Vol. 2

:CHAPTER XIV. 211" 3. H And being in Bethany, in the house ofSimon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came awoman, having an alabaster-box of ointment of spikenard,very precious; and she brake the box, andpoured it on his head."Happy that person who knows how to make thatsubservient to charity, which others dedicate to theservice of concupiscence ! Every thing which isgiven to God is acceptable to him, when it is charitywhich gives it.Zeal and love for Jesus Christ havecommendable excesses. Great expense in externalmagnificence designed to honour him, would mostcommonly be better employed in feeding l)is members: but there are some extraordinary occasions,on which a sort of profuseness cannot be blamed.It belongs to him, who gives this love, to inform uswhen and how far we are permitted to gratify it." 4. And there were some that had indignationwithin themselves, and said, Why was this waste ofthe ointment made?"The fervent zeal of devout persons is generallycensured by the world as indiscretion :but the judgmentof the world is not the rule of their actions.When a man has any thing to spend or waste, hecannot sacrifice it so well as to the honour of Christand it is much better to waste and destroy all thosethings, which may be instrumental to luxury or anyother vice, and become snares to others, be theirvalue ever so great, such as excellent, but obscenepictures, &c. than to leave them to the use of theworld." 5. For it might have been sold for more thanthree hundred pence, and have been given to thepoor. And they murmured against her."