The Parable of the Wicked Mammon

But she hath anointed my feet with costly and precious ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, many since are forgiven her for she loved much. To whom less is forgiven, the same doth love less and here by see we that deeds and works are but outward signs of the inward grace of the bounteous and plenteous mercy of God freely received, with out all merits or deeds, yea and before all deeds. Christ teacheth to know the in ward faith and love, by the outward deeds. Deeds are the fruits of love, and love is the fruit of faith. Love & also the deeds are great or small according to the proportion of faith. Where faith is mighty and strong, there is love fervent and deeds plenteous, & done with exceeding meekness: Where faith is weak, there is love cold and the deeds few and faydeth as flores and blossoms in winter. Simon ⟨image 16⟩believed and had faith, yet but weakly, and according to the proportion of his faith loved coldly, and had deeds thereafter he bade Christ unto a simple and a bare feast only, and received him not with any great humanity. But Mary had a strong faith, and therefore burn ning love, and notable deeds done with exceeding profound and deep meekness. On the one side she saw herself clearly in the law, both in what danger she was, and her cruel bondage under sin her horrible damnation and also the fearful sentence and judgement of God upon sinners. ¶ On the other side she heard the Gospel of Christ preached, and in the promises she saw with Eagles eyes the exceeding abundant mercy of God, that paseth all utterance of speech, which is set forth in Christ for all meek sinners. Which knowledge their since And she believed the word of God mightily and glorified God over his mercy and trueth, and being overcome & over whelmed with the unspeakable, yea and incomprehensible abundant riches of the kindness of God, did inflame and burn in love, yea was so swollen in love, that she could not abide nor hold, but must break out, and was so drunken in love that she regarded nothing, but even to utter the fervent and burning love of her ⟨image 16⟩heart only. She had no respect to her self, though she was never so great and notable a sinner, neither to the curious bypocrisie of the pharisees which ever disdain weak sinners, nether to the costliness of her ointment but with all humbleness did run unto his feet.

But she hath annoynted my fete with costlye and preciouse oyntement. Wherfore I saye vnto the, many synnes are forgeuen her for she loued much. To whō lesse is forgeuen, the same doth loue lesse and here by se we that deades and workes are but outwarde sygnes of the inwarde grace of the bounteous and plenteous mercy of God frely receyued, with out all merytes or dedes, yea and before all dedes. Christ teacheth to knowe the in warde fayth and loue, by the outwarde dedes. Dedes are the fruites of loue, and loue is the fruit of fayth. Loue & also the dedes are greate or smal accordinge to the proporciō of fayth. Wher faith is mighty and stronge, ther is loue feruent and dedes plenteous, & done with exceadynge mekenes: Where fayth is weake, ther is loue clode and the dedes few and faydeth as flores and blossomes in wynter. Symon