mh_parser/vol_split/3 - Leviticus/Chapter 21.xml

<div2 id="Lev.xxii" n="xxii" next="Lev.xxiii" prev="Lev.xxi" progress="59.89%" title="Chapter XXI">
<h2 id="Lev.xxii-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.xxii-p0.2">CHAP. XXI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.xxii-p1">This chapter might borrow its title from <scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Mal.2.1" parsed="|Mal|2|1|0|0" passage="Mal 2:1">Mal. ii. 1</scripRef>, "And now, O you priests,
this commandment is for you." It is a law obliging priests with the
utmost care and jealousy to preserve the dignity of their
priesthood. I. The inferior priests are here charged both
concerning their mourning and concerning their marriages and their
children, <scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.1-Lev.21.9" parsed="|Lev|21|1|21|9" passage="Le 21:1-9">ver. 1-9</scripRef>. II.
The high priest is restrained more than any of them, <scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.10-Lev.21.15" parsed="|Lev|21|10|21|15" passage="Le 21:10-15">ver. 10-15</scripRef>. III. Neither the one
nor the other must have any blemish, <scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.16-Lev.21.24" parsed="|Lev|21|16|21|24" passage="Le 21:16-24">ver. 16</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom id="Lev.xxii-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21" parsed="|Lev|21|0|0|0" passage="Le 21" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Lev.xxii-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.1-Lev.21.9" parsed="|Lev|21|1|21|9" passage="Le 21:1-9" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.21.1-Lev.21.9">
<h4 id="Lev.xxii-p1.7">Laws Concerning the Priests. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxii-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxii-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxii-p2.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say
unto them, There shall none be defiled for the dead among his
people:   2 But for his kin, that is near unto him, <i>that
is,</i> for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and
for his daughter, and for his brother,   3 And for his sister
a virgin, that is nigh unto him, which hath had no husband; for her
may he be defiled.   4 <i>But</i> he shall not defile himself,
<i>being</i> a chief man among his people, to profane himself.
  5 They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither
shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any
cuttings in their flesh.   6 They shall be holy unto their
God, and not profane the name of their God: for the offerings of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxii-p2.2">Lord</span> made by fire, <i>and</i>
the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be
holy.   7 They shall not take a wife <i>that is</i> a whore,
or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her
husband: for he <i>is</i> holy unto his God.   8 Thou shalt
sanctify him therefore; for he offereth the bread of thy God: he
shall be holy unto thee: for I the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxii-p2.3">Lord</span>, which sanctify you, <i>am</i> holy.  
9 And the daughter of any priest, if she profane herself by playing
the whore, she profaneth her father: she shall be burnt with
fire.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxii-p3">It was before appointed that the priests
should teach the people the statutes God had given concerning the
<i>difference between clean and unclean,</i> <scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.10-Lev.10.11" parsed="|Lev|10|10|10|11" passage="Le 10:10,11"><i>ch.</i> x. 10, 11</scripRef>. Now here it is
provided that they should themselves observe what they were to
teach the people. Note, Those whose office it is to instruct must
do it by example as well as precept, <scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.4.12" parsed="|1Tim|4|12|0|0" passage="1Ti 4:12">1
Tim. iv. 12</scripRef>. The priests were to draw nearer to God than
any of the people, and to be more intimately conversant with sacred
things, and therefore it was required of them that they should keep
at a greater distance than others from every thing that was
defiling and might diminish the honour of their priesthood.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxii-p4">I. They must take care not to disparage
themselves in their mourning for the dead. All that mourned for the
dead were supposed to come near the body, if not to touch it: and
the Jews say, "It made a man ceremonially unclean to come within
six feet of a dead corpse;" nay, it is declared (<scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Num.19.14" parsed="|Num|19|14|0|0" passage="Nu 19:14">Num. xix. 14</scripRef>) that all who come into the tent
where the dead body lies shall be unclean seven days. Therefore all
the mourners that attended the funeral could not but defile
themselves, so as not to be fit to come into the sanctuary for
seven days: for this reason it is ordered, 1. That the priests
should never put themselves under this incapacity of coming into
the sanctuary, unless it were for one of their nearest relations,
<scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.1-Lev.21.3" parsed="|Lev|21|1|21|3" passage="Le 21:1-3"><i>v.</i> 1-3</scripRef>. A priest
was permitted to do it for a parent or a child, for a brother or an
unmarried sister, and therefore, no doubt (though this is not
mentioned) for the wife of his bosom; for Ezekiel, a priest, would
have mourned for his wife if he had not been particularly
prohibited, <scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p4.3" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.24.17" parsed="|Ezek|24|17|0|0" passage="Eze 24:17">Ezek. xxiv.
