finds Jesus sat at dinner. So she gets behind him, and weeps, and
drops her tears upon his feet like rain, and washes them, and wipes
them with the hair of her head. She also kissed his feet with her
lips, and anointed them with ointment. When Simon the Pharisee
perceived what the woman did, and being ignorant of what it was to be
forgiven much (for he never was forgiven more than fifty pence), he
began to think within himself, that he had been mistaken about Jesus
Christ, because he suffered such a sinner as this woman was, to touch
him. Surely, quoth he, this man, if he were a prophet, would not let
this woman come near him, for she is a town-sinner (so ignorant are
all self-righteous men of the way of Christ with sinners.) But lest
Mary should be discouraged with some clownish carriage of this
Pharisee and so desert her good beginnings, and her new steps which
she now had begun to take towards eternal life, Jesus began thus with
Simon. "Simon," saith he, "I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he
saith, Master, say on. There was," said Jesus, a certain creditor
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. Tell me therefore which of them will love him most? Simon
answered and said, I suppose that he to whom he forgave most. And he
said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. And he turned to the woman,
and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thy
house, thou gavest me no water for my feet; but she hath washed my
feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou
gavest me no kiss: but this woman, since 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;" Luke vii. 36-50.