ftrengthen our own feeble endeavours with heavenly aid.But a pure devotion is one of the laft great attainments of a religious life; and he who has gained this point; who has his converfation in heaven, has unquestionably his thoughts in due order likewife.

That we all may attain this ftate of perfectionand keep our thoughts ftill furely fixed, where true joys are to be found, may God, of his infinite mercy grant, through Chrift Jefus our Lord.

SERMON

SERMON XLIII.

LUKE X, 41.

MARTHA, MARTHA, THOU ART CAREFUL, AND TROUBLED ABOUT MANY THINGS: BUT ONE THING IS NEEDFUL.

UR blessed Saviour, in paffing through a part

OUR

of Judea, called for refreshment at the house of two fifters, whofe names were Martha, and Mary. Tho both thefe women were pious, and well-difpofed; they were yet of different tempers. Mary's religion was more purified, than her fifter's. Her thoughts were engaged chiefly by the things of the next world. She had little concern for this. Her foul was her principal care. If fhe could pafs quietly through life, it was all she defired. She did not expect her happiness from it: but confidered the things of this world only as the means of gaining a better.

Martha, pious, and well-difpofed as fhe was, had not yet attained this purified ftate. Martha thought much of heaven, no doubt, and of her religion but he thought not a little about the things of the world alfo; and by no means confidered them in that very negligent light, in which her fifter confidered them. In fhort, Mary's religion was the religion of the early times of chriftianity, in which they lived. Martha's, was more the religion of thefe days. The gospel, and the

world went amicably hand in hand together.

To these different characters, their behaviour to their bleffed gueft was conformable. Mary, who thought fhe had now an opportunity, which the might not foon have again, of hearing the difcourses of the bleffed Jefus, and concluding from her own feelings, how indifferent he was to any thing more than a bare supply of the neceffaries of life, difengaged herself entirely from the bufinefs of the house, fat at Jefus's feet; and liftened to his heavenly inftruction.

Martha, with an endeavour (not perhaps wholly blameable) to pay all the honour, and respect fhe could to her bleffed gueft in her way, totally neglected all confideration of herself; and began with great affiduity to prepare the best entertainment

fhe

fhe was able. This was a different attention, it is true, from what her holy gueft required; yet ftill it was that attention which fhe thought moft refpectful and feeing her fifter, fitting perfectly compofed, fhe could not help applying, fomewhat in the way of a complaint, to Jefus, “Lord doft thou not care that my fifter hath left me to ferve alone? bid her therefore, that fhe come, and help me." Jefus with great mildness anfwered in the words of the text; Martha, Martha, thou art careful, and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful.

Every word of our Saviour's anfwer to this well-meaning, but mistaken woman, is inftructive. In the following difcourfe therefore I fhall consider the inftruction it conveys in the natural order, as it arifes. Our Saviour, who knew what was in man, gave this inftruction, not only as fuited to Martha's particular cafe; but to the cafe of all others, who are too much addicted to worldly matters.

He first forbids her to be careful and troubled. If our Saviour meant to give us two ideas by these two words, the former may apply perhaps moft properly to the prefent, the latter to the future.

Martha was careful, that every thing might be done, that was proper in the present cafe-and troubled leaft any thing should be left undone, for want of affiftance.-Let us extend the advice into more general use.

Under the cenfure of being careful, all thofe immediately fall, who are continually diftreffing themselves about fuch merely accidental circumftances in life, as, in fome fhape, are always happening. Every little matter that goes wrong, difturbs them-throws them into diforder-frets their temper-and makes them troublefome to themselves, and others.

But now confider, my friend; these things, which fo much distress you, are, in the first place, often mere trifles. In a day, or two, perhaps in an hour or two, they are gone-they draw no confequences after them-their effect is over-and things go on as smoothly as before. This is truly the character of the generality of thofe little events, which fo often difturb the repofe of fuch as are too careful about the things of the world.

Then again, confider the folly of this distress, which you are continually giving yourself. It anfwers no end. Prevent fuch accidents, if you can: but as your prudence is limited-and as

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