The last passage referred to was the history of the Scape goat, contained in Lev. xvi. In this history we find that Aaron, whilst the people afflicted their souls, (ver. 29,) laid both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confessed on him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, putting them upon the head of the goat, and that the goat bore away with him all their iniquities into a land not inhabited. The illustration of this subject, and its application to Jolin’s own case, were very obvious. The people “afflicting their soul,” denoted the state in which every sinner must present himself before God—for it is the broken and the contrite heart which God will not despise; the “confession of sin” on the head of the goat pointed out the first and necessary duty of the returning penitent—for “if we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us; but if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins:” the laying the sins upon the head of the goat exhibited the act of faith, by which the condemnation of the sinner is transferred to his atoning sacrifice; and the leading away the goat into the wilderness, the full, perfect, and eternal pardon promised in the Gospel, of every sin to every repenting sinner. Although Jolin was not a person of uncommon capacity, and although these passages of Scripture seemed to be new to him, yet he apprehended them in a manner which gave just indication that his heart was under the Divine teaching. It is said, Isa. liv. 13, “All thy children shall be taught of the Lord.” This state of teachableness now seemed to have been produced in this poor young man. The power of God had made his heart _willing_, Ps. cx. 3; and he came very soon to understand the truths by which he might be saved. When the will of man is not disposed to submit to God, every doctrine of the Gospel presents difficulties; one point is unreasonable, another impossible, a third useless; but when the mind is taught of God, it is astonishing how soon all these difficulties vanish. The doctrines of the Gospel, which seem the most hard to understand and to receive, are at once comprehended. It is like a change from darkness to light. The passages of Scripture which teach the sinfulness of our own nature, the worth of a Saviour, the nature of faith, the pleasantness of religion, the delight attendant upon dwelling with God, are at once received and adopted; and the whole system of Christianity is discovered to be one exactly suited to the sinner’s own state. But the willingness of heart which is necessary to a right reception of religion, we are every where in Scripture taught, is the gift of the Holy Spirit. It cometh “not of blood,” that is, from our parents; “nor of the will of the flesh,” that is, by our own natural inclination; “nor of the will of man,” that is, by the teaching of others; “but of God.” “The wind