(1.) David is not at all intended in these words of the psalmist, any otherwise but as he was the penman of the Holy Ghost, and a type of Christ, on which account he speaks in his name, They are the words of Christ, which David was inspired by the Holy Ghost to declare and utter. Neither would David speak these words concerning himself; because he that speaks doth absolutely prefer . his own obedience, as unto worth and efficacy, before all God’s holy institutions: he presents it unto God, as that which is more useful unto the church than all the sacrifices which God had ordained. This David could not do justly.
‘VER. 5-10.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 473
(2.) There is nothing spoken in this place of Deuteronomy con- cerning the sacerdotal office, but only of the regal. And in this place of the psalmist there is no respect unto the kingly office, but only unto the priesthood; for compariscn is made with the sacrifices of the law. But the offering of these sacrifices was expressly for- bidden unto the kings; as is manifest in the instance of king Uzziah, 2 Chron. xxvi. 18-20. Besides, there is in that place of Deuter- * onomy no more respect had unto David than unto Saul, or Jeroboam, or any other that was to be king of that people. There is nothing in it that belongs unto David in a peculiar manner.
(8.) The words there recorded contain a mere prescription of duty, no prediction of the event; which for the most part was contrary unto what is required. But the words of the psalmist are a prophecy, a divine prediction and promise, which must be actually accom- plished. Nor doth our Lord Christ in them declare what was pre- scribed unto him, but what he did undertake to do, and the record that was made of that undertaking of his.
(4.) There is not one word in that place of Moses concerning the removal of sacrifices and burnt-offerings; which, as the apostle de- clares, is the principal thing intended in those of the psalmist. Yea, the contrary, as unto the season intended, is expressly asserted ; for the king was to read in the book of the law continually, that he might observe and do all that is written therein, a great part whereof consists in the institution and observation of sacrifices.
(5.) This interpretation of the words utterly overthrows what they dispute for immediately before; that is, that the entrance mentioned of Christ into the world, was not indeed his coming into this world, but his going out of it, and entering into heaven. For it cannot be denied but that the obedience of reading the law continually, and doing of it, is to be attended unto in this world, and not in heaven; and this they seem to acknowledge, so as to recall their own expo- sition. Other absurdities, which are very many in this place, I shall not insist upon.
"Ey xepurios, we with many others render, in answer unto the Hebrew, “in the volume” or “roll.” Ribera contends that this translation of the word, “the volume” or “roll of the book,” is absurd: “ Because,” saith he, “the book itself was a volume or a roll ; and so it is as if he had said, in the roll of the roll.” But 722, which we translate a “hook,” doth not signify a book as written in a roll, but only an enunciation or declaration of any thing. We now call any book of greater quantity a volume. But D319 is properly a “roll;” and the words used by the psalmist do signify that the declaration of the will of God made in this matter was written in a roll, the _ roll which contains all the revelations of his mind. And the word used by the apostle is not remote from this signification, as may be
474 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [ CHAP. X.
seen in sundry classic authors;—xegadic, “ volumen;” because a roll is made round, after the fashion of the head of a man. ‘ As the book itself was one roll, so the head of it, the beginning of it, amongst the first things written in it, is this recorded concerning the coming of Christ to do the will of God. This includeth both senses of the word; in the head, in the beginning of the roll, namely, of that part of the Scripture which was written when David penned this psalm. Now this can be no other but the first promise, which © is recorded, Gen. ii. 15. Then it was first declared, then it was first written and enrolled, that the Lord Christ, the Son of God, should be made of the seed of the woman, and in our nature come to do the will of God, and to deliver the church from that woful estate whereinto it was brought by the craft of Satan. In this pro- mise, and the writing of it in the head of the volume, lies the veri- fication of the psalmist’s assertion, “In the volume of the book it is written.” Howbeit the following declarations of the will of God herein are not excluded, nor ought so to be. Hence are we herein directed unto the whole volume of the Law; for indeed it is nothing but a prediction of the coming of Christ, and a presignification of what he had to do. ‘That book which God has given to the church as the only guide of its faith,—the Bible; (that is, the book, all other books being of no consideration in comparison of it;) that book wherein all divine precepts and promises are enrolled or recorded: | in this book, in the volume of it, this is the principal subject, espe- cially in the head of the roll, or the beginning of it, namely, in the first promise, it is so written of me.” God commanded this great truth of the coming of Christ to be so enrolled, for the encouragement of the faith of them that should believe. And we may observe, that,— Obs. XVIII. God’s records in the roll of his book are the foundation and warranty of the faith of the church, in the Head and members. Obs. XIX. The Lord Christ, in all that he did and suffered, had continual respect unto what was written of him. See Matt. xxvi. 24. . Obs. XX. In the record of these words, (1.) God was glorified in his truth and faithfulness. (2.) Christ was secured in his work, and the undertaking of it. (8.) A testimony was given unto his person and office. (4.) Direction is given unto the church, in all wherein they have to do with God, what they should attend unto,—namely, what is written. (5.) The things which concern Christ, the mediator, are the head of what is contained in the same records.