even "to take away death," as far as it was penal; as after death men must appear again the second time to judgment, to undergo condemnation; so Christ after his once offering to take away sin and death, shall appear the second time to free us from judgment, and to bestow on us eternal salvation. Wherefore, there is in these verses an entire opposition and comparison between the law, and the gospel; the curse due to sin, and redemption by Christ Jesus.

§3. But we proceed with the interpretation of the words: (Atonela, statutumest) it is appointed, deter mined, enacted. God himself has thus appointed it; none else can determine these thsngs; and the word equally respects both parts of the assertion, death and judgment, being both equally from the constitution of God.

Death was so far natural from the beginning, as that the frame and construction of our nature were in themselves liable and subject to it; but that it should have actually invaded our nature unto its dissolution, without the intervention of sin its meritorious cause, is contrary to the "original state of our relation to God," the nature of the covenant whereby we were obliged to obedience, the promised reward, with the threatening of death in case of disobedience. Wherefore the law, statute, or constitution here referred to, is, Gen. ii, 17; iii, 19, "In the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die-dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." Thus it is appointed (ev@pañois) to men, all men indefinitely; it is their lot and portion; not merely as men, but as sinful men; for it is of sin and its effects, with their removal by Christ, the apostle discourseth; it is appointed for them (azobave) to die, i. e. penally for sin, as death was threatened in that penal statute mentioned in the curse of the law; and death un

der that consideration alone is taken away by the death of Christ. The sentence of dying naturally is continued towards all; but the moral nature of dying, with its consequences, are removed from some by Christ. The law is not absolutely reversed; but what was formally penal in it is taken away.

§4. The second part of the assertion is; "but after this the judgment." This by the same divine and unalterable constitution, is "appointed unto all." God hath "appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteousness." Nothing shall interpose between death and judgment to make any alteration in the state or condition of any. The souls of them who are dead are yet alive, but are utterly incapable of any change in their condition between death and judgment; as death leaves men, so shall judgment find them. But we should observe that judgment here is opposed to the second appearance of Christ to the salvation of believers, which is the general judgment of all at the last day, and not what passes at death. (Kpois or xpia) judgment, used with respect to this day, signifies a condemnatory sentence only; for (avaslaois xpicεws) the resurrection of judgment, is opposed to (avaolaois Sans) the resurrection of life, John v, 29; see ver. 22-24; so "judgment," that is, condemnation for sin, follows after death in the righteous constitution of God, by the sentence of the law. And as Christ by his death doth not take away death absolutely, but only as it was penal; so on his second appearance, he doth not take away judgment absolutely, but only as it is a condemnatory sentence, with respect to believers; "for as we must all die, so we must all appear before his judgment seat," Rom. xiv, 10. But as he hath promised that those who believe in him, "shall not see death;" for they are passed from death unto life; that

is, as it is penal; so also hath he said, that they shall not come (εis apiaiv) to judgment, John v, 24; the condemnatory sentence of the law; for the nature and manner of this judgment, see the Exposition on chap. vi, ver. 5.

$5. (II.) We came to declare the use and end of the offering of Christ. (Oula) so, in like manner, as a divine remedy against the other state of things, in a blessed condecency to divine wisdom, goodness, and grace, Christ "was offered," that is, he was not only the priest who offered, but the sacrifice that was offer ed; both were necessary, and the reason why it is here so expressed, is, because his offering is spoken of as it was by death and suffering. It was (anak) once only, this joined, as it is here, with a word of the preter tense, can signify nothing but an action or passion, then past and determined. It is not any present continued action of Christ, such as the presentation of himself in heaven, that can be here signified.

and

§6. The end of Christ's being thus once offered, and which, as one offering perfectly effected, was, (EI TI πολλων αμαρτιας ανενεγκειν) to bear the sins of many. There is an antithesis between (Thλwv) of many, (aveparois) to men in the verse foregoing. "Men," expressed indefinitely in that proposition, intends all men universally; but the relief by Christ, though it be exhibited to men indefinitely, extends not to all univer sally, but to many of them only; that it doth not extend to all eventually is confessed; and this expression is declarative of the intention of God, or of Christ himself in his offering; see Ephes. v, 25, 26; he was thus offered for those many, to "bear their sins." The sig nification of the word (avaɛpw) is determined by the apostle Peter, by whom alone it is used on the same occasion, 1 Ephes. ii, 24; (os tas apaplias nuwe avios

ανήνεγκεν εν το σωματι αυτ8 επι το ξυλον) "who himself bare our sins in his own body on the tree." That place, compared with this, utterly everts the Socinian fiction of the oblation of Christ in heaven. He was offered (avevɛynɛi) “to bear the sins of many;" when and how did he do it? (avveyne) "he bear our sins in his own body on the tree;" wherefore, then he offered himself for them; and in his suffering; moreover, wherever in the Old Testament the corresponding Hebrew term (*) is translated by the present word (ava❤ɛpw) in the Septuagint, as Numb. xlv, 33; Isa. liii, 12; or by its root (epa) to bear with reference to sin, it constantly signifies to. bear the punishment of it; and this is not opposed to the appearance of men before God at the last day, but to their death, which they were once to undergo.

$7. (III.) Let us now consider the consequence of Christ's offering; "and unto them that look for him, he shall appear the second time without sin unto salvation." The second time; the first was his coming in the flesh, to make atonement for sin in the sacrifice of himself; the second, his coming in glory, to judge all, when he shall completely finish the eternal salvation of the church. (08σelai) He shall appear to, he shall be seen of; there shall be a public sight of him: he was seen on earth in the days of his flesh; but he is now in heaven, within the veil of that glory which we cannot look into. The heavens must receive him "until the time of the restitution of all things." He can indeed appear to whom he pleaseth, by an extraordinary dispensation; so he was seen of Stephen "standing at the right hand of God," Acts vii; so he appeared to Paul, 1 Cor. xv, 8. But as to the state of the church in general, and in the discharge of his mediatorial office, he is not seen of any. So the high priest

was not seen of the people after his entrance into the holy place until he came out again. Even concerning the person of Christ, "we live by faith and not by sight." And it is the great exercise of faith to live on the invisible actings of Christ on the behalf of the church. The foundation of it consists in our infallible certainty and expection of his second appearance, and of our seeing him again, Acts i, 11, yea, “we know that our Redeemer liveth," and we shall see him with our eyes; whilst he is thus invisible, the world triumphs as if he were not; "where is the promise of his coming?" And indeed the faith of many, who profess to believe on him, is weak; they cannot live upon his invisible actings. But here is the faith and patience of the church, of all sincere believers; in the midst of discouragement, reproaches, temptations, and sufferings they can relieve their souls with this, that "their Redeemer liveth, and that he shall appear again the second time," in his appointed season. Hence their continual prayer, the prayer of faith; "even so come Lord Jesus."

$8. To whom shall he thus appear? Of whom shall be be thus seen? (Tois avlov añodexouεvois) to them that look for him. His second illustrious appearance shall fill the whole world with its beams; the whole rational creation of God shall behold him. But the apostle treats of his appearance here with respect to the salvation of them to whom he appears; and this word, “unto salvation," is capable of a double explication; for it may refer either to them that look to be saved by him; or, to his appearance for their salvation; the sense is good either way; the manner of his appearance is (xwpis applies) without sin. This may respect, either himself, or the church, or both. In his first appearance he was in himself without sin; but his