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ample. Question, But how far doth this example bind us. Answer, It does not oblige to the individual act, but to follow the reason of the example; that is, after Christ's example, we ought to be ready to perform the lowest and meanest offices of love and service to one another.

6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter and Peter said unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? 7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. 8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. 9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. 10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. 11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all

clean.

Observe here, 1. How Simon Peter refuses to admit of such a condescending act from Christ his Lord and Master, as the washing of his feet: Lord, thou shalt never wash my feet. It is a sinful humility to refuse the offered favours of Christ, because we are unworthy to receive them. Though we are not worthy of Christ, and of his love; yet Christ is worthy of us, and of our faith. Observe, 2. Our Saviour's reply to Peter's refusal: 1. He tells him, That there was more in it than the bare act of washing did at first sight import, and that he should know hereafter, what he did not understand now: What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter. Learn hence, 1. That the servants of God themselves are oft-times much to seek, and cannot apprehend and understand at present, the actings and dealings of God with them; they understand not either the intent or the event of God's dispensations. 2. That although God's dealings with his children and people are for a while in the dark, and are not presently made known; yet there will come a time for the clearing and evidencing of them, when they shall understand that all his dispensations were in mercy to them. The second part of our Saviour's reply to

;

St. Peter follows, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me: as if Christ had said, "Peter, this external act of mine, in washing thy feet, doth signify something farther, and imports my washing of thy soul from the guilt and defilement of sin, without which thou canst neither have interest in me, nor communion with me." Learn hence, 1. That so universal is the pollution of sin, that every soul stands in need of have a part and interest in him, both from washing. 2. That Christ washeth all that the guilt and pollution of all their sin. Observe, 3. That St. Peter now understanding better what was meant by this outward washing; namely, that it did signify and represent the defilement of sin he is so far from refusing that Christ should head and all to be washed by him; Lord, wash his feet, that he offers hands and not my feet only, &c. Learn hence, That so thoroughly sensible are the saints of the filthiness and pollution of sin, that they desire nothing more than an inward, thorough, and prevailing purification of their whole man, by the blood and spirit of reply to St Peter's last request: He that is the Lord Jesus. Observe, 4. Our Saviour's washed needeth not save to wash his feet; plainly alluding to the custom of those countries, where going abroad barefoot, or with thin sandals covering only a small part of their feet, they had frequent occasion to wash their feet, but need not to wash their whole bodies; in like manner, the saints and servants of God, who are already washed and cleansed by the blood of Christ from the guilt of their sins, and have a real work of renovation and sanctification begun in them by the Spirit of Christ, they ought to be daily purging and purifying their affections and actions, and labouring daily after further measures and degrees of sanctification.

holiest, the wisest, and the best of saints, Learn hence, I. That the whilst here in a world of sin and temptation, do stand in need of a daily washing by repentance, and according to their renewed and repeated acts of sin. 2. That all justi fied persons are in God's account clean per sons: Ye are clean, but not all; that is, you are justified and pardoned, sanctified and cleansed, all of you, excepting Judas; whose heart was known to Christ, though his hypocrisy was hid from the disciples.

12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said un

to them, Know ye what I have done to you? 13 Ye call me Master, and Lord and ye say well for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye ought also to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. 16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

