Sermons, Sermon 15
THE XV. SERMON.
LVKE, CHAP. VII.
verse 37 And beholde, a woman in the citie, who was a ſinner, when ſhee knewe that Ieſus ſate at table in the Phariſees houſe, ſhe brought a boxe of oyntment:
verse 38 And ſhee ſtood at his feete behinde him weeping, and began to waſh his feete with teares, and did wipe them with the haires of her head, and kiſſed his feete, and anointed them with the ointment.
verse 39 Nowe when the Phariſie who bade him, ſawe it, hee ſpake within himſelfe, ſaying, If this man were a Prophet, hee would ſurely hauehave knowne who, and what manner of woman this is who toucheth him: for ſhee is a ſinner.
verse 40 And Ieſus anſwered, and ſaide vntounto him, Simon, I hauehave ſomewhat to ſay vntounto thee. And hee ſaide, Maister, ſay on.
verse 41 There was a certaine lender who had two detters: the one ought fiue hundreth pence, and the other fiftie:
verse 42 When they had nothing to pay, he for gaue them both: Which of them, therefore, tell mee, will louelove him most?
verse 43 Simon anſwered, and ſaid, I ſuppoſe that he, to whom he forgaue most. And hee ſaide vntounto him, Thou hast truely judged.
44. Then hee turned to the woman, and ſaid vntounto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine houſe, and thou gauest mee no water to my feete: but ſhee hath waſhed my feete with teares, and wiped them with the haires of her head.
verse 45 Thou gaueſt mee no kiſſe: but ſhee, ſince the time I came in, hath not ceaſed to kiſſe my feete.
verse 46 Mine head with oyle thou didſt not anoint: but ſhee hath anointed my feet with ointment.
verse 47 Wherefore, I ſay vntounto thee, many ſinnes are forgiuen her: for ſhe loued much. To whome a little is forgiuen, he doeth louelove a little.
verse 48 And hee ſaide vntounto her, Thy ſinnes are forgiuen thee.
verse 49 And they that ſate at table with him, began to ſay within themſelues, Who is this that euen for giueth ſinnes?
verse 50 And hee ſaide to the woman, Thy faith hath ſaued thee: goe in peace.
THIS Text (welbeloued in the Lord Ieſus) containeth a notable Hiſtorie, of the conuerſion of a penitent ſinner, a ſinfull woman, whom the LORD firſt called inwardly by His Spirit, & to whom after outwardly by His owne voyce He giueth aſſurance of the remiſſion of her ſinnes: And wee hauehave firſt ſet downe the occaſion that the Lord offereth to this ſinfull woman to metee with Him, that ſhe may receiue merciemercy and forgiueneſſe of her ſinnes: Of very purpoſe He caſteth Himſelfe in her way, and into theſe partes where the woman was, and yeeldeth to dine in the houſe of a Phariſie, where ſhee might hauehave the occaſion and oportunitie to meete with Him: This occaſion being offered vntounto her, being partly touched with a feeling of her owne miſerie, partly being preuented with the Spirite of Ieſus alluring her, ſhe letteth it not ſlippe, but ſhee commeth to the houſe, where the Lord was, and ſhee commeth not emptie handed, but ſhee bringeth with her a boxe of precious ſweete ſmelling ointment, and comming to the houſe where the LORD was ſitting at table, looke what ſhee doeth, ſhee entreth not in peartly and boldly, neither commeth ſhee before His face, being aſhamed of her own ſinnes: ſhe was aſhamed that theſe eyes, theſe all-ſeeing eyes of the LORD, which pierce into the ſoule of man, ſhould ſee her: So ſhe ſtandeth (ſaieth the Text) behinde His backe, and then ſhee falleth downe at His feete.
The ſight of thy ſinne, as it will worke ſhame of face, when the relicts of nature beginneth to challenge it, when it ſtriueth to enter into the ſoule, ſo that ſcarcely thou dareſt looke a man in the face, let be the Lord, who is the reuenger of it: Euen ſo, when it once pleaſeth the Lord to waken the conſcience, it will worke in thee a wonderfull humilitie: ſo that thou wilt ſtoupe, and caſt thy ſelfe downe vnderunder the feete of thy GOD. The ſtiffeneſſe that yee ſee in men, who bowe not their bodies & knees vntounto the Lord, proceedeth of the want of that ſight of ſinne and corruption within them. If theſe men, who fling their heads in the aire, (& make their boaſts of their euill deeds) ſaw their ſins, they would bee aſhamed of themſelues, & humble themſelues in ye duſt. When ſhe is fallen downe, ſhe weepeth. The ſight of ſin will make thee to weepe & mourne. Thou laugheſt now, & plaieſt ye wanton, becauſe there is a vaile caſten ouer thine eye, that blindeth thee ſo that thou canſt not ſee ſin the own colour yea, it couereth thy ſelf from thee: but if once thou ſaw ſinne & thy ſelfe well, it would make thee to weep & lament bitterly. Wel, ſhe leaueth not of yet, but being drawne and allured with a ſenſe of His preuenting mercy, y• came from Him, ſhe draweth near… vntounto Him. If ſhe had not felt that louelove that came from Him, ſhee durſt neuer hauehave come neare Him. As a male-factor hath no pleaſure to beholde the countenance of the Iudge, but his eye and countenance is terrible to Him: Euen ſo, the Lord is fearefull and terrible to them that feele not that louelove that proceedeth from Him.
