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 BV 4915 ,M222 1865 
 Mccord, William j. 
 Our passover 
 
OUR PASSOVER, 
 
 THE GREAT THINGS OF THE LAW. 
 
 BY THE 
 
 Rev. WILLIAM J. McCORD, 
 
 WASSAIC, N. T. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 
 PRESBYTEKIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION, 
 
 No. 821 Chestnut Street. 
 
Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1865, by 
 
 THE TRUSTEES OF THE 
 
 PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION, 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Eastern District 
 of Pennsylvania. 
 
 STEHEOTTPED B¥ WESTCOII i THOMSON. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is 
 profitable. It is wise to gather instruction from the Old 
 Testament as well as the New. These things were written 
 for our instruction and admonition. In this volume infor- 
 mation is drawn from various sources ; and so it is proper 
 to make this general acknowledgement of indebtedness to 
 others. The plan and the execution are my own, and for 
 these I alone am responsible, while free use is made of the 
 thoughts and the language of others, in the hope that 
 thus gathered and presented, the work may be profitable 
 and useful. May the instruction here given be blessed to 
 ^ all who read ! 
 
 W. J. M. 
 Wassaic, N. Y., Feb. 22, 1865. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 I. Christ our Passover 7 
 
 The passover — Leaven — The sacrifice of Christ — The lamb 
 
 chosen — The lamb -without blemish — The lamb slain — Blood 
 upon the door-posts — The flesh wasted — The flesh eaten — 
 Wholly eaten or burned — All eat at the snme time — Eaten in 
 haste — All concerned — Not a bone broken — The feast to be 
 kept — A life-long festival — The Lord's supper — How to keep 
 the feast — What is needed — Old leaven — Leaven of malice 
 and wickedness — Unleavened bread — Useful lessons — 
 Hymn i 7-41 
 
 II. The Great Things of the Law 42 
 
 Great things accounted strange — Great things of the law — The 
 
 moral law — The rule and the reason — Redemption necessary — 
 Christ died — Why any perish — Why any are saved — God's 
 pleasure — The law preached — The ceremonial law — Sacred 
 persons — Sacred places — Sacred things — Sacrifices — Types 
 and shadows — Great things significant — Written to us — 
 Hymns 42-70 
 
 III. Forgiveness with Gop 71 
 
 Explanation — Who can stand — What is here taught — The first 
 
 lesson — What the Scriptures teach — What men confess — 
 
6 CONTENTS. 
 
 FAOB 
 
 Keason — The second lesson — The Bible — Confessions — The 
 third lesson — Forgiveness with God — The way of forgiveness 
 — What Christ has done — How God forgives — Invitations and 
 entreaties — The fourth lesson— God revealed — Reverential 
 fear — Filial fear— .Fear of wrath — Fear a motive — Fear' of 
 delay — Fear and obedience — Fear our whole duty — Adora- 
 tion — Fear and tremble — Universalism — Seek forgiveness — 
 Hymns 71-101 
 
 IV. AVhy Halt Ye? 102 
 
 The question — Indecision unreasonable — Decision not difficult 
 — Sufficient evidence — Sufficient inducements — God requires 
 us to decide — Never easier to decide — Loss of time — Sacrifice 
 of enjoyment — Sacrifice of usefulness — The interests at stake 
 — It occasions delay — Abuse of privileges — Health may fail — 
 Life may end — The Spirit may depart — Hardening influence — 
 Ruinous influence — The consequences — Unreasonable and 
 dangerous — Decision wise and important — How long 102-120 
 
OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 CHRIST OVJt PASSOVJEJt. 
 
 For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us. — 1 Cor. v. 7. 
 Tlie Passover. 
 
 Abraham was called of God to leave the land of 
 his fathers and go into a strange country. He 
 obeyed the call, and went out, not knowing whither 
 he went. — Ileb. xi. 8. God brought him into the 
 land of Canaan, promised that land to him and to 
 his children, and declared that in his seed all the 
 nations of the earth should be blessed. — Gen. xxii. 18. 
 
 These promises looked far into the future. There 
 must be patient waiting for their fulfilment. To 
 Abraham it was foretold that his children should 
 dwell in a strange land, and be oppressed and 
 afflicted four hundred years ; that then God Avould 
 appear in their behalf, judge the nation that afflicted 
 them, set them at liberty, and bring them into the 
 land of promise. — Gen. xv. 13-16. Acts vii. 6, 7. 
 
 For long years they groaned under Egyptian 
 bondage, and their cry reached unto heaven. As 
 the time of their deliverance drew near, Moses was 
 
 7 
 
. 8 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 raised up, plagues were inflicted upon the Egyptians, 
 and thus were they made wilHng to let Israel go. 
 The last and greatest plague was the death of all 
 the first-boi'n of the Egyptians, so there was not a 
 house where there was not one dead, and doubtless 
 in many houses more than one. Sad and dreadful 
 - night ! It is a night to be much observed unto the 
 Lord for bringing Israel out from the land of Egypt : 
 this is that night of the Lord to be observed of all 
 the children of Israel in their generations. — Ex. xii. 
 29, 30, 42. 
 
 In anticipation of that night and in preparation 
 for it, the Israelites were directed to kill a lamb for 
 each family and put the blood upon the door-posts ; 
 and the destroying angel, as he passed through the 
 land, should pass over the houses where the blood 
 was found. The feast thus instituted, and annually 
 thereafter to be observed in commemoration of this 
 event, was called the passover. The lamb slain on 
 this occasion was a type of our blessed Saviour, who 
 is hence called the Lamb of God — the Lamb slain 
 from the foundation of the world ; and hence, too, 
 Paul writes to the Corinthians, Know ye not that a 
 little leaven leaveneth the whole lump ? Purge out, 
 therefore, the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, 
 as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover 
 is sacrifice^ for us : therefore let us keep the feast, 
 not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice 
 and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of 
 sincerity and truth. — 1 Cor. v. 6-8.* 
 
CHRIST OUR PASSOVER. 9 
 
 Leaven is diffusive. It spreads. A little leaven 
 Icavencth the whole lump. So a little sin corrupts 
 tlic whole mass. " It is the nature of evil to diffuse 
 itself. This is true with regard to individuals and 
 communities. A single sin, however secret, when 
 indulged, diffuses its corrupting influence over the 
 whole soul." "As the Jews therefore used to search 
 with candles in every corner of their houses, that 
 they might cast out all the leaven, before they made 
 the unleavened bread for the passover ;" so we ought 
 to purge every impurity from our hearts ; and so 
 churches should cast out every scandalous and dis- 
 orderly member. Purge out the old leaven, be a 
 new lump, unleavened. "A Christian is a new or 
 holy man." 
 
 The allusion is to the Jewish passover and the 
 customs connected with it. As they purified their 
 houses, casting out all the leaven and whatever was 
 leavened, so Ave should purify our hearts and lives, 
 and our churches. Thus the Corinthians were to 
 purify themselves, and to purify their churches by 
 casting out or putting away from among themselves 
 that wicked person. — 1 Cor. v.*13. " Lewdness is 
 the old leaven to be purged out ; because the Co- 
 rinthians Avere infamous for it to a proverb." All 
 sin is leaven ; and all sin is to be put away. As he 
 who hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all 
 manner of conversation ; because it is written, Be 
 ye holy ; for I am holy. — 1 Peter i. 15, 16. 
 
10 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 The Sacrifice of Christ. 
 
 The motive for compliance, and the reason, is 
 the sacrifice of Christ for our sins : for even Christ 
 our passover is sacrificed for us. As he died for 
 sin, we should die to sin. Hoping in him, we should 
 purify ourselves as he is pure. Christ is called our 
 passover. The passover sacrifice was a type of 
 Christ's atonement. In allusion to the paschal 
 lamb, Christ is called the Lamb slain — the Lamb of 
 God which taketh away the sin of the world. He 
 is our passover or paschal lamb. He has been 
 slain or sacrificed for us ; and now we must keep 
 the feast of a perpetual passover in his service. We 
 must not live in sin, but be holy and live to him. 
 We must not only, in every suitable way, commem- 
 orate his sufferings and death, but we must show 
 them forth in our lives. "As Christ died to redeem 
 us from all iniquity, it is not only contrary to the 
 design of his death, but a proof that we are not in- 
 terested in its benefits, if we live in sm. * * * * 
 As a feast lasting seven days was connected with 
 the slaying of the paschal lamb, so a life of conse- 
 cration to God should be connected with the death 
 of our passover — Christ." Therefore let us keep 
 the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven 
 of malice and wickedness ; but with the unleavened 
 bread of sincerity and truth. — 1 Cor. v. 8. 
 
 In illustratino; the sacrificial offering or atonement 
 of Christ, let us take a hasty view of the divinely 
 
CHRIST OUll PASSOVER. 11 
 
 instituted ceremonies of the Jewish passover, avail- 
 ing ourselves of what others have said and written, 
 so far as it may serve our purpose. This will 
 enable us to comprehend the force and beauty of 
 the words, For even Christ our passover (or paschal 
 lamb) is sacrificed (or slain) for us, or in our stead. 
 The passover was instituted on the departure of the 
 Israelites from Egypt. It was to be observed as a 
 yearly festival. The law in regard to it is found in 
 the twelfth chapter of Exodus, and to that Ave will 
 look. Turn, then, to Ex. xii. 1-39, and notice the 
 following particulars : — 
 
 Jlie X.amb Chosen. 
 
 The lamb must be chosen beforehand. Though 
 not to be killed until the 14th day of the month, it 
 must be selected on the 10th. This month shall be 
 unto you the beginning of months. In the 10th 
 day of this month, they shall take to them every 
 man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, 
 a lamb for a house. And ye shall keep it up until 
 the 14th day of the same month. Ex. xii. 2-6. 
 Thus the lamb was chosen and ready. So Jesus 
 Christ was fore-appointed by the Father for the 
 work which he was to accomplish for us. Behold 
 my servant, whom I uphold ; mine elect, in whom 
 my soul delighteth. Isa. xlii. 1. Hence he was 
 promised and foretold ; and hence he said, I came 
 down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the 
 •will of him that sent> me. John vi. 38. When the 
 
12 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, 
 made of a woman, made undei' the hiw, to redeem 
 them that were under the law, that we might receive 
 the adoption of sons. — Gal. iv. 4, 5. He was deliv- 
 ered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge 
 of God, and by wicked hands crucified and slain. — 
 Acts ii. 23. He said. The Son of man goeth as it 
 is written of him. — Matt. xxvi. 24. There was no 
 uncertainty about the plan which Jesus Christ un- 
 dertook to execute ; none about its results. As the 
 victim was fore-appointed, so were the benefits to 
 result from his sacrificial death. In him we have 
 redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, 
 according to the riches of his grace. — Eph. i. 3-12. 
 He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of 
 the world, that we should be holy and without blame 
 before him in love : having predestinated us unto 
 the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, 
 according to the good pleasure of his will, to the 
 praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath 
 made us accepted in the beloved. As Christ is the 
 chosen victim, so his people are the chosen seed — 
 chosen to be holy and without blame. — Eph. i. 4-6. 
 
 The XiO/nib witJiout Blemish, 
 
 This was the law. Your lamb shall be without 
 blemish. — Ex. xii. 5. This was "to signify that 
 though our sins were imputed to Christ, yet he was 
 in himself holy, harmless, undefiled, and therefore 
 called a lamb without blemish and without spot. — 
 
CHRIST OUR PASSOVER. * 13 
 
 Heb. vii. 26 : 1 Pet. i. !!>. He did no sin, neither 
 was guile found in his mouth. He was free from 
 original and from actual sin, perfectly pure and 
 holy. Having no sin of his own, he was prepared 
 to render an acceptable sacrifice for the sins of men. 
 No fault could be justly alleged against him ; 
 nothing worthy of death" could be found in him. He 
 was a lamb as to innocence and harmlessness, a 
 lamb solecte<l, appointed, and approved by the 
 Father, the true anti-type of the passover, without 
 blemish. As he was thus a fit victim, so was he 
 also a fit priest. For such an high priest became us, 
 who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate fr^ -m sin- 
 ners, and made higher than the heavens ; who neodeth 
 not daily, as those high priests under the law, to 
 offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for 
 the people's : for this he did once, when he offered up 
 himself, a spotless victim. — Heb. vii. 26, 27. 
 
 He obeyed the law perfectly, for us and in our 
 stead, yet not so as to deliver us from obligation to 
 obey it as the rule of our life. Having thus obeyed 
 it, he was qualified to endure its penalty, not for 
 himself, but for his people ;" so that, when they em- 
 l)race him by faith, they are delivered from the curse 
 .of the law. As he was righteous and knew no sin, 
 and yet was made sin for us or a sin-offering — was 
 treated as a sinner because our sins were laid on 
 him ; — so we, on the exercise of faith in him, are 
 made the righteousness of God in him — are re- 
 garded and treated a« righteous. Our sins were 
 2 
 
14 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 imputed to him ; his righteousness is imputed to us : 
 thus by imputation he was made sin ; and we are 
 made the righteousness of God — accepted as right- 
 eous on the ground of Christ's righteousness. Free 
 from sin himself, he bore, our sins in his own body 
 on the tree ; he was made a curse for us ; and hence 
 he is the end of the law for righteousness to every 
 one that believeth. By his obedience he merited 
 heaven for us, as by his death he atoned for our 
 sins and delivered us from the curse. Jesus delivers 
 from the wrath to come. — 1 Thess. i. 10. 
 
 TJie Iitttrib Slain, 
 
 The lamb was to be slain. And the whole assem- 
 bly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the 
 evening. — Exod. xii. 6. It was to be killed by 
 shedding its blood. This was " to denote that the 
 death of Christ was necessary, for satisfying justice, 
 and reconciling us to God. Ought not Christ to have 
 suffered these things ? " — Luke xxiv. 26. " It was not 
 enough that the paschal lamb should be selected, it 
 must also be slain. It Avas not enough that Jesus 
 Christ should come into the world, take upon him 
 our nature, Hve a life of poverty and self-denial, set 
 before men a perfect example, magnify the law and 
 make it honourable ; all this was not enough. He 
 must <ilso endure the penalty of the law. An atone- 
 ment is necessary. He must die upon the cross. 
 Without the shedding of blood there is no remission. 
 Without the death of Clirist there is no salvation 
 
C'lIKlST UUU PASSOVEU. 15 
 
 and no hope. Jesus Christ came to die ; ho came 
 to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. He laid 
 down his life that he might take it again. lie was 
 delivered up to death for our offences, and he rose 
 again for our justification. In the death of Christ 
 we have the substance of what the Jews saw in 
 shadow when they killed the passover. Through it 
 they looked forward to that to which we now look 
 back through the gospel and its ordinances, viz, : 
 the atonement of Christ by his death upon the 
 cross. He was wounded for our transgressions, he 
 was bruised for our iniquities : the chastisement of 
 our peace was upon him ; and with his stripes we 
 arc healed. All we like sheep have gone astray ; 
 we have turned every one to his own way ; and the 
 Lord hath laid on him the inic^uity of us all. — Isa. 
 liii. 5, 6. Christ died for thp ungodly. Our sins 
 nailed him to the accursed tree. While we were yet 
 sinners, Christ died for us. — Rom. v. 6-9. Herein 
 is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, 
 and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 
 We love him, because he first loved us. — 1 John iv. 
 10, 19. 
 
 Jilood -upon the Door-posts. 
 
 The blood of the lamb was not only to be shed, 
 but it Avas also to be put upon the posts of the doors. 
 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on 
 the two side-posts and on the upper door-post of the 
 houses, wherein they shall eat it. — Exod. xii. 7. 
 This was a signal to the destroying angel to pass 
 
16 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 over these houses ; and the blood thus placed upon 
 the doors pomted to the meritorious blood of Christ. 
 " It signified that it is only in virtue of the blood or 
 satisfaction of Christ, that the curse and sentence 
 of the law, (which is the wrath of God,) is not exe- 
 cuted upon the sinner. Being justified by his blood, 
 we shall be saved from wrath through him." — Rom. 
 V. 9. 
 
 Subsequent passovers diifered somewhat from the 
 first in some circumstances. But essentially they 
 were the same, and they were regulated by the law of 
 Moses. At all times " the passover was a sacrifice." 
 It possessed "all the essential characteristics" of a 
 sacrifice. Says Magee, " It was a corban, or offer- 
 ing, brought to the tabernacle, or temple : thus in 
 Deut. xvi. 2, 5, 6, Thou shalt sacrifice the passover 
 unto the Lord thy God, in the place which the Lord 
 shall choose — not Avithin any of the .gates — but at 
 the place which the Lord thy God shall choose. So 
 in 2 Chron. xxxv. 12. The paschal lamb was slain 
 in the temple ; its blood was poured out, sprinkled, 
 and ofiered at the altar by the priests, in like man- 
 ner as the blood of the victims usually slain in sac- 
 rifice, as appears from Exod. xxiii. 18, Thou shalt 
 not ofier the blood of my sacrifice with leavened 
 bread : the blood, then, was to be offered. So Exod. 
 xxxiv. 25. In 2 Chron. xxx. 15, 16, it is said, Then 
 they killed the passover — the priests spjinhled the 
 blood ; and so in 2 Chron. xxxv. 11. And in this 
 sprinkling of the blood, as we are told by the Jewish 
 
CHRIST OUR PASSOVER. 17 
 
 doctors, consisted the very essence of a sacrifice. 
 The fat and entrails were burnt upon the altar, as 
 may be collected from the passages above referred 
 to, as also from the declaration of the Jewish doc- 
 tors, the descriptions of the paschal sacrifice in the 
 Mishnah of the Talmud, and the testimony of the 
 Karaites, who are known to reject all the Talmud- 
 ical traditions, not founded on Scripture." In the 
 first passover, the blood was put upon the door-posts, 
 Exoci xii. 7 ; after that it was sprinkled upon the 
 altar or poured out before it. ^' The blood and fat, 
 as in the case of other sacrifices, were appropriated 
 to the altar.— Deut. xvi. 1-7. * * * * The 
 blood was handed to the priests, to be sprinkled on 
 the altar and poured out at its bottom, and the com- 
 mon i:)ortions of fat to be burned upon its tops." 
 It was a solemn sacrifice. — Exod. xxxiv. 25. 2 
 Clu'on. XXX. 15, 16, and xxxv. 6, 11, 12, 13. • 
 
 I think the above extract from Magee, on the 
 atonement, substantiates the position that "the pass- 
 over teas a sacrifice." I think, moreover, that it 
 cannot be disproved, and it ought not to be doubted, 
 that it was not only a commemorative^ but a typical 
 sacrifice. All the sacrifices of the law were typical ; 
 this was especially so. It commemorated the deliv- 
 erance of Israel from Egypt by the destruction of 
 the first-born of every family ; and it typified the 
 atonement of Jesus Christ and the deliverance of 
 sinners from the thi'aldom of sin in virtue of that 
 atonement. And if the passover was a sacrifice, 
 2 » 
 
18 OUR PASSOA^ER. 
 
 and at the same time '-4 type of Jesus Christ and his 
 atonement, then Jesus Christ was a sacrifice, and 
 his death was a sacrifice for sin, a satisfaction, an 
 atonement, a propitiation. For even Christ our 
 passover is sacrificed for us. ' The death of Christ, 
 then,. is more than the death of a martyr ; his death 
 is more than an example ; it is more than the death 
 of a mere man, however good, great, or exalted ; it 
 is more than the de^ath of a mere creature, he that 
 creature as much above the noblest angel as the 
 meanest of Adam's race is beneath it ! Yes, he was 
 the Son of God — God manifest in the flesh — and his 
 death was a sacrifice, the consummation of an 
 atonement for sin. The Lord laid on him the ini- 
 quity of us all. He was wounded for our transgres- 
 sions, he was bruised for our iniquities : the chas- 
 tisement of our peace was upon him ; and with his 
 stripes we are healed. — Isa. liii. 5, 6. And as it is 
 appointed unto men once to die, but after this the 
 judgment, so Clmst was once offered to bear the 
 sins of many ; and unto them that look for him shall 
 he>^appear the second time without sin, (or a sin- 
 offering, having no sins laid on him then,) unto sal- 
 vation. — Heb. ix. 27, 28. Unto salvation ! Had 
 there been no sacrifice for sin, there could have been 
 no salvation ; but now, since Christ has died, died to 
 atone for sin, shed his blood for the remission of sins, 
 there is salvation for man ; a door of hope is open, a 
 way of escape from the wrath to come, and the voice 
 of mercy cries, Escape for thy life ! Escape ! ! 
 
