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, Tnyrr D^ny, ' the world to come,' that new hea-
ven and earth wherein righteousness should dwell. But they add that
Koa/mog itself is used for heaven, Rom. iv. 13. To kAjjoovojuov civtov
tiviu tov (cod/xou, ' 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 unto, 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, Rom. xv. 8 — 12. Re-
spect also may be had unto 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 calleth his leaving of the world, and going out of it. See
John xvii. 11, 12, 18, xiii. 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 unto 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
236 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CH. X.
him, so that which he had to do herein Was what he had to do in this
world, before his departure out of it, ver. 12. Wherefore 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 unto 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 i. 10, iii. 16, 17, 19, vi. 14, ix. 5, 39, xi. 27, xii. 46, xvi.
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
unto 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
unto, and for the fulfilling of the word of God. For, ' God sent him
into the world,' John iii. 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 unto any one single act or duty, but extends itself unto all
the degrees, and whole progress of what he did and suffered in com-
pliance 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 ex-
pression, of his coming into the world, is not to be confined unto any
one single act or duty, so as to exclude all others from being concerned
therein. It hath respect unto 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,
Obs. II. 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 under-
taking. — He declared from the beginning his willingness unto 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. Unto which the farther explication is added,
ver. 6, 7. And the application of it unto the intention of the apostle,
in those that follow. The words are recorded Ps. xl. 6 — 8, being in-
dited by the Holy Ghost in the name of Christ, as declarative of his
will.
Of the first thing proposed there are two parts. First. What con-
cerned the sacrifices of the law. Secondly. What concerneth himself.
First. As to what concerneth the sacrifices, there is,
1 . The expression of the subject spoken of, that is, rrTOtt*! rm, which
VER. 5 — 10.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 237
the apostle renders by Svoia kui irpoatyopa, ' sacrifice and offering.' In
the next verse, the one of them, namely, Svata, is distributed into Ttbvj
STKEfffl, which the apostle renders by oXoKavTwpara icat Trepi afiaprtag,
' burnt-offerings, or whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sin.' It is
evident that the Holy Ghost, in this variety of expressions, compriseth
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, (Exercit. 24,) whither the reader
is referred.
2. Of these sacrifices, it is affirmed, ou/c ifieXriaag, that God ' would
them not,' ver. 5, and that ' he had no pleasure in them,' ver. 6. The first
in the original is njJDn nb, which the apostle renders by ovk rfisXricrag,
' thou wouldst not.' We render it in the Psalm, ' thou didst not de-
sire.' ytm is 'to will,' but always with desire, complacency, and
delight. Ps. li. 6, ' Behold,' TODn, ' thou desirest,' 'thou wilt,' or ' art
delighted with truth in the hidden part,' ver. 16. ysrrn xb, ' thou
wouldst not,' 'thou desiredst not,' 'sacrifice.' Gen. xxxiv. 19, 'he
had delight in Jacob's daughter.' Ps. cxlvii. 10. So ysn the noun, is
' delight,' Ps. i. 2. The LXX. render it generally by tStXw, and
S'tXw, ' to will,' as also the noun by SrcXrj/ua. And they are of the same
signification, 'to will freely, voluntarily,' and 'with delight.' But this
sense the apostle doth transfer to the other word, which he renders by
£vdoKr,
EuSoiaw, 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 Matt. iii. 17, xii. 18, xvii. 5; Luke iii. 22, xii. 32;
Rom. xv. 26, 27; 1 Cor. i. 21, x. 5 ; 2 Cor. v. 8; Col. i. 19, &c.
Wherefore, though we grant that the words used by the apostle are not
exact versions of those used by 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 inquiries.
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.
First. 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, ver. 8, that
1 they were offered according to the law,' namely, which God gave to
the people. God says indeed by the prophet to the people, that ' he
spake not to their fathers, nor commanded them in the day that he
brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt-offerings and
saeiifices,' Jer. vii. 22. But he spake 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 at-
tendance 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 bare testimony hereunto.
238 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CH. X.
And it was the great injunction which he left with the people, when he
ceased to grant any moi*e immediate revelations of his will to the church,
Mai. iv. 4. And the Lord Christ himself under the Judaical church did
observe them.
