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luost frequent and constant use of the lamb was in the daily sacrifice : Exod. xxix. 38, 39, ' Now this is that thou shalt ofi'er upon the altar, two lambs of the first year, day by day continually ; the one lamb thou shalt ofi'er in the morning, and the other lamb thou shalt ofi'er at even ; ' which was to be done with meal and wine, the two great supports of the natural life ; all which figured Christ. God is every day pleased and propitiated for our sins, and by virtue of his daily mediation we and all our actions are accepted of the Lord. The Lord Jesus is our daily lamb, which must be represented to God's justice, as the only means of our atonement, every morning and every evening. We need it as much as they, and are more obliged than they, because all is clear and open to us. Now upon the sabbath-day this offering was double : Num. xxviii. 9, 10, ' And on the sabbath-day two lambs of the first j'ear without spot, and two tenth- deals of flour for a meat-offering mingled witli oil, and the drink-offering thereof. This is the burnt- offering of every sabbath, beside the continual burnt-offering, and his drink-offering.' Then God requireth a more solemn remembrance of Christ, our lamb slain for us.
Thirdly, But the most solemn figure and type of Christ was the paschal lamb, and most frequently interpreted of him in the new testament : 1 Cor. v. 7, ' Christ our passover is sacrificed for us ; ' and John xix. 36, ' A bone of him shall not be broken.' This was originally spoken of the paschal lamb : Exod. xii. 46, ' Neither shall ye break a bone thereof.' Now the evangelist bringeth this as a prophecy ; this which was ordained concerning the paschal lamb is said to be fulfilled in Christ ; it is brought as a reason why the divine providence per- mitted not his legs to be broken. This is the type to which John here alludeth, and saith, ' Behold the Lamb of God.' Therefore here my work must be fixed, to state the resemblance between the paschal lamb and Jesus Christ. Certainly the use of that ordinance was typical, as well as historical ; it was ordained not only as a memorial of their redemption from Egypt, but as a figure of our redemption by Christ. To the first use it is supposed David hath respect when he said, Ps. cxi. 4, 5, ' He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered. The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion. He hath given meat to them that fear him ; he will ever be mindful of his covenant.' The meat there mentioned is supposed to respect the paschal lamb, when they were to remember the works of God. But the chief use was to type out Christ, who hath so taken away sin that he hath freed us from eternal death. He was the truth and substance of that type, and the true passover sacrificed for us, in whose person, and in whose sufferings and benefits, all that is really to be found which is pointed out and typified by that shadow.
That this may more clearly appear to you, I shall show you that the paschal lamb figured — (1.) The person of Christ ; (2.) His death on the cross ; (3.) The fruits of his death ; (4.) The manner how we are made partakers of them.
1. The paschal lamb figured the person of Christ. The prophets and apostles do often set forth the person of Christ under the notion of a lamb. Isaiah calleth him a lamb : Isa. liii. 7, ' He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter.' And Thilip, instructing the eunuch, applieth
478 SERMONS UPON JOHN I. 29.
that prophecy to Christ, Acts viii. 35. And amoDg the apostles, Peter telleth 3^011 that we are redeemed ' with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without spot and blemish,' 1 Peter i. 19. And John the evangelist calleth him often ' The Lamb that was slain,' Rev. v. 6, 9. And here John the Baptist, who was fibula legis et evangelii, in the middle between the prophets and apostles, calleth him ' Tiie Lamb of God,' in the text ; and ver. 36, ' Behold the Lamb of God.' And fitly, for Christ was a lamb in regard of his meekness, patience, and humble innocence. For his meekness he was a lamb, for he saith, ' Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart,' Mat. xi. 29 ; and for his innocency, for ' there was no guile found in his mouth,' 1 Peter ii. 22. But chiefly for his patience ; for * as a lamb before the shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth,' Acts viii. 32 ; 'He did not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the streets,' Isa. xlii. 2 ; ' Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again ; when he suffered, he threatened not ; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously,' 1 Peter ii. 23. Not that he wanted strength and power, * for all power was given him both in heaven and earth ; ' and if he would have made use of them, he had more than twelve legions of angels at his com- mand : Mat. xxvi. 53, ' Thinkest thou not that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels ? ' one of which was able enough easily to dissipate and destroy all his enemies. But 'he came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many,' Mat. xx. 28 ; and therefore he humbled himself, being made ' obedient to death, even the death of the cross,' Phil. ii. 8. Thus the lion of the tribe of Judah, by a strange metamorphosis, of a lion was made a lamb, that out of the eater might come forth meat, and out of the strong might come forth sweetness ; for this lamb feedeth us with his flesh, and giveth us to drink of his blood : John vi. 55, * My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.' No dish so savoury as that to an hungry con- science, no draught so comfortable to a thirsty soul. And besides this, he clotheth us with the fleece of his own righteousness, and therefore we are said to put on Christ : Gal. iii. 29, ' As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ ; ' and Rom. xiii. 14, ' Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.' And to receive white garments from him, by which the shame of our nakedness may be covered : Rev. iii. 18, ' I counsel thee to buy of me white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed.' I remember it is said. Gen. iii. 21, that ' God clothed Adam and Eve with coats of skins ; ' most probably of the skins of the sacrifices, for as yet they did not eat flesh ; and so it '^ould fitly imply the Redeemer's righteousness to clothe our nakedness :