Verse 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

- 5. Therefore when he cometh into the World, he says, Sacrifice and Offering you would not; but a Body have you prepared [fitted for] me. - 6. In Burnt Offerings and Sacrifices for Sin you have had no pleasure. - 7. Then said I, Lo, I come, (in the Volume of the Book it is written of me) to do your Will O God; that I should do your Will. - 8. Above when he said, Sacrifice and Offering, and Burnt Offerings, and Offerings for Sin, you would not, neither hadst pleasure therein, which are Offered by the Law: - 9. Then said he, Lo, I come to do your Will (O God.) He taketh away the First, that he may establish the Second. - 10. By the which Will we are Sanctified, through the Offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all.

A blessed and divine context this is, summarily representing to us the love, grace and wisdom of the Father; the love, obedience and suffering of the Son; the federal agreement between the Father and the Son, as to the work of the redemption and salvation of the Church, with the blessed harmony between the Old and New Testament, in the declaration of these things. The divine authority and wisdom that evidence themselves herein, are ineffable, and do cast contempt on all those by whom this Epistle has been called in question; as sundry other passages in it do in a peculiar manner. And it is our duty to enquire with diligence into the mind of the Holy Spirit herein.

As to the general nature of the arguing of the Apostle, it consists in two parts. (1.) The introduction of a pregnant testimony out of the Old Testament to his purpose, v. 5, 6, 7, 8, and part of the 9th. (2.) Inferences from that testimony, asserting and confirming all that he had pleaded for.

In the testimony he produceth, we may consider, (1.) The manner of its introduction, respecting the reason of what is asserted; Therefore. (2.) Who it was by whom the words insisted on were spoken; He says. (3.) When he spake them; When he came into the World. (4.) The things spoken by him in general; which consist in a double antithesis. (1.) Between the legal sacrifices, and the obedience of Christ in his Body, ver. 5. (2.) Between God's acceptance of the one and the other, with their efficacy to the end treated of, which must be particularly spoken to.

1. The introduction of this testimony is by the word, therefore, for which cause, for which end. It does not give an account why the words following were spoken, but why the things themselves were so ordered and disposed: And we are directed in this word, to the due consideration of what is designed to be proved: And this is, that there was such an insufficiency in all legal sacrifices, as to the expiation of sin, that God would remove them, and take them out of the way to introduce that which was better, to do that which the Law could not do. Therefore, says the Apostle, because it was so with the Law, things are thus disposed of in the wisdom and counsel of God, as is declared in this testimony.

2. Who spake the words contained in the testimony: He says. The words may have a threefold respect.

(1.) As they were given out by inspiration, and are recorded in the Scripture. So they were the words of the Holy Ghost, as the Apostle expressly affirms of the like words, ver. 15, 16. of this Chapter.

(2.) As they were used by the penman of the Psalm, who speaks by inspiration. So they were the words of David, by whom the Psalm was composed. But although David spoke or wrote these words, yet is not he himself the person spoken of, nor can any passage in the whole context be applied to him, as we shall see in particular afterwards. Or if they may be said to be spoken of him, it was only as he bore the person of another, or was a type of Christ. For although God himself does frequently prefer moral obedience before the sacrifices of the Law, when they were hypocritically performed, and trusted to as a righteousness, to the neglect of diligence in moral duties; yet David did not, would not, ought not in his own name and person reject the worship of God, and present himself with his obedience in the room thereof, especially as to the end of sacrifices in the expiation of sin. Therefore,

(3.) The words are the words of our Lord Jesus Christ; when he cometh into the World, he says. And it is a vain enquiry, when in particular he spake these words; to whom or where any mention is made of them in the story of him. It is no way needful that they should be literally or verbally pronounced by him. But the Holy Ghost uses these words in his name as his, because they declare, express and represent his mind, design and resolution in his coming into the World, which is the sole end and use of words. On the consideration of the insufficiency of legal sacrifices (the only appearing means to that purpose) for the expiation of sin, and the making of reconciliation with God, that all mankind might not eternally perish under the guilt of sin, the Lord Christ represents his readiness and willingness to undertake that work, with the frame of his heart and mind therein.

The ascription of these words to the Lord Christ on the reason mentioned, gives us a prospect into, (1.) The love of his undertaking for us, when all other ways of our recovery failed, and were disallowed as insufficient: (2.) Into the foundation of his undertaking for us, which was the declaration of the will of God concerning the insufficiency of these sacrifices: (3.) Into his readiness to undertake the work of redemption, notwithstanding the difficulties that lay in the way of it, and what he was to undergo in the stead of the legal sacrifices.

We have the solemn word of Christ in the declaration he made of his readiness and willingness to undertake the work of the expiation of sin, proposed to our faith, and engaged as a sure anchor of our souls.

