Christs approbation of Maries choice , and leauing to compare Martha with Mary , let vs compare Mary with Mary ; this Mary before our eies , with Mary in the text : one commended by God , the other no lesse commendable before God ; as Christ vouch safeth with his owne mouth to commend the one : so the tongue of an Angell were but sufficient to praise the other : For as the Philosophers say : Excellens obiectum corr umpit sensum : The brightnesse of the obiect doth weaken the sense : So my mouth is too rude to speake the praises of so excellent a creature : when I haue said all I can , I shall say too little . Momus may well accuse me of speaking too rudely , or too sparingly , but not of flattery .

I feare nothing but sinking , while I wade into the depth of her vertues : Therefore , with f f Math. 14.30.31 . Peter vpon the water , I will take Christ by the hand , and from Christs mouth speake Maries commendation : I come not to extoll flesh and bloud , but to describe those graces God had endowed her withall , and not onely from report ( for I haue conuersed with her almost these foure yeares , and was present with her the most part of her sicknesse ) and sure I am , out of mine owne experience , that Mary with Mary hath chosen the better part , which shall not be taken away from her .

In the words obserue in generall two things .

The person commended , Mary ; her wisedome for which she is commended : That shee did choose the better part , which shall not be taken from her .

In her wisedome two things .

The action , That shee did choose ; the obiect , the better part , which should not be taken from her .

In the Obiect two things .

The excellency , that it was Better : The perpetuity , It should neuer be taken from her .

In each of these , three things shall be handled .

Maries Commendation : laid downe in the Text : That shee did choose the better part , which shall not be taken , &c.

Maries Imitation : the same with the Text : That shee likewise hath chosen the better part , which shall not , &c ,

Our Application : taught from the Text , That wee also make choice of the better part , which shall not &c. That so wee may make these two Maries our examples , to follow in the way to Heauen , that thereby wee may find fauour with God and men , That with Mary we may liue in Gods feare , and with Mary die in Gods fauour : of these in their order , and first of the person approued .

The person approued is named by Christ Mary : we finde but three Maries spoken of in the Gospell , and all for good : Mary , the mother of Iesus , Mary Magdalene , which ( as most affirme ) is this Mary in my Text : and Mary , the mother of Iames and Ioses . One beares Christ in her wombe , the other washes his feete with her teares , and wipes them with the haire of her head , Her Commendation . and here sits at Christs feete : the third , with the two other , stand by his crosse , when he is crucified , and seeke him in his graue after hee was buried . Wee finde not so many vertuous woemen of any other name in Scripture , not that the name makes them the holier , but that their vertues make the remembrance of their names blessed , I could stand vpon the letters of the name if it were so profitable , Maria. ( M ) standing vpon three bases or feete , M to signifie their stedfast faith in the blessed Trinity , one God and three persons : A ( a ) an interiection of sorrowing , their repentance : R ( r ) with two branches like a tree , the sweete fruite of their vertue and holinesse : I ( i ) the least of the letters , Their great humility : A ( a ) the first letter in the Alphabet , and the last in the name , Their charity ; the cheifest of all vertues , because it g g 1. Cor. 13 13. 2 Maries imitation . Luk. 11.27.28 . continues last .

This Mary paralels the other Maries ; She bore Christ , though not in her wombe , yet ( which is more ) in her heart : often shee washed his feete with the teares of repentance : stood at his Crosse , to the washing away of her sinnes in his bloud : often she sought him in his graue , to the mortifying of her sinnes : and daily sought him at the right hand of God in Heauen , for the pardon of her sinnes ; we shall finde more vertues in her life , then letters in her name . Mary by interpretation is as much as Stella maris , the Starre of the Sea , which standing immoueable in the midst of heauen , doth direct the Mariners . As the Starres are fixed in the volume of the heauens , so Mary in my Text , is a fixed Starre in the volume of Gods written booke : A direction for all Christians to the Hauen of happinesse . Though this Mary presented to our eies , be not in Gods written booke , yet in the Lambs booke of life , her name is written in Heauen . A Star , for purity of heart : A Starre , for the shining light of life and conuersation , A fixed Starre , for her heart was fixed vpon the Lord , yet neuer moued backward , nor neuer stood still , but as ( The Sunne in the firmament ) reioyced to runne her course .