17</scripRef>. By this allowance God put an honour upon natural
affection, and favoured it so far as to dispense with the
attendance of his servants for seven days, while they indulged
themselves in their sorrow for the death of their dear relations;
but, beyond this period, weeping must not hinder sowing, nor their
affection to their relations take them off from the service of the
sanctuary. Nor was it at all allowed for the death of any other,
no, not of a <i>chief man among the people,</i> as some read it,
<scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p4.4" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.4" parsed="|Lev|21|4|0|0" passage="Le 21:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. They must not
defile themselves, no, nor for the high priest himself, unless thus
akin to them. Though <i>there is a friend that is nearer than a
brother,</i> yet the priests must not pay this respect to the best
friend they had, except he were a relation, lest, if it were
allowed for one, others should expect it, and so they should be
frequently taken off from their work: and it is hereby intimated
that there is a particular affection to be reserved for those that
are thus near akin to us; and, when any such are removed by death,
we ought to be affected with it, and lay it to heart, as the near
approach of death to ourselves, and an alarm to us to prepare to
follow. 2. That they must not be extravagant in the expressions of
their mourning, no, not for their dearest relations, <scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p4.5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.5" parsed="|Lev|21|5|0|0" passage="Le 21:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. Their mourning must not
be either, (1.) Superstitious, according to the manner of the
heathen, who cut off their hair, and let out their blood, in honour
of the imaginary deities which presided (as they thought) in the
congregation of the dead, that they might engage them to be
propitious to their departed friends. Even the superstitious rites
used of old at funerals are an indication of the ancient belief of
the immortality of the soul, and its existence in a separate state:
and though the rites themselves were forbidden by the divine law,
because they were performed to false gods, yet the decent respect
which nature teaches and which the law allows to be paid to the
remains of our deceased friends, shows that we are not to look upon
them as lost. Nor, (2.) Must it be passionate or immoderate. Note,
God's ministers must be examples to others of patience under
affliction, particularly that which touches in a very tender part,
the death of their near relations. They are supposed to know more
than others of the reasons why we must <i>not sorrow as those that
have no hope</i> (<scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p4.6" osisRef="Bible:1Thess.4.13" parsed="|1Thess|4|13|0|0" passage="1Th 4:13">1 Thess. iv.
13</scripRef>), and therefore they ought to be eminently calm and
composed, that they may be able to comfort others with the same
comforts wherewith they are themselves comforted of God. The people
were forbidden to mourn for the dead with superstitious rites
(<scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p4.7" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.27-Lev.19.28" parsed="|Lev|19|27|19|28" passage="Le 19:27,28"><i>ch.</i> xix. 27,
28</scripRef>), and what was unlawful to them was much more
unlawful to the priest. The reason given for their peculiar care
not to defile themselves we have (<scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p4.8" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.6" parsed="|Lev|21|6|0|0" passage="Le 21:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>): <i>Because</i> they offered
<i>the bread of their God,</i> even <i>the offerings of the Lord
made by fire,</i> which were the provisions of God's house and
table. They are highly honoured, and therefore must not stain their
honour by making themselves slaves to their passions; they are
continually employed in sacred service, and therefore must not be
either diverted from or disfitted for the services they were called
to. If they pollute themselves, they profane the name of their God
on whom they attend: if the servants are rude and of ill behaviour,
it is a reflection upon the master, as if he kept a loose and
disorderly house. Note, All that either offer or eat the bread of
our God must be holy in all manner of conversation, or else they
profane that name which they pretend to sanctify.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxii-p5">II. They must take care not to degrade
themselves in their marriage, <scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.7" parsed="|Lev|21|7|0|0" passage="Le 21:7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>. A priest must not marry a woman of ill fame, that
either had been guilty or was suspected to have been guilty of
uncleanness. He must not only not marry a harlot, though ever so
great a penitent for her former whoredoms, but he must not marry
one that was profane, that is, of a light carriage or indecent
behaviour. Nay, he must not marry one that was divorced, because
there was reason to think it was for some fault she was divorced.
