peace, and enjoyment-something that must ever accompany that rest, peace, and enjoyment, and, so long as we are in the flesh, remain inseparable from it. Two things of this kind suggest themselves-repentance and self-denial. The bitter herbs may perhaps symbolise both, pointing on the one hand to the important truth, that real repentance is a continuous act, never ceasing, while we live below, and on the ot'ner to the necessity of men's "taking up their cross daily," and striving towards perfectness through suffering. Ver. 14.-The Passover continued in the Eucharist.-It was expressly declared that the Passover was instituted to be observed as a feast" by an ordinance for ever." Jews are justified in remaining Jews, if they cannot otherwise continue to celebrate it. But they can. The Passover is continued in the Eucharist. Hence St. Paul's words at Easter time--" Christ, our Passover, is crucified for us ; therefore let u.s keep the feast " (1. Cor. v. 7, 8). I. THE EUCHARIST 18 THE AFTER COMMEMORATION OF THE EVENT, WHICH THE PASS- OVER PREFIGURED AND FORESHADOWED. The reality underlying both being the Lord's death upon the cross as a propitiation for the sins of man, this death was set forth in anticipation by the Paschal sacrifice; it is now "shown forth" after the event, in the Eucharist, "until Christ come" (1 Cor. xi. 26). The bread and wine represent the humanity of Christ as truly as the Paschal lamb represented it. The Eucharistic ceremony is " a perpetual memory ( auaµ."'lu•s) of his precious death," and in some respects a more lively setting forth of that central event of history than ever was the Paschal ceremony. II. THE EUCHARIST SETS FORTH THE CHRISTIAN'S DELIVERANCE FROM BOls--OAGE, AB THE PASSOVER DID THE JEw's. The true bondage is the bondage of sin. This is the "Egypt" from which man requires to be delivered. The death of Christ, which the Eucharist "shews forth," is the one and only remedy for sin, the one and only means whereby it becomes possible for man to shake off the grievous yoke from his shoulders, and become free. By His meritorious sacrifice the guilt of sin is removed ; by His assisting grace, given most abundantly through the Eucharist, the power of sin is destroyed, and its taint gradually purged out of our nature. Ill. THE EUCHARIST 18 A FEAST OF THANKSGIVING TO THE CHRISTIA..'<, AS THE P.!SS- OVEll. FESTIVAL wAS TO THE JEW. The very name of Eucharist, which became the usual name of the Holy Communion as early as the second century, indicates how essential a feature of it thanksgiving was felt to be. " We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thee thanks for thy great glory, 0 Lord God "-this is the general key-note of Eucharistic services. .And naturally. For, if the Jew had much to thank God for, the Christian has more. Redemption, justification., assisting grace, sanctification, union with Christ-clear and distinct promise of everlasting life--are his, and crowd upon his mind in connection with this sacrament. IV. THE EUCHARIST, LIKE THE PASSOVER, IS A FEAST UPON A SACRIFICE. In the Pass- over, as generally in sacrifices, the victim was first offered on behalf of the sacrificers-in this case the household, and then the flesh of the victim furnished a sole!lln sacrificial meal to the members of the household. In the Eucharist, where the tl'lle victim is Christ himself, whose sacrifice upon the cross is alone propitiatory, a co=emoration of the death of Christ is made, and then there follows a feast of the most sacred kind. \Vhat- ever benefits may have flowed from participation in the Paschal festival are far exceeded by those attached to the" Supper of the Lord." The Jew felt himself by participa- tion in the Passover festival incorporated anew into the co=unity of Israel; the Christian, by worthy participation in the Eucharist, is engrafted anew into Christ.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 2.-The beginning of months. The exodus from Egypt was the birthday of the nation of Israel. In co=emoration of this great event, the day from which tho (religious) year began was changed. The month A bib was thenceforth to be "the beginning of months." The civil year continued to begin with Tisri (cf. eh. x.xiii. 16). I. REDEMPTION, THE TRUE STARTING-P0UIT OF HUMAN EXISTENCE. The day when 266 THE DOOK OF EXODUS. Len. XII. 1-29,
MlvatiC1n comes to II man's house (Luke x1x. 9; Acts xvi. 34) is the true "beginning of days" to him. 1. It is the commenoement of a new life. "Born again" (John iii. 3); "passed from death into life" (John v. 24); "a new creature" (2 Cor. v.17). '"l'he years we spent before we turned to the Lord are not worth counting; the best that can happen to them is to be buried out of sight" (Dr. J. M. Gibson). 2. It is the day o/ separati-0n .from the worl,d. Some think that up to this time the Israelites had used the Egyptian calendar, which began about the time of the summer solstice. " From this time, however, all connection with Egypt was to be broken off, and the commencement of the sacred year was to commemorate the time when Jehovah led them forth to liberty and independence" (Geikie). 3. It is the d,a,y which begins the journey to heaven. Redemption is the beginning of the new life: it is, however, but the beginning. ~he wilde~ess journey follows it. Conversion is not a resting-place, but a sta.rtrng-pcnnt. It begins, but does not complete, salvation. TI. TIME, A MEMORIALIST OF Gon's MIGHTY WORKS. Even on so immaterial a thing as time, God has inscribed a memorial of His three greatest works. 1. Creation. He has built into the structure of the week an imperishable record of the six days' work. 2. The Emdw. The order of the year in Israel was made to testify to the deliverance from Egypt. 3. The Christian red-emptum. The advent of Christ has founded an era. The bitterest enemy of the Gospel is compelled to do it, at least, the involuntary homage of dating his years from the Lord's advent. By his use of the Christian calendar, the infidel testifies unwittingly to the power of the religion which he seeks to overthrow. m. THE SPHERES OF THE SACRED AND THE CIVIL ARE DISTINCT. One indication of this, even in the polity of Israel, is seen in the fact that the sacred year began in one month, and the civil in another.--J. 0.