CHRIST OUR PASSOVER. 19 
 
 " The voice of free grace cries, Escape to tlio mountain, 
 For Adam's lost race Christ hath opened a fountain : 
 For sin and transgression and every polhitiou, 
 * His blood flows most freely in streams of salvation. 
 
 Hallelujah to the Lamb, who has purchased our pardon : 
 Wo will praise him again when we pass over Jordan." ,* 
 
 Blootl on the door-posts, and the angel of death 
 piasscd over ! Blood shed, and blood applied ! It 
 is only by the blood of Christ that wc can escape 
 eternal death. That blood has been shed, it must 
 also be applied. It must be put upon our souls. 
 We must be made partakers of its efficacy, of its 
 virtue and power. As it Avas put upon the door- 
 posts and sprinkled upon the altar, so it must be 
 sprinkled upon us, applied by the Holy Ghost, re- 
 ceived and appropriated by faith, for it is the blood 
 of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that 
 of Abel. — Heb. xii. 24. Christians are elect ac- 
 cording to the foreknowledge of God the Father, 
 through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience 
 and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. — 1 Pet. 
 i. 2. Having, therefore, boldness to enter into the 
 holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living 
 way, which he hath consecrated for. us, through the 
 vail, that is to say, bis flesh ; and having a high 
 priest over the house of God ; let us draw near 
 with a true heart in full assurance of fiiith, having 
 our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and 
 our bodies washed with pure water. — Ilcb. x. 19-22. 
 Let us seek to have the blood of Christ applied to 
 our souls, for his blood cleanseth from all sin, and 
 
20. OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 this only can save us from coming wrath. — 1 John 
 i. 7 ; Rom. v. 1, 9. 
 
 " See, in the Saviour's dying blood, 
 
 Life, health, and bliss abundant flow; 
 'Ti^only this dear sacred flood 
 
 Can ease thy pain and heal thy wo." 
 
 TJie Flesh Jtoasted. 
 
 The flesh of the lamb was to be roasted with fire. 
 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with 
 fire, and unleavened bread. Eat not of it raw, 
 nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire. — 
 Ex. xii. 8, 9. We are not to infer that it was cus- 
 tomary with the Jews to eat flesh raw ; but as some 
 of the heathen were given to this unseemly prac- 
 tice in their idolatrous rites, the Lord saw fit to 
 forbid the Jews so doing, that they might avoid 
 everything suj^erstitious, unseemly, and heathenish. 
 Roasting the flesh in the fire was not without solemn 
 and awful import. It taught the ill-desert of sin. 
 " The Jewish burnt-off"erings not only prefigured 
 the atoning sacrifice of Christ, but showed thart, as 
 the animal was slain, so the ofierer of the sacrifice 
 deserved death for his sins : and as the animal Avas 
 consumed, so he deserved to consume away for ever 
 under the wrath of God." Similar in import was 
 the slaying of the paschal lamb, and the roasting 
 of its flesh in the fire. It taught what the sinner 
 deserved to sufier, and what Christ should suffer for 
 sin. The flesh was " to be roasted with fire, to in- 
 timate that Christ's sufferings, as our Surety, were 
 
CHRIST OUR PASSOVER. 21 
 
 exquisitely and inconceivably great, without the 
 least abatement of any of that wrath which Avas 
 due to our sins. It pleased the Lord to bruise him. 
 God spared not his own Son." — Isa. liii. 5; Rom. 
 viii. 32. Christ has sufifered, the just for the unjust. 
 And if he who knew no sin, and only had our sins 
 laid on him, suflcred so much, what, think ye', does 
 the sinner himself deserve to suffer? And what, 
 think you, must he suffer, if he neglect this great 
 salvation ? See the sacrifice consuming with fire, 
 and remember it is an emblem of the wftlth of God 
 due to sin, and behold in it an emblem of what 
 must be endured for ever in the pit of despair by 
 the- impenitent and unbelieving! And may the 
 goodness of God in furnishing the great salvation, 
 and the apprehensions of his just displeasure, lead 
 you to the exercise of unfeigned repentance and to 
 faith in Christ, for our God is a consuming fire, 
 Heb. xii. 29. His Avrath will consume those who 
 take not refuge in the atoning blood of Christ. His 
 vengeance will burn like fire. 
 
 Tlie Flesh Eaten. 
 
 The roasted flesh of the paschal lamb was to be 
 eaten. And they shall cattJteJlcsh — roast with fire ! — 
 — eat — not raw, nor sodden, but roast Avith fire. — 
 Ex. xii. 8, 9. The flesh was not to be entirely con- 
 sume(f, but so prepared as to be suitable for food ; 
 and when thus prepared, it was to be eaten. This 
 indicates that the atonement of Christ is to be ap- 
 
22 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 propriated by faith. It must be received by us and 
 rested on. He speaks of giving us his flesh to eat ; 
 and he says, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of 
 man, and drink his blood, ye have no hfe in you. — 
 John vi. 53. Not that we are to eat his flesh and 
 drink his blood literally, but by faith ; receiving 
 and resting on him as our Saviour, and so becoming 
 partakers of the benefits of his incarnation, sufierings 
 and death. As the Jews partook of the paschal 
 supper, so we are to accept of Christ as our deliv- 
 erer, and draw our supplies from him. He is the 
 bread of life ; and we must feed by faith on the 
 Son of God. The atonement of Chi'ist will be of 
 no saving benefit to us, unless we make it ours by 
 the exercise of faith. The gospel provision must 
 be eaten, or our souls will starve and die of hunger. 
 We must believe if we would be saved. Whoso 
 eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eter- 
 nal life. As the living Father hath sent me, and I 
 live by the Father : so he that eateth me, even he 
 shall live by me. — John vi. 53-58. 
 
 WlioUy Eaten or "Burned, 
 
 The paschal lamb was to be wholly eaten, or if 
 any remained in the morning it was to be burned. 
 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morn- 
 ina: ; and that which remaineth of it until the morn- 
 ing ye shall burn with fire. — Exod. xii. 10. " It 
 was to be eaten wholly and entirely, and none of it 
 left, to signify that Christ was to be wholly applied. 
 
CHRIST OUR PASSOVER, 23 
 
 in a way of believing, as being of God made unto us 
 wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and 
 redemption — 1 Cor. i. 30 ; while the annexed order, 
 that if any part of the lamb was left, it should, be- 
 fore the morning, be burned with fire, and not re- 
 served either for food or any superstitious purposes, 
 implied that it was a solemn propitiatory sacrifice of 
 awful import, and not merely a cheerful festival." 
 It pointed dii-ectly to Christ ; and Ave are to receive 
 Jesus ChrisVas a complete and perfect and an all- 
 sufficient Saviour. We are to take him in all his 
 offices, as offered to us in the gospel, and rest on 
 him for acceptance with God. We are to receive 
 and rely upon him as our Prophet, Priest, and King, 
 the only Mediator. The rejection of his offices, or 
 of any part of his mediatorial character or work, is 
 the rejection of him as our Saviour and the ruin of 
 our souls. They who have Clu-ist must have a 
 whole Chi'ist — the God-man, or no Chi-ist. Is 
 Christ divided ? Shall we attempt to divide him ? 
 Shall we depreciate his work or his person, take 
 away vicarious satisfaction from the one or divinity 
 from the other ? Shall we rob liim of one excel- 
 lency after another, and fritter away his character, 
 till there is nothing left but creature excellencies, 
 angelic it may be, or super-human, but yet finite 'i 
 Let me be a Judas or a Pilate rather ! They who 
 nailed the Saviour to the cross, and pierced him with 
 a spear, are innocent, compared Avith those who 
 Avould take from him the crown of divinity, or deny 
 
24 OUii PASSOVER. 
 
 the atoning merit of his blood ! No ; we must take 
 the Saviour as presented in the gosjiel — "man to 
 die, God to redeem ;" we must receive him wholly, 
 rely on him fully, and let no other trust intrude 
 between him and our guilty souls. We must go to 
 him as Ave are, and receive him as he is, while the 
 language of our souls is, Jesus, and Jesus fully, and 
 Jesus only ! Christ must be to us all in all ; for 
 he will be everything or nothing. It pleased the 
 Father that in him should all fulness ^well ; and, 
 having made peace through the blood of his cross, 
 by him to reconcile all things unto himself. In him 
 dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily ; and 
 of his fulness have all we received, and grace for 
 grace. ' For the law was given by Moses, but grace 
 and truth came by Jesus Christ. — Col. i. 19, 20, and 
 ii. 9. John i^. 16, 17. And ye are complete in him. 
 — Col. ii. 10. Accepted in the beloved. — Eph. i. 6. 
 
 All Eat at the Same Time, 
 
 All the families of Israel were to eat the passover 
 at 07ie and the same time. And they shall eat the 
 flesh in that night ; at the same hour all the families 
 were to eat. — Exod. xii. 8. This was "to signify 
 that there is enough in Christ to satisfy the need of 
 his peo^Dle at once, for in him dwelleth all the ful- 
 ness of the Godhead bodily." — Col. ii. 9. It pleased 
 the Father that in him should all fulness dwell. 
 There is in him an infinite fulness — an infinite suffi- 
 ciency. There is no want in our natures, nor in 
 
CHRIST OUR PASSOVER. 25 
 
 our circumstances, which is not met by his all-suffi- 
 ciency. All we need for time and eternity is in 
 him ; and there is in him enough for all, and for all 
 at once. The sacrifice which he has made is of in- 
 finite value. It lays the foundation for the offer of 
 life to the world. It authorizes the preaching of 
 the gospel to every creature. Let all come who will 
 come, and yet there is room. He that cometh shall 
 in no wise be cast out, for Jesus Christ is able to 
 save to the nttermost all them that come unto God 
 by him. — Heb. vii. 25. Whosoever will, let him 
 take the Avater of life freely. — Rev. xxii. 17. Look 
 unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth : 
 for I am God, and there is none else. — Isa. xlv. 22. 
 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters ; 
 and he that hath no money, come ye, buy, and eat ; 
 yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and 
 without price. — Isa. Iv. 1. 
 
 Eaten in. Baste. 
 
 The passover was to be eaten the same night in 
 which it was slain and in haste. " The whole assem- 
 bly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the 
 evening, and they shall eat the flesh in that night, 
 and ye shall eat it in haste. — Exod. xii. 6, 8, 11. 
 This was to signify that Christ ought to be applied 
 and appropriated by faith speedily, without delay. 
 Behold, now is the accepted time." — 2 Cor. vi. 2. 
 The Saviour should be embraced in haste ; no time 
 is to be lost. There is no time for delay. The offer 
 
 3 
 
26 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 should be accepted, the first invitation embraced. 
 The sacrifice is oifered, the lamb is slain, the pro- 
 vision is made, all things are ready ; come to the 
 feast. Come, eat and live ! Come unto me, all ye 
 that labour and are heavy-laden, and I "will give you 
 rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me ; 
 for I am meek and lowly in heart : and ye shall 
 find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, 
 and my burden is hght. — Matt. xi. 28-30. 
 
 " Ho, all ye hungry, starving souls, 
 
 Who feed upon the wind. 
 And vainly strive, with earthly toys, 
 
 To fill an empty mind: 
 Eternal wisdom has prepared 
 
 A soul-reviving feast; 
 And bids your longing appetites 
 
 The rich provision taste." 
 
 A.II Cancerned, 
 
 All Israel were concerned in the matter. — Ex. xii. 
 6, 8, 11. The whole assembly of the congregation 
 of Israel were to kill the paschal lamb, and all were 
 to eat of it. All were interested. And so Jesus 
 Christ was put to death on Calvary, in the presence 
 of the whole city of Jerusalem, or where nearly 
 the whole city colild see the solemn transaction ; 
 and it was witnessed not only by the inhabitants of 
 Jerusalem, but also by the multitudes gathered from 
 all parts of Judea to celebrate the feast of the pass- 
 over. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wil- 
 derness, so has the Son of man been lifted up. He 
 is made a spectacle to the world. To him the past 
 
CHRIST OUR PASSOVER. 27 
 
 ages looked forward ; to him tlie following ages look 
 back. By the preaching of the gospel, all eyes are 
 directed to him. To him the messengers of the 
 cross point their hearers, and say, Behold the Lamb 
 of God ! And every man has an interest in this 
 matter. His own salvation is concerned. His eter- 
 nal all is at stake. He must lay hold on Christ for 
 himself or perish. He must believe or be damned. 
 This one thing is needful. Let it be heeded. Seek 
 ye first tlio kingdom of God and his righteousness. 
 — Matt. vi. 33. 
 
 yof a Bone JBroken, 
 
 The very circumstances of the crucifixion were 
 foreshadowed in the passover institution. The lamb 
 was to be roasted whole, and not a bone of it broken. 
 — Ex. xii. 9, 4C. This was fulfilled in Jesus Christ ; 
 he was nailed to the cross, he was pierced with a 
 spear, but not a bone of him-Avas broken. Then 
 came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, 
 and of the other which was crucified with him. 
 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was 
 dead already, they brake not his legs. These 
 things were done that the Scripture should be ful- 
 filled, A bone of him shall not be broken. — John 
 xix. 31-37. Thus in him were the Scriptures ful- 
 filled. He is the promised Messiah ; the substance 
 of the law's shadows, the truth of what the prophets 
 foretold, the fulfilment of Old Testament types, the 
 true passover. Even Christ our passover is sacri- 
 ficed for us. They Avho are sprinkled with his blood 
 
28 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 are secure from the destroying angel. Over them 
 the second death can have no poAver. Their sins 
 are removed, their transgressions covered, their souls 
 are safe, and they have peace and joy. Therefore, 
 being justified by faith, we have peace with God 
 through our Lord Jesus Christ. — Rom. v. 1. For 
 he is our peace ; having made peace through the 
 blood of his cross. — Eph. ii. 14 ; Col. i. 20, 
 
 It is to be remembered, too, that our Lord was 
 crucified at the time of the Jewish passover ; and 
 now, instead of that festival, we are to keep a life- 
 long feast, and we have also the Lord's Supper, 
 which was instituted by him the night before his 
 crucifixion, and Avhich is to be observed by his peo- 
 ple until his second coming. Hence let us now 
 consider the duty of commemorating the sacrifice 
 of Christ. For even Christ our passover is sacri- 
 ficed for us ; therefore let us keep the feast. 
 
 27ie Feast to be Kept. 
 
 The passover is slain, the feast is to be kept. 
 And let us keep the feast, first, by believing in him. 
 We must believe. As Christ our passover has been 
 sacrificed for us — has died in our stead and made 
 an atonement for our sins — we should keep the feast 
 by embracing him as our Saviour, feeding on him 
 by faith, and living to his glory. As the Jews fed 
 on the paschal lamb, Avhich was a type of Christ, 
 and thus kept the feast of the passover, so we are 
 to embrace Christ's atonement, beUeve in him as 
 
OHRIfiT OUR PASPOVKR. 29 
 
 our Saviour, feed on liim by faith, and so live as to 
 honour and glorify him, and thus keep the gospel 
 feast. Christ is our passover, or paschal lamb, sac- 
 rificed for us, and to keep the feast, is, in the first 
 place, and as our first duty, by faith to receive Jesus 
 Christ, and thus avail ourselves of the benefits of 
 this sacrifice. The first duty, then, that we may 
 commemorate the sacrifice of Christ, is to believe in 
 him. Without this no other commemoration will 
 be of any avail. We must come to Christ and 
 trust in him, or we cannot keep the feast. To 
 come to him is the first duty ; but this first duty 
 does not exclude a second ; this commemoration 
 does not exclude another, very significant and im- 
 portant. It is indeed but the beginning of the feast; 
 it ends only with life — nor even then ; for death 
 introduces us to the marriage-supper of the Lamb, 
 and that is as lasting as eternity. It shall never 
 end. It begins when we believe ; for the joys of 
 the redeemed on earth and in heaven are one, of 
 the same nature^ differing only in degree. " Sal- 
 vation is not merely a future though certain good ; 
 it is a present and abundant joy." And not only 
 so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, by whom we have now received the atone- 
 ment, or reconciliation. — Rom. v. 8-11. 
 
 A Life-long Festival, 
 
 The whole Christian life is a feast of consecration to 
 God. The sacrifice of the Jewish passover was to be 
 
 3 * 
 
30 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 followed by a seven days' festival — seven days conse- 
 crated to God. Christ our passover being sacrificed 
 for us, the Christian life is to be a perpetual festival, 
 a life-long paschal feast, a perpetual consecration to 
 God, begun in the reception of him by faith, continued 
 in a life of obedience and of constant feeding upon 
 him. We are to live by faith on the Son of God ; we 
 are to feed on him ; we are to draw all our supplies 
 and all our comforts from him ; we are to honour 
 and glorify him ; we are to live, not to ourselves, but 
 to him ; we are to be wholly devoted and entirely 
 consecrated to his service while life lasts and while 
 immortality endures. Our paschal lamb is slain ; 
 let us keep the feast ; let our whole lives be one 
 paschal festival, lives of trust in Christ, lives of sor- 
 row for sin, lives of joy for deliverance, lives of 
 gratitude and thanksgiving, lives of cheerful obedi- 
 ence, lives of consecration to our Master's service, 
 lives of self-denial and sacrifice for the world's good, 
 lives of toil, lives of prayer and praise, lives of 
 deadness to sin and the world, hveS of sincerity and 
 truth in doing our Master's will, lives of holiness, 
 departing from all ungodliness and worldly lusts, 
 and living soberly, righteously, and godly, in this 
 present world, adorning in all things the doctrine of 
 God our Saviour. — Titus ii. 10-14. He that saith 
 he abideth in him ought himself also so to Avalk, 
 even as he walked. And every man that hath this 
 hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. — 
 1 John ii. 6, and iii. 2, 3. For even Christ our 
 
CirillST OUR PASSOVER. 31 
 
 passover is sacrificed for us : therefore let us keep 
 the feast, not Avith ohl leaven, neither with the leaven 
 of malice and wickedness, but Avith the unleavened 
 bread of sincerity and truth. — 1 Cor. v. 6-8. "To 
 keep the feast means, ' Let your whole lives be as a 
 sacred festival, that is, consecrated to God.' As a 
 feast lasting seven days was connected with the 
 slaying of the paschal lamb ; so a life of consecra- 
 tion to God should be connected with the death of 
 our passover — Christ." A life-long feast; such is 
 the Christian life. He lives not to himself, but to 
 God ; for he is not his own : he is bought with a 
 price — redeemed, not with corruptible things, as 
 silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, 
 as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. — 
 1 Pet. i. 18-21. 
 
 Tlie Lord'a Supper. 
 
