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 ...

§. 173. Of Christ an high and great Priest.

AS Christ was a true Priest, so he is here styled by the Apostle, an Highpriest. In Greek these two words are compounded in one, which word for word we may translate a 1.1 Arch-Priest: as b 1.2 Arch-Angel, 1 Thess. 4. 16. Jude v. 9. c 1.3 Arch-Shepherd, or Chief Shepherd, 1 Pet. 5. 4. d 1.4 Arch-builder, or Master-builder, 1 Cor. 3. 10. e 1.5 Arch-Publican, or Chief-Publican, Luk. 19. 2. In the Hebrew, the phrase translated f 1.6 Highpriest, is great Priest, Levit. 21. 10. And the same person transla∣ted in English Chief Priest, is in Hebrew, g 1.7 Head-Priest, 2 King. 25. 18.

Aaron was the first that had this title given unto him, Lev. 16. 3. and the eldest son of the family of Aaron was successively to be High-Priest, after the death of thé former High-Priest, Exod. 29. 29, 30.

There were sundry Duties and Dignities proper to the High-Priest for the time* 1.8 being: As

• 1. To enter into the most Holy place, Lev. 16. 3.
• 2. To appear before God for the people, Exod. 28. 29.
• 3. To bear the sins of the people, Exod. 28. 38.
• 4. To offer incense, Lev. 16. 12, 13.
• 5. To make atonement, Lev. 16. 32.
• 6. To judge of uncleannesse, Lev. 13. 2.
• 7. To determine controversies, Deut. 17. 8, 12.
• 8. To blesse the people, Num. 6. 23.

Christ is styled High-Priest,

• 1. For excellency sake, to shew that he was the chiefest and most excellent of all.
• 2. To demonstrate that he was the truth, whom Aaron and other High-Priests typified.
• 3. To assure us that all those things which were enjoyned to Aaron as High-Priest,

• were really in their truth performed by Christ. For
  • 1. Christ entred into the true Holy place, which is heaven, Heb. 9. 24.
  • 2. Christ truly appeareth before God for us, Heb. 9. 24.
  • 3. Christ hath born all the sins of all the Elect, 2 Cor. 5. 21.
  • 4. Christs intercession is the true incense which makes things that are pleasing and acceptable to God, to be so accepted for us, Eph. 1. 6.
  • 5. By Christ we have •…•…eceived the atonement, Rom. 5. 11.
  • 6. Christ purgeth our sins, Heb. 1. 3.
  • 7. Christ is the supream Judge and determiner of all Controversies.

Christ is also called a great High-Priest, (Heb. 4. 14.) to adde emphasis unto this excellency. Never was there, never can there be any like to him in dignity* 1.9 and excellency. Nor Aaron, nor any other had both these titles, Great, High, given unto them. Though an High Priest under the Law were in Hebrew styled a Great Priest, (Numb. 35. 24, 28.) yet never was any called Great High Priest, but Christ only. He indeed was Great in his person, being God-man: Great in his sa∣crifice, being an humane nature united to the Divine. Great in the works that he did and continueth to do; all of them carrying a Divine value and effi∣cacy.

By the way note the intolerable arrogancy of Antichrist, that Man of sinne, who takes to himself this style, The greatest Highpriest. Two degrees higher then* 1.10 that which is attributed to Christ.

Notes

• a 1.1

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

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

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• d 1.4

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• e 1.5

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

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• g 1.7

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.8

  Duties and Dignities of the Highpriest
• * 1.9

  Christ a great▪ Highpriest.
• * 1.10

  Pontifex Maxi∣mus.