3 Our Application . For our Application : Let vs become shining Starres , grace our names with vertues , that with Mary , the memoriall of our names may bee blessed .

Wisedome as ( Augustine saith ) consisteth cheifly in Choosing and Refusing : In choosing the Good , and Refusing the Euill : The first thing in her wisedome is , Elegit ; The Action : Shee hath chosen ; But how was it in Maries power to choose the better part ? Howsoeuer in ciuill actions we haue Free-will , to choose or refuse , yet as the same actions are good , we haue no ability at all in our selues . Of our selues wee are not able to thinke one good thought : saith the Apostle : , ● Her commendation Power we haue to thinke , but no power to thinke that which is good : To come to Church , to heare the word , is a Ciuill Action ; we haue power to come , or not to come , but to come with a desire and loue to the word , to glorifie God for the sauing of our soules , by Nature we haue no power at all . Therefore in that Mary chooseth , it is Actus Naturae , an act of Nature ; but in that shee chooseth the better part , it is Actus Gratiae , an act of Grace : He that commends her for her choice , gaue her power to choose the beter part . Elegit , as one saith , ( id est ) Deus volentem trahit , & coronat sua dona in nobis , vt dicamur fecisse & elegisse nos , quae ipse in nobis est operatus . She hath chosen ( that is ) God drew her being made willing , and he doth crowne his giftes in vs , that we may be said to haue done , and to haue chosen those things , which he himselfe hath wrought in vs . Vnlesse God did first choose vs , we should neuer choose him : Yee haue not chosen mee , but I haue chosen you , saith Christ .

1. Ioh. 4.19 We loue him , because he loued vs first , saith his Apostle . For euen as the heat of the Sunne falling vpon our body encreaseth our heat : so the feeling of Gods loue towards vs , makes vs loue God againe ; His election of vs , makes vs elect and choose him . The word in the Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath chosen : that she did not embrace the pleasures of this world all her life , and made choice of the better part , at her death ; they that do deferre it so long , it is to be feared , it will be too late : for Sera poenitentia nòn est vera poenitentia : Late repentance is seldome true repentance ; but Elegit , Shee hath chosen .

So this Mary being a chosen and elect vessell of God , 2 Maries imitation . sanctified from the Wombe , by Gods grace did choose the better part : not at her Death , but all the time of her pilgrimage , shee led an Angelicall and holy life . This Good part was her Treasure all her Life , and at her Death ( as you shall heare ) shee had the comfort of it .

For our application ; 3 Our application . let vs not wallow in the pleasure of sinne all our life , and thinke it shall bee in our power at our Death , to choose the better part : but with this Mary let euery one of vs prepare & prouide for the time to come , & be sure that we can say euery one to his owne soule , Elegi : I haue chosen the better part , which shal not be taken away from mee .

And now I come to the Obiect , the Center and heart of the body of my Text : The better part : That as Martha was troubled about many things , she had chosen the better part , &c. Christ here vseth a metaphor taken from heires that diuide their inheritance : for amongst the Romans , and other Nations , as Seneca saith , there was a custome , that the eldest child must diuide the inheritance into as equall parts as he could , and then the yongest did first choose : So Martha and Mary ( being sisters ) they diuide Christ as an inheritance , betweene them : Martha diuiding , as being the eldest , 1 Her commendation . and Mary did choose , as beeing the yongest : And she chose the better part , &c. Now the part that she did choose , is , that shee sate at Christs feet , and heard his preaching : sought her saluation , neglected all , in regard of this : esteeming it no profit to gaine the whole world , and to loose her soule . It is said by some , that she neuer looked man in the face , after her conuersion , but Christ : And this we may note , that she neuer came vnto Christ , but she fell downe at his feet : When she annointed him : Luk. 7.38 . Iohn . 11.32 Iohn . 12.3 . Mat. 28.9 . When she besought him for her brother Lazarus : At the supper in Bethania : After his Resurrection : And now when she heard him preach . And herein appeared her great humility .

