Luke 7:44

And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine 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.

Ver. 44. She hath washed my feet with tears] Her heart was a sacred alembic, a out of which those tears were distilled. Never did any man read his pardon with dry eyes.

Washed my feet with tears, &c.] We read not that the Virgin Mary ever did as this greater sinner did. Repentance is the fair child of that foul mother, sin, as the Romans said of Pompey, Εχθρου πατρος φιλτατον τεκνον. And it is question whether more glorifies God, innocence or penitence?

a An apparatus formerly used in distilling, consisting of a cucurbit or gourd-shaped vessel containing the substance to be distilled, surmounted by the head or cap, or alembic proper, the beak of which conveyed the vaporous products to a receiver, in which they were condensed. It is now superseded by the retort and worm still. ŒD