Another difficulty, but of a different nature, has occurred with respect to the Lord’s supper.  This has arisen from the circumstance, that other ceremonies were enjoined by our Saviour in terms equally positive as this, but which most Christians, notwithstanding, have thought themselves at liberty to reject.  Among these the washing of feet is particularly to be noticed.  This custom was of an emblematic nature.  It was enjoined at the same time as that of the Lord’s supper, and on the same occasion.  But it was enjoined in a more forcible and striking manner.  The Sandimanians, when they rose into a society, considered the injunction for this ordinance to be so obligatory, that they dared not dispense with it; and therefore, when they determined to celebrate the supper, they determined that the washing of feet should be an ordinance of their church.  Most other Christians, however, have dismissed the washing of feet from their religious observance.  The reason given has principally been, that it was an eastern custom, and therefore local.  To this the answer has been, that the passover, from whence the Lord’s supper is taken, was an eastern custom also, but that it was much more local.  Travellers of different nations had their feet washed for them in the east.  But none but those of the circumcision were admitted to the passover-supper.  If, therefore, the injunction relative to the washing of feet, be equally strong with that relative to the celebration of the supper, it has been presumed, that both ought to have been retained; and, if one has been dispensed with on account of its locality, that both ought to have been discarded.

That the washing of feet was enjoined much more emphatically than the supper, we may collect from Barclay, whose observations upon it I shall transcribe on this occasion.

“But to give a farther evidence, says he, how these consequences have not any bottom from the practice of that ceremony, nor from the words following, ‘Do this in remembrance of me,’ let us consider another of the like nature, as it is at length expressed by John. [143] ’Jesus riseth from supper and laid aside his garments, and took a towel, and girded himself:  after that, he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.  Peter said unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet.  Jesus answered him.  If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.  So after he had washed their feet, he said, Know ye what I have done to you?  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.’  As to which let it be observed, continues Barclay, that John relates this passage to have been done at the same time with the other of breaking bread; both being done the night of the passover, after supper.  If we regard the narration of this, and the circumstances attending