Book. IV. Looking unto :fe{tu. Cbap-4. SeCt 4 bowels of a man; and I conceive as C!Jriil was a man void oHio fotbeaCl:sofnaturalvertues (as to pity theaffiictc.>d, tocompaf~. f:onate the difireifed) were !lronger in him tban poflibly they could be many other man; !in b'unteth n:~ : ural faculties dpeci.- all.y fuch as encline to budable and good acts, as to Jdve, and pity, and compaffionate, the miferable; in this refpect roftph was nothing to Chrifl:; when Chrifl: faw '1m fa/em, he wept, and ,... wept; his compaflion fl:rangled, a.nd enclored within him it mufi: needs break out; it may be in fome meafure it cafed ch'rifis mind, that his bowels of mercy found a vent ; we read that pity kept within Gods bowels, paines his very heart, fo that it rnufi: Hor.xr. :S. needs come out, mine heart iJ turned within me, m7 repentings are kjndl~d together. 9 Now he difcovered his humility in wailiing his difciples feet; [upper being ended, he laid fiji de hu garments,and took,!t towel, ., Joh, r 3, 4, S. •mdgirded himjelfe, P.nd poured water into a bafon, and began to wafb · hu difciples feet, and torr:ipe theri~ with the towel Jvherewith he wM girded. 'In this ceremony, and in the 'difcourfes following he infiruCl:s them in the doctrine of humility; yea, he imprints the leffon in lafi:ing characters, ·by making it fymbolical. But why would he wafh their feet, · rather than their hands, or heads ? I anfwer, it is probable on this account, that he might have the opportunity ofa more: humb'e pofl:ure. s~e how he !ayes every thing a!ide, that he may ferve his fervants; heaven fioopes to earth, one abiife calls on another, the miferies ·ofman which were next to infinite, are excelled by a mercy equal to the immenfity of God. It is fl:oried ofone Guericus, that upon the confideration ofthis humility of Chrift in wailiing his difciples feet, he cried out, th~>u haft overcome me 0 Lord, thou haft overcome my pride, thu example hath mafter~d me. I o. Now he difcovered his obedience to his Father in preaching the Gofpel up and down. He forefaw that the night drew . ~ on in which no man could work, and therefore now he hafi:ened to do his Fathers bufinefs, now he poures out whole cataraCts of holy leifons; and fiill the peopLe drew water from this fountaine, which fi:reamed out in continual emanations ; he added wave to wave, and lyne to lyne, and precept to precept; and at !aft he gave them his huewell Serm<Jn, which is the moil: fpiritual and ~omtortable piece that ever was uttetted; it comprehends the. intentions
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