Luke — Chapter 10

21. The litle ones.) By this place euery vulgar artificer may not presume that God hath reuealed 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 prouidence he did it, that it might be cleere to the world, that al Nations were conuerted 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. The humble and vnlearned Catholike knoweth Christ better then the proud learned Heretike. 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 Diuinity, and his presence in the B. Sacrament, and such like, rather then Arius, Caluin, and other like proud Scribes and Pharisees.

28. This doe.] The commandements possible to be kept. Not by faith only, but by keeping Gods commandements we obtaine life euerlasting: not only by beleeuing, but by doing. The heretikes say that it is impossible to keepe this commandement of louing God with al our hart. But the Scriptures giue vs examples of diuers that haue kept and fulfilled it, as far as is requisite in this life. 3. King. 14,8. 2. Par. 15,15. Ps. 118,10. Ecclesiasticus. 47,9. 10. 4. King. 20,3. 5. Luke 1,5. And if it were impossible to keepe it, and yet by Christ proposed for the meane to obtaine life euerlasting, he had mocked this Lawyer and others, and not taught them.

30. Halfe dead.) The parable of the wounded man, explicated. Here is signified man wounded very sore in his vnderstanding and free-wil, and al other powers of soule and body, by the sinne of Adam: but yet that neither vnderstanding, nor free-wil, nor the rest, were extinguished in man or taken away. The Priest and Leuite 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 recouer the spiritual life of mankind from the death of sinne, that is, iustifie man; but Christ only, who by his Passion and the grace and vertue thereof ministred in and by his Sacraments, iustifieth, and increaseth the iustice of man, healing and abling free-wil to doe al good workes. Conc. Araus. 2. e 25 to 1. Conc. Conc. Trid. Sess. 6. 6. 1.

42. Marie the best part.) The Contemplatiue or Religious life, better then the Actiue and secular. Two notable examples, one of the life Actiue, in Martha, the other of the life contemplatiue, in Marie: representing vnto vs, that in holy Church there should be alwayes some to serue God in both these seueral sorts. The life contemplatiue is here preferred before the actiue. The Religious of both sexes are of that more excellent state. And therfore our Protestants have wholy abandoned them out of their common-wealth, which the true Church neuer wanted. But to say truth, they haue neither Martha nor Marie. Our Lord giue them grace to see their miserie. If ours were not answerable to their profession, or were degenerated, why haue they no new ones? If our Churches Votaries vowed vnlawful things, Chastitie, Pouertie, Obedience, Pilgrimage: what other Votaries or lawful vowes haue they? Vowes and votaries. For, to offer voluntarily by vow (besides the keeping of Gods commandements, wherevnto we are bound by precept and promise in our Baptisme) our soules, bodies, goods, or any other acceptable thing to God, is an acte of soueraigne worship belonging to God only: and there was neuer true religion without such vowes and Votaries. If there be none in their whole Church that professe contemplation, or that vow any thing at al to God voluntarily, neither in their bodies nor in their goods; God and the world know they haue no Church nor religion at al.