An answer to a certain book, writtenAn answere to a certeine booke, written

For our saviour Christ showeth the cause of her so great love to be the forgiveness of the great and many sins. They to whom little is forgiven, love a little: they to whom much is forgiven, love much. She had much forgiven, therefore she loved much. And this the Fathers also acknowledge to be the true and natural seuse of the place, although you abuse their names to the contrary. S. Gregory as he is also by Thomas alleged,¹ writeth thus, The debt being forgiven to both, the Pharisee is demanded who should more love him that forgave the debt. ⟨p. 353⟩You see that Gregory expoundeth this of the love that followed the forgiveness of the debt. And so likewise Saint Ambrose upon this place,² Because (saith he) there is nothing which we can worthily render unto God, woe be unto me, if I love not. I dare say Peter rendered not, and therefore he loved more, &c. Let us therefore render love for debt, charity for reward, thanks for the prise of his blood. Thus Saint Ambrose plainly she weth, that this love in that woman did spring from remission of her sins,³ as it must in us also proceed from the same fountain. I could also put you in mind what Canus a schoolman of yours hath written of this place clean overthrowing your opinion, as if he had of purpose devised a shift for you. Notwithstanding that the fathers sometime write, our sins are washed a way by tears of repentance, I grant: whereby they mean no other thing, but that by our earnest sorrow and repentance we receive a sure testimony to our souls of the remission of our sins. Your discourse about Musculus exposition I pretermit, with all your monstrous reproaches, & blasphemies of Lucianical only faith, &c. except the devil him self stood by them, ⟨p. 354⟩and suggested to them such construction, &c. fitter for you to utter, then me to rehearse or answer.⁴

For our sauiour Christ sheweth the cause of hir so great loue to be the forgiuenes of the great and manie sinnes. They to whome litle is forgiuen, loue a litle: they to whome much is forgiuen, loue much. She had much forgiuen, therefore she loued much. And this the Fathers also acknowledge to be the true and naturall seuse of the place, although you abuse their names to the contrarie. S. Gregorie as he is also by Thomas alledged,