CHAPTER XII. FEET WASHING. BAPTISM is not the only institution which Jesus Christ established for his church to observe; but in examining the Gospel, we find, that in the same night in which he was betrayed into the hands of sinners, he did establish three other institutions, to be all observed in order, at one meeting-namely, Feet Washing, the Supper, and the Communion; and writing upon these three institutions, I shall commence with Feet Washing, which was the first of the three instituted and observed by Christ and the apostles. Feet Washing, is an institution which the major part of the professors of religion contend is no commandment. If Feet Washing be no commandment, then there is no commandment to be found in the Gospel. But it is evident that Christ gave as plain a commandment for the observance of this institution, as he did that we should repent of our sins. In the 13th chapter of our Lord's Gospel according to St. John, we can read of the establishment of this institution. I shall, for the satisfaction of the reader, insert in this place, so much of the chapter as is connected with this subject, and then paraphrase the same, agreeably to that light and knowledge which I have upon the subject. "He riseth from supper and laying aside his garments, took a towel and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Then cometh he to Simon Peter, and Peter said unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, what I do thou knowest not what Peter saith unto now, but thou snalt know hereafter. him, thou shalt never wash my feet. him, if I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith unto him, he that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit, and ye are clean but not all; for he knew who should betray him, therefore said he, ye are not all clean. So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments and was set down 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 and 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. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his Lord, neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." John, xiii. 4-17. 'He riseth from supper.' From this expression, and another in the 2d verse of this chapter, and supper being ended,' some conclude that the supper was eaten; in consequence of which, some denominations, who observe the institution of Feet Washing, do it after supper. But they are most assuredly in an error; for it is certain, that Christ did wash the disciples' feet before the supper was eaten, and not afterwards; which I shall endeavor to make plain. From the expressions, he riseth from supper, and supper being ended, we are to understand nothing more, than that the supper was finished, and that Christ arose from a prepared table. This way of explaining these expressions harmonizes with the Scripture throughout. The faithful have always observed Feet Washing before eating. When Abraham received three messengers, he said, "Let a little water I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree, and I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on, for therefore are ye come to your servant-and they said so do as thou hast said." Gen. xviii. 4-5. From the reading of those two verses, it seems plain to me, that they washed their feet before they ate. Again-as it respects Joseph's brethren, it reads, "And the man brought them into Joseph's house and gave them water and they washed their feet." Gen. xliii. 24. The 25th verse reads, " And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon-for they heard that they should eat bread there." For further proof respecting the practice of Feet Washing, see the following places: Gen. xix. 2; xxiv. 32. Again-If you will closely examine the 13th chapter of John, you may know from the same, that Christ washed the feet before supper. For instance-" So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again "—that is, at the table: (Now the feet were washed, and when Christ was set down again at the table, then they commenced the eating of the supper is plain from the 26th verse,) "Jesus answered, be it is to whom I shall give a sop when I have dipped it, and when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon." Adam Clarke comments as follows upon the same subject, verse 2d : "And supper being ended-rather while supper was preparing. It appears that the supper was not then ended; nay, it is probable that it was not then begun, because the washing of feet (verse 5) was usually practised by the Jews before they entered upon their meals, as may be gathered from Luke, vii. 44. By the supper, I suppose to be meant, not only the eating of it, but the preparing and dressing of it. Verse 4th: He riseth from supper not from eating, as Bishop Pearce has well observed, but from his place at table. Probably the dishes were not as yet laid down, though their guests were seated, according to the custom of the Jews and other Asiatics. This washing must have taken place before the supper." Feet Washing has a spirirual meaning, and on that account many reject the observance of it. They tell us, that Christ only intended by this circumstance to teach his disciples humility. In part, I admit the assertion. But can that be taken as an evidence that it is not to be observed literally? If so, then Baptism and the Communion are not to be observed-for they also have a spiritual meaning. Where can you find in the Gospel a plainer command than the words of our Saviour to his disciples concerning Feet Washing? Dear reader, hear again with attention; Oh! labor to possess a teachable disposition, hearken to the words of the Lord: "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 and 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. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." Do not endeavor to evade the general application of these words, or to confine them to the twelve apostles. To give you a gentle check at this place, let me refer you to the apostolic commission, Mat. xxviii. 20: "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and lo! I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world, amen." You admit Christ commanded his apostles to wash one another's feet, and from the above passage, you can perceive that it was the duty of the apostles to teach all baptized persons to observe the same. I cannot believe that Christ had been in the habit of washing his disciples' feet; if so, Peter |