to be kept as a fast, is almost wholly disregarded ; insomuch that the house of God is scarcely at all attended, and the various vocations of men proceed almost without interruption in their accustomed channel. We are well aware that the Jewish insti- tutions are not to be revived: but, though the ordi- nances themselves have ceased, the moral ends for which they were instituted should be retained ; nor should any means, whereby they may, in perfect con- sistency with Christian liberty, be attained, be deemed unworthy of our attention.
The great day of annual expiation was the most solemn appointment in the whole of the Mosaic economy. Its avowed purpose was to bring men to repentance, and to faith in the atonement which should in due time be offered. Now these are the sole ends for which an annual fast is observed on this day : and, if they be attained by us, we shall have reason to bless God for ever that such an appoint- ment has been preserved in the Church.
In considering the passage before us there are two things to be noticed ;
I. The objects for which atonement was made —
To have a just view of this subject, we must not rest in the general idea of an atonement for sin, but must enter particularly into the consideration of the specific objects for which the atonement was made. It was made,
1. For the High-Priest — [The persons who filled the office of the priesthood were partakers of the same corrupt nature, as was in those for whom they ministered : and, being themselves sinners, they needed an atonement for themselves a : nor could they hope to inter- pose with effect between God and the people, unless they themselves were first brought into a state of reconciliation with God. Hence they were necessitated to " offer first of all for their own sins."
And this is a point which reflects peculiar light on the excel- lency of the dispensation under which we live. Our High-Priest was under no such necessity: He had no sin of his own to answer forb : and hence it is that his atonement becomes effec-
a Heb. v. 1—3. b 1 Pet. ii. 22.