say unto thee." "Say what you please," quod the Pharisee. Then said
Christ, "I pray thee, tell me this: If there be a man to whom is owing
twenty pound by one, and forty by another, this man to whom this money is
owing, perceiving these two men be not able to pay him, he forgiveth them
both: which of these two debtors ought to love this man most?" The
Pharisee said, "That man ought to love him best, that had most forgiven
him." "Likewise," said Christ, "it is by this woman: she hath loved me
most, therefore most is forgiven her; she hath known her sins most,
whereby she hath most loved me. And thou hast least loved me, because
thou hast least known thy sins: therefore, because thou hast least known
thine offences, thou art least forgiven." So this proud Pharisee had an
answer to delay his pride. And think you not, but that there be amongst
us a great number of these proud Pharisees, which think themselves worthy
to bid Christ to dinner; which will perk, and presume to sit by Christ in
the church, and have a disdain of this poor woman Magdalene, their poor
neighbour, with a high, disdainous, and solemn countenance? And being
always desirous to climb highest in the church, reckoning themselves more
worthy to sit there than another, I fear me poor Magdalene under the
board, and in the belfry, hath more forgiven of Christ than they have:
for it is like that those Pharisees do less know themselves and their
offences, whereby they less love God, and so they be less forgiven.

I would to God we would follow this example, and be like unto Magdalene.
I doubt not but we be all Magdalenes in falling into sin and in
offending: but we be not again Magdalenes in knowing ourselves, and in
rising from sin. If we be the true Magdalenes, we should be as willing
to forsake our sin and rise from sin, as we were willing to commit sin
and to continue in it; and we then should know ourselves best, and make
more perfect answer than ever we did unto this question, "Who art thou?"
to the which we might answer, that we be true christian men and women: