Obxz ebdoxnous.
‘the apostle.
There are two reasons of this seeming repetition, “Thou wouldest not,’ ‘“‘ Thou hadst no pleasure:” 1. A repetition of the same words, or words almost of the same signification, about the same subject,.sig- nifies the determinate certainty of the removal of these sacrifices, with the disappointment and ruin of them who should continue to put their trust in them. 2. Whereas there were two things pretended unto in the behalf of these sacrifices and offerings; first, their institution by God himself; and, secondly, his acceptance of them, or being well pleased with them ; one of these words is peculiarly applied unto the former, the other unto the latter. God did neither institute them, nor ever accepted of them, unto this end of the expiation of sin, and the salvation of the church thereby. And we may observe,—
Obs. XII. It is the will of God that the church should take espe- cial notice of this sacred truth, that nothing can expiate or take away sin but the blood of Christ alone-—Hence is the vehemency of the rejection of all other means in the repetition of these words. And it is necessary for us so to apprehend his mind, considering how prone we are to look after other ways of the expiation of sin and justifica-_ tion before God. See Rom. x. 3, 4
Obs. XIII. Whatever may be the use or efficacy of any ordinances of worship, yet if they are employed or trusted unto for such ends as God hath not designed them unto, he accepts not of our persons in them, nor approves of the things themselves——Thus he declares himself concerning the most bolémn institutions of the old testament. And those under the new have been no less abused in this way than
~ those of old.
\
468 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. X.
Ver. 7—“Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God.”
This is the close of the testimony used by the apostle out of the psalmist, which in the next verses he interprets and makes applica- tion of unto his purpose. And it contains the second branch of the antithesis that he insists on. The Lord Christ having declared the will of God, and what God said unto him concerning legal sacri- fices, and their insufficiency unto the expiation of sin and the salva- tion of the church, he expresseth his own mind, will, and design, unto God the Father thereon. For it was the will and grace of God that this great work should be wrought, however he disapproved of legal sacrifices as the means thereof. For there is herein represented unto us as it were a consultation between the Father and the Son with respect unto the way and means of the expiation of sin, and the sal- vation of the church,
In the words we may consider, 1. How the Son expressed his mind in this matter: “ He saith,” “I said”’ When oron what con- sideration he so expressed himself; it was then: “Then«I said.” 3. A remark put upon what he said, in the word “ Behold.” 4, What he undertakes, or tenders himself to do in what he said; it was to do the will of God: “TI come to do thy will,” as unto that work and end with respect whereunto sacrifices were rejected. 5. The warranty that he had for this undertaking; it was no more than what the Holy Ghost had before left on record in the Serip- ture: “In the volume of the book it is written of me;” for these words do represent the mind and will of Christ upon his actual undertaking of his work, or his coming mto the world, when many prophecies and divine predictions had gone before concern- ing it.
1. The expression of his mind is in that word ¢efmo, “I said.” There is no necessity, as was before observed, that these very words should at any one season have been spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ. The meaning is, ‘This is my resolution, this is the frame of my mind and will.’ The representation of our mind, will, and desires, unto God, is our speaking to him. He needs not our words unto that end; nor absolutely do we so our- selves, upon the account of his omniscience. However, this is the work that the Lord Christ engaged his truth and faithfulness to undertake. And in these words, “I said,” he engageth himself in the work now proposed unto him. Hereon, whatever difficulties afterwards arose, whatever he was to do or suffer, there was nothing in it but what he had before solemnly engaged unto God.
And we ought, in like manner, to be faithful ‘in all the engage- ments that we make to him and for him. “Surely,” saith he, they are my people, children that will not lie.”
b Eiroy,
VER. 5-10.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 469
2. There is the season wherein he thus said: rére, “then,” or “thereon.” For it may respect either the order of the time, or the stating of the case in hand. First, it may respect an order of time. He said, “ Sacrifices and burnt-offerings thou wouldest not have. Then said I.” But it is, as I judge, better extended. unto the whole case in hand. When things were come to this pass; when all the church of God’s elect were under the guilt of sin, and the curse of the law thereon; when there was no hope for them in themselves, nor in or by any divine institution; when all things were at a loss, as unto our recovery and salvation; then