The Disabled Debtor Discharged, Part 32
And wiped them with the haires of her head. Text. ]
A ſtrange Act never done to any but our Saviour, nor never by any but by this Woman; who as ſhe made her Eyes the Ewre out of which ſhe powred water to waſh the Feet of her Saviour, ſo ſhe made the haire of her head the Towell to wipe them with.
Numquid deerat iſti mulieri ſudarium vel linteolum aliquod (ſaith S. Hierom) Was ſhe poore that ſhe could not bring a napkin or cloath with her, and yet her Oyntment ſo pretious? Or was there any want of linnen for ſuch a purpoſe in the houſe where Chriſt was feaſted? No doubtleſſe. But ſhe to manifeſt the Humility of heart, and her hearts Devotion to her Saviour thus imployes the beſt ornament ſhe hath. Nihil dignius capillis, nihil proprium magis. What more dainty? What more worthy? Chriſt is ſaid to have a Head of gold, but haires as blacke as a Raven: She who was a Raven for the blackneſſe of her ſoule, yet had haire like gold, which ſhe had many times curled and cunningly broydered, gently combed and plated againſt the Glaſſe, and than ſpread as a bet to catch her amarous companions, but now conſecrates it to this glorious office.
Doct. In true Repentance there is a converting of thoſe things which have bin abuſed to the ſervice of ſinne to the ſervice of God.
Thus dealt thoſe Iſraelitiſh women, Exod. 38.8. Acts 19.19.offering up their looking Glaſſes to the ſervice of the Tabernacle, Exod. …8.8. So thoſe Converts with their curious bookes of Witcheraft, Act. 19 19. And every true Chriſtian with their members, Rem. 6.19. As did this Penitent creature, imploying her Eyes, Mouth, Haire to the honour of her Saviour; of whom S Gregory thus ſpeaketh, Quot commiſit delicta, tot invenit holocauſtomata, For ſo many ſins as ſhe committed, ſo many burnt Offerings ſhe offered.
Reaſon This is a part of that Revenge which the godly take of themſelves, wherof the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 2 Cor. 7.11. without which there can be no true Repentance. Eſt paenitentia quaedam dolentis vindicta puniens in ſe, quod dolet commiſiſſe, Aug de vera & falſ. paenit. cap. 8▪And therfore S. Auguſtine thus deſcribes Repentance, to be A certaine kind of Revenge, whereby a ſorrowfull man doth puniſh that in himſelfe, which it grieveth him to have committed.
Vſe This (likewiſe) prooves the Repentance of many to be no better than unſound and hypocriticall: Salomon knew the right mother of the child by her yearning heart,1 King. 3.27. and tender bowels towards it, which could not endure to ſee the Babe divided by the ſword: So when men cannot endure that the Sword of Revenge ſhould be drawn out againſt their ſins, it is a ſigne they beare a ſtrong Affection to them: Did we forſake ſin, as we ſhould, we would give it, a whores marke; we would execute the Lords quarrell upon it, and upon the Inſtruments which were imployed in the ſervice of it.
Queſt. Doth not this make for Popiſh Pennance?
Reſp. No, for firſt, they uſe that roughneſſe which takes away the health and ſhortens the life of the body: we may humble it, not deſtroy it.
2. They judge what they do in this kind, as meritorious, and have an opinion of meriting by the ſame (which is derogatory to the blood of Chriſt) God requires this of us as a meanes to imbitter ſin, and the pleaſures of it, and by that meanes to bring us to a right Judgement of our ſelves, and of the Creatures, as alſo to teſtifie our Repentance, and ſo prevent both ſin and Iudgement.
Againe obſerve, in that ſhe wiped the Feet of Chriſt (which were the loweſt Members of his Body, and meaneſt for account) with the Haire of her Head (which was a chiefe outward Ornament of womanhood)
Doct. That the beſt Ornament of the Bodie (in the Iudgement of a Penitent) is not too good to bee employed about the meaneſt peece of ſervice which concernes CHRIST.
Moſes deſpiſed all the glory of Pharaohs Court, and refuſed to be called the Sonne of Pharaohs daughter, chooſing rather to ſuffer Affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleaſures of ſinne for a ſeaſon. Heb. 11.24, 25Plentifull proofe we have of this in the Chriſtians of the Primitive Times.
Conſtantine thought not his lips too good to kiſſe the empty holes where Paphnutius Eyes were plucked out. And Placilla the wife of Theodoſius thought not her hands too good to be imployed in dreſſing and binding up the wounds of poore diſtreſſed Chriſtians. We can never debaſe our ſelves low inough for his ſake, who for our ſakes debaſed himſelf ſo low, as to become a worme rather then a man.
Vſe. What may we thinke of thoſe, who thinke either Eye or Hand or Haire to be too good for the Feet, nay Face of Chriſt? Theſe over-valew their own worth. Now I know (ſaid God to Abraham) that thou loveſt me, in that thou haſt not with-held thine onelyonly Sonne, thine Iſaac from mee: God may ſay to us I know thou careſt not for me, in that thou with-holdeſt, not thy ſon but ſinne, not thy ornaments, but thy very excrements, and wilt not part with them for my ſake.
The Aegyptians thought not their Earerings too good for a miſdevotion; the riches and pride of their outward habit, they are willing to part with to their molten god: We take a pride in many things, whoſe rejection is not worthy to do Chriſt honour, which yet he calls for to have offered up and parted with, but we ſticke at it: When true Repentance would carry us to the abjection of our whole ſinfull ſelves, then were every haire a life we would deny it for him: And as Ahaſhueroſh did hang up his Favourite for Heſters ſake, ſo (were we as we ſhould be) we would part with all that God requireth ſhould be parted with, for Chriſts ſake.