3. The season of his speaking these words in the manner declared, was, on his coming into the World; therefore coming (or when he cometh) into the World, he says, [in non-Latin alphabet], veniens or venturus; when he was to enter into the World, when the design of his future coming into the World was declared. So [in non-Latin alphabet], is, he that is to come (Matthew 11:3), and [in non-Latin alphabet] (John 4:45). That therefore may be the sense of the words; upon the first prediction of the future coming of the Son of God into the World, the design, mind and will, wherewith he came, was declared.

Refer the words to some actual coming of the person spoken of into the World, and various interpretations are given of them. When he came in sacrifices typically, say some: but this seems not to be a word accompanying the first institution of sacrifices; namely, sacrifices you would not have. His coming into the World was his appearance, and public shewing of himself to the World, in the beginning of his ministry, as David came out of the wilderness and caves to shew himself to the people, as King of Israel, says Grotius. But the respect to David herein is frivolous; nor are those words used with respect to the kingly office of Christ, but merely as to the offering himself in sacrifice to God.

The Socinians contend earnestly, that this his coming into the World, is his entrance into Heaven after his Resurrection. And they embrace this uncouth interpretation of the words, to give countenance to their pernicious error, that Christ offered not himself in sacrifice to God, in his death, or while he was in this World. For his sacrifice they suppose to be metaphorically only so called, consisting in the representation of himself to God in Heaven, after his obedience and suffering. Therefore they say that by the World which he came into, the World to come mentioned (Hebrews 2:5) is intended. But there is nothing sound, nothing probable or specious in this wresting of the words and sense of the Scripture. For, (1.) the words in the places compared are not the same. This is [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] only; those are [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], and are not absolutely to be taken in the same sense, though the same things may be intended in various respects. (2.) [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] is the habitable part of the earth, and can on no pretence be applied to Heaven. (3.) I have fully proved on that place, that the Apostle in that expression intendeth only the days and times of the Messiah, or of the Gospel, commonly called among the Jews, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] the World to come, that new Heaven and Earth, wherein righteousness should dwell. But they add that [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] itself is used for Heaven (Romans 4:13): [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], that he should be the heir of the World; that is, of Heaven, the World above. But this imagination is vain also. For Abraham's being heir of the World, is no more but his being the father of many nations: nor was there ever any other promise which the Apostle should refer to, of his being heir of the World, but only that of his being the father of many nations, not of the Jews only, but of the Gentiles also; as the Apostle explains it (Romans 15:8, 9, 10, 11, 12). Respect also may be had to the promised seed proceeding from him, who was to be the heir of all things.

That which they intend by his coming into the World, is what himself constantly calls his leaving of the World, and going out of it. See John 17:11, 12, 18, chapter 13:1: I leave the World, I am no more in the World; they are in the World. This therefore cannot be his coming into the World. And this imagination is contrary as to the express words, so to the open design of the Apostle; for as he declares his coming into the World, to be the season wherein a body was fitted for him, so that which he had to do herein, was what he had to do in this World, before his departure out of it (v. 12). Therefore this figment is contrary to common sense, the meaning of the words, the design of the place, and other express testimonies of Scripture, and is of no use, but to be an instance how men of corrupt minds can wrest the Scripture for their ends to their own destruction.

The general sense of the best expositors, ancient and modern, is, that by the coming of Christ into the World, his Incarnation is intended: see John 9:10, chapter 3:16, 17, 19, chapter 6:14, chapter 9:5, 39, chapter 11:27, chapter 12:46, chapter 16:28. The same with his coming in the flesh, his being made flesh, his being manifest in the flesh; for therein and thereby he came into the World.

Neither is there any weight in the objection of the Socinians, to this exposition of the words; namely, that the Lord Christ at his first coming in the flesh, and in his infancy, could not do the will of God, nor could these words be used of him. For, (1.) his coming into the World in the act of the assumption of our nature, was in obedience to, and for the fulfilling of the Word of God. For God sent him into the World (John 3:17). And he came not to do his own will, but the will of him that sent him. (2.) His doing the will of God, is not confined to any one single act or duty, but extends itself to all the degrees, and whole progress of what he did and suffered in compliance with the will of God, the foundation of the whole being laid in his Incarnation.

But as these words were not verbally and literally spoken by him, being only a real declaration of his design and intention; so this expression of his coming into the World, is not to be confined to any one single act or duty, so as to exclude all others from being concerned therein. It has respect to all the solemn acts of the susception and discharge of his mediatory office for the salvation of the Church. But if any shall rather judge that in this expression some single season and act of Christ is intended, it can be no other but his Incarnation, and his coming into the World thereby. For this was the foundation of all that he did afterwards, and that whereby he was fitted for his whole work of mediation, as is immediately declared. And we may observe,

(1.) The Lord Christ had an infinite prospect of all that he was to do and suffer in the World, in the discharge of his office and undertaking. He declared from the beginning his willingness to the whole of it. And an eternal evidence it is of his love, as also of the justice of God, in laying all our sins on him, seeing it was done by his own will and consent.