It is the ſenſe of the louelove that allureth ſinners to come to God, As Dauid ſaieth, Pſal. 130. 3. If thou ſtraitlie markest iniquitie, no fleſh can ſtand: but merciemercy is with thee, that thou mayest bee feared. The teares that the diſpleaſure for ſin expreſſeth out of her, ſhee will not loſe them, but ſhee taketh them, and …aſheth his feet with them, & thē taketh the haire of her head, and dryeth them therewith. Haddeſt thou once a ſenſe of that ſweete mercy in Ieſus Chriſt, were that louelove once ſpred abroade into thine heart by His H. Spirit, as th' Apoſtle ſpeaketh, O, how thou wouldeſt louelove Him, & be carefull to ſerue & pleaſure Him! This want of louelove towards ye Lord Ieſus argueth plainely, that thou haſt not felt that louelove of His towardes thee: For if once thou hadſt felt how well Hee loueth thee, who ſhed His precious blood for thee: then it is a faire matter to thee to ſheede teares for Him, that ſhedde His blood for thee: And if thou once felt that louelove, nowe all the teares, and all the moyſture in thy body, yea, thy very ſoule thou wouldeſt bee glad to poure it out for Him, and conſecrate thy life vntounto His ſeruice: but liuing againſt Him, in doing all kinde of villanie in deſpite of Him, thou teſtifieſt plainely, that thou haſt neuer found the vertue of His blood.
Looke what Paul ſaieth, 2. Cor. 5. 14. The louelove of God conſtraineth mee: that is, bindeth vp my ſoule, and all the powers and faculties thereof, and occupyeth my whole ſenſes, that I am rauiſhed from all thinges in the worlde, to get mine heart and affections fixed vponupon Him: Why? ſaieth hee, Becauſe He loued me ſo well, that Hee hath died for me: and therefore, I will conſecrate my life to him, who hath purchaſed euerlaſting life for me. And therefore, whoſoeuer hath not a purpoſe to poure out his life for Ieſus Chriſt, and hath not a free heart towards Him in ſome meaſure, he cannot hauehave any ſure argument that Chriſt hath died for him. And if thou hauehave not that aſſurance, woe is thee, that euer thou tookeſt life! it had beene better thou hadſt beene made a ſtocke or a ſtone, if thou findeſt not that Chriſt died for thee.
But what further did this ſillie woman? Shee ceaſeth not here, but is continually kiſsing the feete of the Lord. Ye who before delited in kiſſing▪ leaue your harlots, and from this woman learne to kiſſe the LORD, or elſe thou, and thy vile mouth, ſhalt burne in Hell. Kiſſe the feete of the LORD, who hath ſhedde His blood for thee: for ſo oft as thou kiſſeſt the feete of the Lord, thou ſhalt finde that thou ſuckeſt grace out of Him. And this woman, who was before a vile harlot, now only ſhe taketh pleaſure to kiſſe the Lord. And what did this woman more? It is ſaid, when ſhee had beſtowed her body vponupon Him▪ ſhee taketh that boxe of coſtlie ointment, that ſhee had prepared for Him▪ and anointed his feete therewith. Beſtowe thy ſelfe firſt vponupon the Lord, and beſtowe thy body vponupon Him and His ſeruice, and ſay to Him▪ Nowe Lord I giuegive thee, and I beſtow vponupon thee, mine heart, my ſoule, my body & all the members therof, keepe thouthem in holineſſe, that they may bee conſecrate to thee. Then when thou haſt beſtowed firſt thine heart and thy ſelfe vponupon Him, it will be none hard matter to beſtowe thy goods, when His glory requireth. And certainly, when men are ſo nigard in the …ds cauſe, that they will not beſtowe a pennie …pon Him when his glory requireth, or vponupon His …oore members, it is a ſure argument, that they …euer beſtowed their heart vponupon Him. Many vain men and women will ſaye, And if Chriſt were in the worlde, for the louelove I carie vntounto Him, I would followe Him, ſerue Him, imploye my body, and all that I hauehave in His ſeruice, and to His glorie: but if thou wilt not beſtowe thy goods vponupon the needie, vponupon His ſeruants, and vponupon theſe who carie His image, if Chriſt Himſelfe were in the worlde, thou wouldeſt beſtowe nothing vponupon Him: for if once thou were ſenſible of that liberality that Ieſus offereth vntounto His owne, thou wouldeſt louelove Him ſo well, that thou wouldeſt ſhewe thy ſelfe liberall to theſe who cary His image: thou wouldeſt giuegive all that thou haſt for His cauſe, who is onelie able to make thee rich.
