HOMILETICS. Ver6. l-5.-T/..e glory ef holy garments. "Holy garments"-garments appropriated t.<., the, !;clrvic.e of Gud in his sanctuary-will always be " glorious," however simple they art :-1. Ai', the dress of office for those whose office is of an exalted and glorious charatcer, wl,0 are" amLa.ssa.dors for God," and" stewards of his mysteries." 2. As associated '-1-itL rit.ei;, which chow forth, and help forward, the glorious work of ~edemption: ,3-f-ul 3. A.,. ty}Jical of the gluriow; robes which will be worn by the samts rn heaven. lhe en. xxvm. 1-12.] THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 2fll
~nrrnents MRigne<l by tho will of Gnd to tho Lcvitical prieRthood wcro, further, u],,rio, 18 i11 themselves, i.e., Rplemlid, magnificent, of rich and beautiful materials. Tb~y ti 111 H harmonised with the richnesR find magnificence of the tflbernacle, and aftcrwarcls of tho temple, find trmght tho people, by the oyo, that whatever is rich an,l mro 9 houlu 00 dovotcd to tho sorvice of God. But the highest glory of holy garments iR to be found in those "rohos of righteousness," which the sot flpparel of priests is intet.,ded to suggest and signify (Ps. cxxxii. !) ; fa. lxi. 10). The white linen of priestly robeR tells of purity and innocence-gold and jewels, of precious gifts and gmces--azure, the hue of heaven, spoolrn of heavenly thoughts and aspimtions--the scarlet and the purple are signs of the martyr spirit, which is willing to" resist unto blootl" (Heh. xii. 4). lf the priest or the Levite h&vo no other 11doming but that of the outward apparel, if they are not " clothetl with the garments of sn.lvation" (Is. I. s. c.), and robed with righteousness, "holy gar- ments" will littlo avail either themselves, or those to whom they minister. The "mar- riage garment" required of each Christian in Holy Scripture is purity of life and conduct; and certainly without this, "holy garments" are vain, and lose both their "glory" and their "beauty." Vera. 6-12.--The symbolism of the ephod and its rmyz stones. The epho<l was, par ezccll,nce, the priestly garment. When idolatrous rites grew up in Palestine, which sheltered themselves under the pretence of being modifications, or adaptations, of the Sinaitic religion, al). ephod was always retained, and made a prominent feature in the new form of worship (Jud. viii. 27; xvii. 5; xviii.14; etc.). Theepho<l came to be worn by all lsraelitish priests (1 Sam. xxii. 18; Hos. iii. 4), and even by laymen when. engaged in sacred functions (2 Sam. vi.14; 1 Chron. xv. 27). Its materials and workmanship unite<l it pointedly with the tabernacle (eh. x.xvi. 1), a.nd especially with the holy of holies (ib. ver. 31). It may be considered- !. As TYPIFYING THE UNITY OF .THE CHURCH. The shoulder pieces of the epho<l were to be" joined together'' (ver. 7). The" curious girdle" was to be of one piece with it (ver. 8). Though formed of various parts, it was to be one single indivisible garment, united both above and below, and always worn in its entirety. The seamless robe of our Blessed Saviour is generally a.llowed to prefigure his one Church. The ephotl as worn, was, perhaps, not seamless ; but still it was " woven of one piece," a.nd so far resembled the Lord's garment. II. As BEPBESENTING THE VARIETY OF GIFTS AND GRACES WITHIN THE CHURCH. The blue, and purple, and scarlet, a.nd fine linen, a.nd gold, a.nd gems of the ephod gave it a variety and a beauty which .made it the most glorious of a.II the priestly vestments. Variety has a charm of its own, and is a mark of the Church, in which there is such vast "diversity of gifts," though there is but one spirit. Gold is especia.lly appropriate for the dignity of those whom God has made" both priests a.nd kings." "The king's daughter is all glorious within ; her clothing is of wrought gold" (Ps. xlv. 13). Purple, too, is an imperial colour, and suits those who shall "reign with Christ for ever" (Rev. x.xii. 5). Ill. As CONSTITUTING, WHEN WORN BY THE HIGH-PRIEST, A PRESENTATION OF THK CrmBCH TO Goo IN PERFECT BEAUTY. The onyx, or sardonyx stones, with the twelve names engraved upon them, completed the representative character of the ephod, and showed clearly that the high priest, when, thus attired, he entered the sanctuary, pre- sented belore God the Church whereof he wa.s the head, as freed from sin by the expia- tion which he had made at the altar before entering, and made meet for the l?resence of the Most High. And this presentation was, we are distinctly told (l:leb. ix. 9---U; x. 19-22), a type or figure of that far more precious one, which Christ is ever m~g; before his Father's throne in heaven, where he presents to him his Church, "a. glonous Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but ho~y and wit~o~t blemi_sh" (Eph. v. l:17), washed in his blood, redeemed by his death, sanct1fi~ by his m-dwelling. Christ can and will purge his elect from a.II sin (1 John i. 7); Chmt ca.n _and will pre_- sent thorn pure before God. He has his "sealed" ones of a.II the twelve tnbes (Rev. v11. 4-8) • and besides these he has others who are equa.lly his-" a great multitude, which no man, could, number, of Iall nations, and kindreds, a.nd peop1cs, a.ncl tongues,, .,( i'b: ") .., - who" have washetl their robes a.nu made them white in the blooJ of the La.rub (,b. H), &Dtl whom he will " present faultless" to his Father. 'l'BE BOOK OF F.XODU3. [on. xxvm. 1-4.