must be remembered that the sins of the whole world were Christ's by imputation^; and therefore they might justly draw from him that complaint.
In the Psalm David speaks in the person of Christ, whom he represents as addressing the Father to this effect: ' Thou didst 7iever design the legal sacrifices to take away siji ; that Q-ffice thoxi hast assigned to me : and I have most willingly undertaken it, nor will ever relinquish my services till I have completed all that I have undertaken.^
That the sacrifices were never ordained to take away sin is plain, from the contempt poured upon them by God himself in comparison of moral duties'* ; yes, and absolutely too, if un- accompanied with suitable dispositions in the offerers*'.
That Christ was sent into the world for that end appears also from the very first promise made to man, that " the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head*^."
That he willingly undertook the office is declared by David much more strongly than in the passage as quoted by the Apostle. In the passage as quoted in my text, it is merely said, " I come to do thy will, O God :" but in the Psalm it is written, " Lo, I come ; / delight to do thy will, 0 my God ; yea thy law is within my heart" All which additional ex- pressions shew the zeal with which Christ undertook our cause, and executed the arduous work that was assigned him.
That he would never relinquish it till it was accomplished was also strongly declared in those words, " Mine ears thou hast opened," which refer to the custom of boring the ear of a servant who refused to be liberated at the day of release, and engaged to abide for ever in his master's service^. The Apostle, in citing the passage, varies it in words, though he adheres to it in sense. He says, " A body hast thou prepared me ;" that is. It was necessary to the completion of my under- taking, that I should have somewhat to offer in sacrifice ; and therefore thou hast prepared for me a body in the womb of a pure virgin, that being free from the taint and corruption transmitted to all the posterity of Adam, it might be fit to be offered in sacrifice for the sins of the whole world ^.
But, to the inconceivable advantage of the Church, the Apostle brings forth from David's words,]
2. What is implied in them —
[Here we see the benefit of having an inspired commen- tator on the Old Testament. No Jew could have conceived
•'' Isai. liii. 6. ^1 Sam. xv. 22. Hos. vi. 6.
<= Isai. i. 11 — 14. and Ixvi. 3. ^ Gen. ill. 15.
p Exod. xxi. 5, G.
f The Apostle's meaning is precisely expressed, Phil. ii. 6 — 8.