even to our holy things; when we would do good, evil is present; even this would be our ruin if God should enter into judgment with us. But Christ, our High Priest, bears this iniquity, bears it for us, so as to bear it from us, and through him it is forgiven to us, and not laid to our charge. (2.) Through him, what is good is accepted; our persons, our performances, are pleasing to God upon the account of Christ's intercession, and not otherwise, 1 Pet. 2. 5. His being Holiness to the Lord, recommends all those to the divine favour that are interested in his righteousness, and clothed with his Spirit. And therefore he has said, it was for our sakes that he sanctified himself, John 17. 19. Having such a High Priest, we come boldly to the throne of grace, Heb. 4. 14••16.
3. The rest of the garments are but named, (v. 39.) because there was nothing extraordinary in them. The embroidered coat of fine linen was the innermost of the priestly garments; it reached to the feet, and the sleeves to the wrists, and was bound to the body with a girdle or sash of needlework. The mitre, or diadem, was of linen, such as kings anciently wore in the East, typifying the kingly office of Christ. He is a Priest upon a throne, (Zech. 6. 13.) a Priest with a crown. These two God has joined, and we must not think to separate them.
40. And for Aaron's sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets shalt thou make for them, for glory and for beauty. 41. And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office. 42. And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach. 43. And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come in unto the tabernacle of the congregation, or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place; that they bear not iniquity, and die. It shall be a statute for ever unto him, and his seed after him.
We have here,
1. Particular orders about the vestments of the inferior priests. They were to have coats, and girdles, and bonnets, of the same materials with those of the high priest; but there was a difference in shape between their bonnets and his mitre. Theirs, as his, were to be for glory and beauty, (v. 40.) that they might look great in their ministration: yet all this glory was nothing compared with the glory of grace, this beauty nothing to the beauty of holiness, of which these holy garments were typical. They are particularly ordered, in their ministration, to wear linen breeches, v. 42. This teaches us modesty and decency of garb and gesture, at all times, especially in public worship, in which a vail is becoming, 1 Cor. 11. 5, 6, 10. It also intimates what need our souls have of a covering, when we come before God, that the shame of their nakedness may not appear.
2. A general rule concerning the garments both of the high priest, and of the inferior priests, that they were to be put upon them, at first, when they were consecrated, in token of their being invested in the office; (v. 41.) and then, they were to wear them in all their ministrations, but not at other times, (v. 43.) and this, at their peril, lest they bear iniquity, and die. Those who are guilty of omissions in duty, as well as omissions of duty, shall bear their iniquity. If the priests perform the instituted service, and do not do it in the appointed garments, it. is (say the Jewish doctors) as if a stranger did it, and the stranger that comes nigh shall be put to death. Nor will God connive at the presumptions and irreverences even of those whom he causes to draw most near to him; if Aaron himself put a slight upon the divine institution, he shall bear iniquity, and die. To us these garments typify, (1.) The righteousness of Christ; if we appear not before God in that, we shall bear iniquity, and die. What have we to do at the wedding-feast, without a wedding garment? or at Gods altar, without the array of his priests? Matth. 22. 12, 13. (2.) The armour of God prescribed, Eph. 6. 13. If we venture without that armour, our spiritual enemies will be the death of our souls, and we shall bear the iniquity, our blood will be upon our own heads. Blessed is he therefore that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, Rev. 16. 15.
Lastly, This is said to be a statute for ever, that is, it is to continue as long as the priesthood continues. But it is to have its perpetuity in the substance, of which these things were the shadows.
CHAP. XXIX.
Particular orders are given in this chapter, I. Concerning the consecration of the priests, and the sanctification of the altar, v. 1..37. II. Concerning the daily sacrifice, v. 38..41. To which gracious promises are annexed, that God would own and bless them in all their services, v. 42..46.
1.AND this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them, to hallow them, to minister unto me in the priest's office: Take one young bullock, and two rams without blemish, 2. And unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil; of wheaten flour shalt thou make them. 3. And thou shalt put them into one basket, and bring them in the basket, with the bullock and the two rams. 4. And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water. 5. And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the coat, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with the curious girdle of the ephod: 6. And thou shalt put the mitre upon his head, and put the holy crown upon the mitre. 7. Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint him. 8. And thou shalt bring his sons, and put coats upon them. 9. And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets on them: and the priest's office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute: and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons. 10. And thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the bullock. 11. And