Now to goe forwarde in the Hiſtorie. Whileſt ſhee is thus exerciſed in weeping, in waſhing the Lordes feete with her teares, in drying them with her haire, in anointing them with precious ointment, what doeth the Lord? what is His behauiour? All this time the LORD ſpeaketh neuer a worde vntounto her: all this time while ſhee findeth ſo great grace and merciemercy in Him, Hee turneth not once His face vntounto her. If thou getteſt once the Lordes backe neare vntounto thee, if thou getteſt leaue to kiſſe His feete, howbeit thou getteſt not His face at the firſt, nor His countenance at the entrie, yet out of Him thou ſhalt ſucke grace and merciemercy vnſpeakeable. It is a marueilous thing to ſee how a ſinner will get grace. When the Lord will ſeeme to turne His backe vponupon thee, yet follow thou on and leaue Him not, till He turne His face toward thee: and I aſſure thee thou ſhalt get His face at the laſt. Therefore, neuer depart from Him, but ſticke by His backe and His feete, and certainly in the ende thou ſhalt get that ſight of that joyfull countenance that ſhall compleate thy joy.
Nowe to come to the Phariſies part, who called Him to dinner, for we hauehave heard the part of the woman. The Phariſie, named Simon, ſitteth ſtill, and ſeeth all that is done and ſpeaketh not one word, but thinketh, and hee thinketh the thing which is not good: his mouth is cloſed, but he blaſphemeth in his heart, If this ma… were a Prophet, ſaieth hee, …ee would know▪ who, and what manner of woman this were who toucheth him▪ for ſhe is a ſinner: he thought incontinent, that the filthineſſe of the woman woulde pollute the Lord: would hee ſuffer this vile harlot to touch him, if hee were a Prophet, or an holie man? Yee ſee now, Brethren, how diſdainfullie he thinketh of her, and howe hee contemneth her in his heart. A Phariſie that is an hypocrite, that wil counterfeite outwardly a kind of holineſſe: ſee how he will diſdain a poore ſinner, that is an open ſinner in the ſight of the world: An hypocrite is a foule ſinner, and he will doe ſuch things in ſecrete, that it is a ſhame to ſpeake of, becauſe his ſinne is cloaked from the ſight of the world, and from his owne eyes: when hee beholdeth another ſinner, againe, that ſinneth openly in the ſight of the world, how diſdainfully will hee count and ſpeake of the open ſinner? and will ſpitte at him: the ſeuereſt cenſurer that euer was, is an hypocrite: and then he will ſtand vp, admiring of himſelf, and his coloured righteouſneſſe, and ſaye, I thanke God, I am not like other men: And what is the cauſe of this? The Lord ſaieth, The hypocrite is nothing but a whited tombe, a painted graue, that within is full of dead mens bones, ſtinke and filthineſſe, Matth. 23. 27. And yet that cloake of hypocriſie beeing ſpred ouer the heart, the hypocrite ſeeth not that filthineſſe that is in his owne heart: and that hypocrite that thinketh to beguile all the world, chiefely he beguileth himſelfe. And if thou ſaweſt that ſeede of all miſchei…e that is within thy ſelfe, certainely thou wouldeſt diſdaine thy ſelfe, and thou wouldeſt be inclined to judge charitably of a poore ſinner: thou wouldeſt not bee ſo ſore and rigorous a cenſurer of others as thou art: And if thou ſaweſt what kinde of ſtuffe were within thy ſelfe▪ (howbeit it breake not out) thou wouldeſt ſay, Now I ſee as great corruption in my ſelfe as in any body: (& it is the Lord that letteth it not breake out) the Lord purge and renew mee, and the Lord purge & renew yonder ſinner from the ſinne that breaketh out ſo openly in outward action. Now as the Phariſie knoweth not himſelfe, ſo he knoweth not what the Lord is, he knoweth Him not to bee the Mediator, come into the worlde to ſaue poore ſinners: and therefore hee concludeth ſo blaſphemouſly, The Lord is not a Prophet.
