Hebrews 9:27

These words may be considered relatively and absolutely. Relatively thus; "As God hath appointed that all men should once die penally for sin, and then be judged, so did he determine that Christ should once suffer penally, to expiate sin, and take away the guilt of it fully. And as after death men must appear the second time to judgment, so, after his once offering to take away sin and death, Christ shall appear the second time to bestow upon us eternal salvation."

Note here, That Christ's being offered to take away the sins of many, cannot be meant of his taking them away in the Socinian sense, to wit, by his holy doctrine, which was confirmed by his death, but of his bearing our sins by way of imputation: For this is evident from the opposition here between his first appearance and his second: Christ was once offered to bear our sins, but he shall appear. second time without sin:

Why? Did he not appear the first time without sin?

Yes, certainly he did, as to any inherent guilt; for the scripture assures us he had no sin.

What then is the meaning of the opposition, at his first coming he bore our sins; at his second coming he shall appear without sin?

The words can have no other imaginable sense but this: That at his first coming he sustained the person of sinner, and died as. sacrifice; but at this second coming he shall appear as. judge, to confer eternal life on those who are made partakers of the sacrifice of his death. Thus the words are to be considered relatively: Absolutely thus, "It is appointed for all men once to die.

Here is the first word of certainty, All men must die: Then the word of sigularity, they must once die, not often; once and but once; they die by statute and appointment. The supreme Lord of life and death appoints man his time, both for coming into the world, and going out of it; We come in at his command, and leave it at his dispose.

And after death the judgment: The word after signifies the order of time; for death goes before, and judgment follows it. The judgment is both particular of every individual person, and general and universal of all: After which follows the final, eternal, and unalterable condition of man, either in. state of misery, or felicity.

The parties judged will be angels and men; the person judging, Jesus Christ: He, by redeeming mankind, obtained right and power to judge mankind; such. Judge as the power of the mightiest cannot daunt: Such. Judge as the subtlity of the wisest cannot delude; such. Judge as the riches of the wealthiest cannot bribe: In. word, such. Judge as there is no appealing from, or repealing of his sentence.

O great day! When the stiffest knee shall bow at the tribunal of Jesus Christ, and the strongest back shall break under the insupportable burden of. Redeemer's wrath! When the Alexanders and Caesars, which once shook the earth, and made the world to tremble, shall revere and lie prostrate at the foot of Christ!

And, Lord, seeing that judgment is before us, let us seriously believe it, daily expect, duly prepare for it; let no profit tempt us, no pleasure entice us, no power embolden us, no privacy encourage us, to do that thing which we cannot account for at thy tribunal. AMEN.