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abide himself on earth, and teach his church personally by his own mouth; but hath appointed messengers and officers to proclaim his law unto the world, and tender them his grace, and saith, "He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me" (Luke x. 16.), and he that despiseth, despiseth not man but God ;" 1 Thess. iv. 8. And he that will not now believe and hear Christ speaking by his ministers, when he is acknowledged to be the Son of God, and his sealed word hath had so long possession in the world, would hardly have regarded Christ himself in a time when he appeared in the form of a servant, and was found in fashion as a man, and was believed on but by a few persons then counted but inconsiderable.

4. Note also, the humility and teachableness of disciples in those times, who were wont to sit learning at their teacher's feet. Which was then an ordinary case, and not of Christ's disciples only. Paul was brought up "at the feet of Gamaliel ;" Acts xxii. 3. Not like the proud and selfconceited part of our hearers in these times, that come to hear somewhat for their malicious or contentious minds to quarrel with, and expect that their teachers tell them nothing but what is agreeable to their own conceits, and think us to be injurious to them, if we would heal their ignorance or impiety, and make them any wiser or better than they are; and that reproach us and set themselves against us as their enemies, if we will not be ruled by them, and humour them in all our administrations, as if we were the patients and they the physicians, we the learners and they the teachers, yea, we their servants, and they our guides and rulers in the matters of our own office.

But let us come closer to the words themselves, and consider of the instructions which they afford us. Which are these.

Doct. I. It is but one thing that is of absolute necessity, but it is many things that those are taken up with, that neglect that one.

Doct. II. The one thing needful leadeth to content; but the many things of the world do trouble, and disquiet, and distract the soul.

Doct. III. All men where the Gospel is preached, have their choice whether they will seek and have the one thing

necessary, or trouble and distract themselves with the many things that are unnecessary.

Doct. IV. They that choose the one thing necessary, do choose the good part; and they that choose any other, do make an evil and unhappy choice.

Doct. V. The one thing needful shall not be taken from them that choose it; but they that choose it not, shall have no better than they choose.

Doct. VI. Those that make the bad unhappy choice, are apt to grudge at them that choose better, and will not think and do as they.

Doct. VII. When the matter is brought before the Lord Jesus Christ, he will not take part with those that murmur at his servant's choice, and speak against them; but will commend their choice, and condemn the contrary.

All this you see lie plain here in the text, and it is all worthy our larger consideration. But the first is like to hold me so long, that to avoid proxility, the rest shall be but touched under that.

Doct. I. One thing is needful. It is one thing only that is absolutely necessary; but many things that men busy themselves about, that neglect this one.

In handling this, I must shew you,

I. In what respect it is that this needful thing is said to be but one.

II. How it is that the troublesome matters of the world are called many.

III. Whereto and how far this one thing is necessary.
IV. Whether the rest are indeed unnecessary.

V. I shall assist you in the application of it to yourselves, that it may reach the end to which I do intend it.

I. In what respect is the needful thing but one? Which will be the easier understood, when you know what the one thing needful is. And it is, most directly, that which is our end, To be saved, and to please the Lord, or to glorify God and enjoy him in glory for ever. Which comprehendeth or implieth the necessary means.

And this blessed state is one, considered, 1. Objectively. It is one God that we have to please, and to behold, and love, and praise for ever. 2. It is one formally; that is, It is only the soul's fruition of this one God that is our end

and blessedness. And thus the end being principally meant, it is said that one thing is necessary; though the means may be more than one that are necessary to obtain it.

And yet even with respect unto the means, it may be said that one thing is necessary, by a general, comprehensive speech, as one containeth many parts. As to cure a sickness may be said to be the one thing needful to preserve a man's life; when yet that cure must be done by many acts and means. The means are but one thing as denominated from their end; even our everlasting happiness. And they are but one as denominated from their original, they being all but the will of God revealed in his word for man's direction to salvation. And they are all one in the principal stock that proceedeth from this original or root; and that is, the Lord Jesus Christ himself, who is therefore eminently called 'the way;' because there is no other way or means, but what standeth in a due subordination to the Redeemer as the chief means, as well as to the pure Godhead as the end.

Also as all the means of God's appointment have a union of nature or similitude with the end. And as God's image is one in all his children, so is it, in their kind and measure, in all his ordinances and means. They also in their kind and place are partakers of the Divine nature. The name of God is as it were written upon them, and his blessed nature legible in them.