4. The fourth thing in the words is, what he said. The substance of it is laid down (ver. 5), to which the farther explication is added (ver. 6, 7), and the application of it to the intention of the Apostle, in those that follow.

The words are recorded (Psalm 40:6, 7, 8), being indited by the Holy Ghost in the name of Christ, as declarative of his will.

Of the First thing proposed, there are Two Parts. (1.) What concerned the Sacrifices of the Law. (2.) What concerneth himself. As to what concerneth the Sacrifices, there is, (1.) the expression of the Subject spoken of; that is, [⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩], which the Apostle renders by [⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩], sacrifice and offering. In the next Verse, the one of them, namely [⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩], is distributed into [⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩], which the Apostle renders by [⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩], burnt offerings, or whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin. It is evident that the Holy Ghost in this variety of expressions, comprises all the Sacrifices of the Law, that had respect to the expiation of sin. And as to all of them, their order, especial nature and use, I have treated at large in my Exercitations before the First Volume of this Exposition, Exercit. 24, where the reader is referred.

Of these Sacrifices it is affirmed, that God would them not, ver. 5, and that he had no pleasure in them, ver. 6. The first in the original is [⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩]; which the Apostle renders by, [⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩], you would not. We render it in the Psalm, you did not desire. [⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩] is, to will, but always with desire, complacency and delight, (Psalm 51:6). Behold [⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩], you desire, you will, or are delighted with truth in the hidden part, ver. 16. [⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩], you would not, you desire not sacrifice, (Genesis 34:11). He had delight in Jacob's daughter, (Psalm 147:10). So [⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩] the noun is, delight, (Psalm 1:2). The LXX render it generally by [⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩], and [⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩], to will, as also the noun by [⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩]. And they are of the same signification, to will freely, voluntarily and with delight. But this sense the Apostle does transfer to the other word, which he renders by [⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩], ver. 6. In the Psalm it is [⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩] you have not required. [⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩], is to rest in, to approve, to delight in, to be pleased with: so is it always used in the New Testament, whether spoken of God or men. See (Matthew 3:17), Chap. 12:18, Chap. 17:5, (Luke 3:22), Chap. 12:32, (Romans 15:26, 27), (1 Corinthians 1:21), Chap. 10:5, (2 Corinthians 5:8), (Colossians 1:19), &c. Therefore if we shall grant that the words used by the Apostle be not exact versions of those used in the Psalmist, as they are applied the one to the other, yet it is evident that in both of them the full and exact meaning of both these used by the Psalmist is declared, which is sufficient to his purpose.

All the difficulty in the words may be reduced to these two enquiries. (1.) In what sense it is affirmed that God would not have these Sacrifices, that he had no pleasure in them, that he rested not in them. (2.) How was this made known, so as that it might be declared, as it is in this place. As to the first of these, we may observe,

1. That this is not spoken of the will of God, as to the institution and appointment of these Sacrifices; for the Apostle affirms, that they were offered according to the Law, ver. 8, namely, which God gave to the people. God says indeed by the Prophet to the people, that he spoke not to their Fathers, nor commanded them in the day that he brought them out of the Land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices (Jeremiah 7:22). But he spoke not absolutely, as to the things themselves, but to their manner of the observance of them.

2. It is not with respect to the obedience of the people in their attendance to them, during the economy of the Law. For God both required it strictly of them, and approved of it in them, when duly performed: the whole Law and Prophets bore testimony hereunto. And it was the great injunction which he left with the people, when he ceased to grant any more immediate revelations of his will to the Church (Malachi 4:4). And the Lord Christ himself under the Judaical Church, did observe them.

3. God does frequently reject or disallow them in the people, as they were attended to and performed by them. But this he did only in the case of their gross hypocrisy, and the two great evils with which it was accompanied. The first was, that they did not only prefer the outward observation of them before internal moral obedience, but trusted to them, to the total neglect of that obedience. See (Isaiah 1:12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17). And the other was, that they put their trust in them for righteousness and acceptance with God; about which he deals (Jeremiah 7).

Yet neither was this the case under consideration in the Psalm. For there is no respect had to any miscarriages of the people about these Sacrifices, but to the Sacrifices themselves.

Therefore some say that the words are prophetical; and declare what the will of God would be after the coming of Christ in the flesh, and the offering of his Sacrifice once for all. Then God would no more require them nor accept them. But yet neither is this suited to the mind of the Holy Ghost. For, (1.) the Apostle does not prove by this testimony that they were to cease, but that they could not take away sin while they were in force. (2.) The reason given by the Lord Christ of his undertaking, is their insufficiency during their continuance according to the Law. (3.) This revelation of the will of God, made to the Church, was actually true when it was made and given, or it was suited to lead them into a great mistake.

