been under task-masters, driven through the length and breadth of an enemy's country to pick up straws and manufacture bricks for their use and service. But at the set time God put a cry into their hearts. Here see the transaction of His covenant love: "The children of Israel cried unto the Lord." Then He raises up a deliverer, an act of His own, rescuing Moses from the slaughter that the cruel butchering King of Egypt had determined upon. Then He shows forth His own signs and wonders, and by-and-bye He brings out His armies, leaving "not a hoof behind." These are transactions of covenant love, all because He loved them and chose them in Abraham, and promised that his seed should be rescued from those who oppressed them, and inherit the land in which he then lived. Read this in the gospel light; and what am I to say of the first cause of the salvation and redemption of every poor ruined sinner? It is because God loved him. It originated there. It is because God set His heart upon him, and had an affection for him. It is because God had made choice of him as His own from everlasting; and then, if we follow on to the transactions of that paternal love in them, the very first is like that of the children of Israel, Ĥe puts a cry into their hearts. And here I appeal to the consciences of my hearers, that, if you have ever cried to the Lord for deliverance from sin's yoke and Satan's bondage, as the children of Israel did, you are not to imagine that that cry sprung up spontaneously as a seed growing in Nature's garden: it is the Lord who put that cry into your heart, or it had never issued thence to Him. Take this first evidence, then, of your belonging unto God's Israel, that you have at least began to cry unto Him for deliverance from Satan, sin, self, and the world, as well as from the law, the curse, and condemnation. And so sure as God has put that cry into your heart, though the task-masters may be more cruel and the burden somewhat heavier, yet deliverance is at hand, and all the powers of darkness cannot prevent it. This is what the institution of the passover is intended to represent-the Lord's covenant transactions towards His people; and consequently when He first looks down from heaven upon them, and commands Moses to go forth with his armies from Egyptian bondage, He says, “I have seen the afflictions of my people Israel." What, Lord! Thy people! What! these outcasts, these impoverished, oppressed, persecuted tribes, a multitude almost dying in the land of Egypt under the cruel tyranny of Pharaoh ! Thy people? "Yes," said He, "I have seen the afflictions of my people." In mercy He came down to deliver them, for He heard their cry; and the cry which Jehovah puts into the heart of a poor sinner for deliverance being His own, He will not refuse to hear; it comes from Himself to inspire the soul; it ascends to Himself when called forth from the soul; and cannot fail to obtain, sooner or later, the desired answer and the promised deliverance.

Then observe, in this sacred ordinance, that substitution, as the leading doctrine of deliverance and salvation, was set forth. Without the doctrine of substitution the gospel is utterly useless. It does not deserve the name of gospel. Without the doctrine of substitution no human being can be saved. And I beg my hearers to observe that the ordinance of the passover and the ordinance of the Lord's supper, which are precisely the same in design, only under various modes of administration, were never intended for anything more than emblems of this and whoever makes more of them is an

idolater. I have heard of such stupid and blasphemous expressions as the "sacrifice of the mass " and the like. I have heard of a superstitious importance attached to the morsel of bread and the drop of wine, as if they had undergone some change, and were no longer mere elements. I can pity the ignorance, but I censure the wickedness, of such persons. I know nothing of them or in them but as emblems; and in the sacrifice of the Lamb, the sprinkling of His blood, and the participation in the carcase, I read the substitution of a Lamb for me. Had there been no Lamb slain in any one house of the Israelites, the destroying angel would have entered there; but the Lamb slain was the substitute, and the blood seen on the lintel and door-posts was the token or evidence that the destroying angel must pass over. I now wish to establish the doctrine of Divine substitution; for this Lamb of God, declared by Peter, through the Holy Spirit, to be the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, was given, appointed, drawn out, as Moses expresses it, set apart, dedicated, slain, instead of the Israelites, instead of the poor ruined sinner. On the head of our precious, glorious Christ, as the Lamb of God, were laid the iniquities of all His people, with all their "transgressions in all their sins." "He bore our sins in His own body on the tree." The sword of justice smote the shepherd that it might pass over us, took vengeance on account of guilt and sin in the person of our Divine Substitute, that it might pass over us, and leave us in the enjoyment of mercy, life, and peace, through time and to all eternity. This is the ordinance of the passover-a representing in the lamb slain the substitution of the victim on behalf of the sinner that deserved destruction. And that is the sum and substance of the gospel.