In these words our Saviour declares to his disciples his intention and design in washing of their feet; namely, to teach them by his example the duty of humility; that as he had performed that act of abasement towards them, so should they be ready to perform all offices of love and humble condescension one towards another: Be hold, I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done unto you. Learn thence, That humility and mutual condescension amongst the members and ministers of Jesus Christ is a most necessary grace and duty, which the Son of God not only taught by his doctrine, but recommended and enforced by his example. Ob. serve farther, The argument which Christ makes use of to press the imitation of his example upon them; and that is drawn from the titles given to him by his disciples: Ye call me Master and Lord; and so I am. Now servants ought to imitate their masters, and subjects to obey their lord and king. Christ is a Master, to teach and direct: a Lord, to govern and protect. As he is a Master, we are to learn in his school; as he is a Lord, we are to serve in his house : he must be submitted to as a Prince, as well as relied upon as a Saviour. It is in vain to expect salvation from him, if we do not yield subjection to him. Another argument which our Lord makes use of to press his disciples to imitate his example, is drawn from his dignity and superiority over them: The servant is not greater than his Lord. As if Christ had said, "Though you, my disciples, are to have a very high and honourable station in the gospel church, yet let not this swell you with pride, but be ye mutually condescending to each other, remembering you are but servants to myself, and ought to be so to one another; and the servant is not greater than his Lord. Learn hence, 1.

That whatever dignity Christ confers upon his servants and officers, yet he is over them all, superior to them, and above them. 2. That the consideration of Christ's dignity, and his ministers' meanness, ought to keep their minds humble and lowly, and far from affecting superiority over their brethren: The servant is not greater than his lord, nor he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

Our Lord here intimates unto us these two things: 1. The necessity of knowledge, in order unto practice. 2. The necessity of practice, in order unto happiness. A man may know the will of God indeed, and not do it; but he can never do the will of God (acceptably) and not know it. The knowledge of God's will and our duty is necessary to the practice of it. The knowledge of our duty, and the practice of it, may be (and too often are) separated; but the practice of religion, and doing what we know to be our duty, is the only way to true happiness. Learn thence, 1. That Christ doth not approve of a blind obedience in his people, but requires that their practice and obedience be founded upon understanding and knowledge. 2. That the first care of those that will be Christ's disciples and followers, must be this, with all seriousness to apply themselves to the knowledge of their Master's will. 3. That next to the knowledge of our duty, our first and chief care must be to practise every thing that we understand and know to be our duty. 4. That a right knowledge and practice of our duty will certainly make us happy: If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

18 I speak not of you all; I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, he that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.

If the choosing spoken of here be understood of eternal election, a choosing to everlasting life, then it affords a strong argument to prove Christ to be God. Thus, he that is the author of eternal election, is God; but Christ is such: I know whom I have chosen. Consider Christ as God, so we are chosen by him; consider him as Mediator, and so we are chosen in him. If the choosing here be meant of choosing to the work of the apostleship, then our Saviour

tells his disciples, that it need not seem strange to them, that he chose one to be an apostle, who he knew would prove a traitor; for hereby that scripture prophecy, Psal. xli. 9. would be fulfilled: He that cateth bread with me, hath lifted up his heel against me; which though it was literally spoken of Ahithophel's treachery against David, yet it was prophetically spoken of Judas's treason against Christ; and the expression of lifting up the heel is metaphorical, taken from a fed beast that kicks against his Master. Learn hence, That Christ did, as his followers do daily, suffer not only from open enemies, but from bosom and familiar friends. Lord! how many are there in the world, who by profession lift up their hand unto thee, who yet by treason and rebellion lift up their heel against thee.

19 Now I tell you before it come, that when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.

Here another argument occurs to prove the divinity of our blessed Saviour, from his foreknowledge of Judas's treason; the person who, the time when, and the place where, were all known to Christ: I tell you before it come to pass. The argument lies thus: "He that foresaw the future actions of men, and infallibly foreknew the future events and issues of things, is certainly God; but Christ did this, therefore he is really God." And he tells us here, That for this very reason he foretold now the treason of Judas: Now I tell you before, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he. What he doth he mean? What he could foretell so many things to come, which did not depend upon necessary, but contingent causes only? This he was not a mere man surely, for he knows not what shall be on the morrow; but must be real God, because he knew all things not by revelation, as the prophets knew things to come, but by immediate inspection and simple intuition; so that we may say with Peter, Lord, thou knowest all things: and, because thou knowest all things, thou art God.

20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send, receiveth me; and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me.

