Parochial and Plain Sermons

VERY word of Christ is good; it has its mission and its purpose, and does not fall to the ground2 It ca.lmot be that He should ever speak transitory words, who is Himself the very Word of God, uttering, at His good pleasure, the deep counsels and the holy will of Him who is invisible. Every word of Christ is good; and did we receive a record of His sayings even ri'oto ordilmry men, yet we night be sure as to whatever was thus 1)rese-¢ed, whether spoken to disciple or enelny, wheflmr by way of warning, advice, rebuke, comfort, argument, or condemnation, that nothing had a merely occasional meaning, a partial scope and confined range, nothing regarded merely the moment, or the accident, or tire a.udience; but all tIis sacred speeches, though clothed in a temporary garb, ald serving an immediate end, and difiïcult, in cosequence, to disert-  Basil, Const. Blon. 1.

gage from wlmt is tempora.ry in them and in]mediate, yet ull hve their force in every age, abiding in the Church on earth, "enduring for ever in heaven," running on into etemity. They are our rule, "holy, just, and good," "the lantern of out feet and the light of out puths," i this very d«y as fnlly and as intimately us when fley were first pronounced. And if this had been so, though me human diligence had gathered u 1) the crumbs ff'oto ]Iis talle, much more sure are we of the value of what is recordcd of Him, receiving it, as we do, not ff'oto man, but from God. The Holy Ghost, who came to gh,rify Christ, and inspired the Evangelists to write, did hot trace out for us u barren Gospel; but doubtless, praised be l[is naine, selected and saved for us those words which were to have an est)ecial usefulness in after times, those words which might be the Church's law, in faith, conduct, and discitline; hot a law written in tables of stone, but ltw of faith and love, of the st)irit, hot of the letter; a luw for williug hearts, vho could bear to "lire by every word," however faint and low, "vhich lroceeded from His mouth," and who out of the seeds vhich the Heavenly Sower scatterèd, could foster into lire a Paradise of Divine Truth. Let us then humbly try with this thought before us, and the help of His gq'ace, fo gain some benefit from the text. Martha and Mary were the sisters of Lazarus, vho was afterwards raised from the dead. All three lived together, but Mtrth, vas mistvess of the house. St. Luke mentions, in a vese 10receding the text, that ç'hrist came to u certain -illage, "and a certain 'oman, named Martha, received Him into her house." Being then at the head of a family, she had duties which necessarily engaged her rime and thoughts. And on t.he present occasion she was especially busy, from a wish to do honour to ber Lord. '" Martha was curebered about much serving." On the other hand, her sister was free from the necessit.y of worldly business, by being the younger. "She had a sister called Nary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard His word." The saine distinction, at once of duty and character, appears in the narrative of Lazarus' death and restoration, as contained in St. John's Gospel. « Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met I Iim; but Mary sat still in the house."  Afterwards Martha "went her way and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is corne, and calleth for thee." Again, in the beginning of the following chapter, "There they ruade Him a supper; and Martha served..... Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with hcr hair."  In these loassages the saine general difference between the sisters loresents itself, though in a different respect;—Martha still directs and acts, while Mary is the retired and modest servant of Christ, who, at liberty from worldly duties, loves to sit af His feet and hear His voice, and silently honom's Him with her best,, without obtruding herself upon His sucred presenee. To return:—"Nartha was eumbered about mueh serving, and came to Hhn, and said, Lord, dost Thou hot  John xi. 20.  John xii. 2, 3.

