next de.y for religious wolllhip. The name out of the Hebrew text. In the evenmr, •· com·ocation," applied to these gatherings, The Hebrew de.y commenced with the evening feems to show that originally the people were (Gen. i. 5); but the evening here intended is ..mmon,,d. t.o such meetings, BB they still are that e.t the close of the 14th of Abih which by the mue£zin from the minarets of mosques began the 15th. Similarly, the eve~ing of in Ma.hommedan countries, and by bells from the 21st is here that which commenced tho the fteeples of churches in Christie.n ones. 22nd. And on the aeventh day. On the 22nd of Ver. 19.-This is not a mere "vain repeti- Abib----the seventh day after the first holy tion " of verse 15. It adds e.n important couvocation on the 15th (see Lev. xxiii. extension of the punitive clause-" that soul 4-8). Only two of the Jewish festivals were shall be cut off from Israel "-from Israelites of this duration -the feast of unleavened proper to proselytes. We a.re thus reminded, bread, and the feast of tabernacles ( ib. 39-42). a.t the very time when Israel is a.bout to The Christian Church has adopted the usage become a nation and to enter upon its inherit• for Christmas, Easter, Ascension, and Whlt- ance of exclusive privileges, that no exclusion t.-untide. where the last day of the week is of the Gentiles by reason of re.ce or descent known technically as "the octave." l!ro man- was ever contemplated by God, either at the ner of work llhall be done in them. Festival- gh-i.ng of the law, or e.t any other time. In days were in all countries days of abstention Abraham "all the fe.mjlies of them were to from the ordinary business of life, which could be blessed" (Gen. xii. 3). It wo.s o.lwe.ys not conveniently be carried on conJointly with open to any Gentiles to join themselves to attendance at the services, meetings, proces- Israel by becoming " proselytes of justice," sions, etG., wherein the festival consisted. But adopting circumcision and the genera.I ob- absolute cessation from all work was nowhere servance of the le.w, and joining the Israelite strictly commanded except among the He- community. The whole law is full of refer- brews. where it appears to h.e.ve been con- ences to persons of this class (Ex. xx. 10 ; nected with the belief in God's absolute rest xxiii. 12; Lev. xvi. 29; xvii. 10; xviii. 26 after the six daJll of creation. The command xx. 2 ; xxiv. 16 ; Num. xxxv. 15; Dent. v.14:; here given was solemnly repeated in the law xvi. ll-14; xxiv. 17, 19; xxvii. 19; xxix. (Lev. x:riii. 6-8). 11, etc.). It must have been largely recruited Ver. 17.-In this ael.f-aa.me day. The 15th in the times immediately following the exodus of Ahib----the first day of the feast of un- from the "mixed multitude" which e.ccom- leavened bread. :&:ave I brought your hosts pe.nied the Israelites out of Egypt (Ex. xii. out. This expression seems to prove that we 38), and from the Kenites who joined them have in the injunctions of verses 14-20, not in the wilderness (Num. x. 29-31; Jud. i. the exact words of the revelation on the sub- 16). Bom in the l&Dd-i.e., an Israelite by ject made by God to Moses before the :insti- birth-" the land " is, no doubt, Ca.ne.e.n, tution of the Passover, but a re-casting of the which is regarded e.s the true "Land of words after the exodus h.e.d taken place. Israel" from the time when it was assigned Otherwise, the expression must have been, by God to the posterity of Abraham (Gen. ·• I will bring your hosts out." As an ordi- xv. 18). nance for ever. Easter eve, the day on which Ver. 20.-Here age.in there is no repetition, Sa.tan was despoiled by the preaching of Jesus but an extension. "Ye shall eat nothing to the spirits in prison (1 Pet. iii. 1!1), e.nd on leavened," not only no leavened brand (ver. which the Church first realises its deliverance I 5), but no leavened cake of e.ny kind. And from the bondage of sin by the .Atonement of "in all your habitations shall ye ee.t un- Good Frids.v. is the Christian continuance of leavened bread," i.e., wherever ye dwell, the first dav of unleavened bread, e.nd so whether in Egypt, or in the wilderness, or in answers to this text, as Good Friday to the Palestine, or in Babylonia, or in Media, this iimile.r colillIJJUld in ver. 14. law shall be observed. So the Jews observe Ver. 18.-In the :liret month. The word it eYerywhere to this day, though they no • month " seems to hllve accidentally dropt longer se.crifice the Paschal lamb.
HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-2.-The aiivantages of an ecdesiastv:al calendar. With their new pos!tion as an independent nation, and their new privileg~s ~ God's redeemed pe_opl? ~eh. vi. 6), the Israelites received the gift of a new eccles1a.st1cal calendar. Thell' civil calendar remaining as before, their civil year commencing with Tisri, about the tim~ of the autumnal equinox, and consisting of twelve months of alternately twenty-rune and thirty days, they were now commanded. to ~opt a_ new de~arture for their sacred_ year, and to reckon its commencement from Ab1b or Nu;an, which began about the time of tiie vernal equinox, or March 21. This waB advantageous to them in several ways. \-'U, XII. 1-20.] 'l'HE IlOOK OF EXODU:'l.