PHIL. This wounded man signifieth every child of Adam. The clothes signify faith charity, justice, mercy, & such other virtues. The thieves are Satan and his angels. The wounds are since. Half dead is to be alive in ⟨image 23⟩the flesh, & slain in the soul through sin. All this are we by Adā. And as this wounded man could not be holpen of the Priest nor Levite, until the Samaritan came, no more can we be holpen by any creature or work, till christ cometh the true Samaritan. We can not certes, we can not help our sieves, but even lye still the stinking puddle of sin. Look in what case Satan leaveth us, in the very same do we remain, except God of his mercy through Christ helpeth us. Neither canfre e will nor all the wit & policy that we have, profit here any thing,1 till God endues us with strength from above. For as S. Austen sayeth: The nature of man all though it did remain & continue in that integrity & pureness, wherein it was made, yet could it keep it self by no means, if the creator & maker of it did not help. Therefore seeing ⟨image 24⟩that without the grace of god it could not keep the health that it received, how is it able to repair and get again that which it hath lost, without the grace of God?2 Again he saith free will sufficeth unto evil, but unto good it availeth little, except it be holpen of that almighty God. Therefore is it well said of the Apostle, God worketh in us •oth the will & the deed. Hereto agreeth the saying of Christ. As the vine branch can not bear fruit, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye except ye abide in me. I am the vine & ye are y• branches. He that abideth in me, & I in him, the same bringeth for the much fruit. For without me ye can do no•hyng. If any man abideth not in me, he is cast out as a branch, & is withered, & men gather them & cast them into y• fire, & there burn. Thus see ye what •e are of your selves by Adam, & that no strength ye have ⟨image 24⟩ones to aspire or breath toward any goodness, much less to do or work any good thing, except ye be holpen of God. Ye see also how full of sins, diseases, wounds, sores, botches, cankers, & all y• ever nought is ye are. Ye see again, how ye are not able of your selves to recover your innocency, that ye lost by Adā.
PHIL. This woūded mā signi•ieth euerye chylde of Adam. The clothes signify fayth charïte, iustice, mercy, & such other vertues. The theues are Satā and his aungels. The woundes are synnes. Haulfe deade is to be alyue in ⟨image 23⟩the flesshe, & slayne in the soule thorowe synne. All this are we by Adā. And as this woūded man could not be holpen of the Preste nor Leuyte, vntyll the Samarytane came, no more can we be holpen by ony creature or worke, tyll christ cōmeth the true Samaritane. We can not certes, we can not helpe our seues, but euen lye styll the stynkynge puddle of synne. Loke in what case Satan leaueth vs, in the verye same do we remayne, excepte God of his mercy thorowe Christe helpeth vs. Neyther canfre e wyll nor all the wytte & polecye that we haue, profyte here any thynge,1 tyll God indueth vs wt strēgth from aboue. For as S. Austen sayeth: The nature of man all though it dyd remayne & cōtinue in that integryte & purenes, wherin it was made, yet could it kepe it selfe by no meanes, if the creator & maker of it dyd not helpe. Therfore seynge ⟨image 24⟩that wtout the grace of god it could not kepe the health that it receiued, howe is it able to repare and get agayne that which it hath lost, without ye grace of God?2 Againe he saith free wyll sufficethe vnto euell, but vnto good it auayleth lytle, excepte it be holpen of that almyghty God. Therfore is it well sayde of the Apostle, God worketh in vs •oth the wil & the dede. Hereto agreeth the sayēg of •hrist. As the vyne braunche can not beare fruyte, excepte it abyde in the vine, no more can ye except ye abyde in me. I am the vyne & ye are y• braunches. He that abideth in me, & I in him, the same bryngethe for the much fruyte. For without me ye cā do no•hyng. If any mā abydeth not in me, he is cast out as a braunche, & is wythered, & men gather thē & cast thē into y• fyre, & there burne. Thus se ye what •e are of youre selues by Adam, & that no strengthe ye haue ⟨image 24⟩ones to aspyre or breath towarde ony goodnes, much lesse to do or work any good thynge, excepte ye be holpen of God. Ye se also howe full of sinnes, diseases, woundes, sores, botches, canckers, & al y euer nought is ye are. Ye se agayne, how ye are not able of your selues to recouer youre innocēcy, that ye lost by Adā.
- 1Epist. c•i. ad Paul.
- 2•ib. •e vocant. • a. viii […]. •e cor•• g•a•• ii. Phil. ii. Joan. xv.•ib. •e vocāt. • a. viii 〈…〉. •e cor•• g•a•• ii. Phil. ii. Ioan. xv.