Lest his apostles should think, that for the treachery of one of them they should

all become odious and abominable to the whole world, our Saviour encourages and gives them assurance, That there should be those that would receive them, and that he would take it as kindly as if they had received himself: He that receiveth you, receiveth me. Learn hence, That it is a sweet encouragement to the ministers of Christ unto the faithful discharge of their duty, that Christ and the Father account that the respect paid to the ministers of the gospel is paid to themselves; and, on the contrary, that all the contempt cast upon them reflects upon themselves: He that receiveth you, receiveth me: and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me.

21 When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, That one of you shall betray 22 Then the disciples looked he spake. one on another, doubting of whom

me.

O what an astonishing word was this, One shall betray me! one of my disciples shall betray me! yea, one of you, my disciples and apostles, shall do it! Well might they look one upon another with sorrow and amazement, to hear that their Master should die; that he should die by treason, and that the traitor should be one of themselves; yet do they not censure one another, but suspect themselves, saying, Master, is it 1? not, Master, is it Judas? Leam hence, 1. That it is possible for secret wickedness to lurk, yea, for the greatest villany to lodge, in the hearts of professors, in whose conversation appeareth nothing that may give just suspicion to others. Learn, 2. That it is both the duty and property of the disciples of Christ, to have so much candour and brotherly love, as not rashly to censure and judge one another, but to hope the best of others, and to fear the worst of themselves.

Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, 23 Now there was leaning on whom Jesus loved. 24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake. 25 He then, lying on Jesus' breast, saith unto him, Lord, who is it? 26 Jesus answered, He it is to whom I shall give a

sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27 And after the sop, Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. 28 Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him. 29 For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor. 30 He then having received the sop, went immediately out: and it was night.

Observe here, 1. The character given of St. John the beloved disciple: he leaned on Christ's bosom: that is, he had most intimate converse with Christ, one whom Christ treated with greater freedom and familiarity than the rest, and one that knew more of his heart than most of his disciples. We commonly call a very near friend a bosom friend. Learn, That although Christ had an endeared love for his disciples and followers, yet there were degrees in Christ's own love, and he had a familiarity with some disciples beyond others, whilst he was here upon earth, even as now in heaven: though his heart, be towards all his children here on earth, yet he is pleased to let out more kind manifestations of himself, and more sensible evidences of bis love, towards some than towards others. John was the disciple that lay in Jesus's bosom. Observe, 2. The way which our Saviour took to discover Judas to the rest of his disciples, not by naming him, but by giving him a sop; partly because he would not give Judas any provocation by mentioning his name, and partly because this sign of eating the sop was most agreeable to the prophetical prediction, Psal. xli. 9. Mine own familiar friend, who did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me. Observe, 3. The time when Judas received the sop, and the consequence that followed upon his receiving of it; it was at that time when he had, with an unbelieving heart, and an unthankful spirit, been eating the passover, which was a type of Christ: Now Satan enters into him; that is, takes fuller possession of him, and be gives himself up more freely and fully

to the devil's conduct and suggestion. Satan gets possession of wicked men gradually and by degrees; not all at once. The only way to be safe, is to resist the beginnings of sin; for when Satan once gets footing, it is hard to prevent a more full possession. where Judas now was; namely, at Bethany, Observe, 4. The place some miles from Jerusalem, and it was now night; yet so intent he was upon the devil's work, that away he trudges to Jerusalem, high priests, and sells his Saviour into their and at that time of night repairs to the hands. O, what a warmth and zeal was here in the devil's cause! men given over by God, and possessed by Satan, are so restless and unwearied in sin, that neither by day nor by night can they cease from

the contrivance and execution of it.

31 Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.