tare that my sister htth left me te serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto ber," in the words of the text, "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things; but one thing is needflfl- and Ma.ry hath chosen that good part which shall net be taken away ff'cm ber." I shall draw two obserwtious frein this incident, and our Saviouffs comment on if. 1. First, if would appear from hence, on lIis own authority, that there are two ways of scrving lim—by active business, and by quiet adoration. Net, of course, that IIe speaks of those who call themselves l Ils servants and are net; who couuterfeit the che or the othcr manner of life; either those who are "choked with cares of this world," or those who lie idle and useless as the hard way-side, ami "bring no fruit te perfectitm." Ner, agaiu, as if His vords implied tht any Christians were called te nothing but religious woLhip, or any te nothing but active employment. There are busy men aud men of leisure, who have no part in IIim; there are others, who are net without f,ult, as altogether sacrificing leisure te business, or business te leisure. ]3ut putting aside the thought of the untrue and of the extravagant, still after all there remain two classes of Christians;those who are like Mrth8, those like Mary; and both of them glorify Him in their own line, whether of labour or of quiet, in either case I)roving themselves te be net their own, but bought with a price, set on obeying, and consttmt in obeying His will. If they labour, itis for His sake; and if they adore, if is still frein love of Him. [III] X

And further, these two classes of His disciples do hot choose for themselves their course of service, but «tre allotted if by IIim. Martha might be the elder, Mary the younger. I do hot say that itis never lef to a Christian to choose his own path, whether he will minister with the Angels or adore with the Seraphim; often itis: and well lmty he 1,1ess God if ho has it in his power frccly to choose that good portion which our Saviour especiMly praises. But., for the most part, each bas his own place markcd out for him, if he will take it., in the course of His providence; at least there can bc no doubt ,lo are intcndcd for worldly cares. The nccessity of gettiug a livclihood, the calls of a fafiily, the duties of station and office, these are God's tokens, tracing out Martha's path for the nmny. Let me, then, dismiss the consideration of thê many, and rather mention who they are who may be considered as called to the more favoured portion of l[ary; and in doing so I shall more clear]y show what that portion is. First, I instance the Old, as is natural, whose season of business is past, and who seem tobe thereby reminded to serve God by prayer and contemplation. Sueh was Anna; "she was of a great age,.... and was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which dcpartcd hot from the Temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. '' l[ere we sec botl the description of person cMlcd, and the occupation itself- FmoEher, observe, it was the promises storêd in Christ the qaviour, which were the object, towards which hcr service had respect. When He was brought into  Luke iL 36, 7.

the Temple, she "gave thanks to the Lord, and Sl,a.ke of l[im to aH them that h»oked for redemption in Jerusflem." Again, file saine descriltion of 1)erson, certainly the saine oce, is set before us in thc 1,anti,le of the importunate widow. "lIe spake a paral,le unto them fo this end, that we ought always to 1,ray and hot to fidnt,. '' The widow said, "Avenge me of mine adversary." "And shall hot God avenge llis own elect," out Lord asks, " which cry day and nigttt unto IIim, though ][e bear long with them?" Add to these St. Paul's description: "Now she that. is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and eontinueth in supplications and prayers night and day. '' Next those, who nfinister at the Altm; are ineluded in Mary's portion. "Blessed is the man whom thou ehoosest and eansest to approaeh unto Thee," says the l'sahnist., "that He may dwell in Thy courts." a Aceording to the Apostles' rule, the l)eacons were to nfinister the worldly matters of the Çhurch, t.he Evangelist.s were to go among the heathen, the Bishols were t.o govern; but the Elders were to remain, more or less, in the very bosom of the Lord's people, in the eom'ts of His house, in the services of l[is worship, "exeeuting the priest's once," as we read in the bock of Acts,  oflring up the Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, teaching, cateehising, but not busy or troubled with the world. I do hot mean that these distinct oees were never unit.ed in one person, but that they were, in themselves distinct, and that the tendency of the  Luke xviii. 1.  1 Tire. v. 5. a Ps. lxv. 4. * Acts i. 2.

