Testament • For,' BBY they, • they 1188 ue with thy commandments I And thou hast this leo.ning posture, o.s free men do, in given us, in love, the solemn days for joy, memorio.l of their freedom.' And again, and the fe3ti vale and appointed seasons for 'Bees.use it is the manner of slaves to eat gladness, and this, the day of the Feast of standing, theretpre now they eat sitting and Unleavened Bread, the season of our free- leaning, in order to ehow that they have dom, a holy convocation, the memorial of out been delivered from bondage into freedom.' departure from Egypt. For us hast thou And fine.Hy, • No, not the poorest in Israel chosen; and ue hast thou sanctified from may eat till he ho.e eat down, leaning.' But among all nations, and thy holy festive.la though it ws.e deemed desirable to sit lean- with joy and with gladness be.at thou caused ing during the whole Paschal supper, it ue to inherit. Blessed art thou, 0 Lord, was only absolutely enjoined while par- who sanctifieet Israel and the appointed taking of the bread and the wine " (Eders- seasons I Blessed art thou, Lord, Kin"' of heim, 'Temple Service'). The essentials the unive~ee, who hast preserved us alive, of the Paecho.l feast were the Paschal and sustamed ue, and brought us to this lamb, the unleo.vened bread, o.nd the bitter seaeon" (Edersheim, ' Temple Service '). herbs (Exod. xii. 8). To these were o.fter- After drinking the flret cup, there followed wards added a dish formed from an animal a general washing of hands, after which sacrificed on the Passover day, a composi- the company ate some of the bitter herbs. tion of dates and other dried fruits, and four Then the second cup was filled, and in oupe of red wine mixed with water, the order to carry out the injunction of Exod. last of which came to be regarded o.s essen- xii. 26, 27, the youngest member of the tial as that which had been oommo.nded company inquired, "What mean ye by in the Law. The Rabbi Gamaliel is re- this service?" And tho president of the ported by the Mishna to have said, " Who- feast replied, 11 It is the sacrifice of the ever fails to explain three things in the Lord's Passover, who passed over the houses Passover fails to fulfil hie duty. These of the children of Israel in Egypt, when are the Paschal lamb, the unleavened bread, he emote the Egyptians, and delivered our and the bitter herbs. The Ps.schal lamb houses." At the same time, he explained means that God passed over the houses of the purport of the unleavened brend and our fathers in Egypt, which were sprinkled the bitter herbs, and cnlled upon the com- with blood; the unleavened bread, that our pany to give thanks for whnt God hod fathers were hurried out of Egypt; the bitter wrought for them and for their fothers, end- herbs, that the Egyptians made the lives of ing with Pe. cxiii., cxiv., sung by nil present. our fathers in Egypt bitter" (Pes. x. 15). Tlie second cup was then drunk, und oftcr The wine wns regarded so necessary an n second washing of hnnds, the uuleo.vened adjunct, that it is ordered that every house- bread was broken, and thanks ngo.in given, holder mnst provide himself with four cups, after whioll the pieces of brend, the bitter even if he had to sell or pawn his coat, or herbs, the other eo.crifloinl dish (if any), hire himself out for o. servant, or rec~ive aud the Paeohal lamb were ps.rtaken of in money from the poor's box, in order to do turn. The third oup was then filled, thanks so (Pee, i.). The supper began with drink- were again given, and the oup was drunk. ing the fuet cup of wine, before which o. This cup bud the no.me of the II cup of gre.oe, or thanksgiving, of the following bleeeing," owing to the blessing said over it, chs.racter was so.id :-" Blessed art thou, and it was succeeded after o.n interval Jehovah our God, who ho.at created the by the fourth oup, when Pa. oxv.--oxviii. fruit of the vine I Dlessed art thou, Jehovah (whioh, with Pe. oxiii., oxiv., ml\de up the our God, King of the universe, who he.at Hullol) were sung, followed by a prayer of chosen us from among all people, and exalted thanksgiving. us from among all languages, and so.notified
HOMILETICS. Ver. 5.-The Paschal supper was observed by our Lord in obedience to the command in Exod. xil. 14; eh. xxiii. 5; Deut. xvi. 1-8, in the following manner, so far as we are able to gather from the narrative of the gospel. I. HE BENT PETER AND JoHN BEFOREHAND TO PREPARE TIIE PABSOVEB. The first step in the preparation of the Passover was the purchase of the Paschal lamb. We may see the two disciples, after they had been led by the man bearing a pitcher of water to the house where the feast was to be held, providing themselves with a lamb, unleavened bread, the bitter herbs, o.nd that other dish into which the sop was after- wards dipped; then carrying the lamb to the temple, to be sacrificed in the court. This THE BOOK OF LEVlTlCUS. (oR. ttltI. 1-&.