Marke, Brethren: Who euer ſeeth not that miſerie that is within themſelues, of neceſsitie they neuer ſaw that mercy that is in Ieſus Chriſt: Theſe two goe together of neceſsitie, Whoſoeuer ſeeth not himſelfe, is ignorant of Chriſt, and would not buy the mercy of Chriſt for one penny, hee careth not for Chriſts kindneſſe, hee counteth grace and mercy all but vanity. Now of theſe two followeth another thing, Not ſeeing himſelfe firſt: next, not ſeeing that mercy in Chriſt, not knowing that He was that Sauiour of the world: of theſe two followeth this wicked conceit in him, ſeeing the ſinner deale with Him to get grace & mercy, & the Lord dealing ſo mercifully with her, he ſcorneth, & contemptuouſly diſdaineth in his heart this dealing yt the poore ſinner hath with y• Lord. The men who ſee not their own miſery, no… ye Lords mercy, they will ſcorne & diſdaine a poore ſinner, either outwardly, calling them ſighing brethren, & ſobbing ſiſters: or at leaſt in their hart inwardly. And I am aſſured there are hypocrites enough this day, who hauehave no ſenſe of miſery, that ſcorne in their hearts a poore ſinner yt ſeeketh mercy of ye Lord, & hold in diriſion our faſting, our humiliation, and all our preaching which they heare. And therfore, as thou wouldeſt not bee culpable of ſuch ſcorning, and wouldeſt not be inuolued in yt judgement that tarieth that ſcornfull number, ſeeke I beſeech thee, to get theſe two ſighs, & ſay, Lord, I am but a miſerable body, & am vnworthy to look vp to ye Heauen: & then get a ſenſe of the mercy of the Lord: and then thou ſhalt bee …o farre from ſcorning grace in thine heart, that thou ſhalt bee faine to creep in with all humility to get a part & portion of the grace that is ſpoken of.
The Phariſie yet hath not bene one of the worſt of them, hee was not an open blaſphemer, but an hypocrite, I doubt not, but ye Lord hath had merciemercy on him: but what, how, and when his conuerſion hath bene, the Lord knoweth.
Now I go forward to ye part of the Lord: firſt toward the Phariſie, and then toward the poore woman. The Phariſie conceiued not this ſo quietlie & ſecretly within his owne heart, but the Lord, the ſearcher of the heart, that made ye heart, draweth it to light, and ſaith, Simon, I hauehave ſomewhat to ſay vntounto thee, I know what thou thinkeſt well enough, no man needeth to tell me thine heart▪ & therefore I will ſpeake ſomthing vntounto thee: Simon anſwereth, Lord, ſaye on. Brethren, ſtriue to preſent holie thoughts before GOD: thinke it not enough to keepe thine hand holie, thy tongue from blaſphemie, but keepe an holy heart vntounto the LORD: begin not to play the counterfeit, to ſpeak holily, and to hauehave a faire ſhewe outwardly, and then to keepe a foule heart: and if an euill thought eſcape thee (as who will not hauehave a thouſand euill thoughts?) if a blaſphemie againſt GOD eſcape thee, (as who blaſphemeth not God in their heart as well as the Phariſie?) bee ſorrowfull for it, away with it, let it not tarie, but ſay as Paule ſaieth, Rom. 7. 17. It is not I, that doeth it, but the corruption of my nature which remaineth within mee. Renounce that foule birth, and take it neuer vntounto thee: and this is that battell which we ſhould hauehave night & day, to get that vile canker and corruption which vttereth it ſelfe ſo violently againſt that inuiolable Majeſtie, repreſſed and put away.
Now when He hath thus ſpoken, He beginneth to let Simon ſee, that that ſame very woman, of whom hee counted ſo diſ…ainfully, was not ſo vile a woman as he thought: as though He would ſay, Simon, thou thinkeſt there is not ſo vile a ſinner in the world, as ſhe is: but I ſ…y vntounto thee, ſhee is not ſo ſinfull, I hauehave cleanſed her I hauehave giuen her remiſſion of all her ſinnes: (Who dare call a ſinner foule, that the Lord hath called cleane?) dareſt thou call a penitent ſinner foule, who hath waſhen my feere with teares, and repenteth vnfainedly? Then ſubſuming He ſaith, This woman repenteth vnfainedly, and teſtifieth her repentance in louing me ſo exceedingly: Therefore He concludeth, All her ſinnes are forgiuen her: Therefore Simon, diſdaine her not, no more than I doe.