Apostles' discipline was fo separate off from the nmltitude of Christian Ministers eertain who should serve Goal and the Çhurch 1,y givitg thanks, and intercession. And next, I lnay mention Children as in solue respects 1,artakers of Mary's portion. Till they go ou into the worhl, whether into its tradcs or its professions, their school-tinle should be, in some sort, a conteml,lation of their Lord and Stvioul'. I)oubtless thcy cannot enter into sacred sul,jects as steadily as is possilde afterwards; they lnllst llOt be Ulmaturally eolnpelled fo serve, and they are fo be exercised in active hal,its of obedienee, and in a needflfl discipline fi»r the future; still, aïter ai1, we must hot forger that l le, who is the pattern of children as well as grown men, was, af twelve years old, ïound in His Father's House; and that afferwards, when He came thither 1,efore IIis passion, the ehildren weleomed Him with the words, "' Ifosmma fo the Son of David," and flflfilled a lropheey, and gained tlis lraise, in so doing. Further, we are told, on St. Paul's authority (if that be neeessary on so obvious a point.), tlmt Mary's portiot is allotted, more or lcss, to the unmarried. I say more or less, for Martha herself, though unman'ied, yet as mistress of a household, was iii,'t measure ail exception; and because servants of God, as St,. Paul, lnay remain umnarried, hot to labour less, but. to labour more directly for the Lord. St. l'aul's words, some have observed, ahnost appear fo reïer fo the language used in the text, when read in the original Greek; which is the more likely, as St.. Luke was an attendant on the Apostle, a«d his (lospel seelns to be eited elsewhere by hiln. As if he said, "The umnarried eareth for the things of the Lord, so as t,o be holy both in body and in spirit. And this I speak fir your own profit, that ye may sit af, the Lord's feet without being cumbered." And flrther still, there are Yas numbers of Cristians, in Mary's case, who are placed in vari«us cireumstanees, and of whom no deseript.ion ean well given; rieh men having leisure, or active nlell during seasons of leisure, as when they leave their ordinary work for recreation's sake. Certainly out Lord mean t, hag sonm or other of l[is servants should he erer worshipping I[in in every 1-,laee, and Ihat nog in their hearts merely, luç with he eeremonial of devotion.,8k Paul says, "I will therefore thaç men," even thaç sex whose especial punishmen if was that they should "eag bread in t, he sweag of their faee," "thag men pray every where, lift2 t2» holy hands," in eonmon and public worsh[p, "withou wrat, h and doubthg."  And we find, aceordingly, thag even a Roman Cnturion, Cornelius, had round t, ime, mnid his military dufies, to serve God eontilmally, belote he beeame a ('hrist, ian, and was rewarded with the knowledge of the (lospel in eonsequenee. "He prayed o God alway," we are told, and his "prayers and ahns came up for a memorial before God."  And lasg of all, in Iary's port, ion, doubtless, are ineluded ghe 8ouls of ghose who have lived and died in t, he çaith and fear of Cln'is. enpture tells thag "they resg from their labours;"  and in the saine sacred book, that their employlnent is prayer and praise. While God's servants beh,w cry to Ilim dty and night in every place; these "serve ]Iim day and night in /Ils temple" above, and from their restingplace bcncath the altar intercede, with loud voice, for those holy interests which they htve lcft behind them. "I[owlong, O I.ord, holy and truc, dost Thou 'hot judge and avcnge our bh,od on them that dwell,m the earth?" "We give Thce thanks, because Tho hast takcn to Thce Thy g'eat power, and hast reigucd."  This theu is the eompany of those who stand in Mary's lot;the kged and the Childrenthe U- mm'ied aud the Priests of Godaud the spirits of the just ruade perfect, all with one accord, like Moses on the Mourir, lifting up h,ly hands to God, while their hrcthren fight, or lneditating on the promises, or hearing their Saviour's teaching, or adorning and beauti'ing His worship. 2. Such being the two-f,_»hl character of Christian ol,edience, I observe, secondly, that Mary's portion is the bet.ter of the two. Out L,n'd does not expressly say so, but IIe cleafly implies it- "Martha, Mtrtha, thou art carefld and troubled al»out many things; but one thing is needfid: and Mary hath chosen that good pa, which shall hOt be takeu away from her." If ltis words be taken literally, they might, indeed, even mean that Martha's hea was hot right with Him, which, it is phin ri'oto other parts of the history, they do hOt mean. Therefore, what He intimated surely was, that Martha's  ev. ri. 10; xi. 17.

