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152 powring in oile and wine: and setting him upon his owne beast, brought him into an inne, and tooke care of him. And the next day he tooke forth two pence, and gave to the host, and said: Have care of him; and whatsoever thou shalt supererogate, I at my returne wil repay thee. Which of these three in thy opinion was neighbour to him that fel among theeves? But he said: He that did mercie upon him. And said to him: Goe, and doe thou in like manner. ✠

And it came to passe as they went, and he entred into a certaine towne; and a certaine woman named Martha, received him into her house, and she had a sister called Marie. Who sitting also at our Lords feete, heard his word. But Martha was busie about much service. Who stood and said: Lord, hast thou no care that my sister hath left me alone to serve? speake to her therfore, that she help me. And our Lord answering said to her: Martha, Martha, thou art careful, and art troubled about many things. But one thing is necessarie, ″ Marie hath chosen the best part which shal not be taken away from her. ✠

ANNOTATIONS. X.

21. To litle ones.) By this place every vulgar artificer may not presume that God hath revealed al truth to him, and therfore refuse to be taught of the learned: for Christ did not afterward indow fishers and vulgar men nor any other with the guifts of wisedom and tongues, without their industrie, study, and teaching: though at the beginning, of great providence he did it, that it might be cleere to the world, that al Nations were converted to him not by persuasion of cunning Oratours or subtil Disputers, but by the plaine force of his grace and truth, which S. Augustine counteth greater then al other miracles. Further we are taught by this place, that the poore humble obedient children of the Church know by their faith the high mysteries of Christes Divinity, and his presence in the B. Sacrament, and such like, rather then Arius, Calvin, and other like proud Scribes and Pharisees.

28. This doe.) Not by faith only, but by keeping Gods commandements we obtaine life everlasting: not only by beleeving, but by doing. The heretikes say that it is impossible to keepe this commandement of loving God with al our hart. But the Scriptures give us examples of divers that have kept and fulfilled it, as far as is requisite in this life. 3. Reg. 14, 8. 2. Par. 15, 15. Ps. 118, 10. Ecclesiastici. 47, 9. 10. 4. Reg. 20, 3. 5. Luc. 1, 5. And if it were impossible to keepe it, and yet by Christ proposed for the meane to obtaine life everlasting, he had mocked this Lawyer and others, and not taught them.

30. Halfe dead.) Here is signified man wounded very sore in his understanding and free-wil, and al other powers of soule and body, by the sinne of Adam: but yet that neither understanding, nor free-wil, nor the rest, were extinguished in man or taken away. The Priest and Levite signifie the Law of Moyses: this Samaritane is Christ the Priest of the new Testament: the oile and wine, his Sacraments: the host, the priests his ministers. Whereby is signified, that the Law could not recover the spiritual life of mankind from the death of sinne, that is, justifie man; but Christ only, who by his Passion and the grace and vertue thereof ministred in and by his Sacraments, justifieth, and increaseth the justice of man, healing and abling free-wil to doe al good workes.

42. Marie the best part.) Two notable examples, one of the life Active, in Martha, the other of the life contemplative, in Marie: representing unto us, that in holy Church there should be alwayes some to serve God in both these several sorts. The life contemplative is here preferred before the active. The Religious of both sexes are of that more excellent state. And therfore our Protestants have wholy abandoned them out of their Rh