The priests were forbidden to undervalue themselves by such
marriages as these, which were allowed to others, 1. Lest it should
bring a present reproach upon their ministry, harden the profane in
their profaneness, and grieve the hearts of serious people: the New
Testament gives laws to ministers' wives (<scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.3.11" parsed="|1Tim|3|11|0|0" passage="1Ti 3:11">1 Tim. iii. 11</scripRef>), that they be <i>grave and
sober,</i> that <i>the ministry be not blamed.</i> 2. Lest it
should entail a reproach upon their families; for the work and
honour of the priesthood were to descend as an inheritance to their
children after them. Those do not consult the good of their
posterity as they ought who do not take care to marry such as are
of good report and character. He that would seek <i>a godly
seed</i> (as the expression is, <scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p5.3" osisRef="Bible:Mal.2.15" parsed="|Mal|2|15|0|0" passage="Mal 2:15">Mal.
ii. 15</scripRef>) must first seek a godly wife, and take heed of a
corruption of blood. It is added here (<scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p5.4" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.8" parsed="|Lev|21|8|0|0" passage="Le 21:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>), <i>Thou shalt sanctify him,</i>
and <i>he shall be holy unto thee.</i> "Not only thou, O Moses, by
taking care that these laws be observed, but thou, O Israel, by all
endeavours possible to keep up the reputation of the priesthood,
which the priests themselves must do nothing to expose or forfeit.
<i>He is holy to his God</i> (<scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p5.5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.7" parsed="|Lev|21|7|0|0" passage="Le 21:7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>), therefore <i>he shall be holy unto thee.</i>" Note,
We must honour those whom our God puts honour upon. Gospel
ministers by this rule are to be <i>esteemed very highly in love
for their works' sake</i> (<scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p5.6" osisRef="Bible:1Thess.5.13" parsed="|1Thess|5|13|0|0" passage="1Th 5:13">1 Thess. v.
13</scripRef>), and every Christian must look upon himself as
concerned to be the guardian of their honour.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxii-p6">III. Their children must be afraid of doing
any thing to disparage them (<scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.9" parsed="|Lev|21|9|0|0" passage="Le 21:9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>): <i>If the daughter of any priest play the whore,</i>
her crime is great; she not only polluteth but <i>profaneth
herself:</i> other women have not that honour to lose that she has,
who, as one of a priest's family, has eaten of the holy things, and
is supposed to have been better educated than others. Nay, <i>she
profaneth her father;</i> he is reflected upon, and everybody will
be ready to ask, "Why did not he teach her better?" And the sinners
in Zion will insult and say, "Here is your priest's daughter." Her
punishment there must be peculiar: <i>She shall be burnt with
fire,</i> for a terror to all priests' daughters. Note, The
children of ministers ought, of all others, to take heed of doing
any thing that is scandalous, because in them it is doubly
scandalous, and will be punished accordingly by him whose name is
<i>Jealous.</i></p>
</div><scripCom id="Lev.xxii-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21" parsed="|Lev|21|0|0|0" passage="Le 21" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Lev.xxii-p6.3" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.10-Lev.21.15" parsed="|Lev|21|10|21|15" passage="Le 21:10-15" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.21.10-Lev.21.15">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxii-p7">10 And <i>he that is</i> the high priest among
his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and
that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his
head, nor rend his clothes;   11 Neither shall he go in to any
dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother;
  12 Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the
sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God
<i>is</i> upon him: I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxii-p7.1">Lord</span>.   13 And he shall take a wife in her
virginity.   14 A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane,
<i>or</i> an harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take a
virgin of his own people to wife.   15 Neither shall he
profane his seed among his people: for I the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxii-p7.2">Lord</span> do sanctify him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxii-p8">More was expected from a priest than from
other people, but more from the high priest than from other
priests, because upon his head the <i>anointing oil was poured,</i>
and he was <i>consecrated to put on the garments</i> (<scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.10" parsed="|Lev|21|10|0|0" passage="Le 21:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>), both which were
typical of the anointing and adorning of the Lord Jesus, with all
the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, which he received without
measure. It is called <i>the crown of the anointing oil of his
God</i> (<scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.12" parsed="|Lev|21|12|0|0" passage="Le 21:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>); for
the anointing of the Spirit is, to all that have it, a <i>crown of
