The Disabled Debtor Discharged, Part 21
Seeſt thou this woman? I entered into thine houſe, thou gavest me no water for my Feet, Text. &c.
In this Speech of our Saviour to Simon. We have, Firſt, the Interrogation or Queſtion, put to him. Secondly the Expoſtulation that our bleſſed Saviour made with him. Of the Queſtion, firſt in thoſe words, foreign, Seeſt thou this woman?
Object. What need this Queſtion be made? Simon ſaw her well enough and beheld her carriage: Whereupon he queſtioned, whither Chriſt were a Prophet, in that he ſuffered her to come ſo neare him: And yet our Saviour demands: Seeſt thou this woman.
Reſp. Indeed, Simon ſaw her outſide, and (judging by appearance) judged her to be a Sinner: Our bleſſed Saviour now calls him to a ſtricter ſight; and by her deportment and good diſpoſition, ſhews her to be a Saint, diſcovering by her open and publike teares, Simons ſecret and hidden ſoares; making them ſerve as a medicine for his malady; which was the reaſon, that whilſt his Eye was turned to this Penitent, his Speech was turned to the Phariſee, as being deſirous to cure him who had leaſt ſeeling of his ſickneſſe.
Two things in the Queſtion let us obſerve: Firſt the duty, ſecondly the Perſon on whom it is impoſed.
The Duty enjoyned is to See or behold the carriage and behaviour of that woman. Where firſt an Act, and that is ſeeing. 2. The Object. With the Act we begin, foreign Seest thou?
Not heareſt thou; for not a word (that we read of) did ſhe ſay. (And yet her whole action was a lowd confeſſion: All her carriage was Vocall. Her Eyes ſpake, her Hands ſpake, her Haire ſpake, her Ceſture ſpake, and yet ſhe could not ſpeake what ſhe did ſpeak) her tongue is ſilent. Thus
Doct. Deepe ſorrow is many times ſilent. Leſſer Repentance ſpeaks when greater wants a tongue. Take an inſtance or two; one in the Shulamite, 2 King. 4 27. See how ſparing of words deepe ſorrow is. Extremity of griefe made her ſomewhat unmannerly; downe ſhe falls paſſionately at the Prophets feet, and laies faſt hold on them, not ſaying a word. By which poſture the Prophet perceived her ſoule to be vexed within her. And when her griefe finds vent at her mouth; how ſparing is ſhee of her Speech, and how abrupt; Did I deſire a Sonne of my LORD; did not I ſay doe not deceive mee.
A crack'd Pipe or Bell gives a harſh or uncertain found: So a broken heart when it ſpeaks for the moſt part utters broken ſpeeches.
Whither the Prophet or the Mother were more afflicted, is hard to ſay: The Prophet for the Mother, or the Mother for the Child; without doubt the Prophet was marvellouſly ſtrucke with griefe. Nor doth he in his ſorrow reply one word, but applies himſelfe to the remedy, ſpending his breath in Prayer, which was likewiſe paſſionate, ver. 33, 34, 35.
The other inſtance, I bring to confirme this Truth is that of Saint Peter, Math, …6 75. We read of him that after his Fall, He went out and wept bitterly; but wee read not of his ſpeaking anything. Invenio quod fleve rit, non invenio quid dixerit (ſaith S. Ambroſe) I find that hee wept,Serm. 45. de pae. nit Petri. but I find not what he ſaid. And the like Obſervation hath Iſidor. de munere. 2. Thus, Curae leves loquuntur, ingentes ſtupent. The point is prooved, That deep ſorrow often is ſilent, when leſſer finds a tongue. Now for Uſe to our ſelves.
Ʋſe. Such as thinke that all Repentance lies in the Tongue are much deceived. Indeed many a mans Repentance lyes wholy there, for their hands refuſe to work; and ſuch a Repentance is but wind, as words are. True Repentance is both ſeene and heard: But (if in caſe, one be wanting) it is rather ſeene then heard. The ſinner is loud and clamarous (ſaith Salomon, Pro. 7.11.) The Saint is ſilent, he ſmothers his mouth in the duſt (as Iob ſpeakes.) In the day of their ſorrow they are often like a Cheſt, having a rich Jewell in it, but the key loſt: Such a Cheſt was Origen, who after his Fall comming to preach unto his people, and lighting on that Text, Pſal. 50.16. But to the wicked, ſaith God, what hast thou to do to declare mine Ordinances, &c. Upon the reading thereof burſt forth into teares, and could ſay no more. As for diſſemblers and hollow hearted Hypocrites; who like empty veſſels make a great noyſe upon the leaſt knocke; being like Stony-pots tipt with ſilver (having ſilver lips but ſtony hearts.) Or like Demades the Orator, who would talke much and eat hard. Of whom Antipater was wont to ſay, that he was like a Sacrifice, nothing left of him but the Tongue and Paunch. I muſt tell them that albeit their talke of Repentance be like Benjamins Meſſe five times more then the reſt;Gen. 43.34. yet that noiſe which their Tongue makes in a formality of Profeſſion, ſhall in the Silence of their hands condemne them for Hypocrites.