charity; devotion constraining to tears; reverence tempered by love; joy rejoicing in fear and inward thanksgiving; and that profound self-abasement, which can only come from the depths of a heart that knows its own vileness, and appeals for mercy, to the supreme height of Thy Divine Majesty.
CHAPTER XXIV
☙ Of the Washing of the feet, and the sacred discourse of Jesus, at the Supper
BLESS Thee, and give thanks to Thee,
O Lord Jesus Christ, most highly exalted King of Saints, for that supreme
example of deep humility and abject
self-abasement, which Thou didst show forth, and
leave to us for our imitation, when Thou, the most
holy God, didst think no scorn of carefully washing, on Thy bended knees, and with Thy own
ever-blessed Hands, of wiping, and of kissing,
the feet of those poor fishermen. Thy humble followers: and, more than all this, didst also wash,
with the same tender loving-kindness, the feet of
Thy perfidious betrayer, although, ungrateful for
all Thy benefits, foul within and unwashed, he
went on still in his wickedness.
O wondrous tenderness of a Master to a disciple so hardened, O endearing complaisance of a most loving Lord to a servant who was utterly depraved, who was so case-hardened in his sin, that not even by Thy courtesy at the feast, nor by the gentleness of Thy menial service, nor by the sweetness of Thy discourse, could he be held back from his wicked purpose!