glory,</i> and a <i>diadem of beauty.</i> The high priest being
thus dignified,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxii-p9">I. He must not defile himself at all for
the dead, no, nor for his nearest relations, <i>his father or his
mother,</i> much less his child or brother, <scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.11" parsed="|Lev|21|11|0|0" passage="Le 21:11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. 1. He must not use the common
expressions of sorrow on those occasions, such as <i>uncovering his
head, and rending his clothes</i> (<scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p9.2" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.10" parsed="|Lev|21|10|0|0" passage="Le 21:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>), so perfectly unconcerned must
he show himself in all the crosses and comforts of this life: even
his natural affection must be swallowed up in compassion to the
ignorant, and a feeling of their infirmities, and a tender concern
for the household of God, which he was made the ruler of. Thus
being the holy one that was entrusted with the <i>thummim and the
urim</i> he must not know <i>father or mother,</i> <scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p9.3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.8-Deut.33.9" parsed="|Deut|33|8|33|9" passage="De 33:8,9">Deut. xxxiii. 8, 9</scripRef>. 2. He must not
<i>go in to any dead body,</i> <scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p9.4" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.11" parsed="|Lev|21|11|0|0" passage="Le 21:11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. If any of the inferior priests
were under a ceremonial pollution, there were other priests that
might supply their places; but, if the high priest were defiled,
there would be a greater want of him. And the forbidding of him to
go to any house of mourning, or attend any funeral, would be an
indication to the people of the greatness of that dignity to which
he was advanced. Our Lord Jesus, the great high priest of our
profession, touched the dead body of Jairus's daughter, the bier of
the widow's son, and the grave of Lazarus, to show that he came to
altar the property of death, and to take off the terror of it, by
breaking the power of it. Now that it cannot destroy it does not
defile. 3. He must <i>not go out of the sanctuary</i> (<scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p9.5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.12" parsed="|Lev|21|12|0|0" passage="Le 21:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>); that is, whenever he
was attending or officiating in the sanctuary, where usually he
tarried in his own apartment all day, he must not go out upon any
occasion whatsoever, nor cut short his attendance on the living
God, no, not to pay his last respects to a dying relation. It was a
profanation of the sanctuary to leave it, while his presence was
requisite there, upon any such occasion; for thereby he preferred
some other business before the service of God and the business of
his profession, to which he ought to make every thing else give
place. Thus our Lord Jesus would not leave off preaching to
<i>speak with his mother and brethren,</i> <scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p9.6" osisRef="Bible:Matt.12.48" parsed="|Matt|12|48|0|0" passage="Mt 12:48">Matt. xii. 48</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxii-p10">II. He might not marry a widow (as other
priests might), much less one divorced, or a harlot, <scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.13-Lev.21.14" parsed="|Lev|21|13|21|14" passage="Le 21:13,14"><i>v.</i> 13, 14</scripRef>. The reason of
this was to put a difference between him and other priests in this
matter; and (as some suggest) that he might be a type of Christ, to
whom the church was to be presented a <i>chaste virgin,</i>
<scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.11.2" parsed="|2Cor|11|2|0|0" passage="2Co 11:2">2 Cor. xi. 2</scripRef>. See <scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p10.3" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.44.22" parsed="|Ezek|44|22|0|0" passage="Eze 44:22">Ezek. xliv. 22</scripRef>. Christ must have our
first love, our pure love, our entire love; thus the <i>virgins
love thee</i> (<scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p10.4" osisRef="Bible:Song.1.3" parsed="|Song|1|3|0|0" passage="So 1:3">Cant. i. 3</scripRef>),
and such only are fit to <i>follow the Lamb,</i> <scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p10.5" osisRef="Bible:Rev.14.4" parsed="|Rev|14|4|0|0" passage="Re 14:4">Rev. xiv. 4</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxii-p11">III. He might not profane his seed among
his people, <scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.15" parsed="|Lev|21|15|0|0" passage="Le 21:15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>.
Some understand it as forbidding him to marry any of an inferior
rank, which would be a disparagement to his family. Jehoiada indeed
married of his own tribe, but then it was into the royal family,
<scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p11.2" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.22.11" parsed="|2Chr|22|11|0|0" passage="2Ch 22:11">2 Chron. xxii. 11</scripRef>. This
was not to teach him to be proud, but to teach him to be pure, and
to do nothing unbecoming his office and the worthy name by which he
was called. Or it may be a caution to him in disposing of his
children; he must not profane his seed by marrying them unsuitably.