Now mark, our Lord put it in different phraseology, and instead of appointing the Lamb to be slain, He takes a morsel of bread and a little sip or portion of wine; and He says of the first, "Take, eat; this is my body, which is given for you," and of the wine, "Drink of this cup; it is the New Testament in my blood shed for you." Is not this the doctrine of substitution? "For you"-in your place, in your behalf, to rescue you from the destroying angel and from the sword of inflexible avenging justice. "For you! I know of nothing more sweet under heaven than to have that little "for you" brought home with power to the heart by the Holy Ghost. So that while the portion of bread and the portion of wine shall be presented to me and you this evening (God willing), I beg of you to bear in mind that they are nothing more or less than the emblems of the precious body of Christ which was given for you. I know very well that the advocates of superstition, in their gross ignorance and carnal reasoning, will retort upon us that Christ says, "This is my body." I grant it. But in another place He says, "I am the door." And would any of these superstitious idiots pretend to tell me that the Lord Jesus Christ is the medium of going into and out of my dwelling? the medium by which we lock up ourselves and keep out intruders? Why, I should just as soon believe that He was transformed into the deal-boards of the door of my bed-room, as I should believe that the bread used at the ordinance of the Lord's Supper was transformed into His flesh, body, soul, and divinity, as some daringly impious and wicked priests presume to tell us. Emblems are emblems. Again, "Christ is that rock." They drank of the rock, and that rock was Christ. But did any of the Israelites believe or dream for a moment of the rock

smitten by Moses being transformed and transubstantiated into the body, flesh, soul, and divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ? Certainly no; and it is quite as irrational to suppose that the morsel of bread and the portion of wine are so changed. You receive within your lips a morsel of bread and masticate it, but it is of no avail unless while so doing faith is receiving, faith is nourished by, faith is feeding upon the precious body of Christ, and viewing Him, appropriating Him, and rejoicing in Him as the "bread of life" sent down from heaven, the Passover of our souls, the Substitute that took all our guilt and condemnation upon Himself. The doctrine of substitution runs through the whole of the Mosaic economy. The doctrine of substitution is sung again and again by the Psalmist. The doctrine of substitution was the delightful theme of the prophets, especially Isaiah. And the same glorious theme was insisted upon by Christ Himself; urged, and proclaimed, and written upon by all His apostles; and, suffer me to add, is dear to the heart of every child of God, and essential to the salvation of every child of Adam that shall get to glory.

One more view we will take of this emblematical feast. It was enjoined to represent the emancipation of His covenant people, and was coupled with the promise of their being brought out and delivered from Egypt; therefore this ordinance was appointed for the purpose of representing that deliverance. All Israel is taken from Pharaoh's tyranny. All Israel is brought clear out of Egypt. All Israel abandons its brick-making for the service of God in the wilderness. Just what sovereign grace always effects, and what the ordinance we are about to approach is intended to represent. And we, who can eat of the precious Christ, live upon His fulness, rest in His finished work, and confide in His substitution, must give proof thereof by our separation from the world, by our escape from Egypt, by our deliverance from Satan's slavery-the antitype of Pharaoh-by our being rescued from his bondage. Oh! the beauty of that Scripture which saith, "Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?" The answer to the question is then given. "Thus saith the Lord, even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered, for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children." Just this the Lord did in Israel typically and literally, and just this He does for all His spiritual Israel, and will do down to the end of time. Pharaoh, and his princes, and his task-masters, contended against God. "I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go. Who is the Lord, that I should obey Him?" "Well," said Jehovah, "I will contend with them that contend with thee." He contended with Pharaoh, and Pharaoh found it a hard contention. Plague after plague visited his land, his house, his throne, and his family, and this is consummated with death in every dwelling. Oh! sinner, it is hard work to contend against God; it is a dreadful business to "kick against the pricks," as Jesus told Saul of Tarsus. Be sure of this; it is an unequal contention, and Omnipotence shall conquer you either with the sword of His Spirit for your salvation, or the sword of His vengeance for your eternal destruction. The people were emancipated, not by their own strength, not by their own resistance to the power of Pharaoh, not by anything which could be construed into rebellion, but by the high hand and the outstretched arm of their God. So are all

God's Israel down to the present hour. There is not one even of the election of grace but who, in nature's darkness and ruin, is under the slavery of sin and Satan; really employed in the vilest of drudgery by the prince of darkness, until God comes down to deliver, and then "He contends with them that contend with thee "-takes the "lawful captives," and delivers them, and brings them forth; and it is not until the soul is brought into something like the enjoyment of emancipation that he can partake of the passover as the representation of his liberty, of the suretyship which was to bring him out, and of the transactions of eternal love put forth in his behalf. Would you know if you have a right to come to the passover, to partake of the Lord's Supper, to claim Christ as your's, and are among the invited guests at His table, then ask yourselves, are you emancipated from the love, the reigning power, and the allowed practice of sin? Are you emancipated by Almighty grace from the thraldom of Satan, from the lure of his temptations, and so aroused, and so brought away from Egypt and Egyptian courses, that the brick-making concerns, and all the pursuits of vain, unregenerated mortals, are loathsome to you? Are you brought into the wilderness to serve God with all the powers of your souls? Come, then, and keep the passover unto the Lord your God.