portion was fill of snares, as being one of wofldly labour, but that Mary could hot easily go wrong in hers; that we may be busy in a wrong way, we cannot well adore Him except in a right one; that to serve God by pmyer and praise continually, when we can do so consistently with other duties, is the pursuit of the "one thing nêedful," and emphatically "that good part which ahall hot be taken away from us." It is intpos,ille fo read St. Paul's Epistles carcfiflly without perceiving how faithfiflly thcy comment on this rnlè of our Lord's. Is if doubtful to any one, that they speak much and often of the duties of worship, meditation, thanksgiving, ployer, lraise, and intercession; an,1 in such a way as to lead the Christian, so far as other duties will allow him, to make thcm the ordinarv employlnent of his lire? hot, indeed, to neglcct his lawful calling, nor evcn to be content without some active efforts fo do good, whethcr in the way of edncation of the young, attendance on the sick and needy, pastoral occupation, study, or other toil, yct to dêvote himself to a life at Jesus' fêet, and a continual hearing of His word? And is it hot plainly a privilege, above other privileges, if we really love t[im, fo be ealled to this unearthly lire? Consider the following passages, in addition to those already quoted, and see if they ean possibly be eompletely realized in the life of the coinmon run of Christians, though ail, doubtless, must eultirate inwardly, and in due measure brilg into outward aet, the spirit vhich they enjoin. See if they be nos illustratio:s of that more blessed portion with which Mary was favoured. "Continue in prayer, watehing

in if wifl thanksgiving. ''1 "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, and hynms, and sl)ilitual songs, singing with grace in your llearts to he Lord." "ejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, in every thing give thanks,... quench hot the Spirit, despise hOt prophesyings. ''s "I will that nlen pray eve W where, lifting up holy hands."  "13e hot drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking fo each other in psahns, and hymns, aud spiritual songs, singing and nmking melody in yotr heart to the Lord; giving thanks always, for all things, unto God out Father in the naine of our Lord Jesus Christ. ''» "Stand flerefore, having your loins girt about with truth,... taking the shield of faith,... and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints." s Thus St. l'atfl speaks: in like raanner St. l'eter, "casting all your care" (such as Martha's) "upon Him, for He is concerned for you." r "Abstain ri'oto wine, that you may pray; ''s and St. James, "Is any among you afilicted? let him pray. Is any lnerry? let him sing psalms." s These are file injunctions of the Apostles; next, observe how they were fulfilled in the early Church. ïldefore the Comforter came down, they "all (the

Apostles) cottinucd," St. Paul's very word in the passages above eited, they persevered steadily, they endured, "with one accord, in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Ma D- the mother of Jesus, and with I[is brethren." And so, after Penteeost; "They continig" the saine word—steadfastly enduring, "daily with one accord, in the Temple, and breaking bread from house fo house, did eat their meat with gladness and singlcness of heart, praising God. ''x That early privilege, wc kuow, was soon taken frolu them as a body. Perseeution arose, and they were "seattered "'-' to and fro, over the earth, tIeneeforth Martha's portion befcll them. They were full of labours, whethcr pleasant or painful;—pleasant, for they had to preaeh the Gospcl over the earth—but painfifl as losing, hot only earthly eonfforts, but, in some sort,, spiritual quietness. They were separatcd from the Ordinanees of Divine graee, as wanderers in a wildenmss. I[ere and there, as they journeyed, they met a few of their brethren, "prophets and teaehers, ministering fo the Lord" at Antioch; or l'hilip's daughters, "virgins, which did prophesy " at Ceesarea. They met for worship in secret, fearing their enemies; and in course of time, when the tire of perseeution beeame fiereer, they fled to the deserts, and there set tp houses for God's sen-iee. Thus hIary's portion was withheld from the Church for many years, while if laboured and suffered. St. Paul hfinself, that great Apostle, though he had his seasons of privilege, when he was eaught up into the third heaven, and heard the hvmns  Acts i. 14; il. 46. -" Acts viii. 1.  Acts xiii. 2; xxi. 9.