Ministers' children are profaned if they be unequally yoked with
unbelievers.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Lev.xxii-p11.3" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21" parsed="|Lev|21|0|0|0" passage="Le 21" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Lev.xxii-p11.4" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.16-Lev.21.24" parsed="|Lev|21|16|21|24" passage="Le 21:16-24" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.21.16-Lev.21.24">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxii-p12">16 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxii-p12.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying,   17 Speak unto Aaron, saying,
Whosoever <i>he be</i> of thy seed in their generations that hath
<i>any</i> blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his
God.   18 For whatsoever man <i>he be</i> that hath a blemish,
he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a
flat nose, or any thing superfluous,   19 Or a man that is
brokenfooted, or brokenhanded,   20 Or crookbackt, or a dwarf,
or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or
hath his stones broken;   21 No man that hath a blemish of the
seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxii-p12.2">Lord</span> made by fire: he hath a
blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God.
  22 He shall eat the bread of his God, <i>both</i> of the
most holy, and of the holy.   23 Only he shall not go in unto
the vail, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a blemish;
that he profane not my sanctuaries: for I the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxii-p12.3">Lord</span> do sanctify them.   24 And Moses told
<i>it</i> unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of
Israel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxii-p13">The priesthood being confined to one
particular family, and entailed upon all the male issue of that
family throughout their generations, it was very likely that some
or other in after-ages that were born to the priesthood would have
natural blemishes and deformities: the honour of the priesthood
would not secure them from any of those calamities which are common
to men. Divers blemishes are here specified; some that were
ordinarily for life, as blindness; others that might be for a time,
as a scurf or scab, and, when they were gone, the disability
ceased. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxii-p14">I. The law concerning priests that had
blemishes was, 1. That they might <i>live upon the altar</i>
(<scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.22" parsed="|Lev|21|22|0|0" passage="Le 21:22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>): <i>He shall
eat</i> of the sacrifices with the other priests, even the <i>most
holy things,</i> such as the show-bread and the sin-offerings, as
well as the <i>holy things,</i> such as the tithes and
first-fruits, and the priests' share of the peace-offerings. The
blemishes were such as they could not help, and therefore, though
they might not work, they must not starve. Note, None must be
abused for their natural infirmities. Even the deformed child in
the family must have its child's part. 2. Yet they must not
<i>serve at the altar,</i> at either of the altars, nor be admitted
to attend or assist the other priests in offering sacrifice or
burning incense, <scripRef id="Lev.xxii-p14.2" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.17 Bible:Lev.21.21 Bible:Lev.21.23" parsed="|Lev|21|17|0|0;|Lev|21|21|0|0;|Lev|21|23|0|0" passage="Le 21:17,21,23"><i>v.</i> 17,
21, 23</scripRef>. Great men choose to have such servants about
them as are sightly, and it was fit that the great God should have
such in his house then, when he was pleased to manifest his glory
in external indications of it. But it was especially requisite that
comely men should be chosen to minister about holy things, for the
sake of the people, who were apt to judge according to outward
appearance, and to think meanly of the service, how honourable
soever it was made by the divine institution, of those that
performed it looked despicably or went about it awkwardly. This
provision God made for the preserving of the reputation of his
altar, that it might not at any time fall under contempt. It was
for the credit of the sanctuary that none should appear there who
were any way disfigured, either by nature or accident.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxii-p15">II. Under the gospel, 1. Those that labour
under any such blemishes as these have reason to thank God that
they are not thereby excluded from offering spiritual sacrifices to
God; nor, if otherwise qualified for it, from the office of the
ministry. There is many a healthful beautiful soul lodged in a
crazy deformed body. Yet, 2. We ought to infer hence how incapable
those are to serve God acceptably whose minds are blemished and
deformed by any reigning vice. Those are unworthy to be called
Christians, and unfit to be employed as ministers, that are
spiritually blind, and lame, and crooked, whose sins render them
scandalous and deformed, so as that the offerings of the Lord are
abhorred for their sakes. The deformities of Hophni and Phinehas
were worse than any of the blemishes here mentioned. Let such
therefore as are openly vicious be put out of the priesthood as
polluted persons; and let all that are made to our God spiritual
priests be before him <i>holy and without blemish,</i> and comfort
themselves with this, that, though in this imperfect state they
have spots that are the spots of God's children, yet they shall
shortly appear before the throne of God <i>without spot, or
wrinkle, or any such thing.</i></p>
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