II. To rivet and fasten this encouragement, let me lead your attention, in the second place, to the affinity marked in my text concerning the guests who are invited to the feast-"unto the Lord your God. Now, I would not, for a thousand worlds, be without the ability, the power, and the faith, to look up into heaven within the veil, and appeal to the Deity, and say, "Thou art the Lord my God." I could not live in a wilderness like this, and in the midst of the trials which are constantly rolling over my head like wave upon wave. I could not exist in anything like comfort or peace were it not that I can live in the holy habit of appealing to Jehovah as "Thou art the Lord my God;" and one of the sweetest expressions that I am led to use in secret is, "Oh, my God! Oh, my God!" When I can follow that with "Thou hast said," it is doubly sweet. And this seems to be the peculiar privilege noted in my text.

Who are the favoured people who can thus deal with the Most High, and claim this holy affinity? I hear the doubting soul exclaim, "Í am afraid of presumption." What if I should be mistaken! And all around tell me that this doctrine of assurance is nothing better than presumption and a most dangerous thing? Well, beloved, I cannot account for what people tell you; but I can say, that I have lived in the enjoyment of this assurance upwards of forty years, and have never experienced any danger from it; and I bless the Lord that, the more strongly it is fixed and the more frequently it is called forth, the more my soul longs to be like Him. If that is danger, I pray God to give you a share of the danger, that you may be blessed as I have been.

This people, who are addressed in the text as in affinity_with Jehovah, were set apart by Him and for Him in a covenant Head. Their union with that covenant Head was proverbial even down to the days of our Lord. "We are all the children of Abraham," was their boast; but they were not all Israel that were of Israel, and only those who were partakers of the Divine nature by the power of God the Holy Ghost, were ever acknowledged as "Israelites indeed." All the people who were addressed in the language of my text, "the Lord

your God," were set apart by the Lord their God from everlasting by His own sovereign choice and will, and for His own use. "This people have I formed for myself. They shall show forth my praise." Now, in addition to what I have said about your being emancipated, tell me, do your lips, your lives, your walk, your conduct, your whole deportment, show forth His praise? Is it your delight to sing His praises, not with a loud voice, for many Infidels can do that, especially those who sing at the Oratorios; but with your hearts, your principles, your conduct, your walk, your life at home and abroad? Is it your delight to glorify God both in body and in spirit? for such as do this God has set apart for Himself. He set them apart in covenant love as His adopted sons, in purposes of redemption, giving them a glorious covenant Head. He sets them apart by the powerful operations of the Holy Ghost. In the fulness of time He takes possession of their souls, severs them from the world, creates in them a hatred of sin, and the love of holiness. They are distinguished, separated, and converted to God-in other words, sanctified by God the Father, preserved in Jesus Christ, and called; sanctified by the blood of Christ and by the Holy Ghost, that they may say, "the Lord our God." All attempts to keep the passover-all attempts to observe what are accounted religious ordinances, or, as some persons choose to term them, sacraments, are nothing less than mockery of God, and the deception of your own souls, unless you are set apart as God's own people. Then may you say, "the Lord our God." The Holy Ghost creates this faith, and calls it into exercise. Believing, all the persons and perfections of the Triune Jehovah are made over to you in covenant love as the eternal portion of your souls. Oh, well may we sing,

"The world and its trifles may go,

I'll glory that Jesus is mine."

And if Jesus be mine, the Father is mine; and if the Father be mine, the Holy Ghost is sent to be mine, to make His abode in my soul as His temple, and will never leave, never forsake me.

Dwell a moment longer on this sentiment, because it is the doctrine which the devil most hates, and that his religionists, of whom he has a vast throng in these days, always war against. They will not object to man setting apart his choice, whatever it be that constitutes the object of his affection, attention, or interest, even to the flowers of his garden, of which he is at liberty to make his selection, and say, "This I have set apart for my own bosom. I shall pluck that for myself when full blown." So with every object great or small, he is at liberty to do so as a sovereign; but whilst he claims this as his right and privilege, he impiously dares deny that prerogative to God, and is guilty of the black Infidelity of refusing to the great Eternal what he claims for himself. I shudder at the temerity of men who call themselves Christians, and yet act in this manner towards the eternal God. Just suffer me now to tell you, that Jehovah sets His people apart for Himself, to become intimate with Him; that He sets them apart to educate them for His own company, and that to all eternity; that He sets them apart to newly create them in His own image, and then to bring them to His heavenly court to dwell in His presence for ever and ever; that He sets them apart from the world, that while in it they may be the salt of the earth in one sense, and rebukers and reprovers of the world in another sense; that He sets them apart to bestow peculiar favours upon them; that He sets them apart to give