Two sermons, of Jonahs punishmentTwo sermons, of Ionahs punishment

These sisters were godly women, and both earnest favourers of Jesus Christ and yet in the manner of their devotion there is such difference, that the worldly affection of the one, may in some sort be misliked, in respect of the godly exercise and practise of the other: Martha is sore in cumbered with much serving where a little service had bin sufficient, but Mary is attentive to hear the word of God which never can be heard sufficiently.

These sisters were godly women, and both earnest fauourers of Iesus Christ and yet in the maner of their deuotion there is such difference, that the worldly affection of the one, may in some sort bee misliked, in respect of the godly exercise and practise of the other: Martha is sore in cumbred with much seruing where a little seruice had bin sufficient, but Mary is attentiue to heare the word of God which neuer can be heard sufficiently.

Mary sitteth to hear the word, as Christ used to sit when he preached the word, to show that the word is to be preached and heard with a quiet mind. In a still night ¹every voice is heard, and when the body is quiet, the mind most commonly is quiet also. But Martha is troubled with other affairs, & therefore unfit to hear the word as the ground that is surcharged with stones, or overgrown with weeds and thorns, is unfit to receive the seed, or yield any fruit to him that tilleth it As often therefore as ²we come to hear the word of God, we must not come with distracted minds, we must not trouble our selves with ³the cares of this life, which (as our Saviour said) are thorns of choke the world, and to make it unfruitful ⟨image 45⟩For Moses was unfit to walk with God, till he had put off ⁴