Use 1. Information — That we have all need to be washed if we expect benefit by Christ. There is a double necessity of this washing —
[1.] Because of our natural pollution ; for we are all sinners, and sin is of a defiling nature, making the person unclean and loathsome to God wherever it is. (1.) That we are all sinners by nature the scrip- ture everywhere witnesseth : Job xv. 14, ' What is man that he should be clean ? and he that is born of a woman, that he should be righteous ? ' that is, man by nature is neither clean nor righteous, destitute of purity by nature, and uprightness of conversation. They are ill acquainted with man who think otherwise ; for if you consider the universality of sinning, his earliness in sinning, his easiness in sinning, his constancy in sinning, you may soon see what his nature is ; and the fountain being so corrupt, the streams and emanations from it must needs be defiled also. Now (2.) that we are therefore odious and loathsome to God, scriptures witness also t Prov. xiii. 5, * A wicked man is loathsome.' To whom ? To God cliiefly, being a stench in the nostrils of his holiness. T(» good men, Prov. xxix. 27. Thei'e is odium offensionis et odium inimi- citice; the first is opposite to the love of complacency ; the second, to the love of benevolence. To indifferent men ; for they that allow sin in them- selves dislike it in others, Titus iii. 3. To themselves ; for they are unwilling to look into themselves, John iii. 20. Therefore certainly if they would become Christ's people, have communion with him, and interest in him, they must be purified.
[2.] Because of daily infirmities : John xiii. 10, ' He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit.' Though we be not wholly unclean, yet we contract new filth by walking up and down in a dirty and defiling world, so that a man that needeth not to wash his whole body, needeth still to wash his feet. Every spot or every sin that we commit doth not alter our estate ; yet we should be still purging out the relics of sin. Though we do not wallow like swine in
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the mire, yet we contract mucL soil. Daily failings must not be swal- lowed without remorse and a new exercise of daily repentance. If a man were unclean under the law, he was to wash his clothes before even. Every night look to the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world. God's reckoning with Adam would not let him sleep in his sins. Especially before solemn duties we must humble and cleanse ourselves for these sins, and seek strength against them ; espe- cially when we would get our interest in Christ more confirmed, our communion with him more free. Though we have actually renounced profaneness, yet we must bewail failings.
2. That soul- washing is Christ's work, and communicated to us in his own way , for it is said here, ' It" I wash thee not' Certain it is that none can change or cleanse his own heart : Jobxiv. 4, ' Who can bring a. clean thing out of an unclean ? Not one.' That which is wholly cor- rupt cannot cleanse itself. Our pollution is so universal, that there is nothing left untainted, no sound part to mend the rest. And it is not a slight tincture, but a deep dye, like the leopard's spots or the Ethio- pian's skin. The word cannot do it without Christ. Good instruc- tions may show a man his duty, but cannot change his heart. Christ needed not only to be sent as a prophet, but must sanctify himself as a priest and sacrifice; before this benefit could be procured for us. There- fore it is said, John vii. 17, 18, ' As thou hast sent me into the world, even so also have I sent them into the world ; and for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified through the truth.' It was impossible to recover holiness into the world, unless a price, and no less price was paid than the blood of the Son of God. Therefore it is said, ' He hath washed us in his blood,' Eev. i. 5. This is the foun- tain opened tor the washing of our guilty and sinful souls. Zech. xiii. 1. Well, then, soul-washing is Christ's work, and communicated to us in his own way ; that is to say, would we be cleansed from sin, we must beg it of God, for it is a divine operation. ' Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.' But whatever God doth he doth by Christ. He would not look towards us but for Chrivst's sake. Come we to Christ then, for it is his blood cleanseth us from all sin ; he pur- chased this grace into his own hands ; but what Christ doth he doth by his Spirit : ' For the renewing of the Holy Ghost is shed on us abundantly through Clirist Jesus our Lord,' Titus iii. (5. Go we to the Spirit then, waitii)g for his work ; but what he doth he doth it by the ordinances, the word, and sacraments ; for which end also Christ died : Ei)h. v. 26, ' Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it by the washing of water through the word.' But what must they do in the ordinances ? Will their bare presence work ? or can we expect this benefit by an idle and slothful attendance ? No ; we must diligently use the means, obey the Spirit's sanctifying motions, act the grace received : 1 Peter i. 22, ' Seeing ye have purified your hearts in obeying the truth, through the Spirit.' It was Naaman's error that he would be cleansed from his leprosy and sit still ; but the prophet bids him go and wash : he must wash himself if he would be made whole. So, if we lie upon the bed of ease, and say, Christ must do all, we miss the benefit. In cleansing the leper, besides the sprinklings of the priest, he must wash himself,