The mind of the Holy Ghost is plain enough, both in the testimony itself, and in the improvement of it by the Apostle. For the legal sacrifices are spoken of only with respect to that end which the Lord Christ undertook to accomplish by his mediation. And this was the perfect real expiation of sin, with the justification, sanctification and eternal salvation of the Church; with that perfect state of spiritual worship which was ordained for it in this world. All these things these sacrifices were appointed to prefigure and represent. But the nature and design of this prefiguration being dark and obscure, and the things signified being utterly hid from them, as to their especial nature and the manner of their efficacy, many in all ages of the Church expected them from these sacrifices, and they had a great appearance of being divinely ordained to that end and purpose. Therefore this is that, and that alone, with respect whereunto they are here rejected. God never appointed them to this end, he never took pleasure in them with reference thereunto; they were insufficient in the wisdom, holiness and righteousness of God to any such purpose. Therefore the sense of God concerning them as to this end, is, that they were not appointed, not approved, not accepted for it.

2. It may be enquired, how this mind and will of God, concerning the refusal of these sacrifices to this end, might be known, so as that it should be here spoken of, as of a truth unquestionable in the Church. For the words, you would not, you took no pleasure, do not express a mere internal act of the divine will, but a declaration also of what is, and what is not well-pleasing to God. How then was this declaration made, how came it to be known? I answer,

1. The words are the words of our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, considered as to be incarnate, for the redemption of the Church. As such, he was always in the bosom of the Father, participant of his counsels; especially of those which concerned the Church, the children of men (Proverbs 8:22, 23, 24, etc.). He was therefore always acquainted with all the thoughts and counsels of God, concerning the ways and means of the expiation of sin, and so declared what he knew.

2. As to the penman of the Psalm, the words were dictated to him by immediate revelation, which if nothing had been spoken of it, or intimated before, had been sufficient for the declaration of the will of God therein; for all revelations of that nature, have a beginning when they were first made. But,

3. In, by and together with the institution of all these legal sacrifices, God had from the beginning intimated to the Church, that they were not the absolute, ultimate way for the expiation of sin, that he designed or would approve of. And this he did partly in the nature of the sacrifices themselves, which were no way competent or suited in themselves to this end, it being impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sin; partly in giving various intimations first, and then express declaration of his will, that they were only prescribed for a season, and that a time would come when their observance should utterly cease, which the Apostle proves (chapters 7 and 8); and partly by evidencing that they were all but types and figures of good things to come, as we have at large declared. By these, and sundry other ways of the like kind, God had in the institution and command of these sacrifices themselves sufficiently manifested, that he did neither design them, nor require them, nor approve of them, as to this end of the expiation of sin. Therefore there is in the words no new revelation absolutely, but only a mere express declaration of that will and counsel of God, which he had by various ways given intimation of before. And we may observe,

1. No sacrifices of the law, not all of them together, were a means for the expiation of sin, suited to the glory of God, or necessities of the souls of men. From the first appointment of sacrifices immediately after the entrance of sin, and the giving of the promise, the observation of them in one kind or another, spread itself over the whole earth. The Gentiles retained them by tradition, helped on by some conviction on a guilty conscience, that by some way or other atonement must be made for sin. On the Jews they were imposed by law. There are no footsteps of light or testimony, that those of the former sort, namely the Gentiles, did ever retain any sense of the true reason and end of their original institution, and the practice of mankind thereon, which was only the confirmation of the first promise by a prefiguration of the means and way of its accomplishment. The Church of Israel being carnal also, had very much lost the understanding and knowledge hereof. Hence both sorts looked for the real expiation of sin, the pardon of it, and the taking away of its punishment by the offering of those sacrifices. As for the Gentiles, God suffered them to walk in their own ways, and winked at the time of their ignorance. But as to the Jews, he had before variously intimated his mind concerning them, and at length by the mouth of David in the person of Christ, absolutely declares their insufficiency, with his disapprobation of them as to the end which they in their minds applied them to.

2. Our utmost diligence, with the most sedulous improvement of the light and wisdom of faith is necessary in our search into, and enquiry after the mind and will of God, in the revelation he makes of them. The Apostle in this Epistle proves by all sorts of arguments taken from the Scriptures of the Old Testament, from many other things that God had done and spoken, and from the nature of these institutions themselves, as here also by the express words of the Holy Ghost, that these sacrifices of the law, which were of God's own appointment, were never designed nor approved by him as the way and means of the eternal expiation of sin. And he does not deal herein with these Hebrews on his apostolical authority, and by new evangelical revelation, as he did with the Church of the Gentiles; but pleads the undeniable truth of what he asserts from these direct records and testimonies which themselves owned and embraced. Howbeit although the Books of Moses, the Psalms, and the Prophets were read to them, and among them continually, as they are to this day, they neither understood, nor do yet understand the things that are so plainly revealed in them. And as the great reason hereof is the veil of blindness and darkness that is on their minds (2 Corinthians 3:13, 14), so in all their search into the Scripture, they are indeed supinely slothful and negligent. For they cleave alone to the outward husk or shell of the letter, utterly despising the mysteries of truth contained therein. And so it is at present with the most of men, whose search into the mind of God, especially as to what concerns his worship, keeps them in the ignorance and contempt of it all their days.