2 Maries imitation . But this Mary hath not fallen at Christs feet fiue times , but all the daies of her life : how she loued the Temple of God , the House of Praier ? She considered that one thing was needfull : though she had but a weake body , yet shee respected neither health , nor life , so she might sit at Christs feet , & heare his word . How often did she fall at Christs feet to pray vnto him ? Shee praied , not three times a day , with Daniel , but Continually . I haue often obserued her , that all the time she was not imployed in houshold businesse , she spent it in meditation and praier ; and if at any time she vsed ordinary recreation , to beare her Husband and his freinds company , her affections were so wholly set vpon heauenly things , as she often vsed this gracious and sanctified speech : This is a passing away of the time , but no redeeming of the time . And such a care she had to prepare her selfe for an other world , to haue oyle in her lampe , when the Bridegrome came , as she was still afraid , lest God should take her away when she was so imployed : Her whole care and desire was ( with Mary ) to sit at Christs feet , to heare God speaking vnto her , or else to speake vnto God by praier : And the oftner she fell downe and kist her Sauiours feet , the more desirous she was : The oftner she heard the word , the oftner she praied : the more ardent and strong her desires were , the more Gods graces were encreased in her . And as it is said , that when Anthaeus wrestled with Hercules , the oftner hee fell to the ground , receiuing strength thereby , hee became more valiant in fight : So the oftner she fell downe at the feet of her Sauiour , and wrestled with God , the more strength she receiued against the assaults of sin and Sathan , and rose vp more rich in grace then before .

3 Our application . For our application : Let vs learne to humble our selues at the feet of Iesus Christ , and then we shall profit by his word to the sauing of our soules : and our praiers shall be heard , as the Apostle saith : Cast downe your selues before God , and he will lift you vp , The higher men intend to build , the lower they lay the Foundation : So God will neuer exalt thee , except thou beest first humbled , and fall downe at his feet : Christ himselfe was not exalted , Phil. 2. but by Humiliation : the lowest Vallies are most fruitfull : God resisteth the proud , and giueth grace to the Humble : yet few imitate Mary herein , they will set Christ at their feet , Treade the bloud of the Lambe vnder their feet : But they will not fall downe at the feet of Christ , and ( with Mary ) choose the better part , &c.

Now let vs come to the Excellency of this Obiect , in that he calles it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : The good part . Augustine he turnes it meliorem partem : the better part : The word in the originall is the Positiue , but I vnderstand the wordes to bee spoken Comparatiuely , that Christ compares Maries part with Martha's , and that the Positiue is either put for the Comparatiue , as some translate it , meliorem , the better part , or else for the Superlatiue , as others translate it , Optimam , the best part , as Mat. 18.8 . where the word is in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : It is good for thee ; and yet the Positiue is there put for the Comparatiue : It is better for thee , &c. as we translate it : So here it is called the good part , which is better then Martha's , and also the best : for they haue the best part that haue the Lord for their portion . 1 Maries commendation . This good part is that Summum bonum , the cheife good , euen Christ Iesus and his merites , in comparison of which , Phil. 3.8 . all things else are but Dongue : for hauing Christ she had all things ; no graces which did belong to the comfort , or sauing of her soule , could bee wanting vnto her : for She did choose to heare the word , which is the power of God to saluation , to euery one that beleeueth , which wrought grace in her heart , which is crowned with glory in heauen . 2 Maries imitation .

