'Twas now the eve of the great paschal day: Our Lord, who knew the price he was to pay For man's misdeeds, his garments laid away And not disdains to wash their feet that day.

JESUS WASHES

HIS DISCIPLES' FEET.

You me, your Lord and Master justly name;
If I then wash your feet, do ye the same,
Their Master's fate his servants should content;
Greater is he that sends, than he that's sent.

"Ye call me MASTER and LORD; and ye say well, for so I am. If I then have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you." (John xiii. 13, 14, 15.)

Christ condescended to wash his diciples feet, that he might give a proof of the great love wherewith he loved them to the end. He knew that his hour was come, which he had long expected, when he should depart out of this world to the Father. Christ washed his disciples' feet that he might signify to them spiritual washing,

and the cleansing of the soul from the pollutions of sin.

Peter refused at first-this was humble and modest; but Christ gives a reason to Peter, why he should accept it: "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.” This is a declaration of the necessity for spiritual washing. Peter at length more than submits; he earnestly requests to be washed by Christ. "Lord, wash not my

hands and

my

head."

feet only, but also my ver. 9. How importunate Peter is for the purifying grace of the Lord Jesus, and the universal influence of it even upon his hands and head! Lord, that I may not be cut off from thee, make me fit for thee, by the washing of regeneration. Christ washed his disciples' feet, to set before us an example. He that is our Redeemer and Saviour, is also our Lord and Master. Our

calling Christ Master and Lord, is an obligation upon us to receive and observe the instructions he graciously gives us.

Observe the lesson Christ here taught: "Ye also ought to wash one another's feet." Doubtless it is to be understood figuratively; an instructive sign, but not sacramental. This was a parable to the eye; our Master hereby teaches us humble condescension; we must learn of our Master to be lowly in heart (Matt. xi. 29), to walk with all lowliness, and deem nothing below us but sin.

All Christians are to condescend to each other in love; we must not be mercenary in the services of love, nor exercise them with reluctance. Whatever our Master was pleased to condescend to, in favour to us, we should much more condescend to in conformity to his will.