3. The constant use of sacrifices to signify these things, which they could not effect or really exhibit to the worshippers, was a great part of the bondage that the Church was kept in under the Old Testament. And hereon, as those who were carnal, bowed down their backs to the burden, and their necks to the yoke; so those who had received the Spirit of Adoption, did continually pant and groan after the coming of him, in and by whom all was to be fulfilled. So was the law their schoolmaster to Christ.

4. God may in his wisdom appoint and accept of ordinances and duties to one end, which he will refuse and reject, when they are applied to another. So he does plainly in these words, those sacrifices which in other places he most strictly enjoins. How express, how multiplied are his commands for good works, and our abounding in them? Yet when they are made the matter of our righteousness before him, they are as to that end, namely, of our justification, rejected and disapproved.

The first part of ver. 5. declares the will of God concerning the sacrifices of the law. The latter contains the supply that God in his wisdom and grace, made of the defect, and insufficiency of these sacrifices. And this is not any thing that should help, assist or make them effectual, but somewhat brought in, in opposition to them, and for their removal.

This he expresseth in the last clause of this verse: But a body have you prepared me. The adversative, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], but, declares that the way designed of God for this end was of another nature, than those sacrifices were.

But yet this way must be such, as should not render those sacrifices utterly useless from their first institution, which would reflect on the wisdom of God by whom they were appointed. For if God did never approve of them, never delight in them; to what end were they ordained? Therefore although the real way of the expiation of sin, be in it self of another nature than those sacrifices were; yet was it such as those sacrifices were meet to prefigure and represent to the faith of the Church. The Church was taught by them that without a sacrifice there could be no atonement made for sin; therefore the way of our deliverance must be by a sacrifice. It is so, says the Lord Christ, and therefore the first thing God did in the preparation of this new way, was the preparation of a body for me, which was to be offered in sacrifice.

And in the antithesis intimated in this adversative conjunction, respect is had to the will of God. As sacrifices were that which he would not to this end, so this preparation of the body of Christ was that, which he would, which he delighted in, and was well pleased withal. So the whole of the work of Christ and the effects of it, is expressly referred to this will of God, ver. 9, 10.

And we must, first, speak to the Apostle's rendering these words out of the Psalmist. They are in the original, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], my ears have you digged, bored, prepared. All sorts of critical writers and expositors have so laboured in the resolution of this difficulty, that there is little to be added to the industry of some, and it were endless to confute the mistakes of others. I shall therefore only speak briefly to it, so as to manifest the oneness of the sense in both places. And some things must be premised thereunto.

1. That the reading of the words in the Psalm is incorrupt, and they are the precise words of the Holy Ghost. Though of late years sundry persons have used an unwarrantable boldness in feigning various lections in the Hebrew text, yet none of any judgment have attempted to conjecture at any word that might be thought to be used in the room of any one of them. And as for those which some have thought the LXX. might possibly mistake, that signify a body, as [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], which sometimes signifies a body in the Chaldee dialect, or, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], there is in neither of them any the least analogy to [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]; that they are ridiculously suggested.

2. It does not seem probable to me, that the LXX. did ever translate these words, as they are now extant in all the copies of that translation, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]. For, (1.) it is not a translation of the original words, but an interpretation, and exposition of the sense and meaning of them, which was no part of their design. (2.) If they made this exposition, they did so either by chance, as it were, or from a right understanding of the mystery contained in them. That they should be cast upon it by a mere conjecture, is altogether improbable. And that they understood the mystery couched in that metaphorical expression (without which no account can be given of the version of the words) will not be granted by them who know any thing of those translators or their translation. (3.) There was of old a different reading in that translation. For instead of [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], a body, some copies have it [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], the ears, which the Vulgar Latin follows; an evidence that a change had been made in that translation, to comply with the words used by the Apostle.

