widely. Let not one despise another on this account. There will be Marthas and there will be Marys in the Church until the Lord comes again.
Let us observe, for another thing, what a mare to our souk the cares of this world may be, if cUlowed to take up too much attention. It is plain from the tone of the passage before us, that Martha allowed her anxiety to provide a suitable entertainment for our Lord, to carry her away. Her excessive zeal for temporal provisions, made her forget, for a time, the things of her soul. " She was ctmibered about much serving." — ^By and bye her conscience pricked her, when she found herself alone serving tables, and saw her sister Sitting at Jesus' feet and hearing His word. Under the pressure of a consci- ence ill at ease, her temper became ruffled, and the old Adam within broke out into open complaint. " Lord," she said, " dost not thou care that my sister hath left me to serve alone ? Bid her therefore that she help me." Li so saying, this holy woman sadly forgot what she was, and to whom she was speaking. She brought down on herself a solemn rebuke, and had to learn a lesson which probably made a lasting impression. Alas ! " how great a matter a little fire kindleth." The beginning of all this was a little over- anxiety about the ionocent house- hold affairs of this world !
The fault of Martha should be a perpetual warning to all Christians. If we desire to grow in grace, and to enjoy soul-prosperity, we must beware of the cares of this world. Except we watch and pray, they will insensibly eat up our spirituality, and bring leanness on our souls. It is not open sin, or flagrant breaches of