[5.] This body and soul were obnoxious unto all the sorrows and sufferings which our nature is liable unto, and we had deserved, as they were penal, tending unto 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 unto, the whole work of our redemption by his blood had been frustrated.
[6.] This body or human nature, thus prepared for Christ, was exposed unto 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 unto the work whereunto it was designed, 1 Pet. ii. 22; Heb. vii. 26.
[7.] This body was liable unto death; which being the sentence and sanction of the law with respect unto 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, Heb. ii. 14, 15. Had it not died, death would have borne rule over all unto eternity; but in the death thereof it was swallowed up in victory, 1 Cor. xv. 55-57.
[8.] As it was subject unto 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 unto a blessed immortality. So it became the foun- dation of all our faith, as unto things eternal, 1 Cor. xv, 17-23.
[9.] This body and soul being capable of a real separation, and , being actually separated by death, though not for any long con- tinuance, yet no less truly and really than they who have been dead
AG AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. X.
a thousand years, a demonstration was given therein of an active subsistence of thesoul in a state of separation from the body. As it was with the soul of Christ when he was dead, so shall it be with our souls in the same state. He was alive with God and unto God when his body was in the grave; and so shall our souls be.
[10.] This body was visibly taken up into heaven, and there re- sides; which, considering the ends thereof, is the great encourage- ment 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 unto the work which he had to do therein. And we may observe, that,—
Obs. X. 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 human nature so as to render it every way meet unto 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 unto 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 unto God, even the Father, unto whom he speaks these words, “A body hast thou prepared me.” As unto 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 i. 35. This work I have at large else- where declared. Wherefore it is an article of faith, that the forma- tion of the human nature of Christ in the womb of the Virgin was the peculiar act of the Holy Ghost. The holy taking of this nature unto himself, the assumption of it to be his own nature by a subsist- ence in his person, the divine nature assuming the human 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 asswmed 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 fun-
-? On the Holy Spirit, miscellaneous works, vol. iii, b. ii, ch. iii, iv.—Ep.
VER. 5-10.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 465
damentally and radically, but only terminatively, with respect unto the work wrought and effected. And we may observe, that,— Obs. XI. The ineffable but yet distinct operations of the Father, Son, and Spirit, in, about, and towards the human nature assumed by the Son, are, as an uncontrollable evidence of their distinct sub- sistence in the same individual divine essence, so a guidance unto faith as unto all their distinct actings towards us in the application of the work of redemption unto our souls—For their actings towards the members is in all things conform unto their actings towards the Head; and our faith is to be directed towards them according as they act their love and grace distinctly towards us.