Once more, dear Sir, permit me to intreat you to beg of God, that, by his good Spirit, you may be inftructed to preach Chrift, fo as to profit the church of God; and for that end, labour to preach Chrift judiciously, fcripturally, experimentally, zealously, affectionately, and plainly. Set him forth in his everlasting love to loft man, in his covenant-engagements to finners, his fatisfying the justice of God for an elect world, his faithfulness in calling, converting and pardoning rebel finners, and in keeping them through life and death. Set forth the great Mater in all his offices and characters, in which he stands related to finners; fet him forth in all his perfections and glory.

Now, Sir, what do you think of preaching Chrift? If you are determined to feed the flock of God, and to deliver your own foul,

I am, Sir,

Your real friend and fellow-labourer,

J. D.

ON CHRIST'S WASHING THE DISCIPLES' FEET.

T

JOHN XIII.

HIS fignificant action, fo full of kindnefs and condefcenfion on the part of our Saviour, is recorded for our example. Happy fhall we be, if we truly copy it. Here is no affectation of humility, but humility itfelf; nor is it performed as a mere ceremony,but to teach us, "In love to ferve one another." Its being done at a time when "Jefus "knew that his hour was come; that he should depart out "of this world unto the Father," renders it additionally impreffive. It was the fame night in which he was betrayed; a night in which it might have been thought, his own approaching trials would have engroffed his whole attention: yet then, he was fully employed in behalf of others; setting an example of brotherly affection, ordaining a standing memorial of his death, fortifying, by a fpeech full of unparalJeled confolation, the hearts of his difciples, and commending them to the care of God his Father. "Surely, he hath "borne our griefs, and carried our forrows;" not only in making his foul an offering for fin, but in every step that led on to that awful crifis.

Laying afide his garments, he took a towel, girded himfelf with it, poured the water into a bafon, and went from

one to another, performing the work of a menial fervant. When it came to Peter's turn, his feelings revolted at the idea. "Lord," faith he, viewing his dignity on the one. hand, and his own infignificancy on the other, " doft THOU "wash my feet?" Jefus answered, "What I do, thou "knoweft not now; but thou fhalt know hereafter: "--Intimating, that he had a reafon for fo doing; which, though it might not be manifest at prefent, would at a future time be rendered plain. "Nay," faith Peter, almost indig nantly, "thou fhalt never wash my feet!" As though he had faid,This is too much; and what I can never fubmit to !'

Jefus anfwered him, "If I wash thee not, thou hast no "part with me."-What! If he washed not his feet? No, his foul, from the pollution of fin. Tranfitions like this, from things natural to things fpiritual, were ufual with our Saviour. Thus, when he had healed a blind man, he took occafion to obferve, "For judgment I am come into this "world, that they who fee not, may fee; and that they "who fee, may be made blind." The anfwer in the prefent inftance, was to this effect" Doft thou account it too great a floop for me to wash thy feet? Let me tell thee, I must ftoop lower than this, or woe be to thee! I muft cleanfe thee from a defilement much more loathfome than this, or thou canst have no part with me in my kingdom."

Peter perceiving now that he fpake of the purifying of his foul from fin, fuddenly changed his tone. "Lord," faith he, "not my feet only, but alfo my hands and my head. 2. d. If this be thy meaning, I know that I need to be cleanfed throughout.

Jefus faith to him, "He that is washed, needeth not fave "to wash his feet; but is clean every whit; and ye are clean, "but not all." As it is fufficient for perfons who have bathed their bodies in the stream, to wash off the defilement attached to their feet by walking on the fhore; fo they that have believed in Chrift, fhall never come into condemnation, and need not the repetition of a paffing from death to life; but merely an application for the pardon of their daily fins. Such was the character of all the difciples, except Judas, who, notwithstanding his profeffion, was yet in his fins.

From this interefting converfation, we are taught feveral important truths.

1. We may fin against Christ, under a fhow of modefty and reverence for his name. There is no doubt, but that Peter's first objection sprang from these motives; and had

he yielded to the first answer, perhaps he had been blame. lets; but to refift, after he was affured that his Lord had a good reafon for what he did, though he at prefent did not comprehend it, was fetting up his own wildom and will againft his. Nor was this the firft inftance in which Peter was guilty of fo doing. When our Saviour fpake of going up to Jerufalem, and of fuffering many things, and being killed, and rifing again the third day, he rebuked him, faying, "Be it far from thee, Lord; this fhall not be unto thee." In all this he favoured not the things that were of God, but the things that were of men."

There is much of this fpirit in our felf-righteous objecti ons to the grace of the Gospel, and felf-willed oppofitions to Chrift's revealed will. One pleads, That falvation by mere grace is dishonourable to God's moral government: but let him know, from the example of Peter, that there may be a regard to Chrift's honour, which he doth not require at our hands; and that we fhould act much more be coming by acquiefcing in his will, than by obtruding our own conceits in oppofition to it. Another alleges, It is too much for a finner fo unworthy as I am, to hope for fo great faivation. But can you do with lefs? and is it the comparatively worthy that mercy delighteth to honour? True wifdom will fall in with that way of honouring God, which is revealed in the Gofpel: and genuine modesty will not difpute with the Saviour, but humbly take him at his word. And the fame fpirit that receives his grace without hesitation, will obey his precepts without delay: not afking why, or wherefore, the Lord requireth this, but accounting it our meat and drink to do his will.