3. The words therefore in this place were the words whereby the Apostle expressed the sense and meaning of the Holy Ghost in those used in the Psalmist, or that which was intended in them. He did not take them from the translation of the LXX; but used them himself, to express the sense of the Hebrew text. For although we should not adhere precisely to the opinion, that all the quotations out of the Old Testament in the New, which agree in words with the present translation of the LXX. were by the scribes of that translation, transferred out of the New Testament into it, which yet is far more probable than the contrary opinion, that the words of the translation are made use of in the New Testament, even when they differ from the original; yet sundry things herein are certain and acknowledged. As, (1.) that the penmen of the New Testament do not oblige themselves to that translation, but in many places do precisely render the words of the original text, where that translation differs from it. (2.) That they do oftentimes express the sense of the testimony which they quote, in words of their own, neither agreeing with that translation, nor exactly answering the original Hebrew. (3.) That sundry passages have been unquestionably taken out of the New Testament, and inserted into that translation, which I have elsewhere proved by undeniable instances. And I no way doubt but it has so fallen out in this place, where no account can be given of the translation of the LXX. as the words now are in it. Therefore,

4. This is certain that the sense intended by the Psalmist, and that expressed by the Apostle, are the same or to the same purpose. And their agreement is both plain and evident. That which is spoken, is, an act of God the Father towards the Son. The end of it, is, that the Son might be fit and meet to do the will of God in the way of obedience. So it is expressed in the text, mine ears have you bored, or a body have you prepared me; then said I, Lo, I come to do your will, O God. This is the sole end why God so acted towards him: what this was, is so expressed in the Psalmist, my ears have you bored, with a double figure: (1.) a metaphor from the ear, wherewith we hear the commands we are to obey; obedience being our compliance with the outward commands of God, and the ear being the only means of our receiving those commands, there is nothing more frequent in the Scripture, than to express obedience by hearing and hearkening, as is known. Therefore the ascription of ears to the Lord Christ by an act of God, is the preparation of such a state and nature for him, as wherein he should be meet to yield obedience to him. (2.) By a Synecdoche; wherein the part is put for the whole. In his divine nature alone it was impossible that the Lord Christ should come to do the will of God, in the way whereby he was to do it. Therefore God prepared another nature for him, which is expressed synecdochically by the ears for the whole body; and that significantly, because as it is impossible that any one should have ears of any use, but by virtue of his having a body; so the ears are that part of the body, by which alone instruction to obedience, the thing aimed at, is received. This is that which is directly expressed of him (Isaiah 59:4, 5), he wakens, morning by morning, he wakens my ear to hear as the learned. The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; or, I was obedient. And so it is all one in what sense you take the word [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], whether in the more common and usual, to dig or bore, or in that whereunto it is sometimes applied, to fit and perfect. For I do not judge there is any allusion in the expression, to the law of boring the ear of the servant that refused to make use of his liberty at the year of release. Nor is the word, used in that case, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] but [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] (Exodus 21:6). But it respects the framing of the organ of hearing which is as it were bored; and the internal sense in readiness to obedience, is expressed by the framing of the outward instrument of hearing, that we may learn to obey thereby.

Therefore this is, and no other can be the sense of the words in the Psalmist; namely, that God the Father did order things towards Jesus Christ, that he should have a nature wherein he might be free, and able to yield obedience to the will of God, with an intimation of the quality of it, in having ears to hear, which belong only to a body.

This sense the Apostle expresses in more plain terms now after the accomplishment of what before was only declared in prophecy, and thereby the veil which was upon divine revelations under the Old Testament, is taken away.

There is therefore nothing remaining but that we give an exposition of these words of the Apostle, as they contain the sense of the Holy Ghost in the Psalm; and two things we must enquire into, (1.) what is meant by this body; (2.) how God prepared it.

A Body is here a Synecdochical expression of the humane nature of Christ. So is the flesh taken, where he is said to be made flesh, and the flesh and blood whereof he was partaker. For the general end of his having this Body, was, that he might therein and thereby yield obedience, or do the will of God. And the especial end of it, was, that he might have what to offer in sacrifice to God. But neither of these can be confined to his Body alone. For it is the soul, the other essential part of humane nature, that is the principle of obedience. Nor was the Body of Christ alone, offered in sacrifice to God. He made his soul an offering for sin (Isaiah 53:10), which was typified by the life that was in the blood of the sacrifice. Therefore it is said, that he offered himself to God (Hebrews 9:14; Ephesians 5:2), that is, his whole entire humane nature, soul and body, in their substance, in all their faculties and powers; but the Apostle both here and verse 10 mentions only the Body itself, for the reasons ensuing. (1.) To manifest that this offering of Christ was to be by death, as was that of the sacrifices of old; and this the Body alone was subject to. (2.) Because as the Covenant was to be confirmed by this offering, it was to be by blood which is contained in the Body alone, and the separation of it from the Body carries the life along with it. (3.) To testify that his sacrifice was visible and substantial, not an outward appearance of things, as some have fancied; but such as truly answered the real bloody sacrifices of the Law. (4.) To show the alliance and cognation between him that sanctifies by his offering, and them that are sanctified thereby: or that because the children were partakers of flesh and blood, he also took part of the same, that he might taste of death for them. For these and the like reasons does the Apostle mention the humane nature of Christ under the name of a Body only, as also to comply with the figurative expression of it in the Psalm. And they do what lies in them to overthrow the principal foundation of the faith of the Church, who would wrest these words to a new aetherial Body given him after his Ascension, as do the Socinians.

