by that sacrifice; but, beyond this, there must needs be a constant process of sanctification proceeding in the heart and life. That so being cleansed and justified by Jesus, as the fountain opened for sin; and cleansed and sanctified, washed from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, made pure from every spot and blemish, by the operation of the Spirit of God, he may be "clean every whit," be made both righteous and holy-and so fitted to sit down at the marriage-supper of the Lamb in the kingdom of God.

But let us particularly mark this, that our blessed Lord, after alluding to the state and condition of his disciples generally," And ye are clean,"-added this startling declaration, "but not all." What a wonderful proof of Christ's forbearance, what a fearful testimony to man's wickedness, have we in this passage! Let us but endeavour to picture to ourselves the little group in the large upper room on this occasion; while wonder and astonishment are marked on every countenance, the master of the feast proceeds from one to another, performing his menial office. Kindness and condescension sparkle in his eye, and the countenances of his followers seem to catch a glow of heavenly brightness from his. But one is there whose dark cold eye shews no reflected beam of love, on whose hard heart the gracious words of Jesus make no impression. Judas is among them the traitor mingles with that little band, and Jesus knew who should betray him, therefore he said "ye are not all clean." Still no outward token serves to reveal the traitor. "Ye are not all clean," says the meek and lowly Jesus, and he passes on, and washes the traitor's feet! Yes, behold him, the Lord and Master, the friend, the betrayed one, washing the feet of Judas, and wiping them with the towel wherewith he was girded ;

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and yet the heart of Judas melts not,—yet there is no relenting of soul,-yet there is no better thought to recover him out of the snare of the devil. Oh what a heart his must have been, harder than the nether-millstone; he had already covenanted to betray his master to his enemies, had agreed on the price of his ransom; he was at the very moment to which we allude, "seeking an opportunity to betray him," and yet he unhesitatingly remained with the rest as one of the faithful disciples. Truly his heart must have been seared as with a hot iron. Oh the dreadful yoke of Satan, that he could have looked on that gracious being so engaged, and not sink to the earth overwhelmed with confusion and guilt, that in the face of such condescension, such unwearied love, he could still be forming his hateful designs against his Lord!

Would that none resembled him in guilt, nor shared in his fearful obduracy of heart. But, alas! are there no traitors in the Christian church?-are there no wolves in the fold-no hypocrites within the wails of God's sanctuary where his people meet on his holy day, no traitors at his table? Are they all clean? Not one Judas among them? Oh, remember, that Judas was not detected by any outward difference of our Lord's conduct toward him; neither are those who resemble him now. To them, as to others, the gospel is set forth; to them, as to others, the waters of baptism flow; they like others taste of the ordinances of God's power, and outwardly partake of the good things of his table; but yet treason is hid beneath their profession, the dagger of the assassin lurks beneath the folded hand of the hypocritical disciple, and he who is love itself, and in the midst of the outpourings of his richest favours, is wounded in the house of his faithless friends.

Such thoughts are sufficient to freeze the very life

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presence of Christ by his Spirit among us; and let us suppose him saying individually to us all, Knowest thou what I have done unto thee?" How are we prepared to answer him? Some perhaps will readily reply Yes, we know what he has done for us; he left heaven and came to earth for us-he suffered reproach and he died for us, and he rose again and ascended where he was before for us.' This is easily said, but it is not so easily felt; and unless it is felt, the question is not answered. The bitterest enemy of the Saviour might have been acquainted with the mere outward circumstances of his life, and the objects which he declared he had in view; but when he asks his disciples if they knew what he had done unto them," he seeks for an answer from the inmost recesses of the soul. Do we then know in our hearts?' test wherewith to prove ourselves. life is ours-is it a life of faith or a life of sight? Alas, if the answer of the Church generally, or individually, were taken to this question from the language of the life, and not the language of the lip only, how faltering, how feeble would be the reply, if indeed all were not rendered speechless.

We have a ready

What manner of

Yes, beloved, can it be said that we know what Christ has done for us, when we manifest such cold heartlessness in his service—can it really be that our hearts are touched, our souls affected by the sorrows and tears, the sighs and the groans, the labours and the watchings, the bonds and the death of Christ-where then is our unceasing hatred of the sin which gave him cause of suffering-where is the enduring love to him which ought to mark our estimation of his love? Oh let the remembrance of what he has done for us, the deepfelt consciousness of the soul, that his cross and passion

have alone saved us from the bitter pains of eternal death, lead us to have him in all our thoughts-to fill our mind with his fulness, and to put on the Lord Jesus in our lives: thus by a holy conformity with him, both in our spirits and our conduct, we shall give the best answer to this touching appeal of our Divine Masterwe shall be "living epistles, written by the Spirit of the living God," acknowledged by him, known and read of all men; and the language of this epistle will be, 'I will tell you what he hath done for my soul."

But we come now to consider the direct practical bearing of the incident under our consideration; and in doing so, let me refer you to the 24th verse of the 22d chapter of St. Luke, as most probably informing us of the immediate cause which called forth this act of the Saviour. There was a strife, we are told, among his disciples; and strongly indeed does the selfishness which was manifested in them, contrast with the outgoings of his love on this occasion,-" there was a strife among his disciples, which of them should be accounted the greatest." Here let us note by the way, that had there been any ground for supposing that our Lord intended one Apostle to have supremacy or authority over the rest, this was surely the most likely time, when at least an intimation of such intention would be given; but nothing of the kind is hinted at; indeed the whole tenor of the narrative, and the exhortations of our Lord, strongly prove the reverse.

While then this contest between the disciples was proceeding while one and another was advancing his claim to higher consideration than the rest, and each supporting his own pretensions, our blessed Lord, knowing what was the subject of their discussion-though doubtless they did not consider this at the time-rose

from supper, and laid aside his garments, and washed the feet of the disciples. Here was a practical answer to the question which was dividing them. He whom all acknowledged as chief-he, the nearest place to whose throne was the object of their ambition-he, at the very moment when they were thus proudly and selfishly esteeming themselves more worthy than their neighbour-he himself, their Lord and Master, began to wash their feet. Surely this act of humiliation on his part, must have cut them to the quick surely more than any admonition, the thought of their poor paltry strivings, contrasted with his condescension, must have overwhelmed them with confusion and shame; and very probably it was this which affected Peter so deeply and acutely, as to lead him in such impassioned language to shrink from the proffered service of his Master— "Thou shalt never wash my feet."

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But Jesus resolved to set the seal of his instruction upon this significant act of his kindness. When he sat down again, it is probable that he thus proceeded to enforce the lesson-" The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and they that exercise authority over them, are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so; but he that is greatest among you let him be as the younger, and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth."-Luke xxii. 25, 26, 27. Ye call me Master and Lord; and ye say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye ought also to wash one another's feet; for I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his

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