The Care of the Soul urged as the one thing needful.
LUKE x. 42.
_But one thing is needful._
IT was the amiable character of our blessed Redeemer, that “he went about doing good,” this great motive, which animated all his actions, brought him to the house of his friend _Lazarus_, at _Bethany_, and directed his behaviour there. Though it was a season of recess from public labour, our LORD brought the sentiments and the pious cares of a preacher of righteousness into the parlour of a friend; and there his doctrine dropped as the rain, and distilled as the dew, on the little happy circle that were then surrounding him. _Mary_, the sister of _Lazarus_, with great delight made one amongst them; she seated herself at the feet of JESUS, in the posture of an humble disciple; and we have a great deal of reason to believe, that _Martha_, his other sister, would gladly have been with her there; but domestic cares pressed hard upon her, and “she was cumbered with much serving,” being, perhaps, too solicitous to prepare a sumptuous entertainment for her heavenly master and the train that attended him. Happy are they, who in a crowd of business do not lose something of the spirituality of their minds, and of the composure and sweetness of their tempers. This good woman comes to our LORD with too impatient a complaint; insinuating some little reflection, not only on _Mary_, but on himself too. “LORD, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her, therefore, that she help me.” Our LORD, willing to take all opportunities of suggesting useful thoughts, answers her in these words, of which the text is a part, “_Martha, Martha_, thou art careful and troubled about many things, but one thing is needful; and _Mary_ has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Alas, _Martha_! the concerns of the soul are of so much greater importance than those of the body, that I cannot blame your sister on this occasion: I rather recommend her to your imitation, and caution you, and all my other friends, to be much on your guard, that in the midst of your worldly cares, you do not lose sight of what much better deserves your attention.
I shall consider these words, “One thing is needful,” as a kind of aphorism, or wise and weighty sentence, which dropped from the mouth of our blessed Redeemer, and is evidently worthy of our most serious regard. I shall,
I. Consider what we are to understand by “The one thing” here spoken of.
II. Shew you what is intended, when it is said to be the one thing _needful_.
III. I will shew how justly it may be so represented, or prove that it is, indeed, the one thing needful. And then conclude with some reflections.
My friends, the words which are now before us, are to this day, as true, as they were seventeen hundred years ago. Set your hearts to attend to them. O that you may, by divine grace, be awakened to hear them with a due regard, and be so impressed with the plain and serious things which are now to be spoken, as you probably would, if I were speaking by your dying beds, and you had the near and lively view of eternity!
_First_, I am to consider, what we are to understand by the “one thing needful.”