But to conſider more narrowly, firſt the ground of the propoſition: then the aſſumption: laſt, that joyfull concluſion. The ground of his reaſon is this, To whome a great debt is forgiuen, that perſon will louelove exceedingly. To make vsus to vnderſtand this the better, Hee bringeth in a familiar example, a parable, There was a certaine lender, who had two debters: the one ought fiue hundreth pence, and the other fiftie: And when they had nothing to pay, hee forgaue them both: Which of them, therefore, tell mee, will louelove him most? Hee, ſaith Simon, to whome hee forgaue most. Well, ſaieth the Lord, then I take this propoſition out of thy mouth, Hee to whome much is forgiuen, he loueth exceedinglie, he loueth much: And certainly, if thou hauehave no ſenſe of debt, if thou thinkeſt in thine owne conceite, that thou oweſt nothing, I ſaye to thee, Thou loueſt not God, thou haſt no louelove towards Him. A wanton ſinner, that feales not the burthen of ſinne, hee hath no more louelove to God, nor to Chriſt, than a dogge hath: fie on thee dogge! fie on thee, that haſt not a ſenſe of ſinne: for thou haſt no louelove to God. Next againe, ſuppoſe thou hauehave a ſenſe of ſinne, & feeleſt ſome burthen therof, yet if thou but thinkeſt that thou haſt a pennie in thy purſe to paye GOD for thy debt, thou wilt neuer louelove thy God. And I ſaye to thee. I could neuer thinke in mine heart, that a Papiſt, a vaine lowne, who will boaſt of his merites, who glorieth in his owne workes, and thinketh hee can pay God for his redemption: I ſaye, I could neuer be perſwaded that ſuch a one could louelove the Lord. Next, except with the ſenſe of thy debt, thou find alſo a free remiſſiō of all thy debt, alas, thou canſt hauehave no louelove to GOD: feele thy ſinne, and thy pouerty, as much as thou wilt, if thou findeſt not a free remiſſion and pardon of all thy debt, thou wilt neuer louelove Him, but He is a terror vntounto thee ſo oft as thou thinkeſt of Him, and thou wouldeſt flee out of the world to eſcape His handes. Then thirdly, thou that feeleſt thy debt, and then feeleſt thine owne pouertie, that thou haſt not one pennie to giuegive Him: (ſuppoſe thou bee a King, all thy Kingdome will not ranſome thy ſoule: n…, ſell Heauen and the earth and all, they will not ranſom the ſoule of one creature, they will not fill vp one penny of the ſumme to ranſome the ſoule of one ſinner) and thē with the ſenſe of the pouertie, ſeeleth a free remiſſion, and heareth the Lord ſay, I forgiue thee all, I will hauehave none of thy ſiluer: but I forgiue thee all in the precious blood of my deare Sonne the Lord Ieſus: (there is the ranſome and I adjudge thee to damnation that ſeekeſt any other ranſome) then thou wilt louelove the Lord exceedingly. Theſe three things being felt, firſt with grones and ſobbes feeling the debt and burthen: Next, thy pouerty, and vnhabilitie to pay: and laſt, a free remiſſion and disburthening, that ſinner would beſtowe all his goods, and land, and life, and all that hee hath for the louelove that hee beareth to the LORD IESVS: thine heart will be ſweetly looſed with a louelove to ye Lord. Who is able to expreſſe that louelove and that vnſpeakeable joye, that will bee in the heart of a ſinner, that feeleth the remiſſion of his ſinnes.
Brethren, There is yet more than this in the compariſon: Hee to whome little is forgiuen, hee will louelove little: and hee to whome much is forgiuen, will louelove much. Hee or ſhee that will come in, and confeſſe their ſinnes, but will in the meane time extenuate it, and ſaye, it is but a little ſinne, it is but a veniall ſinne, and manie one hath done twiſe as much: that bodie, I ſaye, that will extenuate ſinne, although it were but an euill thought againſt that inuiolable Majeſtie, I knowe not whether ſuch an one hath gotten remiſſion of their ſinnes or not: and ſuppoſing they hauehave gotten remiſsion of it, yet it will bee but a little louelove that they will hauehave vntounto the Lord.
But hee or ſhee that will come in, and aggreadge their ſinne, though it were but a thought againſt that Majeſtie, for thou art neuer able to aggreadge it enough, and if thou find a remiſsion of thy ſinne, then no man can thinke how heartily that bodie will louelove the LORD: for if once thou getteſt grace to repent, and to louelove GOD, thou mayeſt bee aſſured, that thy ſinnes, though they were neuer ſo great, neuer ſo weighty, and many in number, ſhall neuer hinder thee of grace and merciemercy. And then againe I ſay to thee, the greateſt ſinner, yt counteth moſt of their ſins, once feeling ye remiſſion of their ſinnes, euer the greater louer. Paul, an oppreſſor, a perſecuter, blaſphemer, a wrongfull man, once feeling the louelove of the Lord, forgiuing him, O! how exceedingly loued he the Lord! A penitent ſinner ſhall farre ſurpaſſe them in louelove that hauehave not ſinned halſe ſo much: the world ſhall admire at him for his louelove, he ſhall be a miracle to all them that beholde him.