 The death of Christ is to be commemorated. It 
 must be kept in perpetual remembrance. Thus Paul 
 wrote to the Corinthians, For I have received of the 
 Lord that which also I delivered unto you. That the 
 Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, 
 took bread : and when he had given thanks, he brake 
 it, and said, Take, eat ; this is my body, which is 
 broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 
 Aft£i- the same manner also he took the cup, when 
 he had supped, saying, This cup is the New Testa- 
 ment in my blood : this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, 
 in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this 
 
32 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's 
 death till he come.— 1 Cor. xi. 23—26. This is 
 one of the means which God has appointed for sus- 
 taining the life of grace in the soul ; a help to a life 
 of consecration to God. Therefore let us keep the 
 feast, the feast of the Lord's supper, which com- 
 memorates the sacrifice of Christ our passover, as a 
 means of spiritual growth and of faithfulness in his 
 service. As the Jews kept the passover, which was 
 a type of the sacrifice of Christ ; so we are to keep 
 the feast of the Lord's supper, which is a commemo- 
 ration of that sacrifice. The feast of the passover 
 was a feast iipon a sacrifice, typifying a nobler sacri- 
 fice and commemorating; deliverance from bondage. 
 The Lord's supper is a feast commemorative of that 
 nobler sacrifice which the passover shadowed forth, 
 and is to be observed in remembrance of that sacri- 
 fice — of him who was slain and of the deliverance 
 wrought by his death. It is a commemorative ordi- 
 nance. Therefore let us keep the feast ; let us cele- 
 brate the dying love of Jesus Christ ; let us keep in 
 mind the passover slain for us. He hath said. This 
 do in remembrance of me. By this ye do shew 
 forth the Lord's death till he come. The duty of 
 keeping this feast, which takes the'place of the Jew- 
 ish passover, is one which is plainly inculcated, one 
 which I know not how any who love the Saviour 
 can feel" themselves justified in neglecting. It is ex- 
 pressly enjoined by Jesus Christ himself, and is en- 
 forced by his example : it is enjoined by apostolic 
 
CHRIST OUR PASSOVER. 33 
 
 authority, and enforced by the practice of the 
 primitive church ; the example of the church in all 
 ages enforces it : and when viewed as a memento of 
 the suflferings and death of Jesus Christ for sin, 
 simple, appropriate, touching, who would not say, 
 As Christ our passover is sacrificed for us, therefore 
 let us keep the feast. It is an imperious duty and a 
 glorious privilege. This is our passover festival — a 
 remembrance of the Son of God in his sufferings 
 and death for us. But let a man examine himself, 
 and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that 
 cup. — 1 Cor. xi. 28. 
 
 noio to hecp the Feast, 
 
 Let us now look at the manner of commemorating 
 the sacrifice of Christ, or of keeping our passover. 
 Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, 
 as ye are unleavened. Keep the feast, not with old 
 leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wicked- 
 ness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and 
 truth. — 1 Cor. v. G-8. This teaches us how we are 
 to keep the feast, both as it respects the reception 
 of the atonement by faith and the life of holiness 
 we are to lead, and also as it respects the commem- 
 oration of Christ's sacrifice in the holy supper. 
 
 What is Xeeded. 
 
 To avail ourselves of the atonement, we must 
 believe in Jesus Christ ; we are, by divine grace, 
 to purge out the old leaven, repent of and forsake 
 
34 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 our sins, and rest by faith on Jesus Christ in sin- 
 cerity and truth. We cannot have Christ and keep 
 our sins ; we cannot have pardon and peace, and 
 yet remain in unbelief. We cannot keep the. gos- 
 pel feast with .our hearts filled with the leaven of 
 malice and wickedness. As Christ died for sin, so 
 we must die to sin. The first step to a holy life is 
 to come to Christ for life. He gave himself for 
 us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and 
 purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of 
 good works. Burdened with a sense of sin, we 
 must go to him, and rely upon him, and our sins 
 shall be forgiven. Christ will be our peace and our 
 salvation. He says. This people have I formed for 
 myself; they shall shew forth my praise. 
 
 After thus availing ourselves of the atonement 
 and its benefits, we are to walk in newness of life, 
 remembering that we are not our own, because we 
 are bought with a price ; we are to hold a life-long 
 festival — a perpetual eucharist — live a life of con- 
 secration to God ; and as a part of our duty, and 
 as a means of spiritual growth, we are, at suitable 
 times, to commemorate the sacrifice of Christ in 
 the sacram«nt of the Supper. And while the lan- 
 guage of the disciple is applicable to the whole 
 Christian life, it is specially applicable to this par- 
 ticular occasion. It teffthes us how we are to come 
 to this feast, or the spirit we are to possess, the 
 preparation of heart which is necessary. Where- 
 fore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this 
 
oil HIST OUR PASSOVER. 35 
 
 cup of the Lonl, unworthily, shall -be guilty of the 
 body and blood of the Lord. But let a man ex- 
 amine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and 
 drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh 
 unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to him- 
 self, not discerning the Lord's body. — 1 Cor. xi. 
 26-30. 
 
 Old Leaven. 
 
 We are not to keep this feast — nor our life-fes- 
 tival — with old leaven, with sin retained and prac- 
 tised. Our hearts must be changed and purified 
 before we are prepared to partake of these emblems. 
 We must be born again, become new creatures in 
 Christ Jesus, old things must pass away, all things 
 become new. The old leaven must be purged out, 
 that we may be a new lump, unleavened, holy. 
 " As the Corinthians were to purge out the leaven 
 of heathen licentiousness, and every evil habit and 
 practice, so we are to eradicate every disposition, 
 habit, and practice, as to its allowed indulgence, 
 which is opposed to the divine will. Our old sins 
 are to be forsaken, and new dispositions, habits, and 
 practices are to be cherished. Put off concerning 
 tlie former conversation the old man, which is cor- 
 rupt according to the deceitful lusts ; and be re- 
 newed in the spirit of your^mind ; and that ye put 
 on the new man, which after God is created in rio;ht- 
 eousness and true holiness." — Eph. iv. 20-24. 
 
36 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 Zieaven of Malice and Wichedneaa, 
 
 Neither are we to keep this feast — nor our life- 
 festival — with the leaven of malice and wickedness. 
 We are to cherish no unkind nor improper feelings 
 towards our fellow-men. We are to have a charita- 
 ble and forgiving spirit. If others trespass against 
 us, we are to forgive. We must harbour no malice, 
 for that is murder. Nor is wickedness to be in- 
 dulged. Every unholy motion and desire is to be 
 banished from our hearts, every sinful affection is 
 to be mortified ; we are to love all men, love 
 our neighbours as ourselves ; and hereby we know 
 that we have passed from death unto life, because 
 we love the brethren. Let brotherly love continue. 
 The love of God must be shed abroad in our hearts 
 by the Holy Ghost given unto us ; the love of Christ 
 must constrain us ; we must be controlled by love ; 
 and love must dwell in our hearts and be shown in 
 our lives. See in the bread and wine the tokens of 
 Christ's love ; and how can we think of keeping 
 this feast with the leaven of malice and wickedness ? 
 No, these must be banished ! • Wherefore putting 
 away lying, speak every man truth with his neigh- 
 bour : for we are members one of another. Let 
 all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, 
 and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all 
 malice : and be ye kind one to another, tender- 
 hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for 
 Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Be ye therefore 
 
CHRIST OUR PASSOVER. 37 
 
 followers of God, as dear children ; and walk in 
 love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given 
 himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God, 
 for a sweet-smelling savour. — Eph. iv. 25-32 ; and 
 V. 1-7. 
 
 Unleavened Bread, 
 
 No ; Avc must keep this feast — and our life-fes- 
 tival — with the unleavened bread of sincerity and 
 truth. The Jewish passover must be kept without 
 leaven ; and so in the fcast, commemorative of the 
 •sacrifice of Christ our passover, we must have no 
 unhallowed leaven. There must be no leaven of 
 malice and wickedness — no leaven of insincerity — 
 no leaven of unfaithfulness ; we must be sincere — 
 sincere in our reception of Christ — sincere in our 
 professions of attachment to him — sincere in our 
 acts of worship — sincere in the solemn ordinance 
 of the Lord's Supper, and celebrate what we pro- 
 fess to, the dying and atoning love of Jesus Christ. 
 We must be sincere in our whole lives. There must 
 be no leaven of deception, nor of hypocrisy. We 
 must have the unleavened bread of truth, as well 
 as of sincerity. We may be sincere, and yet be 
 deceived. Sincerity is no infallible evidence of cor- 
 rectness. We must have truth on our side, and in 
 our hearts, as well as sincerity. We must believe 
 and obey the truth. We must speak the truth in 
 all our professions and doings, in all our intercourse 
 with God and men. We must love the truth, seek 
 the truth, prize the truth, be willing to suffer for 
 4 
 
38 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 the truth, know the truth,. that the truth may make 
 us free. "We must possess that inward state which 
 answers to the truth, that moral condition which is 
 conformed to the law and character of God." Our 
 xjharacters must be of "transparent clearness," and 
 conformed to the divine. In a moral point of view, 
 we must be like God, conformed to the image of his 
 Son. In this ordinance — and in our whole lives — 
 we must be sincere and true, believe what it signi- 
 fies, mean what we profess, and do what Ave cove- 
 nant and promise. Know ye not that a little leaven 
 leaveneth the whole lump ? Purge out therefore 
 the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye 
 are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is 
 sacrificed for us : therefore let us keep the feast, 
 not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of mal- 
 ice and wickedness, but Avith the unleavened bread 
 of sincerity and truth. Let our lives be a constant 
 passover festival, a perpetual eucharist, a constant 
 honouring of Christ by lives of faith in him and 
 of obedience to him. Wherefore laying aside all 
 malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, 
 and all evil speakings, as new-born babes, desire the 
 sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby : 
 if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 
 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed 
 indeed of men, but chosen of Godj^ and precious, 
 ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual 
 house, a holy priesthood, to ofier up spiritual sacri- 
 fices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Ye are a 
 
CHRIST OUR PASSOVER. 39 
 
 chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a lioly na- 
 tion, a peculiar people ; that ye should shew forth 
 the praises of him avIio hath called you out of dark- 
 ness into his marvellous light. — 1 Pet. ii. 1—10. 
 
 Useful XiC.isons. 
 
 1. There is an atonement. The paschal lamb 
 was a sacrifice; and this was a type of Christ. 
 Hence it is written, Christ our passover is sacrificed 
 for us. He gave himself a ransom. In him we 
 have redemption tlu'ough his blood. He is the pro- 
 pitiation for our sins. By his death he has made 
 an atonement for sin. Hence there is hope for 
 man. There is salvation, because Christ has died. 
 
 2. This atonement is to be received and relied on 
 by faith. The provision is to be partaken of, the 
 bread of life eaten, the feast kept. In this atone- 
 ment let me beseech you to put your trust ; on this 
 Saviour cast your souls ; believe, that you may be 
 saved. 
 
 3. The atoning death of Christ should be cele- 
 brated. Why should it not be ? What event in 
 the world's history more worthy of commemoration 
 than the death of Jesus Christ ? And when he has 
 said, This do in remembrance^ of me, shall we not 
 do this ? Christ our passover being sacrificed for 
 us, shall we not keep the feast ? Shall we not con- 
 nect with his death and with our faith in him a life 
 devoted to his service — a life of trust — a life of 
 obedience ? 
 
40 OUR PASSOV^t. 
 
 4. The commemoration of this event — the death 
 of Christ — shoukl have an abiding influence upon 
 us. The okl leaven of a corrupt nature, and the 
 leaven of malice and wickedness, should be purged 
 out, never more to be admitted. The unleavened 
 bread of sincerity and truth should ever abide with 
 us — through all our life-festival. When we go from 
 this ordinance, and from every act of worship, we 
 should not forget its solemnities, but carry its hal- 
 lowed influence with us in all the walks and business 
 of life, and thus perpetuate the feast w^hile life 
 lasts. Christ is our passover ; and for us to live is 
 Chi-ist ; and then to die will be gain. 
 
 5. Let sinners avail themselves of the sacrifice 
 of Christ. He has opened the way of salvation to 
 you, reader, and he invites you to enter it. Listen 
 to his voice ; enter, and enter now, that you may 
 be saved ! 
 
 Symn. 
 
 " Not all the blood of beasts 
 On Jewish altars slain, 
 Could give the guilty conscience peace. 
 Or wash away the stain. 
 
 " But Christ, the heavenly Lamb, 
 Takes all our sins away : 
 A sacrifice of nobler name. 
 And richer blood than they. 
 
 " My faith would lay her hand 
 On that dear head of thine. 
 While like a penitent I stand, 
 And there confess my sin. 
 
CIIllIST OUU PASSU VJJll, 41 
 
 " My soul looks back to see 
 
 The burdens thou didst bear, 
 When hanging on the cursed tree, 
 And hopes her guilt was there. 
 
 "Believing, wo rejoice 
 
 To see the curse remove; 
 We bless the Lamb with cheerful voice, 
 And sing his bleeding love." 
 4 * 
 
42 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 II. 
 THE GHEAT TBIN^GS OF THE ZAW. 
 
 I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were 
 counted as a strange thing. — Ilosca viii. 12. 
 
 Great things accounted strange. . < 
 
 This is brought as a serious charge against 
 Ephraim, or the ten tribes of Israel. They had 
 broken off from the other two tribes, and instead of 
 ^yorshipping the true God, had turned away after 
 idols. They set up altars to their false gbds, and 
 delighted in serving them. This their way was their 
 folly and their sin ; and it was declared that their 
 conduct was peculiarly sinful, and should bring upon 
 them the righteous displeasure of their neglected 
 and injured Maker. Because Ephraim hath made 
 many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin. 
 I have written to him the great things of my law, 
 but they were counted as a strange thing. They 
 sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, 
 and eat it ; but the Lord accepteth them not ; now 
 will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins : 
 they shall return to Egypt — they shall be punished. 
 For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, — Hos. viii. 
 11-14 ; accounted great things strange things. 
 
THE GREAT THINGS OF THE LAW. 43 
 
 Great Things of the Ltiw. 
 
 It is proposed to consider some of the great tilings 
 of the law written to Israel and how they were 
 counted as a strange thing. The laws of the Jews, 
 which are the laws of God, are divided into moral 
 and positive. The positive are subdivided into 
 ceremonial and judicial. The judicial laws of the 
 Jews relate to political matters, and need not be 
 brought into view in this discussion. Our attention 
 will be confined to the great things of the moral and 
 ceremonial laws of the Jews ; and may the Great 
 Lawgiver teach us, that we may not err ; may he 
 guide us into all truth, and help us to love his law, 
 to delight in the law of God after the inward man. 
 the renewed heart. May he so help us that we may 
 never couut the great things of the law a strange 
 thing I 
 
 The Moral Zaiv. 
 
 In the first place, we are to consider, for our in- 
 struction, the greJit things of the moral law. I have 
 written to him the great things of my law, the great 
 things of the moral law. The Avord moral literally 
 has respect to the manners of men;* but when ap- 
 
 * Much in these passes may be fouml in FisnEu's Catkciusm, 
 published by the Presbyterian Board of Publication. The language 
 of that work is also used to some extent, without quotation marks, 
 this general acknowledgment being deemed sufficient. It is thought 
 many may like to see in a small comiiass what is there scattered 
 over several pages, especially as ail may nut have access to that ex- 
 cellent book. 
 
44 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 plied to the law, it signifies that which is perpetually 
 binding, in opposition to that which is binding only 
 for a time. The moral law is summarily compre- 
 hended in the ten commandments ; but a fair copy 
 of it was originally written upon the heart and 
 mind of man at his first creation ; because he was 
 made after the image of God. This law, written on 
 the heart, is sometimes called the law of nature, be- 
 cause it is that necessary, unalterable rule of right 
 and wrong, founded in the infinitely holy and just 
 nature of God, and whereunto men, as reasonable 
 creatures, cannot but be indispensably bound. This 
 law, written on the heart of man when created in 
 the image of God, is the natural instinct of the 
 reasonable creature, implanted in the soul by God 
 himself. This law can never be entirely obliterated, 
 for all men have innate principles of right and 
 wrong, implanted in their natures. Yet it has be- 
 come corrupted, perverted, and obscured by the fall, 
 so that it is insufficient to guide men in the path of 
 duty here, and of course insufficient to conduct them 
 to eternal life hereafter. Although God inscribed 
 his law on the heart of man when he created him, 
 yet, because of the introduction of sin, it became 
 necessary for God to write to him in another form 
 the great things of his law. This he did in the ten 
 commandments. When and how these were given, 
 you may read in Exodus, chapters xix. and xx. 
 From the remarks previou.sly made, it may be in- 
 ferred that the moral law and the law of nature are 
 
THE CHEAT TIIINCiS OF THE LAW, 45 
 
 the same ; and so they arc for substance. The hiw 
 of nature is the law written on man's heart when 
 created ; the moral law, properly so called, is con- 
 tained in the ten commandments. Although the 
 same duties, which are contained in the law of 
 nature, are prescribed also in the moral law ; yet 
 tlTerc is this difference, that in the law of nature, 
 there is nothing but what is moral, that is, of per- 
 petual obligation ; but in the moral law, there is 
 something also that is positive, namely, the means 
 of Avorship, and circumscribing the particular day 
 for the observation of the Sabbath. That God is to 
 be worshipped, is a dictate of the law of nature ; 
 and this is a moral law, perpetually binding ; but 
 the manner of his worship must depend on Jiis will, 
 and he may change it as he pleases — he may require 
 men to offer sacrifices, as he did the Jews ; or he may 
 dispense with them, as he now does. Again, if God 
 is to be worshipped, then some particular time must 
 be set apart for his worship. This is a dictate of 
 the law of nature, perpetually binding ; but what 
 time, must depend on his will, and he may change it 
 as he pleases. Under the Jewish dispensation, he 
 may require the observance of the seventh day of 
 the week, and under the gospel, the observance of 
 the first day as the Sabbath. Hence the law of the 
 Sabbath is partly moral and partly positive. That 
 a Sabbath should be observed, that is, a day set 
 apart for the worship of God, is a moral law, per- 
 petually binding ; but that it should now be the first 
 
46 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 day of the "week to be thus observed, is a positive 
 law, depending, for its authority, upon the will of 
 the Divine Lawgiver. It is proper, however, that the 
 law of the Sabbath, being in its essential part moral, 
 should have a place in the moral law ; and the fact 
 that it is placed there by infinite wisdom and good- 
 ness, teaches that it may not be innocently disre- 
 garded, and will never be abrogated. While time 
 endures we shall be bound to remember the Sabbath 
 day to keep it holy. In this respect God has written 
 to us the great things of his law, and we must be- 
 ware how we count them as a strange thing ! If 
 thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from 
 doing thy pleasure on my holy day ; and call the 
 Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable ; 
 and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, 
 nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine 
 own words : then shalt thou delight thyself in the 
 Lord ; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high 
 places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage 
 of Jacob thy father : for the mouth of the Lord 
 hath spoken it. — Isa. Iviii. 13, 14. 
 
 Tlie Mtile and the Meason, 
 
 Now the moral law must not only be regarded as 
 the rule of our obedience, but also as the reason 
 thereof. W^must not only do what is commanded 
 in the law, and avoid what is forbidden therein ; 
 but we must also do good, for this very reason, that 
 God requires it ; and avoid evil, because he forbids 
 
THE (IKKAT THINGS OF THE LAW. 47 
 
 it. I am the Lord your God: yc shall therefore 
 keep my statutes, and my judgments. — Lev. xviii. 
 4, 5, As to the duties required in the law, they 
 are just and reasonable in their own nature, ante- 
 cedently to any divine precept about them, being 
 founded ia the very holiness and wisdom of God, 
 and growing out of our relations to him and to each 
 other. Hence the law is holy, and the command- 
 ment holy, and just, and good. — Rom. vii. 12. It 
 commends itself to every man's conscience in the 
 sight of God. It coincides with our sense of right 
 and wi'ong. Yet its claims conflict with the natural 
 inclinations of our corrupt hearts. By nature we 
 have no love for the law, any more than we luyve 
 for its great Author, for we are sinners. We disre- 
 gard the law. We hate it. .We esteem it a strange 
 thing, or we make ourselves strangers to its holy 
 and spiritual requisitions. So did the Jews, and 
 exposed themselves to its curse. To that curse we 
 are exposed ; for it is written. Cursed is every one 
 that continueth not in all things written in the book 
 of the law to do them. — Gal. iii. 10. . 
 
 liedvutption ycrotisiify. 
 
