g was not a custom of any particular nation, but
a universal custom. God separated Israel from the world to be his own
chosen people. He gave them certain laws, which stood as a partition wall
between them and the Gentile world. Among the many ceremonies was that of
bathing. By reading the fifteenth chapter of Leviticus you will learn of
the bathings required of the Jews for certain sins and uncleannesses.
These bathings were peculiar to this people alone and served to separate
them from other nations. They observed the universal custom of bathing,
but these bathings were additional and given by the Lord. When Jesus came
he abolished the Jewish ordinances that distinguished them from the world
and offers salvation to every nation. By his grace he separates his people
from the world and institutes for them the ordinance of baptism. This is
not the universal custom of bathing, neither is it the Jewish ceremony of
bathings for cleansings, but a New Testament ordinance for saved people of
this gospel day, representing their death to sin and consequent separation
from the world. All continue in the custom of bathing, but the Christian
is baptized.

All people in every age are accustomed, if we may call it a custom, to
eating; but when God separated Israel from Egypt and gave them a law, he
instituted a supper called the Passover. This they kept in commemoration
of their deliverance from Egyptian bondage. The Passover supper was not
the mere custom of eating supper, but was an ordinance peculiar to the
Jewish nation, and served to distinguish them as God's own chosen people.
In Heb. 9:10 we learn that these meats and drinks, and divers washings,
and carnal ordinances, were imposed on them until the time of reformation.
When Jesus came he instituted a new order of things. The Passover supper
was with the rest of the Jewish ordinances blotted out and nailed to the
cross. Col. 2:14. Jesus instituted a supper to be kept in remembrance of
him by his peculiar, exclusive people. This consists of bread, which
represents his body, and of wine, which represents his blood. This is not
the custom of eating, neither is it the Jewish ordinance, but a newly
instituted ordinance in this dispensation of grace. All continue the
custom of eating, but Christians keep the communion.

When Abraham was in the plains of Mamre he was visited by three angels,
unto whom he said: "Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash
your feet, and rest