Now I proceed forward. The Phariſie can judge well enough of this generall, that hee that hath moſt forgiuen him, loueth moſt, and that louelove is the effect of remiſſion of ſinnes: (Well art thou that loueſt the Lord, for be aſſured that the Lord loueth thee, and hath forgiuen thee thy ſinnes:) But when it commeth to the aſſumption, that that poore woman, that ſinful woman, loued the Lord, there hee erreth. Beholde, Brethren, the light of nature, and the blindneſſe of nature: by nature wee will know the generall well enough: ſuppoſe thou haddeſt no more but that light of nature, thou wilt confeſſe that a murtherer ſhould die the death: But if thou come to the particular, O! but thou art a murtherer, thou haſt a bloodie heart, a bloodie hand, and thou art all bloodie: Will anie man ſuffer that? No, no, and therefore he will hold off this concluſion, Therefore thou ſhouldeſt die the death, and be takē to the place of execution, and there loſe thine head. And would to God that our bloodie men (whether they bee Noblemen, lordes, Earles, Barons, or others) had bene headed long ſince: for it is a maruell that plague ſolloweth not after plague continually, till this land bee purged of this blood that cryeth continually in the ſtreetes. So the Phariſie could not belieue the particular, that euer the poore ſinner coulde get merciemercy, hee was ſo hard a cenſurer of the poore woman. But I count it nothing worth, to judge vprightly in generall, except alſo thou judge vprightly in particular. The Iudges of the Land they will judge vprightly in generall: but come to the particular, to kinsfolkes, friendes, and alliances, this man, or that man with his bud, O, there there the judgement is peruerted. Well is the Iudge that judgeth vprightly in particular: for a Turke may judge vprightly in generall: and woe is thee that judgeſt not vprightly in particular.
Now to come to the other part of the reaſon, The Lord turneth Him to the poore woman, and the more the Phariſie findeth fault with the Lord, the more the Lord turneth Him toward her, and ſaieth, I ſay to thee, Simon, that this woman loueth mee more a thouſand times, than euer thou diddeſt. If thou withholdeſt grace from a ſinner, then in deſpite of thy teeth, the Lord will heape grace vponupon him. The aſſumption is this, This woman loneth me exceedingly: then the concluſion will follow in the owne roome. Therefore this woman certainly hath all her ſinnes forgiuē her. Then He declareth the aſſumption by waye of compariſon with the Phariſie, Thou calledst me to dinner, ſaith hee, but this woman loued me better than thou doeſt. I entered into thine houſe, and thou gaueſt mee no water to my feat, after the faſhiō of the countrey: but ſhe hath waſhed my feet with teares: looke if this be a token of louelove: then againe, Thou gaueſt me no kiſſe, after ye faſhion of the countrey, but ſhe, ſince the time I came in, hath not ceaſed to kiſſe my feete. Then, Mine head with oyle thou didſt not anoint: but ſhee hath anointed my feete with ointment: therefore, ſhee loueth me better than thou.
Nowe the Phariſie coulde not diſcerne of the penitent ſinner: but the Lord letteth him ſee, that Hee can diſcerne betwixt an hypocrite & a true penitent ſinner, there Hee hath payed him in his owne hand. And the Lord letteth vsus ſee, that He taketh heede, and ſhall take heede to the ende of the worlde, to the leaſt thing that thou doeſt for His cauſe to anie of His. Who wuld hauehave thought that the Lord woulde hauehave taken heede to this? The Lord will take heede who giueth Him water to waſhe His feete, which is but a ſober office. The LORD will take heede who will ſtoupe downe and giuegive Him a kiſſe, and waſhe His feete▪ with teares. The LORD will take heede who will beſtowe common oyle to anoint Him with, or who will beſtowe precious ointment on Him: and in the Great daye, when all ſecretes ſhall bee reuealed, (looke if Hee tooke heede what wee were doing in the worlde) Matth. Chapter 25. verſe 34, Hee will ſaye, Thou gaueſt Mee nothing when I was heere in the worlde, thou viſitedst Mee not: and hee will point out, place, time, and all the circumſtances vntounto thee.
Then, Brethren, if the LORD taketh ſo good heede what wee doe, vvell is the ſoule that giueth but a piece of bread to an hungrie bodie for CHRISTES ſake, or a coate to a naked bodie for His ſake. And therefore, euer hauehave Him before thine eyes, and ſaye, LORD, I giuegive this to Thee, that Thou mayeſt not ſay to me when Thou commeſt to judge the worlde, Thou gauest Mee nothing.