 It was needful that Christ should come to redeem 
 them and us from the curse of the law. That curse 
 is eternal death — a great thing and a <biirful thing. 
 It was the moral law that Christ came to honour ; 
 it Avas the curse of this hiAV that he bare foa* us ; 
 and from .this curse that he redeems his people, 
 
48 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 being made a curse for tlicm. — Gal. iii. 13. lie 
 came not to mend the law, nor to give a new law ; 
 but to honour the old, and deliver his chosen from 
 its penalty. He acted the part of an interpreter 
 and defender of the law, but not of a new lawgiver, 
 as is evident from his explaining the law, and vin- 
 dicatino; It in his sermon on the mount from the cor- 
 rupt glosses that were put upon it. When he said, 
 A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love 
 one another, he intended only to enforce the sub- 
 stance of the old law by the new motive and ex- 
 ample of his unparalleled love to us, imported in 
 the words immediately following : As I have loved 
 you, that ye also love one another. — Jol\{i xiii, 34. 
 The apostle gives expression to this new motive 
 when he says. For the love of Christ constraineth 
 us ; because we thus judge, that if one died for- 
 all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, 
 that they which live should not henceforth live unto 
 themselves, but unto him which died for them, and 
 rose again. — 2 Cor. v. 14, 15. 
 
 Christ Died. 
 
 Jesus Christ has loved us with a love stronger 
 than death. He laid down his life for us. Ho died 
 for our sins. The sacrifice which he then made is 
 a perfect ailQ sufficient sacrifice. On him was laid 
 the iniquity of us all. By his obedience, sufferings, 
 and death, he has made an atonement for sin which 
 satisfies the claims of the divine law, satisfies per- 
 
THE GREAT THINGS OF THE LAW. 49 
 
 feetly the justice of God. This atonement is of in- 
 finite vahie. It is sufiicient for the worhl ; yea, for 
 ten thousand workis, "svere such the purpose and the 
 pleasure of God. It couhl not be more vahiable, 
 for it is infinite ; and must, therefore, be suflfieient — 
 sufiicient for all. It is, moreover, adapted to the 
 wants of all. Just such provision is made by Christ 
 and in him, as every sinner needs. In Christ every 
 sinner may find a Saviour adapted to his necessities. 
 Hence the atonement is adapted to all. It is, more- 
 over, available to all ; that is, there is nothing in its 
 nature to exclude any from its benefits who are 
 really desirous to partake of them. It is freely 
 off"ered to all ; and it is declared, Whosoever will, let 
 him take the Avater of life freely. — Rev. xxii. 17. 
 It follows that, as the atonement is suflfieient for all, 
 and adapted to all, and available to all, and oifcred 
 to all, they who die in their sins must be without 
 excuse. There is nothing in the atonement, nothing 
 in the plan of salvation, which can be the reason 
 why they perish. We must look for that reason in 
 their own corrupt hearts. They wilfully and sinfully 
 reject oflered mercy ; they account the great things 
 of the law, and of the gospel too, a strange thing, 
 and remain aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, 
 and strangers from the covenants of promise, having 
 no hope, and without God in the world. — Eph. ii. 
 12. In the sinner's own heart, then, we find the 
 reason why he perishes ; it is because of his sins, 
 and for this cause he is foreordained to eternal 
 
 5 
 
50 OUK PASSOVER. 
 
 wrath. He is not made on purpose to be damned, 
 but damned on purpose 43ecause lie is a sinner. 
 This may be a great thing, but surely we should not 
 count it a strange thing. Hath not the potter power 
 over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel 
 unto honour, and another unto dishonour ? What 
 if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his 
 power known, endured with much long-suffering the 
 vessels of wrath fitted to destruction : and that he 
 might make known the riches of his glory on the 
 vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto 
 glory, even us, whom he hath called, not of the 
 Jews only, but also of the Gentiles ? — Rom. ix. 
 18-24. 
 
 Wliy any Perish. 
 
 It seems, then, that Ave can account very well for 
 the perdition of them that perish. Although there 
 is an infinite — an all-sufficient — atonement, they do 
 not accept it when offered to them, and they die be- 
 cause they come not to Christ. And whether any 
 other doctrine in the Christian system can be ex- 
 plained, or accounted for, or not, this one thing I 
 am persuaded is too clear to be doubted or denied, 
 — that tJiet/ toJio j^erish are without excuse. Let, 
 then, this principle be settled ; and let us be fully 
 persuaded that if Ave perish, we can blame none but 
 ourselves. Then let us work out our own salvation 
 with fear and trembling, and see to it that we make 
 our calling; and election sure. AAvake thou that 
 
THE GREAT THINGS OF TlIK LAW. 51 
 
 sleepest, and arise from tlic dead, and Christ shall 
 give thee light. — Eph. v. 14. 
 
 W/ii/ <itt>j are Saved. 
 
 But if we are saved, -what then? Shall we owe 
 it to ourselves ? How shall we account for the salva- 
 tion of those who are saved? Is it because they 
 are better by natui'e than others ? or better by prac- 
 tice? or because they of themselves repent and be- 
 lieve, or change their own hearts and sanctify their 
 own souls? Far from it. How then is it to be ac- 
 counted for? "We have seen that the atonement 
 is sufficient for all, adapted to all, availal)le for all, 
 offered to all, yet all are not saved. Though the 
 atonement is sufficient for all, yet it is clear that it is 
 not efficient to all. Yet it is efficient to some, and 
 this is the thing to be accounted for. Some are 
 saved, how shall we account for it ? We must go to 
 the Bible, and we must submit to the teachings of 
 the Bible. Well, what does the Bible teach in re- 
 gard to this great thing ? When we open this sacred 
 volume, and look for light on this dark point, we 
 are directed by the Spirit of inspiration to the pur- 
 pose of God according to electiou. We read that 
 the people of Christ were given to him by the 
 Father as a seed to serve him ; that they are chosen 
 in him, that is, in Christ, before the foundation of 
 the world — according as he hath chosen us in him 
 before the foundation of the Avorld. — Eph. i. 4. 
 Chosen us in him — chosen in Christ. It seems, 
 
<52 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 then, that they who are saved were chosen in Christ 
 before the world began. To these, then, the Father 
 had speciali-egard in the plan of redemption, for he 
 gave them to his Son ; to these the Son had special 
 regard in his work, for they are the sheep for whom 
 he gave his life ; and to these the Holy Ghost has 
 special regard in applying the benefits of Christ's 
 death. For these Christ was a substitute and 
 surety ; and his sufi"erings were a true and proper 
 substitution for what they deserved to sufier, and 
 must have suffered, had he not died for them and in 
 their stead. Hence the atonement which he made 
 secures their salvation; because they were given 
 him of the Father, he had special reference to them 
 in his work, and the Holy Spirit carries out the 
 scheme of mercy by renewing their hearts and ap- 
 plying to them the 'benefits purchased by atoning 
 blood. Christ purchased for them the Spirit; and 
 it is because the Spirit gives them a new heart that 
 they repent and believe. Theii' salvation, therefore, 
 is all of grace, and must be traced back to the 
 electing love of God. -And while eternal ages roll 
 on, they will cry, Grace^ grace unto it. 
 
 " Grace first contrived the way 
 To save rebellious man ; 
 And all the steps that gi'ace display, 
 Which drew the wondrous plan." 
 
 God's Pleasure. 
 
 If it be asked why God chooses some and not 
 others, it may be answered, Avhy did he choose any ? 
 
THE (JllKAT TlllNCS 01'' THE LAW. 53 
 
 Why docs he save any? lie was under no obliga- 
 tion to save any; he might have ]qft oil to perish; 
 and may he not have mercy on whom he will, and 
 do what he pleases Avith his own, when none perish, 
 and none are punished, but because of their sins? 
 Nay, but, man, who art thou that repliest against 
 Cod? Shall the thin"; formed say to him that 
 formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? — Rom. ix. 
 18-21. This is one of the great things which he 
 chooses not to explain; and it becomes us to say, 
 Even so, for so it secmeth good in thy sight. The 
 fact that some are chosen and others not, alters not 
 our duty. Salvation is to be freely offered to all; 
 and all who have the offer made them are bound to 
 accept it, and if they refuse, it is at their peril. 
 Header, the offer is made to you ! In the name of 
 Christ, I offer 3'ou salvation ; I offer it to you freely, 
 without money and without price ; and I assure you 
 that if you come to Christ, you shall in no wise be 
 cast out. Now do you say to me, "I may not be 
 elected, and I do not know, therefore, whether I shall 
 be accepted or not?" I answci- that I have nothing to 
 do with that matter, and you have nothing to do with 
 it. Your business is to come to Christ, and to come 
 to-day, right where you arc, and to come now; and 
 when you come and are rejected, it will be time 
 enough to say you were not elected. You say you 
 may not be elected, and therefore may not be re- 
 ceived if you come to Clu-ist ; I say to you in the 
 words of Jesus Christ himself, — Him that cometh to 
 5 * 
 
54 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 me I will in no wise cast out. John vi. 37. Now 
 will you contrQjdict the blessed Redeemer? May 
 not be received ? But Christ says you shall be re- 
 ceived; that he will give you rest. Not received? 
 Why you might just as well say, God knows 
 whether I shall be saved or not; so it is certain, or 
 else he could not know it, and if certain one way or 
 the other, why no anxiety of mine about it can alter 
 the matter ; then why should I be concerned ? Why 
 concerned? Because your soul is in danger. Its 
 eternity is at stake. You must be concerned or die 
 in your sins. Remember, God's knowledge, and 
 God's purposes, are not the rule of your duty. 
 Your duty is made known in the Bible; and you 
 must do it, or you will perish in your sins, and that 
 justly. So the Bible' teaches ; and so you must do 
 or die! 
 
 You see, then, that the views advanced do not 
 hinder from urging men everywhere to flee imme- 
 diately to Christ for life and salvation. This is our 
 duty; and again I point you to Christ and beseech 
 you to lay hold on the hope set before you. Behold 
 the Lamb of God ! Look and live ! Do you again 
 say, "I have a wicked heart; I cannot change my 
 own heart; if God do not please to give me faith and 
 repentance, I cannot help it; I am altogether de- 
 pendent upon him?" Dependent, and you can't 
 help it ! I want to put a question directly to your 
 heart, — Do you feel perfectly innocent Avhile making 
 this objection? Does not something whisper, "I 
 
f 
 
 THE GREAT THINGS OF THE LAW. 55 
 
 have not tried to help it?" Ah, did you truly feel 
 your helplessness and dependence, ther^ might be 
 some hope. Then you would begin to ask God for 
 help; you would cry then, "God be merciful to me 
 a sinner!" Oh, that you would thus cry! I know, 
 reader, that you are helpless ; I know you are depen- 
 dent upon divine grace ; and I would to God you 
 might be truly sensible of it ! Did you but feel it 
 as you ought, you would begin now, right where 
 you are, to call upon God for help. Did you feel 
 that your salvation is altogether in the hands of 
 God, and that he might justly send you to hell at 
 any moment, you would not rest, you would not 
 give sleep to your eyes^ norslumber to your eyelids, 
 till you had evidence of acceptance with him. Yet 
 so it is ; you are in his hands ; your salvation is sus- 
 pended upon his sovereign pleasure; he.may cut 
 you off in a moment ; and will you yet dare to offend 
 him? AVill you reject his Son? Will you resist 
 and grieve his Spirit ? Will you refuse to call upon 
 his name? And when he has given you the great 
 things of his law and gospel, will you esteem them 
 a strange tiling? Reader, there is danger, for our 
 God is a consuming fire ! Heb. xii. 29. 
 
 The Law rrcnched. 
 
 The great things of the law are to be preached, 
 that men may see their utter impotence and inability 
 to attain justification by the deeds thereof; and thus 
 it is a school-master to bring them to Christ, that 
 
56 OUR PASSOVER, 
 
 they may be justified by faith. It is spiritual in its 
 demands; it requires spotless holiness of nature, 
 perfect, personal, and perpetual obedience in this life, 
 and full satisfaction for sin, which none of mankind 
 being capable of, they are shut up to the ho2:)e of 
 the gospel; for Christ is the end of the law for 
 righteousness to every one that believeth. Rom. 
 X. 4. It is written, Cursed is every one that con- 
 tinueth not in all things which are written in the 
 book of the law to do them. Gal. iii. 10. To this 
 curse we are all by nature exposed; condemned, 
 and under the curse, how may we be delivered from 
 it? Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the 
 law, being made a curse for us ; so that, believing in 
 him, we are delivered from the curse, and are freed 
 from the law as a covenant of life, and are under it 
 only as a rule of life. Gal. iii. 11-14, 21-23. As- 
 to unbelievers, the law is intended to teach them 
 their need of Christ and lead them to him for life 
 and salvation ; as to believers, it is of use to excite 
 them to express their gratitude and thankfulness to 
 Christ for his fulfilling it as a covenant in their 
 f<tead ; by their studying conformity thereto, both in 
 their hearts and lives, as the rule of their obedience. 
 ]3o we then make void the law through faith ? God 
 forbid: yea, we establish the law. Rom. iii. 31. 
 The law does not abolish, but it establishes the law ; 
 hence it is to be preached, and its great things must 
 not be strange to us. Jesus Christ has taken our 
 law-place, and borne its penalty for us. Because he 
 
TUE GREAT THINGS OF THE LAW. 57 
 
 died, "we may live. " If Christ be not the substitute, 
 lie is nothing to the sinner. If he did not die as the 
 sin-bearer, he has died in vain. Let us not be de- 
 ceived on tliis point, nor misled by those who, , 
 when they announce Christ as the deliverer, think 
 they have preached the Gospel. If I throw a rope 
 to a drowning man, I am a deliverer. But is Christ 
 no more than that? If I cast myself into the sea, 
 and risk my life to save another, I am a deliverer. 
 But is Christ no more? Did he but risk his life? 
 The very essence of Christ's deliverance is the sub- 
 stitution of himself for us, his life for ours. He 
 shed his blood for us. Believing what God has 
 testified concerning this blood, we become one with 
 Jesus in his death ; and thus we are counted in law, 
 and treated by God as men who have paid the 
 whole penalty, and so been washed from their sins 
 in his blood. Though above law in himself, Christ 
 was made under the law for us, and by the ^^carious 
 law-keeping of his spotless life, as well as by the 
 endurance unto death of that law's awful penalties, 
 we are redeemed from the curse of the law." He 
 is our Substitute. He obeyed the law for us; he 
 endured the curse for us ; obeyed and died in our 
 stead ; and thus he delivered us from the wrath to 
 come. 1 Thess. i. 10. 
 
 Tlie Ceretnonial T^aw. 
 
 Having dwelt thus long on the moral law, a few 
 words may now be said of the. ceremonial law. I 
 
58 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 have written to him the great things of my law — of 
 the ceremonial law. This law was a system of 
 positive precepts, about the external Avorship of 
 God in the Old Testament church ; chiefly designed 
 to typify Christ, as then to come, and to lead them 
 to the knowledge of the way of salvation through 
 him. Of this law the principal ceremonies were 
 such as respected sacred persons, places, and things. 
 A few words of each : — 
 
 Sacred Persons. 
 
 The chief sacred person among the Jews was the 
 high priest. He was a type of Christ in being con- 
 secrated with a plentiful effusion of the holy anointing 
 oil, typifying the unmeasurable communication of 
 the Spirit unto Christ ; and his bearing the names 
 of the children of Israel upon his shoulder and in 
 the breastplate, signifying that Christ is the repre- 
 sentative and substitute of all his spiritual seed, and 
 hath their concerns continually at heart. And as 
 the high priest offered sacrifices, so did Christ offer 
 himself a sacrifice ; as the high priest entered the 
 holy of holies and burned incense there, so Christ 
 has entered heaven, where he ever liveth to make 
 intercession for us. For Christ is not entered into 
 the holy places made with hands, which are the' 
 figures of the true ; but into heaven itself, now to 
 appear in the presence of God for us : nor yet that 
 he should offer himself often, as the high priest 
 entereth into the holy place every year with blood 
 
THE GREAT THINGS OF THE LAW. 69 
 
 of Others : for then must he often have suffered 
 since the founihition of the worhl : but now once in 
 the end of the world hatli he appeared to put away 
 sin by the sacrifice of himself, lleb. ix«6-12, 24- 
 28. Because the Jews had a high priest, some think 
 the Christian church should have diocesan bishops ; 
 but Jesus Christ is our great high priest ; he is the 
 great Shepherd and Bishop of souls, who was typi- 
 hc<l by the high priest, and the substance being 
 come, we no longer need the shadow. If, because 
 the JcAvs had a high priest, we should have a corres- 
 ponding office in the Christian church, then, it is 
 ])lain, we should have a pope ; for the Jews had but 
 one high priest at once, and how this can justify a 
 great many diocesans, I cannot see ! The truth is, 
 Jesus Christ is the Bishop and Head of the Chris- 
 tian church ; and the high priest among the Jews 
 was but a type of him ; and now the antitype is 
 come, why do we need the type or the shadow ? We 
 do not. We shoukl bless God for the substance ; 
 and Jesus Christ being our high priest, we should 
 avail ourselves of his atonement, and so make our 
 peace with God. Let us not esteem this great thing 
 of the ceremonial law a strange thing, for how shall 
 we escape if we neglect so "great salvation? Heb. 
 ii. 3. We have a great high priest that is passed 
 into the heavens. Heb. iv. 14. But this man, be- 
 cause he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable 
 priesthood. * * * * Pqj. ^^q]^ ^ high priest 
 became us. Ileb. vii. 2o-28. And as it is ap- 
 
60 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 pointed unto men once to .die, but after tliis the 
 judgment. So Cln-ist was once offered to bear the 
 sins of many ; and unto them that look for him shall 
 he appear ^le second time without sin unto salvation. 
 Heb. ix. 24-28, 
 
 Sacred I'laces. 
 
 The sacred places of the ceremonial law were the 
 tabernacle and temple. No description of them 
 need be here given. Amongst other things, they 
 both of them typified the human nature of Christ, 
 which was assumed into union with his divine nature. 
 Thus he said, in reference to his body, Destroy this 
 temple, and in three days I will raise it up. In 
 these sacred places, the Jews had constantly before 
 them, types or emblems of the human nature of 
 Jesus Christ who was to come — silent but express- 
 ive prophecies of the incarnation of the Son of 
 God — and yet how often they despised these great 
 things of the law, and counted them as strange 
 things, turning away after idols ; and when the Son 
 of God became incarnate, taking our nature upon 
 him — made in the likeness of sinful flesh — they 
 despised and rejected him and put him to the shame- 
 ful death of the cross ! Beware of their unhappy 
 example, and despise not the Lord of life ! He 
 assumed our nature for our sakes : he was God 
 manifest in the flesh for our redemption ; and to 
 reject him is to die in sin. For Avhat the law could 
 not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God 
 sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, 
 
THE (.iRKAT TIIINtJS OF THE LAW. til 
 
 and for sin — or, by a sacrifice for sin — couJemnecl 
 sin in the flesh : that the righteousness of the' law 
 might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, 
 but after the Spirit. Rom. viii. 3, 4. 
 
 Sacred Tilings, 
 
 The sacred thinn;s of the ceremonial law were 
 several. One of these was the lavcr, placed in the 
 outward court of the tabernacle and temple. It was 
 a brazen vessel for holding water, made of looking- 
 glasses, or polished pieces of brass, given by the 
 women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle 
 of the congregation, as recorded in the 38tli chapter 
 of Exodus. It stood between the tabernacle of the 
 congregation, or holy place, and the altar, that 
 Aaron and his sons might wash their hands aud 
 their feet thereat, when they went into the taberna- 
 cle, or when they came near to the altar to minister, 
 under no less penalty than death ; when they went 
 unto the altar, or into the tabernacle, or holy place, 
 they were to wash or die ; and this was to point out 
 the absolute necessity of the application of the blood 
 and Spirit of Christ unto the soul, as that without 
 which there can be no escaping of eternal death. 
 We must experience the washing of regeneration 
 and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, or perish. 
 Ye must be born again. They who are in the flesh, 
 unrenewed, cannot please God. Regeneration is 
 necessary. We must be sanctified as well as justi- 
 iioil. Bitth the> e are in Jesus Christ. They are the 
 
 6 
 
62 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 purchase of his blood, and they come to all to whom 
 that "blood is applied by the Holy Spirit; for he of 
 God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and 
 sanctification, and redemption. 1 Cor. i. 26-31. 
 