3. God doth 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 wherewith it was
accompanied. The first was, that they did not only prefer the outward
observance of them before internal moral obedience, but trusted to
them, to the total neglect of that obedience. See Isa. i. 12 — 17. And
the other was, that they put their trust in them for righteousness and
acceptance with God, about which he deals, Jer. vii. Yet neither was
this the case under consideration in the Psalm. For there is no re-
spect had to any miscarriages of the people about these sacrifices, but
to the sacrifices themselves.
Wherefore, 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 doth not prove by
this testimony that they were to cease, but that they could not take
away sin whilst 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 use made of it by the apostle. For the legal sacrifices
are spoken of only with respect to that end which the Lord Christ un-
dertook to accomplish by his mediation. And this was the perfect real
expiation of sin, with the justification, sanctification, and eternal salva-
tion 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. Wherefore this is that, and that alone, with re-
spect 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. Wherefore the sense of God concerning them as to
this end is, that they were not appointed, not approved, not accepted
for it.
Secondly. It may be inquired, how this mind and will of God, con-
cerning 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, ' thou wouldest not,' 'thou tookest no plea-
sure,' do not express a mere internal act of the divine will, but a decla-
VER. 5 — 10.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 239
ration 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,' Prov. viii. 22 — 24, &c. 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 in-
timated 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 sacri-
fices, God had from the beginning intimated to the church, that they
were not the absolute ultimate way for the expiation of sin, that he de-
signed 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 first giving various intimations,
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, ch. vii. and viii. ; 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 (lie like kind, God had, in the institution and command of these sa-
crifices themselves, sufficiently manifested, that he did neither design
them, nor require them, nor approve of them, as to this end of the ex-
piation of sin. Wherefore 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,
Obs. III. 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 neces-
sities of the souls of men. — From the first appointment of sacrifices,
immediately after the entrance of sin and the giving of the promise, the
observance 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 the Gentiles did ever retain
any sense of the true reason and end of their original institution, and of
the practice of mankind thereon, which was only the confirmation of
the first promise, by a prefiguration of the means and way of its accom-
plishment. 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 Buffered them to walk in their own ways, and winked at the time
240 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CH. X.
of their ignorance. But as to the Jews, he had before variously inti-
mated 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.
Obs. IV. Our utmost diligence, with the most sedulous improvement
of the light and wisdom of faith, is necessary in our search into and in-
quiry 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 institu-
tions 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 doth not deal herein with these He-
brews 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 them-
selves owned and embraced. Howbeit, although the books of Moses,
the Psalms, and the prophets were read to them and among them con-
tinually, as they are to this day, they neither understood nor do yet un-
derstand 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 Cor. iii. 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 wor-
ship, keeps them in the ignorance and contempt of it all their days.
Obs. V. 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 testa-
ment. 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 unto Christ.
Obs. VI. 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 doth 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 disap-
proved.
Secondly. 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 sa-
crifices. And this is not any thing that should help, assist, or make
VER. 5 — 10.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 341
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 hast
thou prepared me.' The adversative Se, ' 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 sa-
crifices 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 ? Wherefore, although the real way of the expiation of sin be
in itself 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 ; wherefore the way of our deli-
verance must be by a sacrifice. It is so, saith 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, are expressly referred
to this will of God, ver. 9, 10.
And we liiust first speak to the apostle's rendering these words out of
the Psalmist. They are in the original *b jt-d s 3tn, 'mine ears hast
thou digged,' ' bored,' ' prepared.' All sorts of critical writers and ex-
positors 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 con-
fute the mistakes of others. 1 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 lec-
tions 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 nm, which sometimes
signifies ' a body' in the Chaldee dialect, or m:, there is in neither of
them any the least analogy to tnw, that they are ridiculously sug-
gested.
2. It doth not seem probable unto me, that the LXX. did ever trans-
late these words, as they are now extant in all the copies of that trans-
lation, 2wjua §e KarrjprKTd) fxoi. 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
VOL. TV. R
242 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CH. X.
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 awfia, a ' body,' some copies have it ojria,
* 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 unto 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, trans-
ferred 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
unto 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, rtor exactly
answering the original Hebrew. 3. That sundry passages have been un-
questionably 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 hath 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. Wherefore,
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 as
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 has thou bored,
or a body hast thou prepared me ; then said I, Lo, I come to do thy
will, O God.' This was the sole end why God so acted towards him.
What this was, is so expressed in the Psalmist, ' mine ears hast thou
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