2. A cordial and practical acquiefcence in the way of falvation, through the blood of Chrift, is neceffary to a participation of his benefits. It may feem rather fingular, that Christ hould fufpend his blefling on his own act-If I wash thee not, &c. but that act fuppofes the concurrence of the party. He flood ready to wash Peter, and ftands ready to wash the fouleft of finners. If, therefore, they be not washed, it is owing to their preference of pollution, or their felf-righteous objections to the way of being cleanfed. To feel our felves entirely polluted, and ready to perith; to despair of being cleanfed by any thing that we can perform, or work ourfelves up to; to place no dependance on prayers or tears, on our bittereft repentance or moft unfeigned faith, confi dered as acts of holinefs; and to repair altogether, vile as we are, to the blood of Jefus, as to a fountain fet open for fin and for uncleannefs; this is the hinge of true religion;

which, we shall have no intereft with him in his benefits, nor portion with him in his heavenly kingdom. If we come not to him as polluted finners to be walhed, our iniquities are still upon our head; and if we die in this ftate, they will go down with us to the grave,-rife with us at the refurrection, be found upon us at judgment, and for ever bar thofe gates against us, through which nothing unclean can enter. In this cafe, fo far as we are concerned, the Saviour might as well have never come into the world, nor have laid down his life :-nay, better; for if our filthiness be found upon us at the last day, it will be the bittereft of all aggravations, that the kingdom of Chrift has been nigh

unto us.

3. Though the believer who hath paffed from death to life, fhall never come into condemnation; yet he standeth in need of continual cleansing from his daily defilements. The notion that it is inconfiftent for a believer to pray for the pardon of his fins, is contrary to the exprefs directions of Chrift, and to the examples of the godly in all ages. It belongs to a "Life of Faith on the Son of God ;" and without it, whatever felf-flattering ideas we may entertain, we are dead while we live; and in whatever degree we come fhort of fuch a life, wearing away our tranfgreffions by forgetfulness, inftead of washing them away by repeated ap plication to the blood of the cross, we incur the displeasure of Chrift, and forfake our own mercies.

GAIUS.

ON THE INTEREST OF CHRIST.

DEAR SIR,

TE

To the Editor.

WE E have heard much of the death and funeral of Bigo try; and a certain facetious gentleman did her the honour of a funeral-hymn; yet, I have lately been credibly informed, fhe is either still alive, or, what is more to be régretted, has been raised from the dead, and is now very bu fy among various denominations of our fellow-chriftians. It is, indeed, eafy to deceive ourselves that we are dead to the interefts of a party, while we are zealously purfuing it under another name. We may not profefs hoftility to

Vol. II.

N

any denomination of profeffing Chriftians; but, while we 'dignify our own connexion exclufively with the honourable name of the Interest of Christ, we fhall naturally look upon all others as rival, if not hoftile interests.

I trust, indeed, the Lord Jefus has an interest among us all; and that the Epifcopalian, the Diffenting, and the Methodist interefts are all, in a meafure, CHRIST's. A thousand accidental circumstances, more frequently than deliberate enquiry, determine us to the one or the other, and we do well to feek to glorify God and do good in our own line; but muft we therefore quarrel with our brethren? This, I prefume, is our infirmity; and if it cannot be wholly cured in this imperfect ftate, it fhould be remedied as far as poffible, and our minds fortified against it. With this view, fuffer me to offer a few hints, as fubjects of reflection.

1. No intereft is ftrictly Chrift's, but that of vital practical religion.

2. All our diftinct interefts are fo far Chrift's as they promote this great object, and no farther.

3. Vital and practical religion is certainly to be found in most denominations, at least of Proteftants; and that, in more or lefs inftances, in a high and eminent degree.

4. Different forms of religion may variously affect different minds. It does not follow, that becaufe a particular form of prayer has an effect on my mind favourable to devotion, by fixing my thoughts and aiding my expreffion, that therefore it would have the fame effect on my diffenting neighbour his mind, in fome measure, may be formed in another mould; and he may find written forms like fetters to his devotion.

Laftly. We fhould eftimate our differences in proportion as they affect the vitals of our religion. To give an inftance: My clerical brother, at the next church, prays by the fame book that I do; wears the fame robes; and is a member of the fame establishment: but then he degrades my adorable Redeemer, defpifes his precious atonement, derides the influence of his Holy Spirit; can I take this man into my bofom? can I bind him to my heart? Ah no; our interefts are not only different; but they are oppofite, and it is in vain to talk of union.

when I

But here is my diffenting brother: it is true he will not pray from my book, nor wear my gown: he fits kneel, and differs from me in fome other forms: but then he loves and adores the fame JESUS-he trufts the fame atonement-he implores the fame Spirit-he preaches the famé gospel, and aims at the fame end, the falvation of fin