Nowe, I heare there is a great pouertie and famine in this Land, and woe vntounto them that are the inſtrumentes of hunger: Let vsus bee ſo farre from this, to bee the cauſes thereof, that on the contrarie, wee may pintch our ſelues, that wee may ſpare vponupon the needie: for I ſee the LORD will trie our liberalitie: Therefore, let vsus ſpare vponupon the poore in this Land, that wee maye heare of the LORD in that Great daye, Come yee bleſſed of My Father, for yee gaue Mee meate, and yee gaue Mee drinke in this worlde. And further, wee ſee heere, the tryall of an hypocrite. Howe ſhalt thou knowe an hypocrite? The LORD layeth downe the rule: Yee ſhall knowe them by their fruites, Matth. 7. 16. Yee ſhal know by their doings: an hypocrit hath many fair words: & I doubt not but this Phariſie, whē he inuited the Lord to dinner, had many faire words, but there ſhall be little doing, at the leaſt hee ſhall neuer doe anie thing heartily. Where is this Phariſies humilitie? Hee offereth not to waſh the Lordes feete, who was euer traueiling and journeying, nor to kiſſe the Lord when He entered into his houſe, after the faſhion of the countrey, nor ſhewed none heartſomeneſſe towards the Lord. An hypocrite can neuer doe any thing heartily, neither to God nor man. Then wouldeſt thou know a true Chriſtian man or woman? Yee heare neuer a word out of her mouth, all this time that ſhe is waſhing the Lordes feete with teares, kiſſing them, anointing them with ointment: So a true Chriſtian hath few wordes, but many deedes. One good deede, is worth ten words. And when thou ſpeakeſt, looke that thy wordes bee heartie, and ſauour of louelove. Looke that thou bleſſe not with thy mouth, and curſe with thine heart: & whatſoeuer thou doeſt, doe it heartily, and though thou were but preſenting a cuppe full of colde water to a poore bodie, do it heartily, & then the Lord ſhall count wel of it, though it were neuer ſo litle. Looke what ſentence the Lord giueth out concerning ye poore woman that preſented two mites, Hee ſaieth, ſhee gaue more, than they all did, Luke 21. 3. Whatſoeuer thou doeſt, doe it for the louelove of the LORD, ſtill waiting for that day wherein the LORD ſhall reward thee. It is true indeede, that hee who hath anie diſcretion, will diſcerne the heart by the verie deede of the hand: And hee or ſhee, that hath any heartſomneſſe inwardly, it will be manifeſt and vttered in the verie deede of the hand outwardlie. But ſtand thou not vponupon the ſight of any man in the world: But ſay, Lord, thou ſeeſt the heart, thou ſeeſt with what heartineſſe I doe this: And whatſoeuer thou doeſt, ſtriue euer to do it with heartſomneſſe, for Ieſus Chriſtes ſake: ſo in doing thou ſhalt hauehave joye. No man can doe any thing heartilie or joyfullie, but they who hauehave their eyes vponupon the Lord.
Ye hauehave heard the propoſition, & the aſſumption alſo: now He commeth to the concluſion: and He concludeth as it were in the teeth of the Phariſie, Therefore her ſinnes are forgiuen her. Not that this louelove is the cauſe of the remiſſion of her ſinnes, but as a ſure argument and teſtimonie of her faith. Her louelove toward Chriſt preceeded not, nor went before the aſſurance of the remiſſion of her ſinnes: but it followed as a true token. So it is an argument not from the cauſe, but from the effect, that teſtifieth aſſuredly, that the cauſe is, and hath proceeded: that is, that ſhee hath faith in Ieſus Chriſt.
Howbeit the Papiſtes abuſe this place, gathering heere, that the louelove which this woman caried to Ieſus, was the cauſe of the remiſſion of her ſins: But I leaue them to their owne vanitie.
Now, Brethren, after the example of this Phariſie, I ſhall neuer judge euill, nor be a ſharpe cenſurer of a penitent ſinner: for the poore ſinner that beleeueth once in Ieſus Chriſt, and repenteth, and taketh purpoſe of amendement, (for faith and repentance goe euer together) a ſinner that beleeueth in Ieſus Chriſt, will repent, and hate and deteſt ſinne to the death, wherewith hee hath offended God: for when hee hath once taſted of mercy, then will hee ſaye, Alas, that I hauehave offended ſo louing and ſo mercifull a Father: for after that hee hath once gotten a ſenſe of the infinite merciemercy of GOD, all his diſpleaſure will bee, that euer hee hath offended ſo louing and ſo mercifull a Father: I ſaye, ſuch a ſinner maye bee aſſured of forgiueneſſe.
Nowe marke the Lordes anſwere to the Phariſie: He ſaith not, howbeit ſhee be a ſinner, yet ſhee is penitent, and loueth mee: but Hee ſaieth, ſhee is no ſinner, all her ſinnes are taken awaye: for except all her ſinnes had beene taken away and purged by Him, it is moſt true yt the Phariſie thought, to wit, the LORD would not hauehave ſuffered her to hauehave touched Him, Hee would not hauehave receiued the kiſſes of her mouth, nor the teares of her eyes: No, the LORD IESVS that Holie One, (if thou bee not made as vvhite as the ſnowe, and all thy ſinnes bee not purged) Hee vvill not ſuffer thee once to touch Him, nor to kiſſe His feete.
It is a vvonderfull thing to ſee ſuch a ſuddaine change in an inſtant, that ſo vile and ſo vncleane a bodie, ſhoulde bee ſo pure and ſo cleane. Howbeit the bodie vvere as redde as the blood, and as the Scarlet, as the Prophet Eſay ſaieth, in the firſt Chapter of his Propheſie, and the 18. verſe, yet ſuddainlie Hee vvill make it as vvhite as the ſnowe, and the vvooll. Indeede it is true, thou wilt neuer bee purged from the remainentes of ſinne, ſo long as thou art in this life: but yet notwithſtanding, if thou put on that righteouſneſſe of Ieſus Chriſt by faith, God ſhall count thee as clean as a glorious Angell in His ſight.
