the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My 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; for she loved much; but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. And they that sat at meat with him, began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?" There was no one among them who could answer this question. There was no one to argue-(as we might suppose that many would have been ready to argue) Surely he who hath power to raise the dead, doth not overstep his authority, when he pronounces forgiveness of sins. And surely one who can thus create anew both the natural and moral man, by his own word and not by any delegated authority, must needs be that Messiah of whom both Moses and the prophets did speak-that Messiah appearing indeed not as we have been accustomed to expect him, in all the pomp

and grandeur of earthly sovereignty-but with the far more exalted symbols of spiritual dominion and supremacy.'Alas! there was not one found among them to reason after a manner which must appear to us so plain and conclusive. Taking no notice therefore of a question which their own reason should have enabled them to answer, our Saviour again addresses the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee-go in peace."

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It is scarcely possible, but that the mere perusal of this passage must have suggested the universal applicability of the lesson taught by it, and of the consolation to be derived from it. If there be among us any conscience-stricken sinner, --(and I trust, my brethren, that there are many such, for sinners we all are, but not all it is to be hoped so confirmed in sin, as to be dead to a painful sense of it)— if there be any who know the miseries of a wounded spirit, whose hearts are disquieted within them by the remembrance of past transgression, and the acknowledgment of present infirmity, and whose

souls consequently are athirst for the God of comfort and consolation, and yearn to come into his presence for pardon and peace-if there be any such here assembled, they will not consider it a sight in which they can have no interest, when they behold this woman of the city which was a sinner, standing behind the couch whereon our Lord was reclining, and bending over his feet, to wipe from them with the hairs of her head, the streams of penitence with which she had washed them. They will not think it a matter in which they can have no interest, when they perceive that Christ hath somewhat to say, by way of comment on her behaviour. And last of all, when they hear the gracious words with which the scene concludes, "Thy sins are forgiven"-" thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace ;"they will be ready to cry out, "of whom speaketh the prophet these things ?”—of this woman only? or even of us, and of all mourning penitents?

If we would apply the passage then to our own edification, if we would learn

from it, how we may best come into the presence of him, who when he took upon him to forgive sins, assumed a power which has been, is, and ever will be his own exclusive privilege-let us endeavour to ascertain what were the particular features in the conduct of this woman of the city, which obtained the favour and forgiveness of Christ. It is at once evident that she was saved by repentance and faith and besides the success which crowned her application, there are some peculiarities in the story, from which we may gather that the former was sincere, and the latter unhesitating.

That repentance must needs have been sincere, which could bring the penitent even into the presence of a Pharisee for its avowal. The conduct of this entire sect was influenced by the odious spirit which prompts a man to say, "Stand by thyself-come not near to me, for I am holier than thou". There was among them none of that genuine charity which

rejoiceth not in iniquity-and thinketh no evil, but "hopeth all things." They pretended to show their detestation of sin, by a real and pitiless abhorrence of the sinner. From them "the bruised reed" could look for no support; by them the "smoking flax" was sure to be quenched, They were more likely to "make those sad, whom the Lord had not made sad1," than to bind up the broken-hearted, and heal the distresses of the contrite. coming into the presence of a Pharisee, therefore, this notorious sinner must have known that she should meet with obloquy, contempt, and insult.-Yet she came.

In

And is this no proof of sincerity ?—Can sincerity be tried by any severer tests ?— My brethren, ask your own hearts. Has it never happened to any of us, to find our first leanings towards repentance, checked and stayed solely by the dread of these very things?-In that class of offences particularly, in which acknowledgment and restitution must be made

'Ezekiel xiii. 22.