be distrusted, in the description of these rites. Nothing, say the Rabbins, was killed before the morning sacrifice, and after the evening sacrifice, nothing but the passover. The evening sacrifice was usually killed between the eighth and ninth hour, that is, half an hour after two in the afternoon, and offered between the ninth and tenth, that is, half an hour after three. But in the evening of the passover, the daily sacrifice was killed an hour sooner, and after that, began the killing of the passover, which was to be done between the two evenings. (Exod xii. 6.) The first of these evenings began at noon, from the sun's declination towards the west, and the second at sunset. But the Paschal Lamb might be killed before the daily sacrifice, provided there was a person to stir the blood, and keep it from coagulating, till the blood of the daily sacrifice was sprinkled; for that was always sprinkled first.

The lambs, says the Mishna, were always killed by three several companies. This custom the Jews founded on Exod. xii. 6. And the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening, under

standing the words in the Hebrew kahal, edeth, and yishrael; as implying three dif ferent companies,-by the first they meant the Priests, by the second the Levites, by the third the people at large. When once the court was full, they shut the doors, and the priests stood all in their ranks, with round bottomed vessels in their hands, some of gold and some of silver, to receive the blood. These vessels had no rim at the bottom, lest they should be set on the ground, and the blood congeal in them. The priests then took the blood, and handed it from one to the other, till it came to him who stood next to the altar, who sprinkled it at the foot of the altar. After the blood was sprinkled the lamb was hung up, the skin flayed off, and the intestines laid on the altar. The owner then took the lamb with its skin, and carried it to his own house; where it was roasted on a spit, made of the wood of the pomegranate tree; for iron was prohibited, and also all wood that emitted moisture, when exposed to the fire, but as the wood of the pomegranate was free from moisture, it was commanded to be used on this occasion. See Mishna by Surenhusius, vol. II. p. 135,

Tract Pesachim. These are the inost essential matters mentioned in the Mishna, relative to this solemnity, some of which tend to cast much light on our Lord's words and conduct on this occasion.

Dr. Waterhouse, who has summed up the opinions of learned men on this subject, observes, that there are resembling circumstances common to the Jewish and Christian passover which may be divided into two kinds. -1 Some relating to the things themselves, 2 some to the phrases and forms made use of in both. 1 Of the first sort are these-1 The passover was of divine appointment, and so was the eucharist.-2 The passover was a sacrament, and so is the eucharist.-3. The passover was a memorial of a great deliverance from temporal bondage, the eucharist is a memorial of a greater deliverance from spiritual bondage.--4 The passover prefigured the death of Christ, before it was accomplished, the eucharist represents by visible elements, that death now past.-5 The passover was a kind of foederal rite between God and man, so is the eucharist, as it points out the blood of the sacrifice offered for the ratifica

tion of the covenant between God and man. -6 As no person could partake of the Paschal Lamb before he was circumcised, Exod. xii. 43-48. So among the early followers of Christ, no person was permitted to come to the eucharist till he had been baptized.-7 As the Jews were obliged to come to the passover, free from all defilements, unless in case of burying the dead, which though a defilement, was nevertheless unavoidable, Numb. ix. 6-9. So the holy scripture commands every man to examine himself, before he attempts to eat of this bread, or drink of this cup, and to purge out the old leaven of malice and wickedness. 1 Cor. xi. 27-29.-8 As the neglect or contempt of the passover subjected a man to be cut off from Israel, Exod xii. 15. Numb. ix. 13. so a contempt and rejection of at least the thing signified by the Holy Eucharist, viz. the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus, must necessarily exclude every man from the benefit of Christ's Passion and death. 9 As the Passover was to continue so long as the Jewish law was in force, so the eucharist is to continue till the end of the world.

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2. The second sort of resembling circumstances, concerns the particular forms and phrases used in the institution. 1 In the Paschal Supper the master of the house took bread, and gave thanks to God, who had provided it, for the sustenance of man. Our Lord copied this circumstance precisely, in the institution of the eucharist.-2 It was also a custom for the master of the house to break the bread, either before or after the benediction offered to God; that our Lord adopted this custom, is generally known.3 The master of the house distributed this broken bread, for it does not appear that the family were permitted to take it themselves; so our Lord, after having broken the bread, gave it to the disciples, saying, take eat, &c.— 4 In the paschal feast the master was accustomed to take a cup of wine, and pronounce a benediction to God, or thanksgiving over it, after which it was called the cup of blessing. To this circumstance St. Paul particularly alludes, when he says, "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ ?" 1 Cor. x. 16. ---5. At the institution of the passover it was said, "The blood shall be to you for a token