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enjoy, throughout eternity, those felicities. which were purchased for them by the blood and righteousness of Christ, and for a participation of which, they were qualified by the Holy Spirit, perfecting at length in heavenly glory, the work which he had commenced on earth.

SERMON III.

THE PASCHAL LAMB.

APPROPRIATE FOR EASTER DAY.

1 Cor. v. 7,8.

Christ our passover is sacrificed 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.

THE Old and New Testaments invariably illustrate each other; and the more diligently, accurately, and extensively the Christian studies the whole inspired volume, the better will he be prepared to discern the beauty, and taste the sweetness of its several parts. Not, however, to enter on any lengthened application of this remark, suffice it to say, that though the sacrifice. and oblation of the Jews have long ceased, though their temple has been demolished, and the whole train of ceremonies connected

with its service has perished with it, our privileges are not hereby lessened. Far unlike the state of the Jews while their former temple lay in ruins, is the present condition of real Christians. They were at that time in bondage, and to this day continue " 'without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim."* Nor need we envy them in their best condition; for if they had their new moons and solemn feast days, we too have ours; if they had their feast of memorial, we have ours also; if for them the paschal lamb was slain, Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.

We must not, however, be understood either to depreciate the types of the law, viewed in their proper light, and applied to their legitimate ends; or to arrogate exclusively to ourselves, the substantial blessings and privileges and privileges prefigured by them; for it is delightful to reflect, that in the services of the Jewish sanctuary, each believing Israelite could hold communion with the same God, exercise faith * Hos. iii. 4.

in the same Redeemer, and become a partaker of the same Spirit as ourselves: and that to such an one, those services were springs of living water, and channels for the communication of spiritual blessings, whenever they were so rendered through the secret charm of holy faith and heavenly devotion. Christ crucified, is the one grand object in every age, and under every dispensation. To this the faith. of Patriarchs and Prophets was directed; this formed the subject of their prophecies, and the burden of their songs; this was the substance of the ceremonial law, and is the grand theme of the gospel; and hence, the language of the text, a thousand times repeated, is new and interesting still to every believer, and will continue to be the joy and rejoicing of his heart, until it shall be succeeded by the yet more triumphant language of Heaven-" Thou art worthy, ... for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood." Thus, Christ crucified is "an object of such incomparable brightness, that it spreads a retrospective, as well as a future glory around it to all ages, generations, and nations."

The words of our text contain a doctrine, and an exhortation. It shall be my endeavour, very briefly to prove and illustrate the one, and to enforce the other. The doctrine is this, that "Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:" the exhortation, "Therefore let us keep the feast."

I. It shall be my endeavour, in the first place, to show THE REALITY AND SUFFICIENCY OF CHRIST'S ATONEMENT; and how can these be more strikingly exhibited, than when viewed in their immediate connexion with, and dependance on his resurrection from the dead? Upon this indeed every thing depends. The fact of his resurrection constitutes the chief corner-stone of the Christian religion. The reality of Christ's Messiahship and the truth of his doctrine, the available merit of his righteousness and the efficacy of his atoning blood, the prevalence of his intercession and the power of his grace, all rest upon his resurrection from the dead. Of such unspeakable moment is this doctrine, that supposing its invalidity, there is no warrant for his people's faith, no foundation for their hopes, no advocate to plead

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