46), by the Lord himself. Nothing
is lost on him; his ear is open, and his eye. As in providence not a
sparrow falls to the ground without our Father's permission and regard,
so in the new covenant not a tear falls for sin indulged, not a sigh
rises for deliverance from its pollution, without attracting the notice
and obtaining the approval of the Sinner's Friend. Love, burning as a
night lamp silently in a penitent's breast, or bursting forth in
impetuous praise, or calmly supplying the motive power of a useful
life--love in the heart of the forgiven sinner, serves and pleases the
forgiving Redeemer.

One point still remains unnoticed, needing indeed some notes of
explanation, but capable of being easily and fully explained; it lies in
these words of Jesus: "Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins which are
many are forgiven; for she loved much." A question has been raised here,
Did the woman's love to the Lord cause him to forgive her, or did his
pardon freely bestowed cause the forgiven woman to love him? To state
the question is in effect to answer it. This announcement which Jesus
makes in the close of his exposition is obviously meant to run in the
line of the parable; but if you understand it to represent the woman's
love as the procuring cause of pardon from the Lord, it runs right in
the face of the parable from first to last. The love of the servants,
the lesser as well as the larger love, is not the cause but the effect
of the Master's kindness; and it would not only be out of harmony with
the parable, but in sheer opposition to it in letter and in spirit, to
understand it as countenancing the doctrine that the sinner's
spontaneous love to God merits and obtains forgiveness.

Although, in sentences of this form, it is more common to express the
effect in the first clause, and the cause, introduced by a For in the
latter; yet the converse method is frequently employed and perfectly
correct. You may say, Tan-waste is strewn on the street opposite this
mansion, for a member of the family lies within it sick; or, A member of
the family lies sick within this mansion, for tan-waste is strewn on the
contiguous street. In the first instance you place the cause last, and
in the second instance the effect, using precisely the same formula in
both. Nor is it difficult to perceive why Jesus places the effect of
forgiveness in the prominent position here, for it is the only thing
that is visible to the Pharisee whom he desir