Also the means are all but one, as all are parts of one holy frame, which most harmoniously concur to the doing of one work as all the wheels and other parts are but one coach which carryeth us to our journey's end. As Christ and his church are one body (1 Cor. xii. 12.), so Christ and all subordinate means for the recovery and salvation of his own, are one kingdom of God, and one way to the Father, and one salvation; I shall more fully open it under the next head.

And now for the negative, you may discern by what is said, 1. That here is no such unity as even in the end must confound God and man, or his glory and our salvation.

2. Nor is here any such unity as doth confound the end and means; no, not the Godhead with the manhood of the Redeemer, much less with the inferior kind of beings.

3. Nor is there any such unity as doth confound all the means among themselves, and make all one; or exclude the rest by exalting one; but rather each one doth suppose the

rest to constitute the perfect frame. Christ doth not exclude faith, nor faith exclude repentance; nor faith and repentance exclude obedience; nor doth the office of one of these exclude the use and office of the rest. Public duties exclude not private, nor do private exclude public. One part excludeth not another. Reading excludeth not preaching, nor both of them praying; but their nature and use bespeaketh a conjunction. The whole body is not an eye or hand; nor doth the unity exclude but include even the smallest members.

4. Nor is there such a unity as excludeth difference of degrees. For one means may be more necessary and excellent than another. And the same person by growing doth differ from himself as he was before; and one will hereafter excel another in glory, as they do in holiness and faithful improvement of their talents.

II. Let us next lay both together, and see how the troubling matters of the world are called 'many' in opposition to this one.

And 1. Every creature to a sensual man, is made by him in some sort his end and god. For he doth not use it only, and refer it as the godly do, to an end that is one; but he would enjoy it and make it objectively his end itself, and so idolize it. And therefore though in the general notion of delight they all agree; yet materially, what abundance of ends and gods have carnal men? Every sense must have its own delight! The eye must have its delight, and the appetite its delight; and so of the rest.

2. And also these fleshly baits and pleasures are discordant even among themselves. They draw the sinner several ways; and one of them fighteth against the other. The riches of the sensualist do usually contradict his ease; and often his voluptuous humour; and his ambition and pride doth bridle his disgraceful lusts; and one sin will not let another have its end, but robbeth him of the poor expected fruit. And thus they do distract the sinners, and tear their very hearts in pieces; and divide and dismember them, where God would heal them and unite them in himself. And the toilsome cares and labours by which these things must be obtained, are many, and oft contrary to each other; and a great deal of stir it is that a deluded sinner makes to little purpose.

The sum then of both these heads is this. The matter of a Christian's faith, and religion, desire, hope, and love, is therefore called one thing, because God who is one, is the sum of all. It is but one sun, though it hath many beams, and all those beams are nothing but the emanations of the sun; and have nothing but what they have from it. God is all to the religion and soul of a true believer; and therefore all to him is one. Creatures, and duties, and ordinances, which are many, are all but one to him in God. His faith beholdeth them, and his affections relish them, as united all in God. 1. As their spring from whom they flow. 2. And as the life by whom they are all animated; and as the matter and sense which they signify and import. 3. And as their end to which they tend, and in which they all terminate and agree.

Many branches are but one tree, and have one stock; and many members are one body, because they are animated with one soul. Many letters, syllables, and words may make one sentence; and many leaves may make one book, and treat but of one subject. Many actions of a ploughman are called ploughing, and of a weaver, weaving, &c. as being all united in one end. I know these similes have their dissimilitude, but this is the sum; that It is God that the believer seeth, and seeketh, and loveth, and converseth with, and intendeth in all the ordinances of grace, in all his duties, and in all the creatures; and in God they are united, and one thing to him. He hath nothing to do at church, or at home, in private or public, but live to God, and seek after the everlasting enjoyment of him. If weakness and temptation put any other business into his hands, he is so far stepped out of the Christian way. In his very common labours and mercies (so far as he is holy), God is to him, the spring, the life, the sweetness, the beauty, the strength, the meaning, and the end of all, and therefore all in all.

But the creatures in the hands and use of the ungodly, or of the godly, so far as they use them sinfully, have no such unity. Though in themselves they so depend on God, that none can make a separation, nor can they at all exist without him; yet in the sense, estimation, ends, and use of the ungodly, the creatures are separated from God, and are as branches cut off from the tree; and departing from God, these men are gone from unity, and are lost, distracted and