Nowe vvhen Hee hath ended the ſpeech to the Phariſie, at the laſt Hee ſpeaketh to the vvoman, not thinking it enough to ſpeake in her hearing vntounto the Phariſie: but to the greater joye and conſolation of the poore vvoman, Hee ſpeaketh to herſelfe. Thou vvill runne in and out, hither and thither, to gette a vvorde of the king: and vvhy not? if ſo thy neceſsitie require: but ſtriue to get a vvord out of the mouth of IESVS. Kings manie times vvill giuegive thee flattering vvordes, but the LORD when Hee ſpeaketh vntounto thee, Hee vvill ſpeake in trueth, and vvith vvonderfull louelove, vvhen Hee ſaieth to thee, Thy ſinnes are forgiuen thee, thy ſinnes are forgiuen thee indeede: for the vvord of the Lord hath an operation vvith it, for if He once call thee an Holie One, thou wilt be ſo indeede. The worde of the Lord worketh in thee the thing that Hee ſpeaketh moſt powerfullie: for Hee calleth theſe thinges that are not, and by calling Hee maketh them to bee. So the Lord filleth her heart with joy, her heart no queſtiō began to find joy whē ſhe was ſpeaking to ye phariſie. Nowe Hee filleth vp her joye, for the fulneſſe of joye is not gotten in an inſtant, all joye is in the face of Ieſus Chriſt. Thinke yee not, but this woman, when ſhe heard this word, conceiued an vnſpeakeable joye in her heart? And I ſay vntounto euerie one of you, who as penitent ſinners will bewaile your ſinnes, and mourne for offending of GOD, and will purpoſe to waſh the feete of IESVS with teares, and wipe His feete with your haire, as the Lord hath giuen mee commiſsion to ſpeake, Repenteſt thou ſinner of thy ſinnes? Thinkeſt thou to amende thy life? Deteſteſt thou thy ſinnes? Beleeueſt thou aſſuredly? Loueſt thou the Lord? I ſay to thee▪ Thy ſinnes are forgiuen thee in the blood of that ſame Ieſus whom thou loueſt ſo well.
Nowe a worde, and ſo I ſhall ende. When Hee hath ſpoken thus comfortably to the woman, the Phariſic beginneth againe to interrupt and to impede Him if it had beene poſsible, to hinder the woman of her ſaluation. The reſt about the table ſcorneth Him, What is hee this, (quod they) that taketh vponupon him to forgiue ſins? He taketh too much vponupon him, more than he is able to performe: So as the Phariſie concluded before, that Hee was no Prophet, now they conclude that Hee was no Mediator.
Well, Brethren, the worke of our ſaluation hath many impedimentes. Wilt thou ſeeke ſaluation? ſeek grace & merciemercy: then think not to come ſleeping to grace, for I ſay to thee, ere thou wanteſt a ſtoppe to hinder thee from grace, from remiſsion of ſinnes, thine owne heart, by the ſuggeſtion of the deuill, ſhall ſtand vp in thy teeth, and blaſpheme, (as the Phariſie did firſt, and as the reſt at the table did thereafter) and all to hinder the worke of thy ſaluation. But ſee the ende. Stayeth the Lord for all this? Re…raiteth He His ſentence againe, and ſaieth, thy ſinnes are not forgiuē thee? No, no, the Lords concluſion is paſt: if Hee ſay it once to thine heart, and if He giuegive once that perſwaſion in thine heart, ſo that thou mayeſt ſaye, Lord, be bleſſed, my ſinnes are forgiuen me: happy art thou, they ſhalbe forgiuen thee: the Lord ſhall double it within thee: ſo Hee ſpeaketh to the woman as He would ſay, Let them ſpeake what they wil, thou art in Heauen, thy ſins are forgiuē thee, goe in peace. There is no peace but the peace of the Lord, comming from the remiſsion of ſinnes. Crie peace as thou wilt, but if thou goe not in the peace of the Lord, thou g…eſt not in peace▪ but in warre: the Lord is at warre with thee: and albeit thou getteſt the Kinges peace, and all the worldes peace, yet if thou getteſt not the LORDS peace, thou haſt no peace at all: ſo wel is him that hath His peace for they only may goe in joy, that may ſay, Now Lord, I am at peace with Thee, thou haſt forgiuen me my ſinnes: And if thou canſt ſay this truely, thou ſhalt hauehave ſuch a joy in thy ſoule, as all the Kings in the world cannot giuegive thee, nor all outward comforts and pleaſures affoord thee.
Nowe the LORD giuegive vsus this peace, and a blincke of that joye in the heart, through the remiſsion of our ſinnes: for then one day wee ſhall ſee the accompliſhment of it to our euerlaſting joye and ſaluation in IESVS CHRIST: To whom, with the FATHER, and the Holie SPIRIT, bee all Honour, Praiſe, Glorie, Power, and Dominion, both now and euermore, worlde without ende, So bee it.