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The vestments appointed by God for the high priest when he went into the holy place were, besides those which he wore in common with the other priests, four: the ephod, with its "curious girdle"; the breastplate; the robe of the ephod; and the mitre.

1. And speaking of these garments generally, you will notice that it was God's especial command that they should all be made of linen, which, being a material of a very simple and natural kind, has always been understood by the Church to be typical of that human nature which Christ wears still in His glorified state, and in which, as man, we are distinctly to understand that He now executes, as our Representative, all the services of His exalted Priesthood.

2. And, further, it is to be observed generally, that all the garments were carefully fastened together so as to be one. The girdle binding the ephod, and the ephod the robe, and the breastplate carefully joined to the ephod by chains of gold; signifying, again, the complete unity which there is in all Christ's work for His people, so that it cannot be divided; for if we have Him in one of His offices so, necessarily, we hold Him in all. A blessed truth I there is no such thing as anything partial in the work of Jesus; no partial pardon; no partial peace! If you have one promise, you have every promise!

3. And yet, once more, generally, you will see that (unlike the description of our Saviour's garments in the 59th chapter of Isaiah, and unlike that which is provided for the believer in the 6th chapter of Ephesians)all these are robes, not of war, but of peace. Indicating that the warfare is now accomplished, and that our Saviour, having triumphed over His enemies and ours, is now set down in the calm and quiet of His holy, peaceful functions. A thought which should be one of unselfish joy to the Christian.

4. The robe of ephod represents the perfect robe of the obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ, which He wore as man, and which He will always present to the Father for our sakes. Its seamless fabric denotes the perfectness and the unity of the righteousness which He has wrought.

5. The ephod itself was a closer vestment — long behind, and short in front — which was worn over the robe, and fastened by clasps, or "ouches," over the shoulders; it was also "for beauty and for glory" — "of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine-twined linen, with cunning work," costly and magnificent. Upon each shoulder, in the "ouches," was placed an onyx stone, and on either onyx stone were engraven the names of six of the tribes of the children of Israel, placed according to their seniority. Concerning this engraving, God was very express: "With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet," that is, very accurately, very deeply, very beautifully, "shalt thou engrave the two stones with the names of the children of Israel: thou shalt make them to be set in ouches of gold. And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord upon his two shoulders for a memorial." And, then, the ephod was girt about with a girdle of the same kind. Here, then, we have our great High Priest continually standing in heaven, and always of necessity bearing, as part of His own glory, the names of all His people in holy remembrance before God. He both remembers us, and causes us to be remembered. We are held in perpetual remembrance. The weakest and the strongest — the greatest saint with the unworthiest and guiltiest sinner — we are all remembered: everything which goes to make our name is there: the smallest work, the secret sorrow that the world knows nothing of: it is all in the memorial: our prayers, and tears, and sighs — they are all gone there! they are all rivetted there! There they are! They are knit into the dignity of Jesus, into the glory and the excellency of Jesus!

6. The breastplate teaches that Christ not only bears His people on His shoulders for strength, but lays them separately on His heart for love. He identifies His interest with ours. It becomes a dear and fond thing to Him to have us upon His breast, that He may save us and magnify us for ever! We live always in His love, and God sees us there; in that love, loves us — unloveable though we be — for the love He has to us. And, living on His heart, each one in his own proper place and order, we hold in Him safe and privileged intercourse.

7. The high priest wore a mitre of linen, with this inscription, "Holiness to the Lord." Now observe the comfort of this thought. Here we all are assembled, in our holy devotions before the mercy seat of God, but every prayer we have put up this day is stained, and every service is unclean before Him "who chargeth His angels with folly"! Presently, your petitions will go up in your own bedroom; and the very supplication, in which you ask for pardon, only goes to increase the amount of the guilt that has to be pardoned. It is all unclean! The brand of sin, the degradation of sin, is everywhere! But He, in His very character and being, as our Representative, is standing before God; and high emblazoned upon His front is His own proper righteous title, "HOLINESS TO THE LORD" — not for Himself, He needs it not, but for us! He "bears the iniquity of our holy things" — what a thought! even as if we were the holy, we poor worms — as if we were the holy — we stand before God: "Holiness to the Lord." A poor sinner, incapable of one pure thought, lifts himself up in Christ, and looks in the face of God, and stands there, in his High Priest — "Holiness to the Lord"; — and God recognizes His own eternal counsel, and acknowledges the unworthiest services of the poorest sinner to be — "Holiness to the Lord."

(J. Vaughan, M. A.)

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KJV: And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty.

WEB: You shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty.