"The scape-goat on his head
The people's trespass bore,

And, to the desert led,

Was to be seen no more.

In him our Surety seemed to say-
'Behold, I bear your sins away.'"

Mother. When I entered upon the sacred subjects, which have so long engaged our attention, I confess that some apprehension was entertained, that you would soon grow weary of such employment; but, if I may judge of the pleasure they give, by the punctuality you evince in coming to this place on the evenings appointed for the delivery of my familiar lectures, I should say

a growing interest is felt by you as we advance.

Annie. Really, you have stated the plain fact. I am not aware, that I have felt more true gratification from any book I ever read, or any discourse I ever heard, than I have derived from your review of the religious services performed by God's ancient Israel; and I account for it in this way. Sometimes, when I have perused a valuable book, or listened to a useful address, I have been perplexed to understand the meaning of many things which came under my notice, and, in consequence, I have lost the benefit which otherwise might have been secured to me. But now, you are always at hand to satisfy me, as difficulties arise: and, let me remind you, that this evening I am to be indulged with further useful remarks, relative to the important matters connected with the day of atonement.

Mother. It will be remembered, then, that I have already brought before you the

several leading features respecting the sacrifice of the scape-goat; at the present, therefore, I purpose drawing from the literal account, recorded by the Jewish lawgiver, some spiritual views, to which those external observances seem to lead the Christian mind. And I may notice, in the first place, that the goat is not a creature possessed of any very amiable properties; on the contrary, that animal is found, in general, to display a degree of perverseness, not seen in many others of the brute kind. For this reason, it may appear strange, that the Lamb of God should be prefigured by a creature so utterly opposed to his meek and lowly character. But, do you not recollect that it is written, that God sent "his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh?" May not the obstinate nature of the goat, then, fitly represent the rugged, unyielding disposition of those, whose sins the lovely Redeemer bore? Again, the goat, though commonly considered an unclean creature, was classed

among the clean beasts in the law of Moses. From this we may learn, that Jesus Christ, though reputed a sinner among men, and dealt with as such by God, was, nevertheless, free from the least taint of contamination.

Annie. But, why were two goats appointed? or, if two were necessary, why was one slain, and the other preserved alive?

Mother. Oh, my love, the design of this command is perfectly clear. Both are to be contemplated as types of the great propitiatory sacrifice. The first goat may signify the complete satisfaction which Christ made to Divine justice by the offering up of himself: and the second goat may shew the blessed result of his propitiatory sacrifice, by which, according to the words of the angel to Daniel, he "finished transgression, made an end of sins, and reconciliation for iniquity, and brought in everlasting righteousness." In the sending away of the goat, so that he was never seen nor heard

of again, we have a typical fulfilment of the prediction, "In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found." The blood of the slain goat, as with all the other sacrifices, was carried within the veil, and the body of the animal was burned without the gate. Whilst considering these practices, we seem to hear a voice saying," Christ being come an highpriest of good things to come, neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, he entered in once into the Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption Again : The bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high-priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus, also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach."

for us."

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