prophet, would have known who, and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him,-for she is a sinner.' (Ver. 40.) This was the test with Simon. Holy people, as he supposed, would have no intercourse with the unholy, not so much even as to be touched by them. Jesus did not drive this sinner from his presence with indignation; he perinitted her to wash and anoint his feet, and this was sufficient to convince Simon, that he was not a prophet, but a vile impostor. These were his secret musings, and conclusions. Jesus knowing his thoughts, said, (ver. 40,) 'I have somewhat to say unto thee.' He rejoined, 'Mastér, say on;' and then Jesus spoke the parable before us. 'There was a certain creditor, which had two debtors : the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave

them both.'

It will now be perceived at once, that Jesus uttered this parable to justify his own conduct in relation to the woman, to produce in Simon the feeling of self-condemnation, and to show him, that although he thought this woman a very great sinner, and although she actually was a sinner, yet he was the greater sinner of the two. After showing that the creditor fully and frankly forgave both his debtors, Jesus asks Simon this question: Tell me, therefore, which will love him most.' (Ver. 42.) The case was so evident, that Simon could not but answer correctly, and just as Jesus intended he should answer→→ and in a manner, too, directly calculated to condemn himself-I suppose that he to whom he forgave most.' (Ver. 43.) To this Jesus says, 'Thou hast rightly judged,' and immediately proceeds to make the application. He contrasts the coldness with which Simon had received him, with the warmth of this woman's love; and love and gratitude being the essence of pure religion, he had made Simon acknowledge, in the case of the forgiven debtor, that as the woman had had more sins forgiven, and therefore loved more than he, so he, of course, was the greater sinner of the two. He said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thy house, thou gavest me no wa

ter for my feet.' Thou didst not receive me with customary civility. But she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss,' (the usual sign of welcome,) but this woman, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet. Mine head with oil thou didst not anoint, but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore, I say unto thee, her sins, which are many, are forgiven; therefore she loved much; but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.' (Vers. 44-47.) Here the case stood before Simon in such a form as would enable him to understand it. The parable was framed for his benefit, and intended to suit his views of himself. In his own estimation he had sinned little, and he was the debtor who owed fifty pence. The woman, as he thought, had sinned much, and she was the debtor who owed five hundred pence. To the question, Which would love most, when both were freely forgiven,—he answered, He to whom most was forgiven. This was the case of the woman, according to Simon's view of her; and therefore he himself had decided, that she loved more than he. Jesus pointed out to him, that this was really the case; and that the woman's conduct justified the conclusion. Simon answered not a word. He stood self-condemned and selfupbraided before Jesus.

I have followed the most eminent commentators in rendering the Greek word or, therefore. It makes much difference, in the sense, whether we say 'her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much;' or, "her sins, which are many, are forgiven, therefore she loved much. In the former case, we make the forgiveness to be the consequence of her love; and in the latter we make her love to be the consequence of forgiveness. Which is correct? Evidently the latter. For besides the testimonies of Bp. Pearce, A. Clarke, Kenrick, Campbell, and Hammond, the reasonings of Whitby and Lightfoot are entirely conclusive. Dr. Whitby well observes, Christ saith not, Her sins were forgiven because she loved much, but this ought to be a token to thee, that her sins, which

rendered her unworthy to touch me, have been forgiven; this great love to me being an indication of her deep sense of God's mercy to her in pardoning her many sins. And this do I, the prophet and Son of God, declare unto her. To this sense lead both the parable of the great debtor, to whom the Lord frankly had forgiven all, for he loved much because much had been forgiven, and the conclusion of it in these words, he that hath less forgiven, loveth less; whence it appears that or here cannot be causal or intimate that she was forgiven much because she loved much; but only consequential, denoting the effect, or indication of the forgiveness of her many sins. * Thus far Whitby. Lightfoot says, 'She had obtained remission of her sins before this action; and from thence came this action, not from this action her forgiveness.

'Otherwise the similitude our Saviour propounds about forgiving the debt, would not be to the purpose at all. The debt is not released because the debtor loves his creditor; but the debtor loves because his debt is forgiven him. Remission goes before, and love follows:

'Christ doth not say, she had washed my feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head, and anointed me with ointment, therefore her sins are forgiven; but, for this cause, I say unto thee, her sins are forgiven her. He tells Simon this that he might satisfy the murmuring Pharisee. 'Perhaps, Simon, thou wonderest within thyself, that since this hath been so lewd a woman, I should so much as suffer her to touch me; but I must tell thee that it is very evident, even from this obsequiousness of hers, and the good offices she hath done to me, that her sins are forgiven her: she could never have given these testimonies and fruits of her gratitude and devotion, if she had still remained in her guilt, and not been loosed from her sins.' †

The lesson here taught Simon is a humiliating lesson for every Pharisee, and one that they all ought to learn. People of this class can see sins in others, but they

* Com. on the Par.

+ Works, xii. 82, 83.

never can see any in themselves; and it is often necessary to present their characters, so that they shall not recognize them as their own, in order to procure from them a correct judgment thereon. When Nathan wished David to pass sentence on himself, he showed him his real character, as though it belonged to some other person; and David said immediately, The man that hath done this shall surely die. Simon decided, by the help of the parable, that the outrageous sinner, as he regarded the woman, had, in fact, more love to God than he, and acknowledged the justice of Jesus in receiving her to his presence, and forgiving her sins. Reader, let us really be on our guard, lest we imbibe the spirit of the Pharisees. If we are truly better than others, we shall love them, and pity them, and be grateful to God that he hath made us to differ; and we shall not claim a reward for this, but feel that the debt lies on us, a debt of gratitude-eternal gratitude; loveeternal love.

PARABLE OF THE UNFORGIVING SERVANT.

Matt. xviii. 23-34.

Therefore the kingdom of heaven is likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, which owed him a hundred pence; and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellow-servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not; but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me; Shouldst not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.'

THERE are certain references to Jewish law in the course of this parable, which will probably be the better understood by the common reader, if we attempt an illustration of them, before entering into an explanation of the parable itself.

In the first place let it be observed, that the Jews were in the habit of selling their children in slavery, and sometimes themselves and their wives, for the payment of their debts; and creditors had power to seize a Hebrew and his family, and make sale of them. (See Lev. xxv. 39, 47; 2 Kings iv. 1; Neh. v. 4-8; Isaiah 1. 1.) This slavery was not perpetual, like that of the unhappy Africans in our own country; for the Jews made a wide distinction between their slaves, those who were Hebrews