To the defire expreffed by St. Peter, our Lord replies, That enough had been done, in washing the feet, to purify the whole body: plainly inferring, that this was a mystical washing and type of the purification of our fouls from fin, by being washed in his blood, which he was about to fhed for that purpose.

And, here, I cannot but obferve, that this paffage feems to furnifh a strong argument against that fect of Chriftians who object to a fimilar wafhing, or type of the purification of the foul from fin, in our church ceremony of baptifin; as if the good effects could not be produced, without a general wafhing; which feems no where infifted upon, and which is here declared by our Lord, in a cafe of the fame nature, to be unneceffary. Jefus, when he declared the difciples clean, excepts him who was to betray him: for he was not deceived; the art and hypocrify of Judas might pafs on men, but could not veil his purpose from the allfeeing eye of God.

.66 12. So after he had washed their "feet, and had taken his garments, and was fet down again, he faid unto "them;; Know ye what I have done to " you?

66

66 13. Ye call me Mafter and Lord: " and ye fay well; for so I am.

66 14. If I then, your Lord and Master, "have washed your feet, ye also ought to wafh one another's feet.

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66

15. For I have given you an example, that ye fhould do as I have done

❝to you.

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16. Verily, verily, I fay unto you, "The fervant is not greater than his lord; "neither he that is fent greater than he

"that fent him.

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66

66 17. If ye know these things, happy

are ye

if ye do them.

"18. I fpeak not of you all;

all; I know "whom I have chofen: but, that the Scripture may be fulfilled, He that eat"eth bread with me, hath lifted up his "heel against me."

The

The various acts of meeknefs and humility in our bleffed Lord, cannot be too often adverted to; fince pride is one of the greatest enemies to the peace and happiness of mankind. The inftance-now before us, fcarcely requires a comment; he having himself condefcended to explain it fo fully: If (fays he) I, whom ye all acknowledge as your Lord and Master, have stooped to wash your feet, will ye hesitate to fhew equal humility towards each other? Will ye not facrifice all pride and contention; and prove to the world, by the steady and affectionate regard which fubfifts amongst you, that you are my dif

up

ciples indeed? Do not fancy yourselves degraded by acts which you have seen me perform: ye would not fet yourselves above your master: what, therefore, I have done, cannot be improper in you. Let this example which I have given you, be ever present to your minds; and, be affured, that, whilft you follow it, you will enjoy the bleffing of a felf-approving confcience,

science, and enfure to yourselves the favor of your God.

That Chrift Jefus is our Lord and Master, we are all ready to acknowledge; but what will this avail us, if our lives and conduct do not correfpond with our profeffions? As well might we call him a true and faithful fubject, who, being intrufted with his king's business, fhould hold fecret correfpondence with the enemy to betray him; and this merely because he acknowledged his authority.

Ingratitude is a vice which is held in general abhorrence; and the more fo, perhaps, because not punifhable by any human law. But what fhould we think of a perfon, who, redeemed from a ftate of flavery, and reftored to freedom by one from whom he had no claim, or even expectation of fuch a favor, and afterwards adopted as a fon into the family of his. benefactor, fhould, in return, offer mere lip-fervice, whilst his actions contradicted even this appearance of refpect? Would

not

not fuch a character meet with univerfal contempt? Yet how infinitely fhort does this picture fall of the wonderful love and affection shewn to us by our blessed Lord! who, for our fakes, quitting the enjoyment of perfect happiness in the realms of immortality, fubmitted to the utmost humi ation and anguish of body and mind, during a painful life upon earth, and at last fuffered the death of the cross, to fave us from a much more fhameful bondage; namely, that of fin and Satan... And what is the return which he requires of us? Merely, that we should so act as to fecure to ourselves those invaluable bleffings which he died to put within our reach. How ftupid, as well as ungrateful, must we be, if we reject such easy terms of happiness!

Jefus well knew the apoftacy of Judas; and that, as had been foretold by the prophet, the crime he was about to commit would be exaggerated by its being the very man who eat bread at his own table who should betray him.

The