Concerning this Body, it is affirmed that God prepared it for him. You have prepared for me; that is, God has done it, even God the Father; for to him are those words spoken: I come to do your will O God, a Body have you prepared me. The coming of Christ the Son of God into the world, his coming in the flesh by the assuming of our nature, was the effect of the mutual counsel of the Father and the Son. The Father proposes to him what was his will, what was his design, what he would have done. This proposal is here repeated, as to what was negative in it, which includes the opposite positive; sacrifice and burnt offerings you would not have, but that which he would, was the obedience of the Son to his will. This proposal the Son closes with; Lo, says he, I come. But all things being originally in the hand of the Father, the provision of things necessary to the fulfilling of the will of God, is left to him. Among those the principal was, that the Son should have a Body prepared for him, that so he might have somewhat of his own to offer. Therefore the preparation of it is in a peculiar manner assigned to the Father; a Body have you prepared me. And we may observe; that

The supreme contrivance of the salvation of the Church, is in a peculiar manner ascribed to the person of the Father. His will, his grace, his wisdom, his good pleasure, the purpose that he purposed in himself, his love, his sending of his Son, are every where proposed as the eternal springs of all acts of power, grace and goodness, tending to the salvation of the Church. And therefore does the Lord Christ on all occasions declare that he came to do his will, to seek his glory, to make known his name, that the praise of his grace might be exalted. And we through Christ do believe in God even the Father, when we assign to him the glory of all the holy properties of his nature, as acting originally in the contrivance, and for the effecting of our salvation.

The furniture of the Lord Christ (though he were the Son, and in his divine person the Lord of all,) to the discharge of his work of Mediation, was the peculiar act of the Father. He prepared him a Body; he anointed him with the Spirit; it pleased him that all fullness should dwell in him. From him he received all grace, power, consolation: although the humane nature was the nature of the Son of God, not of the Father, (a Body prepared for him, not for the Father;) yet was it the Father, who prepared that nature, who filled it with grace, who strengthened, acted and supported it in its whole course of obedience.

Whatever God designs, appoints and calls any to, he will provide for them all that is needful to the duties of obedience, whereunto they are so appointed and called. As he prepared a Body for Christ; so he will provide gifts, abilities and faculties suitable to their work, for those whom he calls to it. Others must provide as well as they can for themselves.

But we must yet enquire more particularly into the nature of this preparation of the Body of Christ, here ascribed to the Father. And it may be considered two ways.

In the designation and contrivance of it. So preparation is sometimes used for predestination, or the resolution for the effecting any thing that is future in its proper season (Isaiah 30:33; Matthew 20:23; Romans 9:23; 1 Corinthians 2:9). In this sense of the word, God had prepared a Body for Christ, he had in the eternal counsel of his will determined that he should have it in the appointed time. So he was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for us (1 Peter 1:20).

In the actual effecting, ordering and creating of it; that it might be fitted and suited to the work that it was ordained to. In the former sense the Body itself is alone the object of this preparation. A Body have you prepared me, that is, designed for me. This latter sense comprehends the use of the Body also; it is fitted for its work. This latter sense it is, that is proper to this place. Only it is spoken of by the Psalmist in a prophetical style, wherein things certainly future, are expressed as already performed. For the word signifies such a preparation, as whereby it is made actually fit and meet for the end it is designed to. And therefore it is variously rendered, to fit, to adapt, to perfect, to adorn, to make meet, with respect to some especial end. You have adapted a Body to my work, fitted and suited a human nature to that I have to perform in it and by it. A Body it must be; yet not every body, no not any Body brought forth by carnal generation according to the course of nature, could effect, or was fit for the work designed to it. But God prepared, provided such a Body for Christ, as was fitted and adapted to all that he had to do in it. And this especial manner of its preparation, was an act of infinite wisdom and grace. Some instances thereof may be mentioned. As,

He prepared him such a Body, such a human nature, as might be of the same nature with ours, for whom he was to accomplish his work therein. For it was necessary that it should be cognate and allied to ours, that he might be meet to act on our behalf, and to suffer in our stead. He did not form him a Body out of the dust of the earth, as he did that of Adam whereby he could not have been of the same race of mankind with us; nor merely out of nothing as he created the Angels, whom he was not to save. See, Chapter 2, verse 14, 15, 16, and the exposition thereon. He took our flesh and blood proceeding from the loins of Abraham.

He so prepared it, as that it should be no way subject to that depravation and pollution, that came on our whole nature by sin. This could not have been done, had his Body been prepared by carnal generation, the way and means of conveying the taint of original sin, which befell our nature, to all individual persons. For this would have rendered him every way unmeet for his whole work of mediation. See (Luke 1:35; Hebrews 7:26).

