The benefits derived from his death are visibly prefigured in this ordinance. The Israelites were preserved from the destroying angel by the blood of the lamb sprinkled upon their door-posts, and upon eating their first passover, were delivered from the house of bondage. Thus only can sinners escape the wrath of a just and holy God, by taking refuge at the foot of the cross, and pleading the sprinkling of the blood of Him, of whom the paschal lamb was the type; (1 Pet. i. 2. Heb. xii. 24.) and through his death alone are believers liberated from the service of sin, and brought " into the glorious liberty of the children of God," Heb. ix. 12. Rom. viii. 21. We have no difficulty in understanding, that the eating of the lamb means our feeding in faith upon the Saviour, because he has himself employed this metaphorical language. None of the lamb was to be left; and this may signify that we are not to rely in part upon what he has done for us, and in part upon ourselves, but that we must ascribe to him our whole salvation, and acknowledge him in all his offices, that is, not only take him as our teacher and our guide, or as our priest and our sacrifice, but also obey him as our sovereign. The bitter herbs are said to denote repentance, and our willingness, if necessary, to take up our cross and follow him; and to those who treat such interpretation as fanciful, we may answer, that they seem to be borne out by the example of St. Paul, who explains the unleavened bread as a type of sincerity and purity, in contradistinction to malice and falsehood, (1 Cor. v. 7.) qualities that must accompany faith in Christ, if we hope he will prove our passover, that is, our protector from the wrath of God, and our redeemer from the worst thraldom, that of the soul; and as none who were legally impure might eat the paschal supper, it behoves us to cleanse ourselves from all iniquity, and to be pure in our desires as well as our conduct, before we presume to partake of the pledges of a Saviour's love".

d We must consider how St. Paul exhorteth all persons diligently to try and examine themselves before they presume to eat of that bread and

120. Supper being ready, the Apostles having again contended for preeminence, their Master washes their feet as an example of humility. Matt. xxvi. Luke xxii. John xiii.

THE supper was now ready, but it was suspended by a discussion among the apostles concerning preeminence. Our Saviour once more endeavours to suppress this spirit of ambition by an expressive example of humility. Although all things had been given by the Father into his hands, he laid aside his mantle, girded himself with a napkin, and washed their feet, a customary ceremony' in the East in that age previous to eating; thus significantly showing that he had been among them as one that serveth. If He then, whose superiority they allowed, and whom they emphatically and justly styled the Teacher and the Lord, had condescended to perform to them this menial service, they ought readily, in imitation of him, to undertake the meanest and most laborious offices to their fellow-servants. His speech to Peter shows that he had a further design in this act, for he takes occasion from external washing, to advert to internal purity. Bishop Hall thus explains it; "Ye are, in respect of the main business of regeneration, washed from your sins; yet there are some remains of worldly affections which must still be purged away in the best, and such is your condition at this time." "Ye my disciples are clean; and yet not all of you;" for Judas's feet were washed as well as the rest.

There is no ground for taking this injunction literally; nor is there any trace of its having been observed as a religious ordinance among the primitive Christians. A formal re

drink of that cup; which, be it observed, he still calls bread and wine, while he speaks of not discerning the Lord's body.

e revoμívov, not ended as in our translation. John xxi. 4.

f Luke vii. 36. "If she have washed the saints' feet," 1 Tim. v. me be a servant to wash the feet of my Lord." 1 Sam. xxv. 41.

"Let

The distinction between the two Greek verbs λouw, and viør, the first meaning a complete, the latter a partial, ablution, is strongly marked.

presentation of it is kept up by the pope and Roman Catholic sovereigns, who still wash the feet of twelve poor men on the day before Good Friday; but this was not introduced before the fourth century. A change of dress has long since abolished the custom, which was not designed for servile imitation; but, under all the variations that time produces, the spirit of the precept may be observed; for we shall never be at a loss for ways of condescending to relieve and comfort our Christian brethren.

121. Jesus foretels that one of the twelve shall betray him; and, on Judas's leaving the room, declares that now he is glorified. Matt. xxvi. Luke xxii. John xiii.