 Sacrific€s, 
 
 There were also sacrifices. These Avere to be of 
 such clean beasts and fowls as God appointed for 
 the purpose. They were to be without blemish, 
 which signified the spotless holiness of the human 
 nature of Christ, which was sacrificed for us. The 
 sins of the offerers were to be typically laid upon 
 the head of the sacrifice, which signified the laying 
 of the sins of his people upon Christ and his expiat- 
 ing them by his death. The sacrifice must be slain 
 by the shedding of its blood, which taught that 
 Christ should shed his blood for many for the re- 
 mission of sins, for without shedding of blood there 
 is no remission. Heb. ix. 22. The sacrifice was 
 to be consumed wholly or in part with fire upon the 
 altar, which signified that the wholfe of that infinite 
 wrath, which was due to sinners, and would have 
 been consuming them for ever, was poured out upon 
 the glorious surety, Jesus Christ, and was endured 
 by him. The altar upon which the sacrifices 
 were offered and consumed, was the brazen altar, 
 or altar of burnt-ofiering ; and as the altar sanc- 
 tifieth the gift, so this altar typified the divine 
 nature of Christ as giving infinite worth and value 
 to the sacrifice of the human nature, because of tho 
 
THE (!Ui:.\T TIIIXCJS OF THE LAW. 03 
 
 personal union of the liiiman nature "with the divine. 
 The sacrifices themselves Avere types of the human 
 nature of Christ, for it was that nature which was 
 sacrificed, suffered, and died; the altar on which the 
 sacrifices were ofiered, was a type of the divine na- 
 ture of Christ, as it was that which sustained his 
 human nature and gave infinite value to his sacrifice. 
 Now the fire on the Jewish altar of burnt-offering 
 was to be kept ever burning; and this was to show 
 that it Avas not possible that the blood of bulls and 
 of goats should take away sin, and therefore to teach 
 the people, under that dispensation, to look to the 
 atoning blood of the Messiah, as that only which 
 could quench the flame of divine wrath against sin, 
 and be an offering and sacrifice to God, for a sweet- 
 pmelling savour, in which he might eternally res^^ 
 ►Thus the Jews were taught that God is a consuming 
 fire, one who Avill by no means clear the guilty with- 
 out a satisfaction of his justice. But that satisfac- 
 tion has been made. The fire of divine wrath, in 
 the case of every believer, is now quenched by the 
 blood of Christ. His blood satisfi^es justice and 
 cleanses from sin. This he did once when he offered 
 up himself. Heb. vii. 27. For by one offering he 
 hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 
 X. 10-17. Believe in him, that you may be saved ! 
 
 " His blood can make the foulest clean ; 
 His blood availed for mo !" 
 
64 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 Types and Shadows. 
 
 Thus we find three sacred things in the outer 
 court, the laver, the sacrifices, and the altar on which 
 they were offered. Now if Ave enter the first part 
 of the tabernacle, or temple, Ave shall find three sa- 
 cred things there also. One Avas the golden candle- 
 stick, which taught that all true spiritual light is 
 conveyed unto the church only from Christ; and 
 that, as the branches Avere supplied Avith oil from 
 the body of the candlestick, so all the members are 
 supplied out of the fulness of Christ, for God giveth 
 not the Spirit by measure unto him. Another Avas 
 the table of shew-bread, which meant that in Christ, 
 who is the bread of life, there is food continually for 
 starving sinners, and that Ave can never come amiss, 
 at any time, to him for supply, because in hiuL-i 
 dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 
 The other was the altar of incense, and the incense 
 which was continually burnt upon this altar, every 
 morning and evening, (after the sacrifices Avere of- 
 fered Avithout upon the altar of burnt-offering,) 
 typified the prevalent intercession of Christ, founded 
 upon his meritorious gblation. He ever liveth to 
 make intercession. Heb. vii. 25. 
 
 As to the sacred things of the holy of holies, 
 the Apostle says. The holiest of all had the golden 
 censer, and the ark of the covenant Overlaid round 
 about Avith gold, Avherein Avas the golden pot that 
 had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the 
 
THE GREAT THINGS OF THE LAW. G5 
 
 t.iOlcs of the covenant; and over it the cherubim of 
 glory, shadowing the mercy-seat. Ileb. ix. 1-10. 
 As to the goklen censer, it was not* always in the 
 holy of holies, but remained there only while 
 the high priest continued within the vail, sprinkling 
 the blood of the sin-offering upon the mercy-seat 
 and before it, on the great day of atonement, once 
 a year. The ark of the covenant was a small box 
 or chest, the lid or cover of which was called the 
 mercy-seat. The golden pot that had manna was 
 not put into the ark, but laid up before it, and sig- 
 nified the inexhaustible provision of all the spiritual 
 blessings laid up in Christ for the members of his 
 mystical body, the church. Aaron's rod was -also 
 laid up before the ark, and signified the fixed choice 
 that the Father made of Christ to an unchangeable 
 priesthood. The tables of the covenant were the 
 two tables of stone on which the ten commandments 
 were written. These were put into the ark to sig- 
 nify that the law, whiclv was broken by the first 
 Adam, was put up as fulfilled in the second Adam, 
 that is, Christ, that there might be no condemnation 
 to them which are in Christ Jesus. Rom. viii. 1-4. 
 These tables were called tables of the covenant, and 
 the ark in which they were put was called the ark 
 of the covenant, because the ten commandments, 
 wi'itten on these tables, were the matter of the cove- 
 nant of works made with Adam, as the head of his 
 posterity, and the fulfilment of them, both in point 
 of doing and. suffering, was the condition of the 
 
Gt) UUll PASSUVEII. 
 
 covenant of grace, made with Christ, as the Head 
 and Representative of his spiritual seed; and they 
 were also the basis of the Jewish national covenant 
 made and ratified at Sinai, as may be seen in Ex. 
 xxiv. 3-8, and Heb. ix. 18-22. The lid or cover- 
 ing of the ark was called the mercy-seat, to intimate 
 that God is propitious and merciful to sinners, only 
 through the meritorious satisfaction of Christ. And 
 that the mercy-seat was a covering to the tables of 
 the covenant, taught that the broken law was so 
 honoured and so hid or covered by the glorious 
 Surety, who answered all its demands, both as to 
 precept and penalty, that it could accuse none be- 
 fore God, who had fled for refuge to lay hold upon 
 the hope selTbefore tli^em, even Jesus Christ. Over 
 the mercy-seat were the cherubim, to, represent the 
 ministry and service of the holy angels to Christ 
 and his church. They looked one to another and 
 toward the mercy-seat; and their looking one to 
 another signified their perfect harmony in serving 
 the interests of Christ's kingdom ; and their looking 
 toward the mercy-seat signified their desire to dive 
 with the most profound veneration and wonder into 
 the adorable mystery of redeeming love : these things 
 the angels desire to look into. 
 
 Now into the holy of holies, none might enter but 
 the high priest alone, without any to attend or assist 
 him — and that after the most solemn sacrifices — Ex. 
 XXX. 10 ; Lev. xvi. 1-34 ; Ileb. ix. 7-25 ; and herein 
 he was an eminent type of Christ, who had the whole 
 
TJIE GREAT THINGS OF THE h.\^V. G7 
 
 work of redemption laid ui)on liis shoulder, and of 
 the people there was none with him. And even the 
 high priest might enter only once every year, that 
 is, on the great day of atonement, a solemn anniver- 
 sary fast under the law. And when he entered, he 
 was expressly required to carry along Avith him the 
 blood of the sacrifice, slain without the tabernacle, 
 at the altar of burnt-oifering, and the golden censer 
 full of burning incense; without both of 'which he 
 might by no means enter within the most holy place. 
 And this not only showed the necessity of an atone- 
 ment, but also typified the perpetual efficacy of the 
 blood of Christ in heaven for all the blessings and 
 benefits for which it was shed on earth. For Christ 
 is not entered into the holy places made with hands, 
 Avhich are the figures of the true ; but into heaven 
 itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. 
 Ileb. ix. 24-26 ; vii. 19-28. 
 
 Great Things Significant. 
 
 Such are some of the great things of the ceremo- 
 nial law Avhicli God wrote to Israel. What added 
 to their greatness and rendered them significant and 
 important, was their constant reference to the great 
 things of the gospel. Gal. iii. 8 ; Heb. iv. 2. Yet 
 the Jews counted them as a strange thing, forsook 
 them, despised them, and gave themselves up to the 
 service of idols. God's anger was kindled against 
 them, and he sent their enemies upon them for their 
 chastisement. And when Jesus Christ, the promised 
 
68 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 Messiah, the substance of all these shadows, came, 
 his own received him not ; they rejected and crucified 
 their Redeemer, and invoked upon themselves and 
 their children the vengeance of his blood. And it 
 came — terrible in its fury — the nation was scattered, 
 and for these 1800 years the anger of God has burned 
 against them because they counted the great things 
 of the _ law a strange thing. The law should have 
 prepared them for the coming of Christ ; but when 
 he came, everything about him, and everything he 
 said and did, either was strange to them, or they made 
 strange of it. They knew not the things which were 
 for their peace, and they were hid from their eyes ! 
 unhappy people ! So indebted to God, and yet 
 so ungrateful ! Having the way of life so clearly 
 pointed out, yet perishing in their sins ! What a 
 solemn warning to all who read their history or hear 
 their mournful story ! He that despised Moses' law, 
 died without mercy under two or three witnesses : of 
 how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be 
 thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son 
 of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, 
 wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and 
 hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace ? Heb. x. 
 26-29. 
 
 Written, to us. 
 
 But, reader, has God written nothing to us ? Has 
 he not written to us the great things of his law, 
 taking the word law in its widest sense, as including 
 the whole of divine revelation ? Has he not given 
 
THE (lUEAT THINGS OF THE LAW. 09 
 
 to US his word, revealed to us his will ? And are 
 there not great things here, things great and won- 
 derful? And shall we make strange of them, or 
 make ourselves strangers to them? Is this wise? 
 Is it safe ? Does it not beconic us to study these 
 great things and become famihar with them ? We 
 are taught that we are sinners ; that there is an 
 atonement for shi, sufficient, and freely offered to 
 us ; that Ave must be justified by faith in Christ, 
 sanctified by tlie Spirit, and adopted into the family 
 of God ; that there shall be a resurrection of' the 
 dead, and eternal rewards and punishments. These 
 great things and others God has written to us, and 
 if we count them as a strange thing, and seek not an 
 interest in Jesus Christ, we shall be cast off" as were 
 the JeAvs, yea, we shall perish for ever ! Come, then, 
 to the Lord Jesus ! In him see fulfilled all the great 
 things of the law, in him put your trust, and on his 
 sacrifice rely for acceptance Avith God and for eternal 
 life ! For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for 
 us : therefore let us keep the feast, not with old 
 leaven, neither Avith the leaven of malice and wicked- 
 ness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and 
 truth. 1 Cor. v. 6-8. 
 
 JSytnns, 
 
 " And see, the blest Redeemer comes, 
 The eternal Son appears, 
 And at the-appointed time assumes 
 The body God prepares. 
 
70 OUll PABSOVER. 
 
 " His Father's honour touched his heart, 
 He pitied sinners' cries, 
 And to fulDl a Saviour's part, 
 Was made a sacrifice. 
 
 " No blood of beasts on altars shed 
 Could wash the conscience clean ; 
 But the rich sacrifice he paid, 
 Atones for all our sin." 
 
 " Once, in the circuit of a year. 
 With blood, but not his own, 
 Aaron within the veil appears, 
 Before the golden throne. 
 
 " But Christ, by his own powerful blood, 
 Ascends above the skies; 
 And, in the presence of our God, 
 Shows his own sacrifice." 
 
 " Dost thou look back upon a life of sinning ? 
 Forward, and tremble for thy future lot? 
 There's One who sees the end from the beginning, 
 Thy tear of penitence is unforgot. 
 God knows it all ! 
 
 "Then go to God ! Pour out your heart before him ! 
 There is no grief your Father cannot feel. 
 And let your grateful songs of praise adore him — 
 To save, forgive, and every wound to heal. 
 
 God knows it all — God knows it all 1" 
 
FORGIVENESS WITH GOD! 71 
 
 III. 
 FORGimirEsa wim god. 
 
 If thou, Lord, shouklcst mark iniquities, Lord, who shall stand? 
 But there is lorgiveuess with thee, that thou maycstbo feared. — Pa. 
 cxxx. 3, 4. 
 
 Mx2iJ<tnations, 
 
 Job puts an important question when he asks, 
 HoAV should man be just with God ? And Micah 
 adds to its interest and importance "vvhen he says, 
 Wherewith shall I come before, the Lord^ and bow 
 myself before the high God ? Shall I come before 
 him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old ? 
 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or 
 with ten thousands of rivers of oil ? Shall I give 
 my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my 
 body for the sin of my soul ? But how can these 
 justify us before God ? The question remains. How 
 can sinners be accounted just ? How be treated as 
 innocent ? If thou. Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, 
 Lord, who shall stand ? But — and here is our 
 hope — there is forgiveness with thee, that thou 
 mayest be feared. There is forgiveness, because 
 Christ our passover is sacrificed for us and the great 
 things of the law are fulfilled in him ; yea, he has 
 
72 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 answered the demands of the law for us, and hence 
 we may be just in him. 
 
 To mark iniquities is to keep a strict account of 
 them and to reckon with the transgressor for them 
 according to God's holy law and on the principles 
 of strict justice ; to reckon with the transgressor him- 
 self, and not with a surety or substitute. Should 
 God thus mark iniquities, who, among the sons of 
 men, could stand ? " If thou shouldest mark iniqui- 
 ties, that is, so consider and observe them as to 
 reserve them for punishment and vengeance. * * 
 * * In God's marking sin according to the tenor 
 of the law, the case is the same with all classes of 
 sinners. * * * * In a sin-perplexed soul, 
 God's marking sin according to the tenor of the laAV, 
 fills the soul with dread and terror. * * * * 
 The marking here intended, implies animadversion, 
 and punishment according to the tenor of the law. 
 Not only the sentence of the law, but a will of pun- 
 ishing according to it, is included in it. If, saith 
 the Psalmist, thou, the great and dreadful God, who 
 art extolled by thy glorious name Jah, shouldest 
 take notice of iniquities, so as to recompense sinners 
 that come unto thee according to the severity of thy 
 holy law, what then ? It is answered by the propo- 
 sal, Who can stand ? that is, none can stand. No 
 man, not one in the world, can stand or abide the 
 trial. Every one, on this supposition, must perish, 
 and that eternally. * * * * "wq^iQ g^n stand ? 
 There is a deep insinuation of a dreadful ruin, as to 
 
FORGIVENESS WITH GOD. 73 
 
 all with Avlioiii (J 0(1 shall so deal as to mark their 
 iniquities. — Ps. i. 5." 
 
 Vlio rati Stand? 
 
 Who can stand ? To stand is to be justified, or 
 acquitted. The question of the Psalmist implies that 
 if God were to reckon with men, according to law, 
 on the ground of merit or demerit, none could stand 
 tlie trial and be justified or acquitted. All would be 
 found guilt}'' and be condemned. But he proceeds 
 to say. There is forgiveness with God, that he may 
 be feared, implying that there is a method of reckon- 
 ing with God, by which it is possible for those who 
 avail themselves of it, to stand, be acquittc;!, and 
 justificd^-possible for God to be just, and yet ju^iify 
 thom that believe. " To stand, is to stand one'^ 
 ground, maintain one's innocence, and perhaps in 
 this case, to endure one's sentence. * * * * 
 Since none can stand, our only hope is in free for- 
 giveness — the forgiveness that we need, the only for- 
 giveness that is available or attainable." "There is 
 forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. 
 To fear the Lord is an expression comprehensive of 
 liis whole worship and all our duty. To this I am 
 encouraged, saith the Psalmist, in my depths, because 
 there is forgiveness with thee. I will abide in all 
 duties, in all the ways of thy worship, wherein thou 
 mayest be fou-nd."" "Fear or godly reverence is 
 represented as one fruit and evidence of pardoned 
 sin." 
 7 
 
74: OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 trjuit is here Taufjht. 
 
 Some profitable lessons are here taught us. Among 
 them are these. No one can stand acquitted, or be 
 accepted as just, on the ground of his own merit or 
 performances, when God reckoneth with him ; hence 
 all need forgiveness ; there is forgiveness with God ; 
 and God should be feared, he should be reverenced 
 and served with fiUal affection, because there is for- 
 giveness with him. These lessons we should re- 
 member, on them we should meditate. 
 
 The First Ziesson. 
 
 The first lesson to be learned by us from the words 
 of the Psalmist is, that no one can stand acquitted 
 by the law of God, or be accepted and justified on 
 the ground of his own merit or performances, when 
 God reckoneth with him. If thou. Lord, shouldest 
 mark iniquity, Lord, who shall stand ? Not one ! 
 
 What the Sci^ptures Teach, 
 
 Not one ! So the Scriptures teach. Thus Job 
 says. If he will contend with him, he cannot answer 
 him one of a thousand. What then shall I do when 
 God riseth up ? and when he visiteth, what shall I 
 answer him? Isaiah says, speaking as well of man's 
 moral disease as of the corruption and misery of the 
 Jewish state. The whole head is sick, and the whole 
 heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto 
 the head, there is no soundness in it; but wounds, 
 
FORGIVENESS WITH (101). 75 
 
 aiul bruises, and putrifying sores; tliej liave not 
 been closed, neither bound up, neither molbfied with 
 ointment. And Paul, in Romans, quoting from 
 several scriptures, says, There is none righteous, no, 
 not one : there is none that understandeth, there is 
 none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out 
 of the way, they are together become unprofitable ; 
 there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their 
 tlu-oat is an open sepulchre ; with their tongues they 
 liave used deceit ; the poison of asps is under their 
 lips : whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness : 
 their feet are swift to shed blood : destruction and 
 misery are in their ways : and the way of peace have 
 they not known : there is no fear of God before their 
 eyes. Therefore, by the deeds of the law there shall 
 no flesh be justified in his sight. Rom. iii. 9-20. 
 None can stand. Not one ! 
 
 What Men Confess. 
 
 No, not one! So the best men confess. Says 
 Job, I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear ; 
 but now mine eyes seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor 
 myself, and repent in dust and ashes. Moses, under 
 a deep sense of his unworthiuess, exclaims, Behold, 
 I am of uncircumcised lips. And Isaiah, when fa- 
 voured with a heavenly vision, said, Woe is me, for I 
 am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and 
 I dwell in tlie midst of a people of unclean lips; for 
 mine eyes have seen the King, tlic Lord of hosts. 
 Paul declares, For I knoAV that in me, that is, in my 
 
.<» Oni PASSOVER. 
 
 flpsh, dwelleth no good thing; and he exclaims, in 
 view of his unworthiness, wretched man that I 
 am I The holiest men in all ages have been most 
 sensible of their depravity. They have had the 
 clearest views of the desperate wickedness of their 
 own hearts, and the entire demerit of their whole" 
 lives. The nearer the saints have approximated the 
 moral image of their Maker, the more conscious 
 have they been of their moral deformity ; the nearer 
 they have advanced towards perfection, the more 
 sensible have they been of their imperfections. Like 
 Paul, they have esteemed themselves less than the 
 least of all saints ; renounced all self-dependence, 
 and relinquished for ever all hope of justification on 
 the ground of their own merit or performances. 
 They see nothing in themselves for which they can 
 hope for divine acceptance. With David they ex- 
 claim, If thou. Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, 
 Lord, who shall stand ? Not one ! 
 
 Season. 
 
