Page:Illustrations of the Holy Word.pdf/44

35 feet with ointment. (Luke vii. 44, 45, 46.) He meant to point out the striking difference between a mere speculative faith, which is without the affection of heavenly good of love and charity, and a genuine evangelical faith, which is ever united with that affection. For He plainly declares, that the former faith effects no purification of the natural man, signified by giving no water for the feet; neither hath it any conjunction of love with Jesus Christ, signified by giving Him no kiss; neither doth it open a communication of the internal man with the good of the Divine Love and charity, signified by not anointing the head of Jesus Christ: whereas, the latter faith, it is declared, operates both to the purification of the natural man, and its conjunction of love with Jesus Christ, and its communication with the good of the Divine Love and charity, signified by washing the feet of Jesus Christ with tears, by kissing them, and anointing them with ointment. May this difference ever be attended to in the church! and, for this purpose, may the divine question be considerately weighed, Simon, seest thou this woman?

102. It is written in Amos, (iii. 7,) Surely the will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets; from which words it is manifest that the Lord, in His most adorable mercy, is ever disposed to make known all His divine operations unto mankind, and that the writings of the prophets contain a history of those operations. It is manifest, also, that at all times the Almighty must needs have His prophets on the earth, to whom He revealeth His secret, since we are compelled to suppose that the Divine operations