JESUS, having resumed his place, and explained this lesson of humility, informed them, that as they had remained with him during his trials, his Father, having assigned him a kingdom, he assigned to them the privilege of eating and drinking at his table, and granted them the office of judging the twelve tribes of Israel; but he excepted one, whom he denounced as a traitor, expressing his ingratitude in the figurative language of David, to intimate that his treachery had been foretold. John, who sat next to his Master, tells us, that he was troubled when he said that one of the twelve would deliver him up; and it must doubtless have heightened his affliction, that this event was brought about through the agency of a confidential friend. Each inquired if he were the person; and John, who at Peter's suggestion asked Jesus, leaning over it should seem that he might not be overheard, declared that it was the one to whom he was about to give the sop. At length Judas himself inquired if it was he, fearing perhaps that if he alone were silent, suspicion of him would

h The ceremony ceased in England at the Reformation; but our King still retains the charitable part of the custom, by giving alms and providing a dinner for as many poor men as he has years of age.

be excited. Our Lord's speech, "What thou doest, do quickly," sufficiently intimated to him, that his purpose was understood. But it was couched in language unintelligible to the rest; and Judas, instigated perhaps by anger that he was detected, retired almost immediately to make his arrangement with the priests. Satan is said to have entered into the heart of Judas; but he had no power to compel him against his will, which was free to follow its own choice. Before he left the room, his Lord gave him the alarming warning, that it would be better for the man by whom he should be betrayed to have been never born; and if he had suffered the warning to have had its proper effect, he would have relinquished his guilty design. The scriptural prediction interfered not with his free agency: his Master warned him of the consequences. Satan tempted him by covetousness, perhaps by ambition, and he chose to yield to his instigation. The sum for which he agreed was so small, that it is difficult to conceive that it could be an adequate temptation; perhaps he hoped, by ingratiating himself with the priests, to obtain future advantages beyond the stipulated remuneration; or believing Jesus to be the Messiah, he might wish to force him to assume his sovereignty, thinking that he might then be readily forgiven, and enjoy the wealth he coveted. Whatever were his motives, he seems not to have anticipated his Master's condemnation to death.

His departure was, as it were, the commencement of our Lord's sufferings, who now commences his last discourse, by which he intended to infix in their minds truths, which, ignorant as they were and overcome with affliction, they could not at the time fully comprehend, but they would afterwards, and by which they would even then be consoled and fortified. None were present but the eleven; to them therefore they are specially addressed. But though the promise, that they should perform greater works than he had done, that is, be more successful in their ministry, is made to them as the future propagators of his religion, we must not conclude that

it does not at all concern ourselves, for to all believers is granted, in some measure, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and mutual love is the duty and ought to be the characteristic of private Christians as well as of the Apostles themselves. He first speaks of his death, and gives them to understand that it is approaching, and that, however ignominious it might appear to man, it would eminently display both his own glory, and that of his Father. He affectionately takes leave of them, and enjoins them to show their regard for him, not by ineffectual sorrow, but by his new commandment of mutual love. He had shown on a former occasion, that the law of Moses required them to " love their neighbour as themselves," including under that term all mankind. He could not therefore mean philanthropy by a new commandment; though this is maintained by almost all the commentators, who suppose that new is used as equivalent to excellent; or that the expression is justified, because the duty is enforced by new motives. In fact, the virtue he recommends is brotherly love, "A new commandment I give unto you, Love"-not your neighbour, but-" one another; by this," he adds, "shall all men know that you are my disciples:" and we find, long after, that it was a common remark among their enemies, "See how these Christians love one another." We must feel a love of good will to all men; to the wicked, and even to our enemies; but our special regard is to be reserved for the genuine followers of our Redeemer, who are the heirs of the same inheritance, and members of the same body. "Let us do good unto all men, but specially to the household of faith." "Every one that loveth him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten," 1 John v. 1. In countries where all profess Christianity, the two virtues are apt to be confounded; but St. Peter carefully marks the distinction, "add to brotherly kindness, charity;" and above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: and St. John hangeth upon the performance of this duty the assurance of our being in Christ. (1 John iii. 14.) They proceed from different