 No; not onej. Reason corroborates and confirms 
 the Scripture and the confessions of the best men. 
 The light of nature teaches us something of the 
 power, wisdom, and goodness of God. Reason in 
 fers that a being possessed of infinite wis(Jom, good- 
 ness, and power, would not leave his works imper- 
 fect ; he would not create a world filled, as this is, 
 with natural and moral evil; natural and moral evil 
 would have, originally, no place in the works of a 
 
ruUttlVENESS WITH liOD. 77 
 
 Being possessing infinite wisrlom, goodness, and 
 "power. These perfections God evidently possesses, 
 if at all, in an infinite degree. Of course, all the 
 works issuing from liis hands must be very good. 
 ]iut how do we see them now? Both natural and 
 moral evil abound. Man, the master-piece of divine 
 workmanship, is subject to evils numberless and un- 
 speakable. And why ? Because he is not as God 
 made him ! Reason, as well as revelation, teaches 
 US that man is fallen! He is not as he once was: 
 he is a sinner ; he is fallen ! And I ask, how can 
 a fallen being, as man evidently is, stand acquitted, 
 on the ground of his own performances, when God 
 reckoneth with him ? The very fact that he is fallen 
 and depraved, precludes the idea of justification on 
 the score of merit. If fallen, as experience, and 
 observation, and Scripture, and reason prove, he is 
 destitute of -merit ; he has nothing but his sinfulness 
 and misery to commend him to God, and cannot 
 stand when God marks iniquity against him, and 
 deals with him according to the tenor of his laAV. 
 That law demands constant, perpetual, and perfect 
 obedience. A single failure exposes t(J its curse. 
 J^o subsequent obedience can atone for a single past 
 transgression ; and as all have transgressed, all are 
 condemned ; and who then can stand ? Not one ! 
 
 Ttie Second Tjcsson. 
 
 No ; not one ! Hence all need forgiveness. This 
 follows, of course. If all are sinners and condemned ; 
 
78 ^ OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 if no one can stand acquitted by the law of God, on 
 the ground of his own merit or works, when God 
 reckoneth with him; then, of course, all need par- 
 don. There must be some way of forgiveness de- 
 vised, some way of justification other than by 
 works, or all are lost ! Every one ! 
 
 • The Bible. 
 
 All must be lost ! Every one ! So the Scriptures 
 teach. Tor all have sinned, and come short of the 
 glory of God; of course, 9.II need pardon and justifi- 
 cation, and without it, they must perish. And if 
 they cannot be pardoned and justified on the ground 
 of works, how can this be accomplished ? IIow can 
 they be forgiven ? The following verses teach us : 
 All have sinned and come short of the glory of God ; 
 being justified freely — not by works, not by any- 
 thing done by us, nor for anything done in us — 
 freely by his grace, through the redemption that is 
 in Christ Jesus: Avhom God hath set forth, or fore- 
 ordained, as the margin reads, to be a propitiatio;n 
 through faith in his blood, to declare his righteous- 
 ness for tlTe remissioif of sins that are past, through 
 the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at tj^s 
 time, his righteousness: that he might be just, and 
 the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. How 
 much stress is, in the Scriptures, laid upon the for- 
 giveness of sins as essential to the peace and happi- 
 ness of man ! It is essential to his peace with God 
 and to peace in his own heart. It . is necessary to 
 
FORGIVENESS WITH UOD. 79 
 
 liis life as well as to his peace. lie needs forgive- 
 ness that he may glorify God and enjoy him, that 
 he may be happy and useful, that he may have 
 hope, peace, and joy. Thus is it ■svritten, There is 
 no peace to the wicked; and, let the Avicked forsake 
 his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and 
 let him return unto the Lord, and he will have 
 mercy upon him, and to our God, for he Anil abund- 
 antly pardon. And how frequently is forgiveness 
 promised as an unspeakable blessing! Thus, — I, 
 even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgression* 
 for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. 
 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgres- 
 sions, and as a cloud, thy sins; return unto me, for 
 I have redeemed thee. Thus what man needs is the 
 richest blessing which God can bestow, for it in- 
 cludes, or brings Avith it, all others ; and Avithout the 
 blessing of forgiveness, he is and must be miserable, 
 for he is a sinner, and sin is the parent of misery. 
 All need forgiveness ; all, every one ! 
 
 Confr.ssions, 
 
 Yes, all need forgiveness; all, every one! All 
 men confess their need of pardon. So general is 
 the consciousness of guilt and ill-desert, a-nd the ex- 
 pression, in some way, of the desire of forgiveness, 
 that it may be termed an universal sentiment. It is 
 almost as widely diffused as is the human race. All 
 men, with fcAv and rare exceptions, are sensible of 
 their fallen condition; all desire pardon; and in some 
 
80 OUR rASSOVER. 
 
 way, all confess their need of forgiveness. The 
 sacrifices and penances, the self-inflicted tortures 
 and self-hnmblations of the heathen, are but so 
 many confessions directly in point. The same may 
 be said of Catholic rites and Mohammedan super- 
 stitions. And many of the religious forms and ex- 
 ternal moralities and generous acts of nominal 
 Christendom spring from the same source. And 
 the cry of the penit-ent is for mercy and pardon. 
 The publican prayed, God be merciful to me a sin- 
 ner! Every prayer is a confession of guilt, and a 
 plea for the remission of sins. The Saviour him- 
 self has taught us to pray, Father, forgive us our 
 debts — our sins — as we forgive our debtors. The 
 holiest pray for pardon ; they ask for forgiveness ; 
 they plead not their merits before God, for they 
 have non€ to plead; they say, not by works of 
 righteousness which we ha^e done, but according to 
 his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regenera- 
 tion, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. All being 
 sinners, all need forgiveness. If the best men con- 
 fess their need of forgiveness, the awakened sinner 
 feels it with oppressive weight. He is convinced 
 of his sins by the Spirit of God, and cries, 
 wretched man that I am ! He is burdened with a 
 sense of his unworthiness, and cries, What must I 
 do to be saved? Can I be forgiven? How can 
 this burden be taken from my heart? Is there, for- 
 giveness with God? Is there forgiveness for me? 
 Yes, all need forgiveness, many confess it, but 
 
FORGIVENESS WITil (iOD. 81 
 
 few feel it as they should. It is not until convinced 
 of sin by the Holy Spirit of- God that men truly feel 
 their need of being forgiven. But -when the Spirit 
 brinirs the truth home to their hearts and convinces 
 tlicm of their sin and misery, then tliey begin to 
 feel as before they never felt, that they must be for- 
 given or perish. Sin then appears an infinite evil. 
 Good cleeds they have none. They blush to think 
 of merit. Sin is their burden. They loathe and 
 abhor themselves on account of sin ; and they feel 
 and confess that it would be just in God to leave 
 them to perish for ever — to mark their iniquities 
 and condemn them to eternal death. They cannot 
 stand before him. Their sins are not only their 
 burden, but their grief and their abhorrence ; and 
 crushed beneath the mighty load, sad, sorrowful, re- 
 penting, they cry. What must we do? How can we 
 be forgiven ? How delivered from sin ? Is there 
 forgiveness with God ? Thus a sense of sin pre- 
 pared Adam for the promise of the woman's seed : 
 and a sense of sin prepares men for the announce- 
 ment of mercy through Jesus Christ. T^ot till we 
 feel lost by sin are we ready to be saved by faith in 
 the Son of God. 
 
 Tlie Xliird JLesson, 
 
 But whether we feel it or not, we are sinners, and 
 need forgiveness. Then is there forgiveness ? What 
 question can be more important for us as sinners ? 
 Is there forgiveness ? Yes, there is forgiveness with 
 
82 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 God. If tlion, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, 
 Lord, who shall stand ? But there is forgiveness with 
 thee. 
 
 Forrjivcnoss u'ith God. 
 
 Forgiveness with God ! This is a glorious truth ! 
 Nothing of this is known from the light of nature. 
 The volume of nature, with all its vastness, suh- 
 limitj, and beauty, speaks not a word of forgiveness. 
 It speaks of the depravity of man, but leaves us all 
 in darkness respecting a way of recovery from sin 
 and ruin. It teaches us the need of forgiveness ; it 
 teaches the impossibility of acquittal on the ground 
 of works or merit ; but in all its contents, it has not 
 a line like this, There is forgiveness with 
 God ! The Scriptures alone contain this blessed 
 intimation ; and it is an intimation so far above 
 the teachings of reason, that it would scarcely 
 be creditable if the Bible did not reveal it. We 
 should bless God for this truth, so intimately 
 connected with our necessities as sinners ; and if for 
 no other reason, we should love the Bible because it 
 says there is forgiveness with God. Hence it is that 
 the awakened begin to search the Scriptures as soon 
 as they begin to pray and to ask for the way of life. 
 The Bible alone can solve their doubts and relieve 
 their perplexities ; and it can do this because it alone 
 reveals the way of salvation — forgiveness with God ! 
 
 The light of nature does not, but the Bible does, 
 res'cal the glorious and astonishing truth, that there 
 is forgiveness with God — forgiveness even for the 
 
FOROIVENESS WITH OOD. 83 
 
 chief of sinners — forgiveness ■with him that he may 
 be feared, and plenteous redemption that he may be 
 souglit unto. It sets Jehovah before us as the Lord, 
 the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, 
 and abundant in goodness and truth ; keeping mercy 
 for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression, 
 and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty, 
 "without a satisfaction to his justice, or if they con- 
 tinue impenitent and unbelieving, for he is just. 
 And yet the mercy of the Lord endureth for ever. 
 And says Daniel, To the Lord our God belong 
 mercies and forgivenesses, though we have sinned 
 i^ainst him. There is forgiveness with God. 
 
 The Way of Forgiveness. 
 
 Forgiveness ! But it would be of comparatively 
 little moment for us to know that there is forgiveness' 
 with God, if we were left in ignorance of the way 
 in which the benefit may be secured. Let the 
 mariner on the stormy deep be informed that there 
 is safety in port, and what would that avail 
 him, had he no compass by which to direct his 
 tempest-tossed bark into the desired haven ? Tell 
 the burdened sinner there is forgiveness with God, 
 and what will that avail, if you tell him not how he 
 may approach Jehovah acceptably and find pardon 
 and peace ? The Bible does not leave us in dark- 
 ness here. Light shines from the sacred page on the 
 sinners patlnvay, directing him to the cross of 
 Clnist. The Bible points out the way of forgive- 
 
84 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 ncss. It tells us liow iniquities may be blotted out, 
 and the sinner stand acquitted and justified and ac- 
 cepted and saved. Its teachings here are divine. 
 No other book teaches hke this. The reckoning 
 here revealed is God's oivii arithmetic — reckoning 
 with a substitute in the sinner's stead. The method 
 of pardon and salvation here revealed is above 
 human invention ; it came from God : he is its Author. 
 This mode of reckoning is all his own. The plan 
 of salvation developed in the Scriptures is so unlike 
 every other, so far transcending human genius, so 
 honouring to God and so abasing to man — so wise, 
 so good, so unique — that the Bgok which contains it 
 must have been written by inspiration of the Holy 
 Ghost. AVere there no other argument for the in- 
 spiration of the Scriptures, this alone is sufficient to 
 establish their claim to divine inspiration. They 
 came from God. 
 
 The Scriptures not only teach us the possibility 
 of forgiveness, they also point out the way. It is 
 by faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ our 
 passover, the Lamb slain. They reveal a p£culiar 
 method of reckoning — God's method — reckoning 
 with a Surety or Substitute, marking the iniquities 
 of the sinner against the Substitute, or placing them 
 to his account, he bearing the penalty, and the sin- 
 ner being acquitted, forgiven, justified, and accepted, 
 on the exercise of faith in him. The Surety paying 
 the debt by the sacrifice of himself; and all who by 
 faith avail themselves of the sacrifice thus made are 
 
FORQIVENESS WITH (iOD. 85 
 
 forgiven. Tlic Surety makes atonement and pays 
 the debt, and all who believe in him, are, on the 
 ■exercise of faith — their acceptance of Jesus Christ 
 as their Saviour-^-acquitted and stand justified be- 
 fore God. So that, being justified by faith, we have 
 peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 Thus there is forgiveness with God. 
 
 What Christ has done. 
 
 But to be more particular. Cojisidei' what has 
 been done to open the way for the forgiveness of 
 sins and to secure this blessing to all them that be- 
 lieve. Jesus Christ took the sinner's place, his 
 law-place, and was made a curse for him ; he suff"ercd 
 for him and in his stead, and thus atoned for his 
 sins. By his obedience, sufierings, and death, ho 
 has made an atonement for his sins, and brought in 
 an everlasting righteousness for his justification ; and 
 now ascended, he ever liveth to intercede. Thus it 
 is written, Christ suiFered for us. He died for the 
 ungodly. He was made a curse for us; who, his 
 own self, bare our sins.in his own body on the tree. 
 He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of 
 himself. On him was laid the iniquity of us all. 
 He who knew no sin was made to be sin for us, a 
 sin-ofiering — the bearer of our sins — that we might 
 be made the righteousness of God in him. He is 
 the propitiation for our sins. He is offered to men 
 in the gospel as their Saviour. When they believe 
 — receive and rest upon him — they are forgiven and 
 
 8 
 
86 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 * 
 
 accounted righteous. They are not only acquitted 
 and forgiven, but they are treated as innocent, as if 
 the righteousness of Christ were theirs. This is the 
 way God forgives; thus there is forgiveness with 
 God. Christ has died ; and the sinner has but to 
 believe in Jesus Christ, and he is forgiven, justified, 
 saved: — and to believe in Christ is to credit the 
 testimony of God concerning him and to receive 
 and rest upon him alone for salvation ; it is to trust 
 in Christ for pardon and eternal life. Now the 
 righteousness of God without the law is manifested, 
 even the righteousness of God which is by faith of 
 Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all them that be- 
 lieve. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified 
 by faith without the deeds of the law. Rom. iii. 21-28. 
 
 Sow God Forgives. 
 
 We should ever remember that God forgives only 
 through Jesus Christ. It is because of his atone- 
 ment, because he is the propitiation for our sins, 
 that God can be just and yet justify him which be- 
 lieveth in Jesus. Hence it is that forgiveness is so 
 frequently spoken of in connection with the name, 
 office, and work of Christ the Mediator, and the 
 shedding of his blood. Repentance and remission 
 of sins are preached in his name. Luke xxiv. 47. 
 There is salvation in no other. Him hath God ex- 
 alted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Sa- 
 viour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgive- 
 ness of sin. Acts V. 31. Through him is preached 
 
FORGIVENESS WITH GOD. 87 
 
 the forgiveness of sins. Acts xiii. 38. In whom wc 
 have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness 
 of sins, according to the riches of his grace. . Ilis 
 blood clcanseth from all sin ; and without shedding 
 of blood is no remission. Hence the atoning blood 
 of Christ is the only ground of hope. There is for- 
 giveness with God, but it is only through Jesus 
 Christ, and because he has died and now lives. lie 
 is the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh 
 unto the Father but by him. Reject him, and tliere 
 is no pardon, no hope. Reject him, and you aiy 
 lost. Receive him, and you are safe. Receive him, 
 and pardon ai!tl eternal life arc yours. Kiss the 
 Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish ! 
 
 " His is the name that calms our fears, 
 That bids our sorrows eeasej 
 'Tis music in the sinner's ears, 
 'Tis life, and health, and peace." 
 
 Yea, he is our peace, having destroyed the enmity 
 by the blood of his cross, and reconciled us to God 
 by his death. 
 
 Invitations and Entreaties. 
 
 Burdened sinner, Jesus has died! He says to 
 you. Come unto me ! Go to him with a broken and 
 contrite heart. Receive him. Give yourself to him, 
 saying: 
 
 "Here, Lord, I give myself away, 
 'Tis a!l that I can do !"' 
 
 Ahd this is all he requires. This is the way to peace, 
 
88 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 the Avay of salvation. Believe in Jesus; cast your 
 burden on him, and you shall be forgiven and saved. 
 Convinced of your sins and penitent, go to Jesus 
 Christ, give yourself to him, and then live to his 
 glory. This is the evidence you are to give that 
 you do truly close in with the offered mercy — a life 
 of obedience to Jesus Christ. Believing in him is 
 the way of life ; obeying him is the evidence you are 
 to give to the world that you do believe. As a be- 
 lieving sinner, you shall be forgiven ; as a forgiven 
 sinner, you must fear God and keep his command- 
 ments, for there is forgiveness with him, that he may 
 be feared, feared reverently and obediently, for that 
 fear which is the offspring of the hope of pardon, is 
 the bosom companion of love to God and man. 
 
 Forgiveness! Then there is hope! Burdened, 
 weary, and heavy-laden sinner, look up! Behold 
 the Lamb of God! He came to take away your 
 sins; he can give you rest. Believe in him, and 
 you shall have peace. How many have found him 
 precious to their souls ! They have come to him in 
 their distress, and have gone on their way rejoicing. 
 They have found there is forgiveness with God, and 
 they have cried with the spirit of children, My 
 Father, thou art the gu^de of my youth ! Yes, there 
 is forgiveness with God through Jesus Christ; and 
 if you feel your sins to be a burden, you may hope 
 in his mercy. 
 
 Tlie Fourth Xesson. 
 
 There is further instruction here. We are also 
 
FUllUlVENESS AVITH CiOD. 89 
 
 taught the design and result of the scheme of mercy 
 which infinite wisdom and goodness devised for the 
 pardon and restoration of fallen man : there is for- 
 giveness Aviththee, that thou mayest be feared — to 
 the intent thou mayest be feared, for this very pur- 
 pose. If there were no hope of forgiveness, there 
 could be no pity in this world, there could be no 
 genuine repentance, no filial obedience, no reveren- 
 tial worship of God. All would be blank despair, 
 hardened sinfuhiess and "bitter remorse. Earth 
 would be hell ! There is forgiveness, that there 
 may be pity, reverence,' love, obedience. God 
 should be feared — feared in every proper sense — 
 because there is forgiveness with him. But there is 
 forgiveness with thee, that thou mayost be feared. 
 
 God 'Jtevealed. 
 
 Forgiveness, that thou mayest be feared — feared, 
 because the plan of redemption reveals to. us the 
 greatness and glory of the divine character. God is 
 infinite in wisdom, or he could never have devised 
 such a plan. "Well is Jesus Christ called the wisdom 
 of God ; the plan of salvation through him is a won- 
 derful display of divine wisdom. This scheme ori- 
 ginated with one who is all-wise. It is the offspring 
 of Jehovah's counsels. Here is wisdom. And God 
 is infinite in goodness and mercy, or he would never 
 have devised such a plan. What love is here ! what 
 pity ! what mercy ! what goodness ! And see what 
 justice is here displayed also ! See how Christ suf- 
 
 8 ■» 
 
90 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 fered that man might be forgiven ! If herein is love, 
 so herein is justice too ! Had not God been just, he 
 woukl not have devised such a plan for the pardon 
 of man and the honour of his throne — his throne hon- 
 oured and his law maintained, vrhile man is forgiven ! 
 And had he not been infinite in power and resources 
 — able to control all things — he could not have 
 executed the plan. Earth and hell conspired against 
 its execution; and how many things were necessary 
 to bring about its accDmplishment ! How many 
 things must meet, or be overruled and directed, to 
 secure the accomplishment of the divine purposes in 
 the death of Christ by the voluntary agency of sin- 
 ful men ! Yet all this was accomplished, just when, 
 and where, and how, God has determined and the 
 prophets declared. In the conception and comple- 
 tion of the plan of redemption, what a wonderful 
 display is made of the divine perfections! What 
 glory is here seen to invest the character of God ! 
 What a revelation is here made of him ! This is the 
 Being with whom there is forgiveness ; this is the 
 way in which he has rendered it possible for him to 
 forgive ; this plan acquaints us more perfectly with 
 the fearful as well as the lovely perfections of his 
 character ; and because of this revelation thus made of 
 God — because of this clearer view which the plan of 
 redemption gives of the divine attributes — his name 
 should be feared — be regarded with reverence, vene- 
 ration, awe, gratitude and love. There is forgive- 
 ness with him, that he may be feared. This plan of 
 
FORGIVENESS WITH GOD. 91 
 
 mercy has been devised and executed that man may 
 be forgiven, and that, by the brilliant displays it 
 should make of the perfections of God, all men might 
 be constrained to fear his great and holy name- 
 that men may know God, and knowing, fear, love, 
 and serve him. The glory of God is seen in the 
 face of Jesus Christ, in the way of salvation through 
 •him. It reveals God to us ; and reveals him that we 
 may fear him. Tlie fear of the Lord is the begin- 
 ning of wisdom. His fear is piety. 
 
