from his presence ; or we must go with penitence and contri- tion to our living Surety, and cast our iniquities on him. And can there be a doubt which state we should prefer ? Or would we continue another hour under the guilt of all our sins, when there is such a way provided for the removal of them ? Let us then behold the Scape-goat, as in our immediate presence, and go instantly to lay our sins on him. It cannot, as under the law, be done by the priest for us ; it must be done by every one of us for himself. Let us then go to him with penitence and faith, and rest assured that we shall not repent or believe in vain.]
Lev. xvi. 29, 30, 33. And this shall be a statute for ever unto you, that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you. For on that day shall the priest make an atone- ment for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord And he shall make an atone- ment for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar ; and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation.
THE wisdom and piety of the Church in early ages appointed, that a considerable portion of time at this season of the year should be devoted annually to the particular consideration of our Saviour's suf- ferings ; and that the day on which he is supposed to have died upon the cross, should be always ob- served as a solemn fast. In process of time many superstitious usages were introduced ; which, how- ever, in the Reformed Churches, have been very pro- perly discontinued. But it is much to be regretted, that, whilst we have cast off the yoke of Popish superstition, we have lost, in a very great measure, that regard for the solemnities which our Reformers themselves retained; and which experience has proved to be highly conducive to the spiritual welfare of mankind. The Nativity of our Lord indeed, because it is a feast, is observed by almost all persons with a religious reverence ; but the day of his death, being