A SERMON ON JOHN XIII. 8. 451
ties grow upon our hands when we indulge them. This second refusal is more peremptory, after Christ had declared the meaningof thiswashing. Surely he should have acquiesced in Christ's answer ; for we must yield obedience to his will, though for the present we do not know the reason of it. But he was so far from acquiescing, that he proceeded to a wilful refusal ; therefore Christ rebuketh him more severely, and with a threatening that would go to his very heart. And * Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.' In which words —
1. A sin supposed or taxed — If 1 wash thee not.
2. A sad threatening denounced to break his obstinacy — Tliou heist no part loith me.
1. The sin supposed—' If I wash thee not.' The question is whether it relateth to his non-submission to Christ's action of washing his feet, or to the spiritual washing and cleansing of the soul. Ans. To both, but chiefly to the last.
[1.] I do not exclude the former, because we ought to obey God, though the reason of what he doth and commandeth appeareth not. It was Peter's fault to prefer his own pieconceived opinion before the wis- dom of Christ ; and disobedience to a positive command is no small sin, though the precept hath no other worth to commend itself to our con- sciences but the will and authority of the commander. The whole world was ruined by eating the forbidden fruit, or the transgression of a positive law.
[2.] Christ doth primarily and principally speak of the spiritual wash- ing, of which the washing of their feet was but an emblem and figure. (1.) It is usual with Christ to pass from corporeal things to spiritual benefits , as from the water of Jacob's well he di.scourseth of the well of life, or the gift of the Spirit, John iv. 13, 14 ; and from the growing of the corn to the gatherinfj of fruit unto the eternal harvest, John iv. 35, 36 ; from their following him for the loaves to labouring for meat that peri.sheth not, John vi. 27 ; and afterward beginneth a nota- ble discourse of the bread of life, or the true manna that came down from heaven ; so from the drawing and pouring out of water at the feast of tabernacles of the flowing out of the Spirit, John vii. 38, 39 ; and many other places. (2.) He saith not, ' If I wash not thy feet,' but, ' If I wash thee not ;' by the words declaring that it was not the refusal or contempt of that action which he principally spake of, and afterwards explaineth himself how far the choicest believers need to be washed, ver. 10. (3.) That washing of feet was not so necessary to salvation that a matter of such moment should depend upon the neglect of it, as exclusion from all benefit by Christ. (4.) The words are opposed to the preconceived opinion of Peter and the other dis- ciples, who only looked to the external action ; ' Ye are clean, but not all,' ver. 10-
2. The threatening on this supposition — ' Thou hast no part with me.' Some make a distinction between the words, in me, and ivith me ; as if the sense were, Though thou hast part in me, yet none with me, that is, in the supper which he was about to institute ; but this is more argute than solid. The phrase implieth two things — (1.) No communion with him ; (2) No interest in him or his benefits.
452 A SERMON OX JOHN XIII. 8.
[1.] No coraiiiunlon with him ; as 2 Cor. vi. 15, ' What concord };ath Chri.st with Belial ? or what })art hath he that believeth with an infidel ?' that is, there is no familiarity and friendship or communioa in worship between them. Presently after this the sacrament of Christ's body and blood was instituted, to the participation of which this spiritual washing was necessary.
[2.] Xo interest in him ; as Acts viii. 21, ' Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter.' Part and lot is right portion, or inheritance ; fco ' no part with me ' is no interest in Christ or liis benefits.
Doct. That without the washing of the soul from sin men can have no communion with Grod in Christ nor interest in him. I prove it —
1. With respect to the nature of God, who is represented to us as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
[1.] Our God is pure and holy : Hab. i. 13, ' Of purer eyes than to behold iniquity ;' that is, with approbation and acceptance, yea, or so much as cunnivance, or to let it go unpunished. The sense of this is at the bottom of all that terror and astonishment that is in the heart of sinners, 1 Sam. vi. 20 ; and the disbelief of this is the ground of all their security, or pleasing themselves in their sins, Ps. 1. 21. An unsanctified man can never have any quiet in his sins till he hath defaced the awe of God's holiness in his conscience, or entertained un- worthy lessening thoughts of his purity and holiness. This is the cause of the deep humiliation of the saints, and that great self-abhor- rency, and self-loathing which they express whenever they have to do with God. They cannot think of him, but they are ashamed of the remainder of corruption in their hearts : Isa. vi. 5, ' Woe is me ! for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell among a people of unclean lips, for mine eyes have seen the Lord of hosts.' So Job xlii. 5, 6, 'I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear ; but now mine eye seeth thee ; wherefore I abhor my.self in dust and ashes.' Thus were the .saints affected when God manifested himself to them in a way of grace. God is a most pure, holy being, and the fountain of all purity and holiness, in comparison of whom the purity of the highest creatures is but pollution : Job xv. 15, 16, ' Behold he putteth no trust in his saints, and the heavens themselves are not clean in his sight : how much more al)ominable and filthy is man, who drinketh in iniquity like water ?' The good angels were never defiled with sin, yet, because of the mutability of their natures, God is said not to trust them, because they are creatures, and so changeable ; and they are said, in a com- parative sense, not to be clean in his sight. Oh ! how much more should we confess ourselves to be vile and abhorred, who are actually defiled with sin, and are so mutable and fickle, and do so often show what dregs and dross remaiueth in our hearts. But God, though he be so good and holy in himself, yet may dispense with the unholiness of others. Xo; his purity implieth an hatred and aver.sation from all that is not pure and holy : Ps. v. 5, ' The foolish shall not stand in thy sight ; thou hatest the workers of iniquity ; ' for none can have com- munion with this holy God unless they be pure and holy also. God is good to such as are of a clean heart, Ps. Ixxiii. 1 ; and Ps. xviii. 26, ' With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure, and with the upiight thou wilt show thyself upright.' So that there is no fruition