 Jteverential Fear. 
 
 That thou mayest be feared — feared with reveren- 
 tial fear. He is glorious in holiness, fearful in 
 praises, doing wonders. We should approach him 
 with holy awe. We should reverence his holy name 
 because he forgives, and fear to oifend him ; so fear 
 as to adore, so reverence as to love and obey. 
 
 Filial JFear. 
 
 That thou mayest be feared — feared with filial 
 fear. When we are forgiven, we become his chil- 
 dren ; we are adopted into his family ; we become 
 the sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty. 
 Hence we should fear him as our Father ; we should 
 have the fear of children; fear that constrains to 
 love and obey; fear that keeps us near his feet; fear 
 that flies from temptation, and gives us the victory 
 over sin. A right view of the plan of salvation 
 through Jesus Christ, and a cordial embracing of 
 
92 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 that plan and of Christ by faith, will beget this fear 
 within us, and bring us wholly in subjection to the 
 divine will and requirements. 
 
 Fea/r of Wrath. 
 
 That thou mayest be feared — feared because of 
 the manner in which he forgives. He forgives 
 through Christ. And that he might forgive, Christ* 
 died. Now, if he spared not his own Son, but de- 
 livered him up to an ignominious death, rather than 
 forgive the sinner without a satisfaction to his jus- 
 tice, will he spare the sinner who refuses to embrace 
 Jesus Christ, and avail himself of the forgiveness of 
 sins through him ? Most surely he will not. There 
 is danger. There is wrath to come ! The impeni- 
 tent and unbelieving sinner, therefore, has reason to 
 fear ; he has reason to fear coming wrath. Look on 
 the agonies of Christ ; see there the justice of God, 
 and fear and tremble ! The Lord Jesus shall be re- 
 vealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in 
 flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know 
 not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ; who shall be punished v>^ith -everlasting 
 destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from 
 the glory of his power ? 2 Thess. i. 7-9. 
 
 Fear a Motive. 
 
 There is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be 
 feared — so feared as to avail ourselves of the way of 
 forgiveness provided for us and offered to us. We are 
 
rOUGIVKNESS WITH GOD. 93 
 
 guilty, hy nature tlic cliildrcn of wrath ; the law of 
 God condemns* us ; wc arc exposed to its curse ; in 
 danger of perishing. The sufferings of Jesus teach 
 us that we can expect no mercy out of Christ. If 
 Jesus Christ is not made to us the end of the law for 
 riglitcousness, wc must ourselves endure the curse — 
 the wrath of God for ever. It is a fearful thing to 
 fall into the hands of the living God, From this 
 fearful thing we should escape. AYe should flee 
 from the wrath to come. We should so fear God, 
 the sin-avenger, as to seek his forgiveness in the 
 name and for the sake of Christ — forgiveness tlu'ough 
 atoning blood. If hope will not draw us to the cross, 
 fear should drive us there. It should operate as a 
 motive to seek the salvation of our souls — a motive 
 to seek forgiveness. 
 
 Fear of Delay. 
 
 That thou mayest be feared — feared, lest the day 
 of hope and mercy pass for ever, and leave us in our 
 sins, unpardoned, without God, and without hope in 
 the world. To die unforgiven is to perish, Though 
 there is forgiveness with God, there is a point beyond 
 which his forbearance does not extend. 
 
 " For goodness knows the appointed bound, 
 And turns to vengeance, there." 
 
 Now there is forgiveness. Now pardon may be 
 secured ; we should fear lest we neglect to apply 
 for it till it is too late. Let the application be made 
 
94 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 witliout delay, that you may receive the remission 
 of sins. Now is the accepted time ; how is the day 
 of salvation. To-morrow it may be too late ! 
 
 Fear and Obedience, 
 
 That thou mayest be feared — feared, so as to obey 
 him and live to his glory. The remembrance of the 
 price of our redemption and of what God has done 
 for us, should constrain us to live, not to ourselves, 
 but to the glory of God. Ye are not your own ; ye 
 are bought with a price. Pass the time of your 
 sojourning here in fear ; forasmuch as ye know that 
 ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as 
 silver and gold, from your vain conversation, received 
 by tradition from your fathers ; but with the precious 
 blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and 
 without spot. God is to be reverenced and served 
 with filial affection ; and to this we should be con- 
 strained by what he has done for us. If we are for- 
 given, we must live to him who has forgiven us. We 
 must so fear as to obey. 
 
 Fear ottr tvhole J>Hty. 
 
 Forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. 
 Forgiveness ; then there is hope, and then there may 
 be love, gratitude, service, worship. If there were 
 no hope of forgiveness, there could be no escape 
 from despair ; and in their desperation, men would 
 have no fear of God before their eyes. Of course, 
 there could be no pity in the world. Man would 
 
FORGIVENESS Wll'll (iOD. 95 
 
 liavc duties, but liis duties would not be done ; he 
 would be under obligations, but obligations would be 
 disregarded. The hope of forgiveness through 
 Jesus Christ, therefore, is the basis of all that is 
 morally excellent among men. It is the mainspring 
 of human virtue — the light that gilds our path as 
 we journey toward heaven ; it casts its genial rays 
 over this dark and benighted world, and illuminates 
 the pathway of man as he journeys to the tomb. 
 It is the foster-parent of holy love. And now, that 
 there is forgiveness with God, man may hope, and 
 God may be loved as well as feared ; yea, he may 
 be loved because feared, for this fear includes love. 
 It is the whole of piety — our whole duty. That 
 fear which is the offspring of the hope of pardon, is 
 the bosom companion of love to God and man. We 
 love him whom we fear ; we worship and adore him ; 
 Ave delight in serving and pleasing him ; we live to 
 his glory. Having our sins forgivei^, and being re- 
 conciled to God through Jesus Christ, we serve him 
 with holy fear and ardent love and constant zeal. 
 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter : 
 Fear God, and keep his commandments : for this is 
 the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every 
 work into judgment, with every secret thing, 
 whether it be good, or whether it be evil. Eccl. xii. 
 1, 13, 14. 
 
 Adoratiotu 
 
 Let saints adore ! There is a way of pardon ; a 
 way which places the divine perfections in the clear- 
 
96 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 est light, brings a rich revenue of praise and glory to 
 God, while it teaches man his insignificance, his worth- 
 lessness, his vileness, and his helplessness; a way 
 which glorifies God and abases man — honours the law 
 while it saves the transgressor. In this way Christians 
 have been led. They have felt their sinfulness, their 
 corruption, vileness and exposure ; they have said 
 with the Psalmist when overwhelmed with conviction, 
 shame and confusion, If thou. Lord, shouldest mark 
 iniquities, Lord, who shall stand ? They have felt 
 themselves guilty, vile, undone, ruined, and lost ; 
 and they then inquired what they must do, how they 
 could be delivered from sin and wrath, and have 
 peace with God. Alarmed, despairing, they were 
 pointed, to the Lamb of God, the door of hope was 
 opened, they saw in the cross of Christ that there 
 is forgiveness with God ; they believed and were 
 forgiven. A new song 'was put into their mouths, 
 even praise to our God ; and now they sing redeem- 
 ing love. Let them adore Him who devised the plan 
 of redemption ; let them adore him who died to re- 
 deem them ; let them adore that grace which took 
 their feet out of the horrible pit and miry clay ; and 
 while they adore, let them consecrate themselves 
 anew to the service of God, and do what they can to 
 communicate to others the glad tidings of salvation. 
 Speedily may all hear of Jesus ; speedily may all 
 hear of forgiveness in his name ! What book reveals 
 the way of life ? To what book is the Christian in- 
 debted for his immortal hopes ? The Bible. And 
 
FORGIVENESS WITH OOD. 97 
 
 docs he deserve tlie name of Christian wlio docs not 
 exert himself to give tlie Bible to the destitute, to 
 give the Bible to the world ? Go ye into all the 
 world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He 
 that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved ; but 
 he that believeth not, shall be damned. Mark xvi. 
 15, 16.. 
 
 Frnr and Tfenihle. 
 
 While saints adore, let sinners fear and tremble. 
 There is forgiveness with God, that he may be feared 
 — that man may have pity toward him and live in 
 his fear — and if they refuse, they should tremble 
 at his wrath. The sinner should fear and tremble 
 for the reasons which have been named, and for 
 others. Reader — if yet in your sins — you should 
 fear and tremble because you have lived so long 
 without securing- the forgiveness of your sins. You 
 are a sinner. - You need forgiveness. You can 
 never stand acquitted before God on the ground of 
 merit. You can stand only in Christ. He is ofiered 
 to you freely. You are invited to come to him. 
 Long and often have you been invited ; and as long 
 and often have you refused. Y^ou would not come; 
 and still you will not! The Spirit has striven, 
 but you have resisted; and still you resist! You 
 are yet in your sins ; yet without hope ! And the 
 fact that you have lived so long in the midst of 
 gospel light, so long under religious appliances, so 
 long in the neglect of duty, while conscience has 
 admonished you as it seems in vain; lived so long 
 
 9 
 
98 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 rejecting Christ and grieving the Spirit, should 
 alarm you, and cause you to fear and tremble! 
 Danger is near! Death is coming! You have 
 treasured up a vast amount of guilt, and you are 
 constantly provoking God to leave you for ever to 
 hardness of heart and blindness of mind — leave you 
 to^ live and die in your sins ! And you should fear 
 and tremble because God is just. He will one day 
 pour his fury upon you unless you avail yourself of 
 that salvation "vvhich Jesus Christ has purchased 
 with his blood. He will not spare the impenitent 
 and unbelieving. The wicked shall be turned into 
 hell. sinner, fear, and tremble, and repent ! 
 
 Vniversnlisni. 
 
 Universalism is false. There is forgiveness with 
 God, that he may be feared. They who fear not 
 God are not forgiven ; and they who are not for- 
 given cannot be saved. Salvation begins here on 
 earth in the forgiveness of sins ; and where forgiveness 
 is not, as it is .not where there is no fear of God, 
 there sin remains, there wrath remains, and there 
 must be eternal death, everlasting punishment. All 
 are not saved, for all are not forgiven; and so 
 universalism cannot be true. It is a fatal delusion, 
 a doctrine of the devil. Shun it as the way to 
 death ! 
 
 Seeli Forgiveness. 
 
 Then seek the forgiveness of sins through Jesus 
 Christ. Through him there is forgiveness with 
 
FORGIVENESS WITH GOD. 99 
 
 God. lie came into tlic Avorld to save sinners, even 
 the chief of sinners. He died to save, lie arose 
 and ascended. lie lives. lie is able to save to 
 the uttermost. lie that cometh shall in no wise be 
 cast out. Why not come? The object of our 
 ministry and of these pages is to persuade men to 
 come to Christ, to persuade them to seek forgive- 
 ness, to persuade them to be saved. One would 
 think it no difficult matter to persuade men to at- 
 tend to these things. But, alas, they are disposed 
 to attend to anything. and everything else but these. 
 They will risk health and life to acquire wealth; 
 risk health, and life, and property, to indulge their 
 carnal propensities and enjoy pleasure; but they can 
 scarcely be persuaded to give a passing thought to 
 the soul, to the atoning sacrifice of Christ, to heaven 
 and hell! They have Moses and the prophets, 
 Christ and the evangelists, the written word and 
 the living preacher, the printed page and the voice 
 of friendship, the conviction of conscience and the 
 strivings of the Spirit ; and yet they will not believe ! 
 They would not be persuaded though one should 
 rise from the dead! One has risen, Christ Jesus, 
 and ascended ; and yet they believe ,not ! They will 
 live on in their sins till death overtakes them, and 
 they in hell lift up their eyes in torment ! In the 
 latter day ye shall consider it perfectly! How 
 much better to consider now, and turn and live! 
 Thus saith the Lord, consider your ways ! Reader, 
 pause, and consider your w^ays! FJce to Chi'ist! 
 
100 , OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 Begin at once to seek tlie forgiveness of your 
 
 sins ! 
 
 Hymns, 
 
 " Lord, I am vile, conceived in sin, 
 And born unholy and unclean ; 
 Sprung from the man whose guilty fall 
 Corrupts the race, and taints us all. 
 Behold, I fall before thy face ; 
 My only refuge is thy grace : 
 No outward forms can make me clean ; 
 The leprosy lies deep within. 
 No bleeding bird, nor bleeding beast. 
 Nor hyssop-branch, nor sprinkling priest, 
 "Nor running brook, nor flood, nor sea, 
 Can wash the dismal stain away. 
 Jesus, my God, thy blood alone 
 Hath power sufficient to atone; 
 Thy blood can make me white as snow; 
 No Jewish types could cleanse me so." 
 
 " God of mercy, hear my call, 
 My load of guilt remove; 
 Break down this separating wall. 
 That bars me from thy love. 
 
 " No blood of goats nor heifers slain, 
 For sin could e'er atone; 
 The death of Christ shall still remain 
 Sufficient and alone. 
 
 " A soul oppressed with sin's desert 
 My God will ne'er despise; 
 An humble groan, a broken heart, 
 Is our best sacrifice." 
 
FORGIVENESS WITH (JOD. 101 
 
 "Great God, sliouUl thy severer eye. 
 And thine iinpartiul Wand, 
 Mark and revenge iniquity, 
 No mortal flesh could stand. 
 
 "But there are pardons with my God, 
 For crimes of high degree ; 
 Thy Son hath bought them with his blood. 
 To draw us near to thee. 
 
 " I wait for thy salvation, Lord, 
 With strong desires I wait ; 
 My soul, invited by thy word. 
 Stands watching at thy gate." 
 
 " From deep distress and troubled thoughts. 
 To thee, luy God, I raised my cries; 
 If thou severely mark our faults, 
 No flesh can stand before thine eyes. 
 
 "But thou hast built thy throne of grace. 
 Free to dispense tiiy pardons there, 
 That sinners may approach thy face. 
 And hope, and love, as well as fear." 
 9 » 
 
102 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 IV. 
 
 TF/Zr BALT YE? 
 
 How long halt yo between two opinions ? — 1 Kings xviii. 21. 
 27*6 Question. 
 
 Christ our passover is sacrificed for us. The 
 great tilings of the laAV are fulfilled in him. Through 
 him there is forgiveness with God. In his name 
 salvation is offered to us. We are invited' to come 
 to him for life. We are urged to flee from the wrath 
 to come. Life and death are set hefore us; and it 
 may be asked. Why halt ye ? Why hesitate ? How 
 long halt ye between two opinions ? 1 Kings xviii. 21. 
 
 These words, together with the history connected 
 with them, have often been the theme of remark. 
 On the history I need not offer any comments ; you 
 may read it for yourself. The question here pro- 
 posed should come home to your heart. It is ad- 
 dressed to you; and it suggests for your serious 
 consideration the unreasonableness and danger of 
 indecision in religion. The prophet addresses the 
 -people as undecided and hesitating, and so you are 
 addressed. ' And Elijah came unto all the people, 
 and said, How long halt ye between two opinions ? 
 
WllV HALT YE? 103 
 
 Be decided. If the Lord be God, follow him : but 
 if Baal, then follow him. Why hesitate and waver? 
 Your indecision is unreasonable and dangerous. 
 Why longer indulge in it, and how long ? How 
 long halt ye between two opinions? 
 
 The same question may now Avith propriety be 
 put. There are multitudes who seem undecided on 
 the subject of greatest moment. They always in- 
 tend to become pious ; they never intend to delay 
 religion till it is too late ; they design not to defer 
 repentance till death comes ; but they are not ready 
 to decide yet ; they are not ready to take up the 
 subject now ; they are not at ease, because undecided, 
 and they feel unsafe. Conscience troubles them, 
 because they are neglecting duty, and they have 
 their fears of coming wrath. At times they are 
 almost persuaded to become Christians ; they know 
 they ought to come to Christ, but they come not. 
 To such I say, Why halt ye ? How long halt ye 
 between two opinions ? Your indecision is unreason- 
 able and dangerous. 
 
 Indezision is Unreasonable. 
 
 Decision of character is of priceless value. It is 
 important at all times. Especially is it important 
 in all great matters to be decided ; how unspeakably 
 important, then, in this ! Indecision 'y^ unreasonable 
 in proportion to the vastness of the interests at stake. 
 Here everything is at stake ; eternal bliss or woe 
 depends upon our being decided ! llow unreasonable 
 
104 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 then to lialt and hesitate — to halt and hesitate where 
 eternal consequences are pending ! This will ap- 
 pear more clearly from what follows, for there are 
 many reasons why indecision is unreasonable. Then 
 why halt ye ? 
 
 Decision not Difficult, 
 
 Indecision in religion is unreasonable because the 
 case is not a difficult one to decide. If the matter 
 were a very difficult one, there could be no great 
 unreasonableness in halting, at least for a time, 
 between the two opinions. There would be no un- 
 reasonableness in halting unless it were continued 
 for a longer period than might be requisite for an 
 intellio;ent investis-ation and decision. But there is 
 no very great difficulty here ; the matter is perfectly 
 plain ; a decision is easy. The objects or ultimate 
 ends presented by the two opinions, religion and 
 irreligion, are so diverse in their nature, that the 
 mind need not hesitate a moment between them. 
 On the one side is Christ, on the other Satan ; on 
 the one side is heaven, on the other hell ; here is 
 happinesg, there is misery ; here is honour, there is 
 infamy. How long need you halt between bliss and 
 woe ? How long between heaven and hell ? or be- 
 tween Christ and the Devil? When the opinions, 
 or the objects which they present to your mind, are 
 80 different, wliere is the need of hesitation ? In a 
 case so plain, how unreasonable is indecision ? Wliy 
 halt ye ? 
 
WHY HALT YE? 105 
 
 Siifflcient Evidence, 
 
 Indecision is unreasonable because there is suffi- 
 cient evidence to command assent. If there Avere 
 not much evidence in favour of Christianity and a life 
 conformed to it, or if the evidence for and against 
 were pretty equally balanced, there might bo some 
 pretence for halting and delay. But there is abund- 
 ance of evidence, and this evidence is almost entirely 
 all on one side. There is so much more evidence for 
 Christianity than against it, so much more in favour 
 of a life of piety than there is in favour of a life of 
 irreligion, that there is no excuse for hesitation. 
 Indeed so ovcrwhelmino; is the evidence in favour of 
 religion, that the irreligious themselves acknowledge 
 its worth ; and they intend some day to become 
 themselves the followers of Christ. But the time is 
 not yet come. They yet are halting. In view of 
 the evidence in 'the case, their course is unreasonable. 
 It is without excuse ! Examine this evidence : look 
 at the volumes which have been written in defence of 
 Christianity, at the devoted lives and triumphant 
 deaths of the Lord's true-heartad people ;i^and tell 
 me if indecision is not unreasonable ! Go, reader, 
 s'tand by the grave of some departed saint — of 
 Hannah Ilobbie for instance — and tell me if there be 
 not reaUty and divinity in religion. Her patience 
 in suffering, her triumph in death, her joy and peace, 
 are a demonstration of the truth of Christianity, and 
 they show the unreasonableness of halting between 
 
106 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 two opinions. In the words of another, written by 
 her grave, 
 
 " Were mine whate'er my wishes claim, 
 I'd ask no higher hoon than this — 
 
 Like her's, untarnished be my fame, 
 Like Jaer's, enraptured be my bliss." 
 
