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CHAP. VII.

when she knew that Jefus
fat at meat in the Pharifee's
houfe, brought an alabafter
box of ointment,

38 And stood at his feet
behind him weeping, and be-
gan to wash his feet with tears,
and did wipe them with the
hairs of her head, and kissed
his feet, and anointed them
with the ointment.

39 Now when the Pharifee which had bidden him, faw it, he spake within himself, faying, This man,' if he were a prophet, would have known who, and what manner of woman this is, that toucheth him: for fhe is a finner.

40 And Jefus answering, faid unto him, Simon, I have fomewhat to say unto thee. And he faith, Mafter, fay on.

41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one qught five hundred pence, and the other fifty.

42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me

Јони.

preaching of Jefus, hearing that he was invited to the Banquet, took a Box of Ointment, and went with it to the Pharifee's Houfe; and entring the Room where the Feaft was ferv'd up, the ftood at Jefus's back, and wept fo violently, that her Tears run down upon his Feet, which the wip'd with the Hair of her Head, and kiffed, and anointed with the Ointment she had brought with her.

The Pharifee obferving this, thought within himfelf, that if Jefus were a Prophet, he would have known the Quality of the Woman, and therefore would not have permitted her fo much as to touch him, left any might take occafion from thence to defame him. But Jefus not unacquainted with the Pharifee's Reflection, thus addreffed himself to him: I have one Queftion, faid he, to put to thee. Simon told him he was ready to hear and answer it. Then faid Jefus, A certain man had two Debtors,to the one of whom he had lent 500 pieces of Mony,to the other 50: Neither of 'em being in a condition to difcharge their feveral Debts, he frankly forgave them Y both.

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CHA P.. VII.

therefore, which of them.
will love him most?

43 Simon anfwered and
faid, I fuppofe that he to
whom he forgave moft. And
he faid unto him, Thou haft
rightly judged.

44 And he turned to the woman, and faid unto Simon, Seeft thou this woman? I entred into thine house, thou gaveft me no water for my feet: but the hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.

45 Thou gavest me no kifs: but this woman, fince the time I came in, hath not ceafed to kiss my feet.

46 Mine head with oyl thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment...

Тони.

both. Now the Queftion that I ask thee is, Which of the two, thinkeft thou, will have the greatest fenfe of the Favour beftow'd upon them? Simon told him, that in all likelihood he who was discharg'd from the greatest Debt would make the moft grateful acknowledgment of the Kindness of his Benefactor; at least, the difference between the Benefits feems to fuppofe a proportionable Return of Gratitude.

Jefus approv❜d of his Answer, and turning himself towards the Woman, Do you fee this Woman, faid he? Now behold an inftance of the very cafe I propounded to thee. You, who do not think your felf under any great obligation to me, have received me no otherwife than men generally receive a common Acquaintance, or one to whom they think themselves not much, if any thing at all indebted; but. this Woman, who looks upon her felf as under an extraordinary Obligation to me for having been converted by my means, hath given this extraordinary demonftration of her Gratitude. When I came into your Houfe, I had not that common Civility fhewn me as the offer of Water to wash my Feet with, but he has bath'd 'em with her Tears, and wip'd 'em with the Hair of her Head. Thou fcarce falutedft me when I came into thy Houfe, but the hath not ceased to kiss my Feet. Thou gavest me not fo much as common Oil to anoint my Head with, and fhe hath anointed. my Feet with coftly Ointment. The height of her Gratitude arifes from the

Forgive

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Forgiveness of her repeated Sins; but he who has receiv'd pardon but of a few or leffer Faults, is feldom found to be fo zealous in his Acknowledgment.

These were the Reasons that prevail'd with Jefus to fuffer her to wash and anoint his Feet; and for a Reward and Encouragement of her Piety, Jefus further told her, her Sins were pardon'd. Which when the Guefts heard, they wonder'd by what Authority Jefus pardon'd Sins, which feem'd to belong to God only.. Jefus, tho he knew the Reflections they made upon it, turning himself to the Woman, difmifs'd her in these words: The Trust thou hadft in me as one fent by God, has been falutary to thee; go thy way, and be affur'd of thy Felicity.

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The preaching of the Gospel, and the Miracles of Chrift vindicated in oppofition to the Calumnies of the Pharifees. He refuses to perform any Miracle before them, and refers them to that of his Refurrection: He upbraids them with their Obftinacy, and acquaints the People who they are he looks upon as related to him.

ESUS afterwards continued his Progrefs_thro Judea, and according to his ufual Cuftom publish'd his Gospel in every Town and Village, being conftantly attended by the twelve Apoftles he had lately made choice of. Moreover, he was accompanied by feveral Women, on whom he had wrought his Miracles by curing them of their Diftempers, and cafting the evil Spirit out of them. The most eminent among these were Mary firnamd Magdalene, out of whom Jesus had caft feven Damons; Joanna the Wife of Chuz an Officer of Herod Antipas Tetrarch of Galilee, Sufanna, and many others whofe Names I omit. Thefe fupplied Jesus and his Difciples with all things neceffary, and aflifted them in the publishing of the Gospel.

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While he was thus imploy'd in promulging his Gofpel, there was brought unto him a certain man fo grievoufly tormented with an evil Spirit, that he was thereby, depriv'd of the ufe both of his Eyes and Tongue, whom Jefus cur'd immediately, and perfectly reftor'd to his Sight and Speech. The whole Multitude that. had been Eye-witneffes of the Miracle, ftood amaz'd at it, and for this reafon fufpected him to be that King that was to be defcended of the Family of David, and whom the Jews were now in expectation of: but fome of the Pharifees and Doctors of the Law, who were arriv'd from Jerufalem, told them that fefus did. not caft out the evil Spirits by the divine Power, but by the affiftance of Beelzebub Chief of thofe evil Spirits; that he was himfelf. poffefs'd by that.Demon, and. acted by his Authority.

When Jefus understood this Calumny had been divulg'd by them, tho he him-2 felf had not heard them, he confuted it with thefe Similitudes. If, faid he, a Kingdom,

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