John 13:38

REFLECTIONS.

Reader! do not close your view of this most blessed Chapter, which unfolds so sweetly the heart of Christ to his people, and shews them that his whole heart towards them is love, before that you have begged also of God the Holy Ghost, who hath given the Church such a view of that love, that the Lord will cause all the gracious streams of it to flow from Christ's heart into ours. Can the imagination form to itself anything more lovely, than thus to behold Christ encircled with his family, and forgetting his own personal concerns in the tremendous exercises both of soul and body the Lord had then to go through, and now opening before him, but yet in the midst of all, washing his disciples feet? Was there ever an instance of the kind heard of among the histories of the world for a Master to act thus towards his Servants? And here it was the Lord of heaven and earth performing the service to poor sinners? Wonder, O heavens, and be astonished, O earth, for the Lord hath done it!

But, dearest Jesus! wilt thou not in some measure, (as far as our poor short-sighted capacities can have any suitable apprehension of thy gracious design), wilt thou not shew us of thy meaning? Was it as a parting act to say, when I am gone, as no opportunity can then occur of demonstrating by any such an outward act towards you, of what my inward affections are; I hereby shew you that I think no condescension too great to serve and bless my people? If I have washed your feet upon earth, fear not but that I will wash your souls from sin when I am in heaven. And though I am now going to my Father, and for a while ye will see me no more, let this shew you, that though my state is changed, yet not my nature. There, as well as here, I am the same Jesus. And though I am going to my Father, and to my redeemed gone before, nothing will lessen or remove my affection for my redeemed below. As oft as my Church calls to remembrance this act of mine, in washing my poor disciples' feet, let such a love-token become, as among other designs which I have had in view in the doing it. I intended a palpable proof, that having loved my own which are in the world, I love them to the end! Precious Lord Jesus! may not thy redeemed venture to form such conclusions from this gracious act of thine, as if Jesus thus opened to us his heart. Think often of this, I pray the Reader, yea, the whole Church of God. May my poor soul think of nothing beside! And, oh! that God the Holy Ghost, the sweet Remembrancer of Jesus, may keep the thought warm in my heart, until the cold clay hand of death come upon me, and my soul escape from the prison of the body to enjoy the fruition of it forever.

And, oh! my honored Lord! let even the awful view of the traitor Judas, make my mercies infinitely more and more precious, from learning therefrom how distinguishing they are. Lord! it is all thy grace, it is all thy rich, free, sovereign mercy. Be it my daily delight to receive the whole, and every part of thy Church's peace and safety, and happiness, to covenant love; and to ascribe the whole to the united grace of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, forever. Amen.