faith: the operation of it on the believer's mind; and the fruit and benefit of it to his soul.
I. The true and proper object of faith —
[When the high-priest put his hands on the head of the scape-goat, the eyes of all present must of necessity be turned towards that devoted creature. They indeed who were endued with a spiritual discernment, would look through the type unto Christ the great Antitype : but still the goat would be regarded by all as the immediate instrument used by God for the re- moval of their sins : their faith terminated on that as the instituted means of their deliverance.
Thus is Christ the one object to whom the eyes of all must be directed. He has been chosen of God from all eternity to bear in his own person, and to take away from his people, all their sinsa. In due time he was exhibited to the world in this very character b : the iniquities of all mankind were laid upon him c : and his command to every living creature is, Look unto Me and be ye saved d.
There was indeed under the law another goat, whose blood was shed for the remission of their sins ; which was therefore to be considered by them as a joint object of their faith. But the two together were, in fact, but one sacrifice, the one representing the death of Jesus, and the other his resurrection. While therefore we view Christ as dying for our offences, we must also, in conformity with the type before us, regard him as rising again for our justification6.]
II. Its operation on the believer's mind —
[The high-priest confessed over the scape-goat the sins of all Israel with their several aggravations, at the very time that he transferred them to him by the imposition of his hands. By this significant ordinance he clearly shewed how faith always operates. It leads us in the first place to transfer all our guilt to the sacred head of Jesus. While we see the im- possibility of removing our sins in any other way, faith will incline us to avail ourselves of that inestimable privilege of carrying them to the Saviour, and thereby securing to ourselves an everlasting deliverance from them. But will it therefore cause us to think lightly of our iniquities, because they may be cancelled by such means ? No : it will rather make them to appear exceeding sinful ; and will dispose us to humble ourselves for them in dust and ashes. A true believer will not so much as desire pardon without being made to feel the evil and bitterness of sin : and the more sincerely he looks to Christ,
a Rev. xiii. 8. b Rom. iii. 25. See also John i. 29. 2 Cor. v. 21. r Isai. liii. 6. A Isai. xlv. 22. e Rom. iv. 25.