Observe here, 1. Our blessed. Lord calls his death his glory: Now is the Son of man glorified; that is, now is the time at hand when I am to die, and shall by my death finish the work of man's redemption, the Father was eminently glorified in the and thereby eminently glorify God. God obedience and sufferings of his dear and only Son. It is true that the sufferings of Christ were ignominious in themselves, yet were they the way to his own glory, and his Father's also; for by them he redeemed a lost world, trampled upon Satan, triumphed over sin; and the Father was exceedingly glorified by the Son's giving obedience to his will, and so cheerfully suffering. Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.

33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and, as I said unto the Jews, Whi ther I go ye cannot come ; so now I say to you.

Observe here, An endearing compellation, a sweet title, given by Christ to his disciples, Little children; intimating that tender affection which he bears unto them, though now upon the point of departing from them. Learn thence, That what

ever Christ's dealings are, or may be, with his people in respect of his removing and withdrawing from them, yet he still retains the relation of a Father to them, and will in his absence from them exercise such a care over them as parents have of their young and tender children; so much doth the title of little children imply and import. Observe farther, The plain intimation which our Saviour gives to his disciples of his death's being very nigh (for it was the very next day ;) he tells them that he was going to heaven; and whither he went, they could not come; that is, not presently; they should follow him their Forerunner afterwards, but at present he had a great deal of work for them to do, though his own work was done; and till they had finished their work, whither he went they could not come. Learn hence, That though it be rest which the saints may lawfully desire, an everlasting rest with Christ in glory, yet must they not refuse to labour, whilst their Lord will have it so. Till their work be done, whither Christ is gone they cannot come: Ye shall seek me ; but whither I go, at present, ye cannot

come.

unto

ed you, that ye also love one another. Never was this duty so effectually taught, so mightily encouraged, so much urged and insisted upon, by any teacher, as our Saviour; and never was there such an example given of it as his own. 4. It is a new commandment, because with the rest it was never to wax old; but to be always fresh in the memory and practice of Christ's disciples to the end of the world.

35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

To recommend the foregoing duty, of loving one another, with the greater advanage, our Saviour tells us here that it will be the best evidence of our relation to him as sincere disciples: By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples. The disciples of John were known by the austerity of their lives: the disciples of the Pharisees by their habit and separation from other men. Christ will have his disciples known by their profound affection to each other, which in the primitive times was so conspicuous, that the very Heathens did cry and say out, See how the christians love one another! Here observe, 1. Our Saviour doth not say, By this men shall conjecture

34 A new commandment I give That you, and love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also

ye

love one another.

Our Saviour having mentioned his departure from his disciples in the former verse; I go away, and whither I go ye cannot come; in this and the following verses, he gives them a strict charge that in his absence they should love one another. This he calls a new commandment: not that it was new in regard of institution, but of restitution; not new in regard to the substance of it, for it was a branch of the law of nature, and a known precept of the Jewish religion; but he calls it a new commandment, 1. Because purged from the old corrupt glosses of the Pharisees, who had limited this duty of love, and confined it to their own countrymen; whereas Christ enlarges the object, and obliges his disciples to love all mankind, even their very enemies. Because this duty of love was so greatly advanced and heightened by our Saviour, as to the measure and degrees of it, even to the laying down of our lives for one another. 3. It is called a new commandment because urged from a new motive, and enforced by a new example: As I have loc

2.

guess that you belong to me, as being my disciples; but they shall certainly know it. 2. He doth not say, By this shall you know yourselves to be my disciples, and one another to be so; but by this shall all others know it as well as yourselves. 3. He doth not say, By this shall all men know that ye look like my disciples; but that you are indeed what you pretend to be, namely, by your loving one another. 4. Christ doth not say, By this shall all the world know that you are my disciples, by your assembling often together in my house of prayer, by your frequent fastings, by your reading the scriptures daily, by your hearing sermons weekly, by your receiving sacraments monthly; all these, put together, will be no sufficient evidence of your discipleship, if you keep up a secret grudge in your hearts one towards another: but by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another. Learn hence, That one of the best proofs and evidences we can have of our relation to Christ, as his sincere disciples, is an hearty love and good will one towards another.

36 Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus

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