8. It teacheth us to entertain with reverence the grace tendered to us in the Lord's supper, that was designed and appointed for the re- presentation and remembrance of Christ, and the solemn communica- tion of the benefits thereof to the penitent believer. Now forgiveness of sins is one expressly mentioned, Mat. xxvi. 28, ' Fortius is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many, for the remission of sins.' Christ hath purchased for us the remission of sins, and we are to yield him that obedience which he requireth upon the account of having so dealt with us. Here Christ and liis new testament gifts are solemnly delivered to us, the wondrous love of God manifested. Now, what becometh us more than admiring his pardoning mercy, and making God amiable to us, and to express our joy and thankfulness ? Here we come to profess communion with a reconciled God, and to take a sealed pardon out of his hands.
Use 3. To press you to admire the grace of God in the pardon of sins. It will never be unless we look upon it —
1. As a necessary mercy. Three things make it necessary — law, conscience, judgment. By law we are condemned, though not executed : John iii. 18, ' He that believeth not is condemned already.' This sentence standeth in force till we repent and believe. And then con- science : Eom. ii. 15, 'Which show the works of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness.' So judgment : Acts X. 42, 43, ' He it is that was ordained by God to be judge of quick and dead ; and to him give all the prophets witness, that through his name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.' Now to them that have a sense of these things, that look shortly to appear before the bar of God, and are afraid of his displeasure, it will appear to be a necessary mercy.
2. It is a great mercy. If forgiveness of sin had been a small thing, it had not been purchased at so dear a rate : Eph i. 7, ' We have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.'
3. It is a sure mercy. If we be qualified to receive it, God's truth and justice lies at pawn to make it good to us.
Use 4. Comfort to refresh the weary, and make glad the mournful soul. We are apt to say, None like us in sinning ; but remember, none is like God in pardoning. Penitent believers should take comfort in this, notwithstanding their great sins before conversion, and slips and failings since, your consciences accuse you of so mucli unthank-
A SERMON ON MICAH VII. 18. 449
fulness to God ; yet, Kom. viii. 33, 34, * Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect ? it is God that justifieth ; who is he that con- demneth ? it is Christ that died,' &c. When you are sensible of the great wrong done to God, remember Christ hath satisfied for it, and God is readily inclined to pardon you. There is no mercy for them that fear not justice ; no justice for them that fly to mercy. God hath erected a throne of grace for them that judge and condemn them- selves, and will wonderfully discover the riches of his grace.
VOL. XV. 2 TP
A SERMON ON JOHN XIII. 8.
If I wash thee not, thou hast no part ivith me. — John xiii. 8.
These words belong to the story of Christ's washing his disciples' feet. In which —
1. The preface is remarkable, ver. 3-6. Jesus, knowing sufficiently the dignity of his person, that he was the eternal Son of Grod, and was now about to return to God, to take possession of all power in heaven and in earth, after the rnanner of a w^aiter and servant of the meanest quality, in all humility, sets him to wash and wipe the feet of his own disciples. By the magnificence of the preface, a man would have thought that he had been about to work some great miracle or give some notable instance of his divine power ; but here was no miracle, unless it were of humility and love. We keep state, and stand upon our terms, think it much below us to do an office of kindness and love to inferiors ; but Christ, when he had the highest thoughts of his glory, would evidence the greatest humility, to take down our pride, and to assure us, by so pregnant a proof, that his exaltation should not hinder him from con- descending to the necessities of his meanest people.
2. The next thing is the interruption made by Peter when Christ came to perform this office to him. (1.) He divert eth it by wonder and admiration : ver. 6, ' Lord, dost thou wash my feet ?' that is, pur- ])Ose to do it. His admiration of Christ's humility was good, but his declining and shunning to receive this office of love from him was a faulty modesty ; as the saints usually run into extremity in their humi- liations, while they so far debase themselves as to refuse their own mercies. We are unworthy, it is true, aud we cannot have a sufficient sense of it ; but God can and will do more for unworthy creatures than they can ask or think, or imagine it to be consistent with their duty to receive from him. Christ corrects his error by instruction, showing that the action of washing had a further meaning, as he should afterwards understand when he had received the Spirit, and should be called to discharge the office of an apostle in the church, ver. 7. (2.) Notwith- standing this warning, Peter persists in his error : ' Lord, thou shalt never wash my feet.' He would by no means let Christ w^asli his feet. What was modesty before is now some degree of obstinacy, as infirmi-