of Angels, yet he, too, was a man of contention and t.oil, lit fought tbr the Truth, and so laid the tbmdat.ions of the Temple. He was "sent fo preach, hot to 1,aptize." l le was hot allowed to build the t[mse of God, for he was, in figure, like David, a "mau of blood." tic did but lring together into one the lnaterials for the Sacred Building. The Order of he Ministrç the Succession of Apostles, t.he Services f V'orship, the Ilnle of I}iscipline, all that is cahn, beautifid, and soothing in out IIoly Ieligion, was 1,rought forth piecemeal, out of his writings, ly his friends and fellow-disciples, in his own daç and in the time after him, as the state of the Chureh admitted. Accordingly, as peace was in any measure enjoyed, so the building was carried on, here and there, at this time and that, in the eavern, or the desert, or the mountain, wherè God's stray servants lived; till a rime of peace came, and by the end of three hundred years the work was aceomplished. From that rime onwards to the present day, Mary's lot has been offered t.o vast multitudes of Christians, if they could reeeive it. If they knew their blessedness, there are numbers now, in various ranks of soeiety, who might enjoy thc privilege of eontimml praise and prayer, and a seat af Jesus' feet. Doubtless they are, after all, but the tçw: for the gn'eat body of Christians have but the Lord's day, as a day of rest, and would be deserting their duty if they lived on other days as on if. But what is hot granted to aome, is granted fo others, to serve God in His Temple, and be af test. Who these titvoured persons are, has already been said generally;

which is all that tan be said in a lnatter in which every one must decide for himself, acco'ding fo his best light and his own peculiar case. Yet surely, without attempting fo pronounce upon individuals, so far at least we nlay say, that if there be an age when Mary's portion is altogether let alone and decried, that age is necessarilv so far a st.ranger fo thc spirit of the (ospel. Let me then, in conchtsion, ask, for out cdificatio, whether perchance this is hot such an age? I say « perchance;" because in nlatters of this kind, lnen show their nlotives and principles less openly than in other nlatters, as behlg of a nature more immediately lying letween thenlselves and God. Yet, taking accourir of this, af least is hot this au age in which few persons arc in a condition, fronl the very state of society, fo "give themselves continually fo prayer" and other direct religious services? Has hot the desire of wealth so car.en into out hearts, that we think povert, y the worst of ills, that we think the securit.y of property the first of blessings, that we measure all thiugs by malmnon, that we not only la.bour for if ourselves, but so involve in out own evil earnestness all around us, that they cannot keep from the pursuit of it tllough t.hey would? Does not the fralle-work of society lnOVe forward on such a plan as fo enlist into the service of the world all its members, almost whether they will or no? Would nota nan be thought unaspiring and unproductive, who cared hot to push fi_,rwaid in pursuit of that which Scripture calls "the roof of all evil," the love of which it calls "covetousness which is idolatry," and the pos-

33-" The Good Part of A[ar.y.

session of which it solenlnly declares ail but excludes a man from the ldngdom of lIeaven? Alas! can this be denied? And therefore, of course, the entire system of tranquil devotion, holy lneditation, fi'eedom ri'oto worldly tares, which our Saviour praises in the case of Mary, is cast aside, lnisunderstood, or rather missed altogether, as much as the glorious sunshine by a blind man, slandered and ridiculed as something contemptible and vain. Surely, no one, who is candid, tan doubt, that, were Na.ry now living, did she ehoose on principle that state of lire in which Christ found ber, were she content fo remain af Jesus' feet hearing His word and disengaged from this troublesome wofld, she would be 1Aanmd and pitied. Careless men would gaze strangely, and wise men compassionately, on such an one, as wasting her life, and choosing a melancholy, cheerless portim Long ago was this the case. Even in holy Iartha, zealous as she was and true-hearted, even in lier instance we are reminded of fim impatience and disdain with which those who are far different from her, the children of this world, regard such as dedicate thenselves to God. Long ago, even in lier, we seem fo witness, as in type, the rash, unchristian way in which this age disparages devotional services. I)o we never hear if said, that the daily Service of the Church is unnecessa W? Is if never hinted that if is scarcely wmoEh while fo keep if up unless we get nmnbers to attend if, as if one single soul, if but one, were hot precious enough for Christ's love and IIis Church's rearing? Is if never objected, that a partially-filled Church is a discouraging sight, as if, after all, out Lord

