make all wonder that took notice of it, especially those that knew the woman's former character; so it raised this reflecting thought in the Pharisee, (and glad he was that he had so fair an occasion for it,) This man, if he were, as he pretends to be, a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him, and not have suffered her to take such freedoms with him, for she is a sinner k. Thus did this hypocrite measure our Saviour by himself, and as his haughty pride and self-esteem would have prompted him to do, even to have thrust her away with the greatest scorn and contempt, saying, in the pharisaical language, Stand off, for I am holier than thou; so he supposed our Saviour would have done, had he known what a vile creature she was; and because he did not, therefore he concluded him to be no prophet.

But our Lord, who was so far from not knowing what sort of a woman this was, that he knew the proud Pharisee's thoughts, answered them in the parable above recited; and said, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he said, Master, say on. There was a certain creditor that had two debtors: the one owed him five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged1. And then, to apply the parable home, he turned to the woman, (who was overjoyed, no doubt, to see him take such notice of her,) and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman, this poor, self-condemned k Luke vii. 39. 1 Ver. 40, &c.

sinner whom thou so despisest, and valuest thy righteous self so much above her? I entered into thine house, upon thy invitation, and yet, so wanting wert thou in common civility to me, (which we see the meek, lowly Jesus could take notice of, and which none of his disciples therefore should be failing in, but be courteous to all men,) thou gavest me no water for my feet m, as if that usual cheap refreshment were too good for me; but she hath washed my feet with much more precious liquor, her tears, and wiped them with a towel that never before was seen to be put to such a use, even with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss when I first entered thy house, thou hadst not charity enough for that to such a one as I; whom though thou didst invite to eat with thee, yet it was not out of kindness, but that thy table might become a snare to me; but this woman, since the time that I came in, hath not ceased, with true gratitude and affection, to kiss my very feet. Mine head with common oil thou didst not anoint; that would have shewed much more respect than I was worthy of, but this woman hath anointed my feet with precious ointment, as an expression of the great reverence and love that she has for me. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little". As if he had said, "As great a sinner as this "woman hath been, and whom therefore thou dost so contemn and despise, and art ready with much haughtiness and spiritual pride to thank God that "thou art not so vile as she is, and valuest thyself "so highly because of thy greater holiness; as great

66

66

66 a sinner as this woman hath been, let me tell "thee, she is now much better than thyself. Her "sins, upon her hearty sorrow for them, are for

66

given her; and because they are so, THERE"FORE she loveth much. The invitation I have

66

given to all that are weary and heavy laden with "the burden of their iniquities, to come to ME, "that I may give them rest, and the sense my pub"lic discourses have wrought in her, of the intolerable weight of that burden, having made her weary of it, and desirous to throw it off, and in"clined her to apply herself to me for help; she

66

hath found mercy, and she knows she hath, and "this (as well it may) causes these great expressions "of her love and joy and gratitude, mixed with a

66

holy sorrow and contrition. But as for thee, who "thinkest thou standest in little or no need of par"don, or if thou didst, wouldst disdain to receive a "promise of it from me; therefore thy love's as "little to me, and thou hast expressed thyself ac

66

cordingly. Her debt was great, and she owned "it, and was deeply sensible of her utter inability "to discharge it; and therefore was the more sen"sible of the mercy of having it freely forgiven her, "and hath made a suitable return of thankfulness "and love. But thine thou thinkest is small, if

66

any; and therefore thou art but little affected with "the promise I make of forgiveness upon thy belief "in me, and deemest thyself but little obliged to me "for it though were thy debt as small as thou "thinkest it to be, thou likewise art as utterly un" able to discharge it of thyself as she was.”

• So the original word signifies, as well as for, and is so used in several places of scripture, and should be so translated here.

After this, Jesus again and again assured the woman of her pardon; and said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven-Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace P. Thus did the Son of God imitate his most merciful Father, in kindly receiving all that truly turn to him from the evil of their doings: in cherishing and encouraging repentance, and not breaking the bruised reed, nor quenching the smoking flax; and in making the heart that was broken to rejoice. Thus was a penitent sinner preferred before a high-minded Pharisee, with all his outward shows of holiness; and he that exalted himself was abased, and she that humbled herself was exalted.

Having thus shewn the occasion of this parable, together with the true meaning of it, and the context relating to it, I might, in discoursing upon it, shew the greatness of the debt, that, as sinners, lies upon the best of us, and our utter inability of ourselves ever to discharge it, and the wondrous goodness and mercy of God in so freely remitting it, through Jesus Christ: but having formerly considered these particulars upon the parable of the merciful king, Matt. xxviii. 23, I shall now only shew what return we should make for such great and undeserved grace and favour, as the compassionate God hath been pleased to shew us, through the sufferings and mediation of his blessed Son; what love and gratitude, what true contrition and compunction of spirit it ought to cause in us, and how this godly sorrow, and this gratitude and love, should influence our lives and conversations. And what less than such affections as these should q See vol. ii. p. 101.

P Luke vii. 48, 50.

be excited by this wondrous mercy and goodness of God to us through Christ? who forgave us so vast a debt when we had nothing to pay, and restored us to a state of grace and favour with him, from a state of wrath and endless woe, which we were in before! This, as it should work in us the greatest degrees of shame and sorrow, and sharpest remorse, for the base returns we have made to so good a God, our greatest benefactor and best friend; whose will we still oppose, whose holy and just laws we still transgress, and whose great enemy we still join with against him, notwithstanding all his kindness constantly shewn to us: so it should give us such a charming idea of the excellency of the divine mercy to such ungrateful, wicked creatures as we are, as should set our breasts all on a flame with the ardours of divine love; admiring and adoring that love of God to us, which passeth knowledge, and gratefully devoting our whole selves to his service for the future. And this will increase and perfect our repentance; for it is such godly sorrow as this, proceeding from the love of our heavenly Father, and a feeling sense of his mercy and goodness to us, that worketh repentance to salvation never to be repented of, when we reflect upon our horrid baseness and ingratitude to him.

And the truer our repentance is, the greater will be our love; the more deeply and intimately sensible we are of the greatness and vileness of our sins, and the dreadful consequences of them, the more ardently shall we love and bless that infinite goodness, which hath delivered us from the guilt,