could this be represented if both the ewe and her young were offered together? This part of the truth must never be obscured, that "God so loved the world that he gave his Son." And the bleatings of the tender lamb in its parent's ears, as it was taken from the fold, filling the air with sadness, represented the bleatings of "the Lamb led to the slaughter," who so sadly wailed, " Eli! Eli! lama sabachthani." And as these rules apply to domestic arrangements about what they were to carry out of their houses and folds for the altar, we see thus a picture hung up in every house in Israel of that great truth, "God spared not his Son, but delivered him up us all."

Vers. 29, 30, 31, 32, 33. "And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the Lord, offer it at your own will. On the same day it shall be eaten up; ye shall leave none of it until the morrow: I am the Lord. Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I am the Lord. Neither shall ye profane my holy name; but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the Lord which hallow you, that brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord."

When in their houses the first purpose was formed of offering a thanksgiving, each one must see that the purpose sprang from a thankful heart. Let none be induced to bring it because of the arguments of some of his friends, or because it might appear fitted to produce an impression in his favor among his neighbors. It must be "at your own will." It must flow spontaneously from the heart.

So, also, it must not be laid by, as if you were intending to use it for a feast; leave none of it till to-morrow. Use it at the time. As the peace-offerings represented communion with God, reconciled to the sinner, they must

represent this as enjoyed by the sinner as his feast, his joy, his chief delight. Now, thanksgivings were of this class; and the offerer must not seek any selfish gratification on such an occasion, but must, on the spot, and at the time, offer all to his God, and in the presence of his God, satisfied with this full outpouring of his own soul to the God who pours out his fellowship in return.

Five motives are strewn on their path to constrain them to close obedience. 1. "I am the Lord." This is authority employed. 2. "I will be hallowed among the children of Israel." This is his holiness, and his desire to diffuse awe of his holy name. 3. "I am the Lord which hallow you." Here is an appeal to their privileges as Israelites. Do you not feel that you actually are set apart for me? 4. "I am the Lord which brought you out of Egypt." Here is his claim as Redeemer, who paid the price, and set free the captives. Is there gratitude in your souls? Is there sense of thankfulness for favor done? 5. "Your God"-as well as your Lord: his claim as Father, Shepherd, King, and whatever else there is that is tender in relationship, or beneficial in office, or sweet in character-all is summed up in "YOUR GOD!" Who is like "Our God?" "Who would not fear thee?" (Jer. x. 7.)

The Public Festivals,

OR SOLEMN CONVOCATIONS.

NOT FORSAKING THE ASSEMBLing of yoursELVES TOGETHER."-Heb. x. 25.

46 THEY CONTINUED STEADFAST IN THE APOSTLES' DOCTRINE AND FELLOWSHIP." -Acts ii. 42.

A DAY IN THY COURTS IS BETTER THAN A THOUSAND."-Psalm lxxxiv. 10.

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE SABBATH.

Vers. 1, 2, 3. "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts. Six days shall work be done; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings."

THE Lord begins with the Sabbath. "The assemblies. (i) of the Lord which ye shall call (by sound of trumpet, Num. x. 10) to be holy meetings, these (that follow) are my assemblies." Of these, the foremost is the Sabbath.

It was with the rest of the Sabbath that unfallen man was blest; and that unfallen rest is thus ever presented by the Lord to man as each week revolves.

That rest was the Lord's own refreshing rest, made

known to man, to be shared in by man newly created. The eye of God rested on his holy creation, and was refreshed; so was the eye of man to rest on the creation and the Creator, and be refreshed.*

This Sabbath-feast is to be ever repeated, each week -as a testimony of the Lord's good-will to have men restored to their original rest. And it is to be kept when all other feasts have finished-a type of the deep rest yet to come when earth's sins are swept away, and creation itself is restored to holiness, and the liberty of the sons of God.

It is beautifully supposed by some, that Israel's feasts represent the Course of Time-this earth's days, from creation down to the final end. The Lamb slain (passover) commences it, and the eighth day of the happy Feast of Tabernacles is its close; while the Sabbath, the rest-God's rest in himself, and his creatures' rest around him-both precedes and follows this Course of Time.

It is remarked, that "no work" whatever was to be done on this day; and no other festival has so strict an injunction put on it, except only the day of expiation. Thus, the rest in atonement is to equal the rest that was enjoyed in an unfallen creation. Is it so with thy soul, believer? Hast thou rest in God as if thou hadst never sinned? Hast thou no more conscience of sin? Was not the rest of Jesus as deep (nay, deeper might we not say?) when he rested from his agony, as was the Father's rest after creation? And thou enterest into his peace. Israel's Sabbath was to be jingi nay, "a rest-day of rest," a thorough season of repose from care and toil (ver. 3):

* It is a Jewish remark, that "whoever does any work on the Sabbath denies the work of creation." (Patrick.)

so, surely, ought thine to be, even in this tumultuous world. And thy soul should keep its constant Sabbath, too, since thy work is all ended by thy risen Lord.

THE PASSOVER.

Vers. 4, 5. "These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's passover."

The first feast is passover, commemorating their escape from Egypt. The Lord finds Israel in bondage, and makes him free, that he may serve him.

"THE LAMB SLAIN" is the first object held up to the view of Israel about to be redeemed. "Behold the Lamb of God!" is still the cry that first reaches a sinner's ear and a sinner's heart. Here is the first feast for fallen man. What grace meets the sinner! God meets him with the Lamb, and that Lamb is his beloved Son; and shows him in that Lamb life out of death, even life to the sinner out of the death of the Son of God. The first altar we read of exhibited a lamb slain; the first act of God for Israel is the slaying of the lamb; the first deed of the new dispensation was, presenting the true Lamb to the view of all, and then offering it up to God; and the first opening of the sanctuary above (Rev. iv. 1), where the coming glory is preparing, exhibits the Lamb that was slain, loved, adored, ruling, reigning, with all heaven gazing on him in unutterable transports of delight and thankfulness.

We should notice, however, that a people delivered is essentially connected with the passover. The lamb is not slain in vain. Behold a people going forth in perfect freedom, in the fresh joy of recent deliverance from imminent peril. A people thus escaped, cheerful, thankful,