 Sufficient Induceynents, 
 
 Indecision is unreasonable because there are suffi- 
 cient inducements to be decided. There are many 
 motives which shouhl at once decide us in favour of 
 Christ and his cause, of God, hoHness, and heaven. 
 Did we look no farther than our own enjoyment in 
 this world, we should hesitate no longer. How in- 
 compatible is a state of suspense with real enjoyment ! 
 Yet while halting between two opinions, we are in a 
 state of suspense. No wonder, therefore, that there 
 is no peace to the wicked. If you would be at 
 peace, choose whom you will serve ! Then look into 
 eternity, a heaven of bliss, a hell of woe, and hear 
 the voice of mercy calling you to the cross, and 
 what farther, or weightier, inducements can you have 
 to come to a decision on this most momentous of all 
 subjects? With sttch inducements to decide, with 
 such motives urging to a proper choice, is not inde- 
 cision unreasonable ? Is it not unwise ? I speak 
 as to wise men : judge ye what I say. How long 
 halt ye between two opinions ? And why halt ye ? 
 
 God Mequircs us to Decide. 
 
 Indecision is unreasonable because God requires us 
 
WHY HALT YE? 107 
 
 to be decided. lie says by the prophet, IIow long 
 halt ye ? In a case so plain, why hesitate ? You 
 know what is said to the angel of the church of 
 Laodicca, Thou art neither cold nor hot ; I will spue 
 thee out of my mouth. Thou sayest, I am rich ; I 
 counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that 
 thou mayest be rich. Rev. iii. 14-22. Will you re- 
 gard the counsel of God ? He requires you to be 
 decided in the great concerns of the soul — decided 
 in regard to his service. Has he not a right to 
 command? Is it not your duty to obey? Can you 
 hope to prevail against God? Is it not written, 
 Woe to him that striveth with his Maker ? Will you 
 strive with him ? Have you an arm like God ? Can 
 you thunder with a voice like him ? Presumptuous 
 man ! Will you oppose your Maker ? When God 
 requires you to be decided, is not your indecision 
 unreasonable and wicked ? 
 
 Xever Easier to Decide, 
 
 Indecision is unreasonable, because it will neve?, 
 at any future period, be easier to decide than it is at 
 present. Tlicre is no reasonable ground of hope 
 tliat any difficulties which may now be in the way, 
 will ever be less. On the contrary, they will prob- 
 ably increase, with time, in number and magnitude. 
 The hope that it will be easier to decide at some 
 future day, than it is now, and become pious, is vain, 
 delusive, and ruinous. It is a hope big Avith disap- 
 pointment and despair. How unreasonable, then, 
 
108 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 to delay ! It is as easy now to decide, as it ever 
 "will 1)0. The wor^ of repentance is as easy now, 
 faith is as easy, reformation is as easy, and it is 
 as easy to begin a life of prayer and devotion — a life 
 of lioly living and benevolent doing. Then why 
 hesitate, and linger, and delay ? How long halt ye 
 between two opinions ? Why halt ye ? 
 
 Xoss of Time, 
 
 Indecision is unreasonable because it occasions a 
 great loss of time. Time is precious ; and in regard 
 to the salvation of the soul, not a moment should 
 be lost. By a h^itating and undecided manner in 
 the pursuit of an object, we often lose more time 
 than is necessary for its accomplishment. In worldly 
 matters you know the importance of being decided 
 as to what is to be done next. Then no time is lost 
 in thinking what should be done, and halting and 
 hesitating between this business and that. So in 
 regard to religion. It is important to have the mind 
 made up, and made up right. By a contrary course, 
 halting between two opinions, more time is taken 
 than is requisite for repenting and turning to God. 
 All this time, as to the great end for which time is 
 given, is lost. It is lost to usefulness, lost to en- 
 joyment, and so far fe-om being spent to the glory 
 of God, it is spent in rebellion against him. All the 
 time that you are halting and hesitating and being 
 undecided, convinced that you ought to become 
 pious, but not becoming so, you might be, and you 
 
WHY UALT YE? 109 
 
 should be, serving God and doing good to man. 
 But all this time, as to any good purpose, is lost; 
 instead of doing good, you are doing evil ; and in 
 view of this great loss of time, I say your indecision 
 is unreasonable. It would be thought so in worldly 
 matters. Were you to manage your temporal con- 
 cerns as you do your spiritual, not only should your 
 poverty come as one that travelleth, and your want 
 as an armed man, but you would be set down as a 
 maniac, your property would be taken from you, 
 and guardians appointed for the benefit of your 
 children. As to the conduct of men in spiritual 
 matters, there is truth in the scripture which says, 
 The heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and 
 madness is in their heart while they live, and after 
 that they go to the dead. Eccl. ix. 3. Their inde- 
 cision is so unreasonable that it is madness ! Reader, 
 are you mad ? Why halt ye ? 
 
 SitoHfice of Etijoynicnt. 
 
 Indecision is unreasonable because it is a great 
 sacrifice of enjoyment. Indecision and suspense 
 arc incompatible with true happiness. While you 
 are halting between two opinions you cannot be 
 happy. If you would make happiness your own, 
 you must come to the Lord Jesus Christ and serve 
 him with all your heart. His service is freedom ; 
 his service is joy. While staying away from Christ, 
 you rob yourself of the enjoyment which religion 
 gives, and which accompanies a life of well-doing, 
 
 10 
 
110 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 and in addition to this robbery, you make yourself 
 an heii' of all the misery -which a state of suspense 
 and a life of evil-doing can bequeath. You lose 
 all the happiness which religion affords; you 
 gain all the wretchedness which suspense begets, 
 and all the sorrow inseparable from a life of sin. 
 Your indecision, therefore, is at a great sacrifice of 
 enjoyment; and .in view of that sacrifice your i'^ ' - 
 cision is unreasonable. You are not requi to 
 make that sacrifice. Did God require yo; .0 make 
 as great a sacrifice of enjoyment as you are making, 
 you would think it a great thing, and be ready to 
 call him a hard master. But now you can make it 
 in the service of Satan and not complain. God . re- 
 quires you to do that which is for your happiness, 
 your present and eternal good, as well as for his 
 glory. But you will not comply. You pursue a 
 course inseparable from disappointment, vexation, 
 and misery; you halt and hesitate between life and 
 death, heaven and hell; and, 
 
 " Like the rough sea, that can'" ot rest, 
 Tou live devoid of peace- 
 A thousand stings within y u. breast. 
 Deprive your soul of e"9e " 
 
 Unhappy man, how unreasonable your case ! How 
 miserable! What a sacrifce of enjoyment! 
 
 r ./ice o^ TTseftilness. 
 
 Your indecision is t. sonable, further, because 
 it is at a great sacrifice 1 usefulness. It is not al- 
 
AVIIY HALT YE? Ill 
 
 ways right to sock our own enjoyment. There may 
 be inglorious ease, and enjoyment which is incom- 
 patible with duty. The cross is to be borne even 
 though wearisome to the flesh. Duty must bc done 
 however trying. It is always right to aim at use- 
 fulness. To be useful, we must be pious ; to be use- 
 ful, we must bc holy; and to be extensively and 
 permanently useful in the highest degree, we must 
 be obedient to God and decided in our obedience, 
 prompt and decided in duty. There must be no 
 half way Avork about it. Unstable as water, thou 
 shalt not excel, said the dying Jacob to Reuben, 
 his first-born. Decision of character is essential to 
 the accomplishment of great purposes. If you 
 would do good, you must possess firmness and sta^ 
 bility. You must be on the right side of every good 
 cause, and take a decided stand in its favour, not 
 fearing a little trouble, nor a little expense, but de- 
 termined to surmount difiicultics and to make the 
 world feel your influence. But while halting be- 
 tween two opinions, where n^''^ y^"? ^'^*' ^^. the 
 right place, not on the right side, and evidently not 
 in a commanding position for being useful. No ; 
 all your influence goes on the side of impiety. You 
 are doing harm instead of good! Perishing, and 
 leading others with you to ruin ! Should you come 
 out on the Lord's side, you might be useful; you 
 might lead others after you to the cross ; you might 
 save souls from death; you might deck your crown 
 of eternal rejoicing with redeemed souls as stars and 
 
112 OUK PASSOVER. 
 
 gems, brilliant for ever ! It is at this sacrifice of 
 usefulness that you remain undecided; and your in- 
 decision is unreasonable — unreasonable and Avitliout 
 excuse ! 
 
 T/te Interests at Stake, 
 
 Unreasonable! And look at the interests at 
 stake : the soul and its welfare for time and eternity 
 — ^your everlasting well-being. And the great ques- 
 tion is to be decided in the few fleeting moments of 
 this probationary state; and to be decided once for 
 all ; and how long will you, how long can you hesi- 
 tate? How long halt between two opinions? Is 
 your indecision reasonable? Do you not feel it to 
 be unreasonable ? And yet you are, or claim to be, 
 a reasonable creature ! God has endowed you Avith 
 rational faculties ; then why act unreasonably ? Why 
 pursue a course which is not only unreasonable, but 
 dangerous ? For your indecision is dangerous. 
 
 It Occasions Delay, 
 
 Indecision is dangerous becaiTaeit occasions delay, 
 and delay is always dangerous. It increases the 
 diflSculties in your way in number and magnitude. 
 It strengthens the cords of your sins. It confirms 
 your evil habits. It augments all the evil influences 
 which bind you to earth, and keep you from the 
 cross of Christ. It diminishes the probability of 
 your ever coming to a right decision, and taking 
 that course which will eventuate in your future 
 felicity. It resists and grieves the Holy Ghost, 
 
WHY HALT YE? 113 
 
 sc ii'S the conscience, blunts the sensibilities, and 
 hardens the heart. Thus your indecision increases 
 the difficulties in the way of your galvation. Your 
 indecision is dangerous. 
 
 Abuse of PHvUegea. 
 
 Indecision is dangerous because it is an abuse of 
 your privileges. God gave you your privileges ; but 
 he gave them not to be abused; he gave them'to be 
 improved. Not to improve is to abuse them.- Is 
 halting between two opinions — are hesitation and de- 
 lay — an improvement of your privileges ? Is it not 
 evidently an abuse of them ? And thou, Capernaum, 
 which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought 
 down to hell; for if the mighty works which have 
 been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would 
 have remained until this day. But I say untj:) you, 
 that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom 
 in the day of judgment, than for thee ! And when 
 he was come near to Jerusalem, he beheld the city 
 and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even 
 thou, in this thy day, the things which belong unto 
 thy peace ! But now they are hid from thine eyes ! 
 Reader, your abused privileges may be taken away ! 
 They may not continue always. God may speedily 
 remove them ! And then you may sigh in vain over 
 your lost opportunities, and wish, but idly wish, for 
 their return. It is dangerous to trifle with the 
 blessings and privileges of the gospel. Your inde- 
 cision is dangerous. Why halt ye 'i 
 10 « 
 
114 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 Health may fail. 
 
 It is dangerous because your health may fail. All 
 our vigour should be given to God. The concerns 
 of the soul demand the energies of a sound mind 
 and a sound body. But how precarious is health! 
 In how short a time may it be taken' away ! Lost, 
 never more to be recovered ! And when under the 
 influence of disease, and racked with pain, or faint 
 and languid, you will feel the necessity of the sup- 
 ports of religion; and you will find that such cir- 
 cumstances are not the most favourable for first 
 turning the attention to this momentous concern. 
 How much better to come to Christ while health is 
 granted us, that we may be prepared for sickness 
 when it comes, or for sudden death, should it be ap- 
 pointed unto us! Sickness may eome, trials may 
 come, death may come! It is wise to be ready! 
 How long halt ye between two opinions? 
 
 Meason may fail. 
 
 Indecision is dangerous because reason may fail 
 us. Perhaps you never inte^id to be deranged! 
 You do not contemplate it even as a possibility. 
 But who is it that maintains the balance in the intel- 
 lectual machinery of your soul? Is it not that 
 Being whose will you disregard? And can he not, 
 in a moment, destroy that balance, and leave you to 
 wander abroad a raving maniac, or to settle down 
 in cheerless idiocy ? Can you be deaf to the calls 
 
WHY HALT YE? 115 
 
 and warnings of that Being in whose hand your 
 breath is, and on whose mercy you depend, for the 
 healthful exercise of those mental capacities which 
 elevate you above the beasts that perish ? Is it wise 
 to do so ? Is it safe ? Ah, while blest with reason, 
 improve it in seeking the salvation of your soul. 
 Banish your hesitancy; decide for God and heaven i 
 Your reason may fail ! Your indecision is dangerous. 
 
 Life tiuty etui. 
 
 It is dangerous because life may terminate before 
 you decide. How long halt ye? You may halt 
 too lono; — till death comes ; and then it is too late ! 
 Your destiny then is sealed for ever! Frequently 
 providences speak loudly of the shortness and un- 
 certainty of life, and the importance of being ready, 
 always ready. And yet you hesitate. Are you 
 willing to die as you are? I know you are not. 
 Then why are you willing to live as you jn-e? You 
 can live so but a little Avhile longer, before death 
 will overtake you. Death may come soon ; it maj 
 come suddenly; how dangerous, then, to be unde 
 cided and unprepared ! Why halt ye ? 
 
 The Spirit tnny Dejmrt. 
 
 It is dangerous, because although life may be 
 continued, yet the Spirit of God may leave you for 
 ever. My Spirit, saith God, shall not always strive 
 with man. The Spirit may be grieved away, and 
 take his everlasting flight. You have long and often 
 
L16 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 grieved and resisted the Holy Ghost. He has con- 
 vinced you of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment, 
 pointed to the coming wrath, and urged you from 
 that wrath to-flee. You have not yiekled to his in- 
 fluences. He has called, but you have refused. 
 Still you are refusing; still fighting against the 
 Spirit of God. Remember, you may resist the 
 Spirit once too often. He may leave you to hard- 
 ness of heart and blindness of mind ! Your present 
 position is full of peril. Your indecisioh exposes 
 you to the awful danger of being left for ever by the 
 Spirit of God. And if he leaves you, you are lost ! 
 Evermore undone ! Why halt ye ? 
 
 Hardening Influence. 
 
 Indecision is dangerous because of its hardening 
 influence. It tends to render one more insensible 
 of his guilt and danger, more indifferent to the claims 
 of God, more thoughtless about eternity, more care- 
 less about his soul. The longer, therefore, you halt 
 between two opinions, the longer you are likely to 
 halt and hesitate ; the longer you remain undecided, 
 the longer you are likely so to remain. Just in pro- 
 portion to the length of time one has continued un- 
 decided, just in that proportion is the probability 
 that he will always continue undecided, and perish 
 in his sins for ever. Beware of indecision ; it has a 
 hardening influence on the heart, increases the diffi- 
 culty of the soul's salvation, and augment* the dan- 
 ger of its endless perdition ! Why halt ye ? 
 
WHY HALT YE ? 117 
 
 Itulnous Tnflttence. 
 
 Indecision is dangerous because of its ruinous in- 
 fluence on others. It has a hardening influence on 
 the individual himself, and through him it has a dan- 
 gerous influence on others. Your indecision may- 
 cause otkers to be undecided ; and thus while you 
 are ruining yourself, you are also bearing others 
 with you down to the gulf of perdition. One coward, 
 fleeing in the hour of conflict, may spread panic and 
 confusion through a Avhole battalion. You halt be- 
 tween two opinions ; others follow your example ; 
 your influence is contagious and ruinous. You 
 neither enter the kingdom of heaven yourself, nor 
 permit others to enter. Remember, you are re- 
 sponsible for the souls which perish through your 
 influence ! How dangerous, then, your indecision, 
 when it not only ruins your own soul, but plunges 
 others also into eternal darkness and despair ! It is 
 enough to ruin yourself, quite enough ; but how sad 
 when you perish not alone in your iniquity ! Why 
 halt ye ? 
 
 The Consequences, 
 
 And look into the eternal world ! See the conse- 
 quences to yourself and to others of living and dying 
 in a state of suspense, almost a Christian it may be, 
 yet halting between two opinions. Almost per- 
 suaded, yet undecided ! I Avill not attempt to de- 
 scribe the consequences. For ever undescribcd, let 
 them remain. Let imagination picture them to the 
 
118 OUR rASSOVER. 
 
 soul ; no, imagination can never reach tliem ; lot 
 them remain as the word of God has left them : the 
 smoke of their torment ascendeth for ever and ever ! 
 Hell with all its horrors, and those eternal, is the 
 doom of those who die halting between two opinions 
 — invited to Christ, on the point of turning to him,* 
 yet never coming. Will you thus live dTnd die 'i 
 Why halt ye ? Why, say, reader, 
 
 ".Why Tvill you in the crooked ways 
 Of sin and folly go ? 
 In pain you travel all your days. 
 To reaj> immortal woe. 
 
 Unreasonable and Dangermis, 
 
 In view of the preceding considerations, I ask, is 
 not indecision in religion most unreasonable and 
 dangerous? Reader, I put this question to your 
 own conscience ; and I know the answer which your 
 conscience gives. It says. Indecision is most un- 
 reasonable, and dangerous, and wicked. This your 
 conscience says, and you cannot deny it. And 
 when your conscience says this, dear reader, it con- 
 demns yourself. It testifies against your indecision ; 
 it says. How long halt between two opinions ? As 
 yet you have lived without God and without hope. 
 Life and death have been placed before you ; the 
 Spirit has striven ; the Saviour has invited ; you 
 have been urged and entreated to choose the one 
 thing needful, the good part which can never be 
 taken away ; but you have resisted all the influences 
 
WHY HALT YE? 119 
 
 ■which have been employed to draw you to Christ, 
 and you are now to-day in the gall of bitterness, in 
 the bonds of iniquity, undecided, wavering, halting 
 between two opinions. And I know, and you know, 
 and God knows, that your position is unreasonable 
 •and dangerous. You ouglit at once to abandon that 
 position,- and flee to- Jesus Christ, the ark of safety. 
 Will you do it ? or, will you continue where you are, 
 and perish ? Will you turn and live ? or, refuse and 
 die? 
 
 Decision Wise and Important, 
 
 From Avhat has been said we see the wisdom, rea- 
 sonableness and importance of decision in religion. 
 If indecision is unwise, unreasonable, and dangerous, 
 decision must be wise, reasonable, and important. 
 Thus we know it to be. It is a savino- of time, the 
 right improvement of time, essential to enjoyment, a 
 help to usefulness ; it enables us to improve our priv- 
 ileges, to secure a heavenly inheritance, and to 
 ripen for eternal glory. The undecided man is ex- 
 posed to a thousand temptations, and he has little or 
 no strength to resist them. The one who is decided 
 shuns a multitude of temptations to which others are 
 exposed ; and when assailed by temptation, he has 
 the armour of righteousness on the right hand and 
 on the left, with which to resist and conquer. He 
 is strong in the Lord. He is prepared to meet with 
 difficulties and discouragements, and overcome them. 
 Luther had decision ; and to his boldness and decis- 
 ion, under God, is the world indebted for the 
 
120 OUR PASSOVER. 
 
 glorious reformation. Had Luther been an Erasmus, 
 popery might yet have held undisputed sway over 
 Christendom. He kindled a fire which shall burn 
 till the last trumpet shall awake the slumbering dead. 
 Decision and boldness now may accomplish propor- 
 tionate results. Let Christians be decided, especially 
 the young ; let them cling to the cross and follow 
 Christ through evil and through good report — follow 
 the Lamb whithersoever he leadeth them. Our 
 passover is slain ; let them keep the feast and regard 
 all the great things of the law. Thus shall they re- 
 sist temptation, thus overcome the world, thus glorify 
 God and do good to men. 
 
 Soiv ZiOttg? 
 
 And, my impenitent reader, let me ask you once 
 again, How long halt you between two opinions ? 
 How long will you resist the Holy Ghost? How 
 long refuse to listen to the reproofs of conscience 
 and the convictions of your own judgment ? This 
 question must be decided ! You will never come to 
 Christ — never keep the paschal feast — never heed 
 the great things of the law — unless you purpose in 
 your heart, by the grace of God, so to do. Why 
 not form that purpose now ? That purpose is not 
 religion ; it is not a new heart, but it is a necessary 
 step toward the kingdom of heaven. Let me beseech 
 you to take that step now. Take it ! Resolve ! But 
 rest not there. Yield your heart to the renewing 
 and sanctifying Spirit. Flee to Christ ! Go to 
 Jesus, and embrace the cross. 
 
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