mouth of Christ, every further trace of his existence in this world, which he is about to redeem by his death, is destined to enlighten future generations, and worthy to be engraven upon the hearts of his people, with the remembrance of his blood and of his cross. But if there be one of these his parting lessons which ought to awaken our attention, and attach our affections to our Master, it is that which he gives us this day. This day, My Brethren, the Son of God humbles himself before you, so far as to "take upon him the form of a servant;" this day he attacks the grand enemy of Charity -Pride; and by abasing himself, by stooping to the office of a servant, and by "loving unto the end," he overwhelms it with the whole weight of his example and of his authority. Let us, then, make haste to follow in the steps of our Lord, that we may collect his instructions; let us enter into that humble abode, which conceals Him who is an object of adoration to angels; let us mingle in His train with his earnest and affectionate disciples. Let us contemplate this amazing lesson, and attend to

the minutest circumstances in this action of Jesus; while He speaks, let us lend an attentive ear, and apply his precepts to ourselves: this is the order we shall observe in the unfolding of our subject. Let us, My Brethren, draw near to Christ, as we would draw near to the death-bed of a venerated parent, preparing, for the last time, to set before us our duties and his will; let us draw near with an humble heart and a well-affected mind: Approach-the Parent whom Death is about to snatch from us is the Redeemer of mankind; his last lessons are lessons of love and of humility; his deathbed is the cross!

I. The first object proposed for our attention, is the extraordinary spectacle here set before us, with the various circumstances that belong to it. In entering upon so grand a subject, My Brethren, we feel impatient to arrive at the essential meaning of the text. We would willingly pass over in silence every particular merely accessory, did not their number, their importance, their close connection with the

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leading fact, forbid. Thus, however secondary in importance it may appear, we must, in order fully to comprehend the action of our Saviour, determine the precise period of the " Supper" mentioned in the text. Our own opinion is, that the meal referred to is the Paschal Supper. Some few commentators assert the contrary, and thereby detract much from the solemnity of our Lord's action. It is implied, however, in the sequel of St. John's narrative, that it was the very night on which Christ was betrayed that he washed his disciples' feet. This solemn and symbolical action appears to be connected with the institution of the Lord's Supper, and, perhaps, with the contention in which, according to the account of St. Luke, the Apostles disputed who among them should be greatest. Nor is this all: we think we can discover, in the language of the text itself, allusions, more or less manifest, to the sacred repast. "BEFORE THE FEAST OF THE PASSOVER, WHEN JESUS KNEW THAT HIS HOUR WAS COME THAT

HE SHOULD DEPART OUT OF THIS WORLD UNTO

THE FATHER, HAVING LOVED HIS OWN WHICH

WERE IN THE WORLD, HE LOVED THEM UNTO THE END.' What is this mark of love which Jesus

further gives "unto the end," to those whom he had always loved? Shall we not find it to be the bread and wine of the new Covenantof which the Apostle makes mention in no other place, because his object was, not to repeat what had already been related by the other Evangelists, but only to supply their omissions? To continue: "AND SUPPER BEING ENDED". What supper? St. John had not before spoken of any meal, nor of the preparation for any. What supper, therefore, is presented to the mind of every reader, unless that which is related with so much solemnity in the preceding Gospels? It is then, in our opinion, at the supper of the Passover-in presence of that bread which is broken, and that wine which is poured out-that Christ offers this new lesson to his disciples. Associated in their memory with the idea and the memorial of his death, occurring between the supper and the cross, it will not fail to leave upon their hearts a deep and effectual impression. So far, the precise

moment of the action: let us now examine the "JESUS KNOWING THAT THE

action itself.

FATHER HAD GIVEN ALL THINGS INTO HIS
HANDS, AND THAT HE WAS COME FROM GOD,
AND WENT TO GOD; RISETH From supper, and
LAID ASIDE HIS GARMENTS, AND TOOK A TOWEL,
AND GIRDED HIMSELF.
AFTER THAT HE POUR-

ETH WATER INTO A BASON, AND BEGAN TO WASH THE DISCIPLES' feet, and TO WIPE THEM WITH THE TOWEL WHEREWITH HE WAS GIRDED!"— Have we rightly understood, My Brethren? "Jesus, knowing that his Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God, rose from supper, laid aside his garments, and took a towel.”—A strange association of ideas and circumstances; but which recurs every where, in the words of Jesus and in his actions, in his life and in his death-throughout his entire history. It is, indeed, the conciousness which the Son of God had of the surpassing dignity of his nature, and the unbounded extent of his authority, that imparts force to the lesson he gives us, and that determines him to give it. He who was at once