How different from this care is that of the worldling! GOD is not in all his thoughts-CHRIST dwelleth not in his heart by faith. One man finds perplexity and trouble in his eftates-another labours to aggrandize his familyanother is deprived of prefent happiness, by doubts of a reverfe, revolving in his anxious mind the precarious condition of all things, and oppofing his fears to his hopes-another ftudies how to ef cape, (perhaps how to retaliate) the machinations of his enemies. O ye children of men, why are ye thus careful and troubled about many things? why do ye impofe on yourselves these unneceffary burdens, fo grievous to be borne ? why do ye groan under a weight, from which the kind Providence of GoD hath offered to relieve you? Hath not he commanded you to caft all your cares upon Him, promifing that he will make you the objects of his care? Why are ye not as ready to depend on your heavenly Father, as he is to exert his power and mercy in your behalf? WHILE Martha is gently reproved for her folicitude, her fifter is commended for her devotion. "One thing is needful; "and Mary hath chofen that good part, "which fhall not be taken away from "her." One thing is needful-not as superseding the neceffity of every thing elfe-but as afferting its juft claim to pre-eminence. Earthly duties must not fet afide those of a spiritual nature. If without attention to the former we cannot live temporally, without regard to the latter we cannot live eternally. Both are neceffary in their degree-but the laft is most highly momentous. There is no oppofition between thefe, but a juft fubordination. The body and foul fhould be friends, not rivals: the Chriftian fhould remember that he is a manthe man, that he is a Chriftian. O BLIND O BLIND and fenfelefs vanity, which, neglecting that one thing neceffary,' affects fo many things fuperfluouswhich confiders nothing as needlefs, but that which is indeed of the utmost importance-which lofes an inestimable treasure it knows not how to value, while it cares unduly for the fleeting and unreal pageantry of a transitory world! THE freedom of our will remains inviolate, though the grace of GoD alone bringeth falvation. "Mary hath chofen "the good part"—there is no force, no compulfion-all is voluntary choice. Good and evil are fet before us-we are in poffeffion of perfect freedom, through the mercy of Him who hath fet us free. We are called to chriftian liberty; happy are we, if we can improve it to the benefit of our fouls! THE ftability and perpetuity of good adds much to its value. Martha's part was foon gone-but Mary's fhall not be taken taken away from her. The act of her hearing was tranfient, the fruit is permanent. What she now receives into her ear, is grafted inwardly on her heart, and fhall remain there for ever. WHAT Couldst thou hear, O Mary, from thofe facred lips, which we hear not ftill? That heavenly doctrine is ever the fame; not more fubject to change than the Author of it. Its benefit and virtue are as infeparable from our fouls, as the fouls of the faithful from GOD. The grafs withereth, the flower fadeth, but the word of the LORD endureth for ever: and this is that word which by the gofpel is preached unto us. In the tempeft of affliction, in the night of forrow, it shall adhere ftedfaftly to us; and till death, in death, after death, fhall make us happy. LXXXVI. JESUS, paffing by, faw a man Na " which was blind from his birth." The cafe of fuch a fufferer required not merely art, but power-a power no lefs than infinite, no less than divine. ture pre-supposes matter, though without form-art looks for matter formed to our hands. GOD regards not eitherhis omnipotent word alone can createhe calleth those things which be not, as though they were. Great is the LORD, and great is his power, yea, and his wif dom is infinite. Such as this object of compaffion appeared to our Saviour, fuch are we with refpect to all fpiritual things. |