contagion (as they think) should reach to them. See if this is not, “Touch me not, for I am clean.” But on another day, when I had a better opportunity, I represented to them this most wretched vanity, when there was a question concerning the Church, how that the evil in it do not contaminate the good: I answered them, because they would not on this account sit with us, and said that they had been so advised by the Scripture of God, seeing forsooth that it is written, “I have not sat in the council of vanity;”3225 I said, “If ye will not sit with us, because it is written, ‘I have not sat in the council of vanity;’ why have ye entered this place with us, since it is written in the following words, ‘And with them that do iniquity I will not enter in’?” So then in that they say, “Touch me not, for I am clean,” they are like to that Pharisee, who had invited the Lord, and who thought that He did not know the woman, simply because He did not hinder her from touching His Feet. But in another respect the Pharisee was better, because whereas he supposed Christ to be but a man, he did not believe that by a man sins could be forgiven. There was shown then a better understanding in Jews than heretics. What said the Jews? “‘Who is this that forgiveth sins also?’ Does any man dare to usurp this to himself?” What on the other hand says the heretic? “It is I who forgive, I cleanse, I sanctify.” Let not me, but Christ, answer him: “O man, when I was thought by the Jews to be but a man, I gave forgiveness of sins to faith. (It is not I, but Christ who answereth 419 thee.) And thou, O heretic, mere man as thou art, dost say, “Come, O woman, I will make thee whole.” Whereas when I was thought to be but a man, I said, “Go, woman, thy faith hath made thee whole.” 9. They answer, “knowing not,” as the Apostle says, “either what they speak, or whereof they affirm:”3226 they answer and say, “If men do not forgive sins, then that is false which Christ saith, ‘Whatsoever ye shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven also.’”3227 But thou dost not know why this is said, and in what sense this is said. The Lord was about to give to men the Holy Spirit, and He wished it to be understood that sins are forgiven to His faithful by His Holy Spirit, and not by men’s deserts. For what art thou, O man, but an in- valid who hast need of healing. Wouldest thou make thyself my physician? Together with me, seek the Physician. For that the Lord might show this more plainly, that sins are forgiven by the Holy Spirit, which He hath given to His faithful ones, and not by men’s deserts, after He had risen from the dead, He saith in a certain place, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost;”3228 and when He had said, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost,” He subjoined immediately, “Whoseso- ever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them;”3229 that is, the Spirit remits them, not ye. 3225 Ps. xxvi. 4, Sept. 3226 1 Tim. i. 7. 3227 Matt. xviii. 18. 3228 John xx. 22. 3229 John xx. 23. 872 On the words of the Gospel, Luke vii. 37, ‘And behold, a woman who was in…