Jesus had chosen the many and not the few tobe Ilis true disciples? Is if never maintained, that a Christiau minister is off his post unless he is for ever labouring for the heartless many, instead of ministering fo the nore religious few? Alas! there nlUSt be something svrong among us; svhen our defenders recommend the Church on the mere plea of its activity, its popularity, and its -isible usefiflness, and svould scarcely scruple to give us up, had we hot the many on our side! If our ground of boasting be, that rich men, anti mighty men, and many men love us, it never cau be a religious boast, and may be our condemnation. Christ marie His feast for "the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind." If is the xvidow and the fathefless, the infirm, the helpless, the devoted, bound together in prayer, who are the strength of the Churt.h. Itis their prayers, be they many or few, the prayers of Ma W and such as Mary, who are the safety, under Christ, of those xvho xvith Paul and Barnabas fight the Lord's battles. " It is but lost labour fo rise up eafly, fo sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows," if prayers are discontinued. It is mere inftuation, if we think fo resist the enemies xvho af this moment are af out doors, if our Churches remain shut, and we give up to prayer but a few minutes in the da)ç Blessed indeed are they whom Christ calls near to Him fo be His own peculiar attendants and familiar friends; more blessed if they obey and fulfil their calling[ Blessed even if they are allowed to seize intervals of such service towards Him; but favoured and honoured beyond thougt, if they can, without breach of duty, put aside worldly thing. with full purpose of heart, renounce the pursuit of wealth, keep clear of ftunily cares, and 1-,resent themselves as  holy offering, without spot or blemis, to l[im who died for them. 1 These are they who" follow IIim whithersoever l[e goeth," and to them IIe more especially addresses those lessons of taith,qnd resignation which are recorded in I[is (lospel. "Take heed," he says, "and beware of covetousness, for mau's lire consisteth not in the overal)undance of the things which he possesseth. Take no carc for your lift, what yc shall car, neither for the body, what ye shall put on. Cousider the lilies how they grow, they toiI hot, they sidn hot. Seek hot ye what ve shall eat or what ye shall drink, neithcr be ye mscttled; for all thcse things do the nations of the wtwld seek afte5 and vour Father knoweth that ye bave need of these things. Fea«" hot, little flock, for it is vour Father's good pIcasure fo give you the Kingdom. Scll that ye have, and give ahns; provide yourselves bags which wax hot. o]d, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. Let your ]oins be girded abont, and your lights ])urning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait fi)r their Lord, when He wilI return ri'oto the wedding. Blessed are i]ose servants, whom the Lord, when lIe cometh, shall final watching. Verily  The lire here advocated is one of which Prayer, lr.-tise, Intercession, and other devotional services, ara marie the object and business, in the • :tme sense in which u cert.in profession or trde is the object und business of lire fo the mass of men: one in which devotlon is the end to which everything else gives way. This explantion wi]] answer the question, how much of each day it supposes set aside for devotion. Cllings of this world do hot necessrily occupy the whole, or ha]f, or t third of our rime, but they rulc and dlsTose of the wholc of it.

The Good _Pari of 3hr.y. 335

] sa,y unto yoll, that tle will gird ][imsclf"—]Ic «« earth has let them sit at IIis feet hearing 1 Ils word, or let them anoint ]ils feet with oinlmcnt, kissing them, He in tre'n, as lle did bcfore I[is passion, by au inexpressible coudesccnion, "will gird lIhnscli'; and make them fo sit down to mcat, and will corne forth and serve them. And if ]Ie shall c,)me in the second watch, or corne in the third watch, and rirai them so, blcssed are those servauts, l;c yc thcrcfore ready «dso; ibr the Son of man Coluetl af an hour when ye think hot. ''1