circumstances concerning it, was figurative of Christ, and his dolorous, bitter, and expiatory passion.

The separation of the lamb from the fold, was expressive of Christ's separation, and desig nation to his office and work; hence Peter, speaking of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot, says, "Who verily was fore-or

dained before the foundation of the world." 1 Peter i. 20.

The paschal lamb being without blemish, was to express the perfect purity of Jesus Christ; its being a male, was to point out Messiah to be a man. The lamb was to be perfect in all its parts, which shadowed out the perfect strength and fitness of the Lord Jesus for his offering himself as an all-sufficient sacrifice for the sins of his people. Now all the amiable qualities of a lamb, its innocency, meekness, &c. were very fit to re present the innocency and meekness of the holy and immaculate Lamb of God, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth; "He was led as a lamb to the slaughter; and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth." The paschal lamb was to be slain at even, or about three o'clock in the afternoon; thus Christ died on the cross about the same time. The whole congregation of the children of Israel were to kill the passover, or it was to be killed for them; so Christ died for the whole

elect Israel of God, and his sacrifice is for the whole of them, and they are equally interested in it, and benefited by it.

As the paschal lamb, the separating it from the fold, the keeping it up, and slaying it at the time fixed by the Lord, was typical of Christ, and his violent death, by which eternal redemption was to be obtained; so the various and several circumstances belonging to the ordinance of the passover, bore a resemblance unto, and were very expressive of Jesus, the very paschal Lamb of God, who was offered for us.

The blood of the lamb was to be saved in a bason, and sprinkled on the lintel, and two side posts: this was expressive of the preserving virtue there is in the blood of Jesus, and how it protects those who are sprinkled with it. The bunch of hyssop, dipped in the bason, with which it was sprinkled, points out the use which faith makes of the blood of Christ; it is by it received into the heart, as the testimony of God, and it is fully credited, that "The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleauseth us from all sin."

The roasting of the lamb with fire, its head with its legs, and the appurtenances thereof, very solemnly typified the most exquisite sufferings of our most dear and precious Lord Jesus. The lamb was roasted whole; a spit was run longways through it, then a stick was run through the fore feet, which were extended, and it was hung

up, suspended, and roasted with a slow fire, so that in form it resembled its antitype, with his arms stretched out upon the cross; and the fire penetrating its head, legs, heart, aud inwards, was very expressive of Christ, whose head was crowned with thorns, whose arms were stretched out on the cross, and his hands nailed to it, and the wrath of God pierced him so thoroughly, that he says, "I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint, my heart is like wax, it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws, and thou hast brought me into the dust of death." Psalm xxii 14, 15.

This ordinance of the passover, which thus most divinely set forth and expressed in a figurative symbolical way, the Lord Jesus Christ, in his blood-shedding, sufferings, and death, was also very significant of him in the manner in which it was observed by the Israelites; they were to eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs, with their loins girt, their shoes on their feet, and their staff in their hand. The unleavened bread and bitter herbs, was expressive of their bitter affliction in Egypt; and also that there can be no true feeding on Christ, no looking to him, and spiritually contemplating his sufferings, but there will be a godly mourning for sin, which will be, even in the remembrance of it, to the regenerate soul, more bitter than death.

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The loins girded, and the shoes on the feet, were a preparation to these persons, with their staff in their hand, for their journey and march out of Egypt; and may be to us a memento how our loins should be girded about with the truths of the everlasting gospel, our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, that we should be ready in heart and affection to take our journey through life, looking to, and having an eye to the heaven into which our forerunner is entered, even Jesus.

Again, it was symbolical of Christ thus: at the death of a lamb, Egypt is destroyed and Israel delivered; so by the death of the Lamb of God, hell is subdued and the elect saved. The passover being eaten, Egypt is struck with the death of all their first-born; Christ having finished the transgression, made an end of sins, made reconciliation for iniquity, and brought in everlasting righteousness, by offering himself an offering and sacrifice to God, for a sweet-sinelling savour, by his all-powerful arm, struck a final blow, and conquered the whole power of hell, triumphing over principalities and powers on the

cross.

It may be further observed, that the slaying the passover pointed out the blood shedding of the Lamb of God: his life was to be taken away, he was to make his soul an offering for sin. The lamb being roasted, was to be eaten, which

pointed out that Christ crucified is the food of faith, and that his people feed on him as the atonement for sin; he saith, "My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed: he that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day." The passover was not to be eaten raw or sodden, but roast with fire, its head, with its legs, and with the purtenance thereof; which suggested not only the severity of our Lord's sufferings, but also the interest and communion in Christ, and with him, in all the blessings of salvation. Every Israelitish family had a paschal lamb; every society of real believers have all of Christ set before them in his everlasting gospel, and in his sacred institutions, baptism, and the Lord's supper.

None of the passover was to remain until the morning, what remained of it was to be burnt; to shew there is a present participation of Christ by faith, in the use of his ordinances; and that when Christ should be incarnate, and had realized this type, (and all others representative of him, and his work,) it should cease, and be wholly discontinued. They were to put all leaven out of their houses, to shew their unfeigned faith in Christ, their deliverer; and, as the apostle expresses it, to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness, and exercise and express sincere love to God and Christ, and to his people.