suitable to their new condition-virtually saying, We are now come to the rest and to the inheritance which the Lord our God giveth us.

The most important change in the ordinance respected the site of its celebration. In the first instance, every household killed and eat the paschal lamb in their own abode. Eventually they might not kill the Passover within any of their own gates, but at Jerusalem only, where the priests killed the lamb, flayed it in the courts of the temple, sprinkled its blood on the altar, and then returned it to the offerer, who brought it to his dwelling in Jerusalem, and after roasting it, ate it with his family or friends in the evening.' * Other alterations of a minor character were introduced, to some of which I may have occasion to refer in explaining incidents and phrases connected with the institution of the Lord's Supper.†

Our Lord, in being made of a woman, was made under the law, and he observed the legal Passover with the rest of his countrymen-for thus it became him to fulfil all righteousness. ‡

* See Ainsworth on Exod. xii. 6, 7.

We have, in the Passover, an example of an important ordinance, retaining its essential sameness, and yet, in many features circumstantially modified. Why may not the like modifications have befallen the Sabbath? Some scruple at the idea of any change, such as that of the precise day, without total abrogation; but a substitution of the first for the seventh day of the week, while the principle of a Sabbatical rest is maintained, is not a more unlikely innovation than several which the Passover underwent, without any change of economy, and under the same dispensation which brought it into existence.

+ Appendix A.

Had we then visited Jerusalem, we should have found streets, and courts, and promenades almost forsaken, while yet the city was most densely crowded. Every house was, for the time, a temple, and thronged with a family or families engaged in religious service. No doubt every circle had its own interest, for what life has not its history? what family has not its vicissitudes? Here the old and the young were associating, and the sprightliness of youth and the decrepitude of age were interchanging salutations over the welcome memorials of Israel's deliverance. There rich and poor relatives, seldom dwelling together in everyday life, formed another group, and disdain and envy yielded for the time to an ascendant consciousness of being all brethren. In a third quarter, foe encountered foe, but not to fight, mollified by common friends in the range of their kindred; and as they looked on the lamb, and partook of it alike, they became imbued with its spirit, as well as nourished by its substance, exchanging their ferocity for harmlessness, and seeking a triumph over wrongs, in forgiving and forgetting them.* A fourth concourse of worshippers mingled pensiveness with their festivity. The gloom of bereavement was shed on their assembling. Where were the lips which last year addressed them? where the eyes which then beamed kindness and kindled joy? The place of such a father, or brother, or son was now

*The design of this [assembling at Jerusalem] was partly to unite the Jews among themselves, and to promote mutual love and friendship throughout the nation, by means of the whole body of them meeting together,' etc.-Jennings' Antiquities, Passover.

vacant, or filled by another, and the memorials set before them of national deliverance recalled the melt

ing scenes of relative distress. But they did well to come, though with sad and heavy steps. The Author of that ordinance has been the God of his people through all generations. It is his to give friends, and to sanctify the removal of them, and he can enable the desolated heart to say, in the discovery of his sufficiency to its wants, The Lord liveth; and blessed be my Rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted."

*

Each company, then, had its own interest, and, no doubt, the circumstances of some were deeply engaging. But there was one paschal brotherhood of which the claims on thoughtful regard transcended all competition. Had we then visited Jerusalem with our present views and sentiments, and been allowed access to any society most esteemed by us, we would not have intruded on princes in their palaces, but we would have inquired after a certain upper-room, where the lamb was encircled by Jesus and his disciples.

There had been distinguished Passovers before. The first was very famous which the Israelites kept in Egypt. There was a grand celebration of the ordinance in the wilderness—another, when the Jews, under Joshua, took possession of Canaan. The kings Hezekiah and Josias both honoured their reigns by keeping the feast with regal magnificence. The conclusion of the Babylonish captivity was fitly asso

*Ps. xviii. 46.

ciated with an ardent resumption of this ritual. Every one of these was a special and extraordinary Passover, but not to be compared with this—the last and greatest of all!

Our Lord's language, in the view of it, gave some indication of its consequence. He directed his disciples to go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand, I will keep the Passover at thy house with my disciples.'* Here the apostles act as messengers and servants to their Lord. As one who knoweth all things, he describes a person whom they will meet, while the individual is far off, and cannot be sensibly perceived by him or them. As Lord of all, he claims for his use the abode that pleases him, neither making request nor promising recompense. Some tell us that the abodes at Jerusalem were all free at this season, and were considered, for the time, a common property. On this festive occasion,' says Mr Horne, it was the custom at Jerusalem for the inhabitants to give the free use of their rooms and furniture to strangers at the Passover.'† The same opinion is expressed by Drs Lightfoot, Whitby, and other high authorities. That such was the case, however, I have not seen satisfactorily proved, nor does it appear how every home could be thrown open to accidental and indiscriminate admission, without occasioning tumultuous confusion. The opinion of Dr Jennings has more appearance of truth. 'It is probable,' he says, 'that most families

* Matt. xxvi. 18.

+ Introduction, etc. on the Passover.

6

let lodgings at those times.'* At all events, our Lord does not rest his demand on any such usage or understanding. His address is, 'The Master saith.'† The Great Teacher so appoints; he who taught as having authority, and not as the scribes.' Great is this Lord, and of great might-yet he is condescending, and in his condescension he assigns a special reason for cheerful compliance with his orders. My time is at hand.' How far these words were rightly interpreted by the individual to whom they were communicated we cannot determine; but this we are certain of, that the more they were understood, the more highly would they be appreciated. On his time-the time of his decease— the interests of eternity centred. It was the time of human necessities, the time of divine beneficence, the time when sin perpetrated its blackest deed, and yet was outdone in its abundance by more abounding grace. Homage, sympathy, gratitude, every good and righteous principle was appealed to in these simple expressions, 'My time is at hand.'

The Jews, in general, had poor conceptions of the crisis which impended. They little thought that they were eating the Passover, not only in the evening of the day, but in the evening of their dispensation; and yet they were not altogether insensible to the presence of an eventful juncture. The fame of Christ's teaching and miracles had now become so extensive and pervading, as to create strong expectations of good *Antiquities, Passover. † ὁ διδασκαλος λέγει.

Matt. vii. 29.