He prepared him a Body consisting of flesh and blood, which might be offered as a real substantial sacrifice, and wherein he might suffer for sin, in his offering to make atonement for it. Nor could the sacrifices of old which were real, bloody and substantial, prefigure that which should be only metaphorical and in appearance. The whole evidence of the wisdom of God in the institution of the sacrifices of the law, depends on this, that Christ was to have a Body consisting of flesh and blood, wherein he might answer all that was prefigured by them.

It was such a Body as was animated with a living rational soul. Had it been only a Body, it might have suffered as did the beasts under the law, from which no act of obedience was required, only they were to suffer what was done to them. But in the sacrifice of the Body of Christ, that which was principally respected, and whereon the whole efficacy of it did depend, was his obedience to God. For he was not to be offered by others, but he was to offer himself in obedience to the will of God (Hebrews 9:14; Ephesians 5:2). And the principles of all obedience lie alone in the powers and faculties of the rational soul.

This Body and Soul were obnoxious to all the sorrows and sufferings which our nature is liable to, and we had deserved as they were penal, tending to death. Hence was he meet to suffer in our stead, the same things which we should have done. Had they been exempted by special privilege from what our nature is liable to, the whole work of our redemption by his blood had been frustrate.

This Body or human nature thus prepared for Christ, was exposed to all sorts of temptations from outward causes. But yet it was so sanctified by the perfection of grace, and fortified by the fulness of the Spirit dwelling therein, as that it was not possible it should be touched with the least taint or guilt of sin. And this also was absolutely necessary to the work whereunto it was designed (1 Peter 2:22; Hebrews 7:26).

This Body was liable to death, which being the sentence and sanction of the law, with respect to the first and all following sins (all and every one of them) was to be undergone actually by him, who was to be our Deliverer (Hebrews 2:14, 15). Had it not died, death would have borne rule over all to eternity. But in the death thereof, it was swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15:55, 56, 57).

As it was subject to death and died actually, so it was meet to be raised again from death. And herein consisted the great pledge and evidence that our dead bodies may be and shall be raised again to a blessed immortality. So it became the foundation of all our faith, as to things eternal (1 Corinthians 15:17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23).

This Body and Soul being capable of a real separation, and being actually separated by death, though not for any long continuance, yet no less truly and really than them who have been dead a thousand years, a demonstration was given therein of an active subsistence of the soul, in a state of separation from the body. As it was with the soul of Christ when he was dead, so is it with our souls in the same state. He was alive with God and to God, when his Body was in the grave; and so shall our souls be.

This Body was visibly taken up into heaven and there resides; which, considering the ends thereof, is the great encouragement of faith, and the life of our hope.

These are but some of the many instances that may be given of the divine wisdom in so preparing a Body for Christ, as that it might be fitted and adapted to the work which he had to do therein. And we may observe, that

Not only the love and grace of God in sending his Son, are continually to be admired and glorified, but the acting of this infinite wisdom, in fitting and preparing his humane nature, so as to render it every way meet to the work which it was designed for, ought to be the especial object of our holy contemplation. But having treated hereof distinctly in a peculiar discourse to that purpose, I shall not here again insist upon it.

The last thing observable in this verse, is, that this preparation of the body of Christ, is ascribed to God even the Father, to whom he speaks these words; a body have you prepared me. As to the operation in the production of the substance of it, and the forming its structure, it was the peculiar and immediate work of the Holy Ghost (Luke 1:35). This work I have at large elsewhere declared. Therefore it is an article of faith, that the formation of the humane nature of Christ in the womb of the Virgin, was the peculiar act of the Holy Ghost. The holy taking of this nature to himself, the assumption of it to be his own nature by a subsistence in his Person, the divine nature assuming the humane in the Person of the Son, was his own act alone. Yet was the preparation of this body, the work of the Father in a peculiar manner; it was so in the infinitely wise, authoritative contrivance and ordering of it, his counsel and will therein being acted by the immediate power of the Holy Ghost. The Father prepared it in the authoritative disposition of all things; the Holy Ghost actually wrought it; and he himself assumed it. There was no distinction of time in these distinct actings of the Holy Persons of the Trinity in this matter, but only a disposition of order in their operation. For in the same instant of time, this body was prepared by the Father, wrought by the Holy Ghost, and assumed by himself to be his own. And the actings of the distinct Persons, being all the actings of the same divine nature, understanding, love, and power, they differ not fundamentally and radically; but only terminatively with respect to the work wrought and effected. And we may observe, that

The ineffable, but yet distinct operation of the Father, Son and Spirit, in, about and towards the humane nature assumed by the Son, are, as an uncontrollable evidence of their distinct subsistence in the same individual divine essence; so a guidance to faith, as to all their distinct actings towards us in the application of the work of redemption to our souls. For their actings towards the members, is in all things conform to their acting towards the Head. And our faith is to be directed towards them, according as they act their love and grace distinctly towards us.