But let vs leaue Mary in our Text , and behold what rich graces this good part wrought in the breast of this our Mary ; which appeared both in her life , and at her death . First , for her piety towards God ; She was truly religious , her Profession was not Hypocriticall , nor Verball , but she feared God with her heart : For her conuersation in the world ; it was Pure and vnspotted : so as Enuy might carpe , but malice could not condemne : she was of wonderfull meeke and quiet spirit , which afore God is a thing much set by , and as they that knew her had experience of it : so especially her Husband , with whom shee liued for the space of 33 yeares , and I haue heard him often say : That in all that time he neuer receiued an vnkinde word from her mouth , or cause of discontent ; where also wee may behold Her great wisedome in Houshold gouernment : And moreouer , so great was her loue vnto her Husband , as she expressed it in her exceeding great loue , and care of his owne kindred : for shee loued him in them , as appeared both in her life , and at her death . Her greatest and last care vpon earth was , that seeing God had giuen him no children by her , he would be a father in prouiding for them , which were left vnto her , as to a mother . Againe , for her modesty and grauity shee was matchlesse : In her attire she condemned the monstrous pride of this age , which is amongst woemen , 1 Pet. 3.3 . as the Apostle enioines vertuous wommen : Her apparell was not outward in broidred haire , or gold put about , or in putting on of apparel , but the Hid man of her heart was vncorrupt . Her cariage generally towards all was so milde , so wise , so discreet , so louing , as it pleased all , wrought an admiration in the eies of all at her death , caused great lamentation in the hearts of all , drew teares from the eies of all ; Her name by her Father was Winhall . and lastly did Win-all that knew her . And as all shall misse her , so especially the poore : for shee was so charitable , as if she were made of the bowels of mercy & compassion : full of pittie towards the distressed , full of mercy towards the needy : her poore neighbours shal haue cause daily to bewaile her death : For she stretched out her hand to the poore , Pro. 31.20 and put forth her hand to the needy : And what shee had , shee bestowed it not vpon vaine toies , but laid it vpon the backes of the poore members of Christ , in clothing the naked , and feeding the hungry ; She was a Nurse to the Fatherlesse Children , eies to the blinde , feet to the lame ; the blessing of them that were ready to perish , came vpon her . Thus in her life shee chose the better part , laid vp her treasure in heauen , a good foundation for the time to come , that when Christ shall giue the last Sentence , shee shall heare these comfortable words : Come thou blessed of my Father , inherite the kingdome prepared for thee : For what thou hast done vnto one of these , thou hast done vnto me . And when God summoned her with sicknesse to leaue this world , and with the New-yeare to set her heart in order for a new world , though her whole life were a meditation of death , her whole life a preparation for death ; yet out of her great humility , shee confest her great vnworthinesse at the feet of her Sauiour , that she was an Vnprofitable seruant : and being taught by the Spirit of God , that none shall bee saued , but such as continue to the end , she still prayed vnto our Sauiour for perseuerance : and ( which is worthy to bee obserued ) though through the whole course of her life , her soule was still powred out in praier vnto her God , yet shee found by experience , that when the body is weake with sicknes , the heart is not so fit for praier . Let vs heare her words , which she vttered vnto two reuerend Diuines , Mr Chark . Mr Paget . and often repeated to vs that were present with her in time of her sicknesse : Let none deferr their preparation , nor their praiers vnto the bed of their sickenesse : for then the mind is too much troubled with the greife of the body , to be imployed as they ought in spirituall exercises : Yet she was strong in faith , and had strong consolations , and stil did cast her hope ( the sure and stedfast anchor of her soule ) vpon Christ Iesus , the fore-runner in heauen : and often shee desired in her praiers that Death might not be bitter vnto her , to shake her faith , or remoue her affections from her God , but that she might haue an easie passage ; And behold the Lords mercy ; all that day before shee departed ( though her memory was good , & her senses perfect ) yet she said she felt no paine , and so could not bee perswaded that Death was so neare . But she left the world with no more striuing or greife , then if shee had beene cast into a slumber , or fallen asleepe , as Saint Hierome saith of Iohn the Euangelist : Quòd fuit à dolore mortis extraneus : That hee was freed from the sorrowes of Death : and as it is written of HENOCH That walking with God he was taken away . So though her body must remaine in the dust , vntill the last resurrection , yet her death was so easy , that it seemed rather to be a Change , then a Death ; rather a Blessed Assumption , then a Violent dissolution : Now she found to her endlesse comfort , that with Mary She had chosen the better part , which should not be taken away from her . 3 Our Application .

