A learned and very useful commentary on the whole epistle to the Hebrews wherein every word and particle in the original is explained ... : being the substance of thirty years Wednesdayes lectures at Black-fryers, London / by that holy and learned divine Wiliam Gouge ... : before which is prefixed a narrative of his life and death : whereunto is added two alphabeticall tables ...

§. 33. Of Priests daily standing to minister.

THe foresaid Priests are here said to stand ministring. Of the notation of the Greek word translated a 1.1 ministring. See Chap. 1. v. 7. §. 79. In generall it signifieth the executing of a publick function or service. See Chap. 1. v. 7. §. 79.

The verb, b 1.2 standeth, is taken from the ordinary practice of servants, who use to stand and wait in their severall places, doing such services as belong to their functi∣on. Thus Priests are said to wait at the Altar, 1 Cor. 9. 13. Hereunto alludeth the Psilmist in this phrase, the servants of the Lord which by night stand in the house is the Lord, Psal. 134. 1.

Herein lyeth a difference betwixt them and Christ: for Christ sitteth at Gods* 1.3 right hand, and so he continueth to execute his Priestly function, as is shewed in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 verse. Priests did what they did, as servants: but Christ as a Son over his own house, Chap. 3. v. 6. Yea, as a supreme Lord, Psal. 110. 1.

Object. Christ took upon him the form of a servant, Phil. 2. 7. and he is stiled a* 1.4 d 1.5 minister, Rom. 15. 8. And the word here used, is attributed to Christ, and tran∣slated a e 1.6 minister chap. 8. v. 2. §. 3. And he saith of himself, the Son of man came, •…•…t to be ministred unto, but to minister, Matth. 20. 28.

Answ.

• 1. Though by reason of some works of service and ministry, which ap∣•…•… to his Priest-hood, he was in his humane nature, and by vertue of his of∣•…•… •…•…ervant: yet then also in his divine nature, to which his humane nature was 〈◊〉〈◊〉 united, he was Lord of all, Phil. 2: 6, 7.
• 2. He did not alwayes stand ministring, as the legal Priests: but ascended into 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and there continueth to sit at Gods right hand.

A•…•… for Priests, this their standing to minister, intendeth their inferiority, which i•…•… f•…•…ther set forth by this word, daily: which implyeth an insufficiency in that which they did: because they could not at once do what might be expected, they w•…•…e forced day after day to stand ministring. See more hereof Chap. 7. v. 27. §. 112.

Notes

• a 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• b 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.3

  Priests stand Christs sits.
• * 1.4

  (c) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• d 1.5

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• e 1.6

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.