Christ's condescension.
Johnxiii. 12 — 15. So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set doivn again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you ? Ye call me Master and Lord : and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord arid Master, have washed, your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
PT1HERE are some fanciful interpreters of Scripture, JL who find mysteries in every thing; while others, who affect a supereminent regard for man's reasoning powers, banish mysteries altogether, and say, " Where mystery begins religion ends." These are equally distant from the true method of interpreting the sacred oracles ; and are almost equally adverse to the interests of religion : the former bring the truth into contempt ; the latter utterly discard it. The proper medium evidently is, to follow the direction which the Scripture itself gives us. The fundamental doc- trines of the Gospel are professedly mysterious, even " the wisdom of God in a mystery." There are many of the historical parts also, to which a mystical inter- pretation is given by the inspired writers : and, of the actions of our Lord there are some, into which a deeper insight is given us than into others; to which therefore we may safely assign a more mysterious import. The action referred to in the text was very significant, and may, with the greatest propriety, be considered,