Let vs all for our application learne of a woman of the weaker sex : especially woemen , imitate her in her Piety , in her meeknesse of spirit , in her obedience to her Husband , her Modesty , her Grauity , Mildnesse of Nature , in her Charity ; Imitate her in her Life , that you may be like her in her Death ; Imitate her in her Grace , that you may be partaker of her Glory : Make choyce of this part , which shall neuer be taken from you .

As it is good , so it is perpetuall : Many excellent earthly blessings are bestowed vpon man by God : Sed pereunt cum pereunte , they perish with the vsing , either they will leaue vs , or wee must leaue them , but whosoeuer doth inherite this part , shall keepe it without feare of loosing : 1 Maries commendation . Non auferetur , It shall not be taken from them . Mary considered that all things vnder the Sunne are vanity , and therefore shee made choyce of the better part , which shall neuer be taken from her . 2 Maries imitation .

So this Mary had many outward blessings , which flesh and bloud might haue reioyced in ; Shee was well descended , but she considered that of all other vanities , Honour is but a vayne title : For her person , a comely and graue Matron ; but shee remembred what Salomons Mother saith : That fauour is deceitfull , Pro. 31.30 . and beauty vanity , but the woman that feareth the Lord , shee shall be praysed . She liued very comfortably with a louing and kind Husband ; yet shee knew that once they must part . God blessed her with plenty in the world ; but shee knew that riches are vncertaine : For long life that she knew by her owne experience , that longa vita , est longa agritudo , long life is a long sickenesse , the things that were vantage vnto her , shee accounted losse for Christs sake ; as she said the same day she departed , Shee would not change her estate , in that shee was remouing out of the body to the Lord , for all the world .

3 Our Application . For our application let vs imitate her happy choice , set our affections on things that are aboue , and not on things that are on the earth , weane our selues from the loue of these worldly vanities , which at last wee must loose or leaue , and set our selues to attaine this good part , which shall neuer bee taken from vs : To haue Christ dwell in our hearts in this world , that wee may dwell with him in the world to come , where is true Nobility , in that wee shall bee Heires & Co-heires with Christ : where is true Honour , in that we shall bee crowned with the crown of righteousnesse : where is true Beauty , Mat. 13.43 . in that we shine as the Sun for euermore : where we shall haue long life , euen life euerlasting : where we shall haue true Riches , an immortall inheritance reserued for vs in the Heauens : where for the Company of our dearest freinds whom wee loue best , Psal. 16.11 . we shall enioy the company of holy Angels , blessed Saints , euen the presence of God , Where is fulnesse of ioy & at whose right hand there are pleasures for euermore : where we shall haue more comfort & happines in one day , then , possibly we could haue in ten thousand vpon earth , if the world should make vs her Minions : and ( which is worth all ) we shall enioy them with a Non auferentur , neuer to bee taken from vs . Let vs then cast downe our selues at Christs feet , that wee may with Mary haue euerlasting ioy in the kingdome of heauen . Let vs with this Mary liue like Saints in this world , that with Mary and the rest of the Saints wee may be glorified in the world to come : Which the Lord grant vnto vs all for Christ Iesus sake , that sits at the right hand of God in heauen , to whom with the holy Ghost , one God , and three persons be ascribed all Honour , Glory , Power , praise , Dominion , and Thanks-giuing of vs , and all creatures , now and euermore . Amen .