Body of Divinity, Book 7 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. II. Imputation of Christs Righteousness.
TO impute in the general is to acknowledge that to be anothers which is not indeed his, and it is used either in a good or bad sense; so that it is noThe Gospel brings in commutationem personae, but not justitiae. more then to account or reckon. It is the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to us and accepted for us by which we are judged righteous. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth right co…snesse without works, and again, that justifieth the ungodly.
There is no appearing before God without the righteousnesse of Christ, Revel. 19. 8.
If we be sinners by the imputation of Adams sin, then are we also righteous by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse, Rom. 5. 12, 19. because his disobedience isBellarm de amiss. grat. & statu peccati. l. 4. c. 10. How can it stand with reason that they by the Popes indulgences should be made partakers of the merits and good works one of another, and it be against reason, that we by the Ordinance of God should be made partakers of the merits and righteousnesse of Jesus Christ? Abbot against Bishop. imputed to us. Peccatum Adami it a posteris omnibus imputatur, ac si omnes idem peccatum patravissent.
There is some difference between the imputation of our sins to Christ, and his righteousnesse to us, for though our sinne was by imputation his, as his righteousnesse by imputation ours; yet the manner of this imputation is not to be urged, as Bellarmine would stretch it by our tenets, as by Christs righteousnesse imputed to us, we are righteous truly though not inherently, yet Christ by our sins cannot be called a sinner truly, he was reckoned among sinners, and God laid our sins upon him, yet he cannot be called a sinner, because he took our sins upon him not to abide but vanquish them, he so took them on him that he took them away, but his righteousnesse is so made ours as that it is to abide in us.
Object. The righteousnesse of Christ as it flows from him being God and man is infinite, but we need no infinite righteousnesse, for we are not bound to do any more then Adam was, he was not bound to be infinitely righteous.
Answ. Christ must needs have infinite righteousnesse to be a Mediatour, and to satisfie the justice of God, but for that righteousnesse which is communicated to us, it is so farre given as we need it, therefore some partake of it more, some lesse.Marks to try whether we have Christs righteousnesse. See M. Cotton on 1 Joh. 5. 12. Serm. 7. p. 101, 102, 103.
Three things will help us to judge whether we have Christs righteousnesse:
1. If thou laist hold upon Christ by faith, and choosest him to be thy Lord, and adherest to him with all thy heart.
2. If thou loathe thy self in thy approaches to God, as the Publicane, Luke 18.
3. Where ever Christ puts on the soul imputed righteousnesse, he fails not to give inherent, 1 Cor. 5. 11. Tit. 3. 5, 6.
Means to get the righteousnesse of Christ:
1. Labour to be thorowly convinced of thy own miserable condition, what a vile sinner thou art, Rev. 3. lat. end.
2. Study much the holinesse and purity of Gods nature, Iob 42.
3. Study much Christs righteousnesse. See Mr Burr. on Matth 5. 6. 1. How beautiful a garment is the righteousnesse of God. 2. Christs willingnesse to have thee put it on by faith.
4. Put it on by faith, rely on Christ, venture thy soul on him.
Whether God sees sin in justified persons.But the thing that David did displeased the Lord.
God is not so affected with the sins of his people (to whom he is reconciled) as to be an enemy to them for them, but he is angry with them for their sins, Exod. 4. 14. Deut 9. 20. reproves them, Numb. 12. 8. and often punisheth them for them, 2 Kings 12. 10, 11, 14. 1 Cor. 11. 30, 32. they are said to be committed in his sight, Psal. 51. 4.
That Text Numb. 23. 21. is sufficiently vindicated from the Antinomians by M. Gataker in his Treatise on the Text, and *Vide ejus Cinnum l. 2. c. 4. Tenenda est Iustificatio duplex, personae altera, altera sacti. Iustificatio personae est qua acceptum habet Deus hominem ad vitam aeternam, quae revocari aut rescindi nunquam potest. Qua certè manente, damnat tamen Deus justificatorum & siliorum suorum facta malè, & usque adeo non justificat ut gravissimè nonnunquam puniat, & punienda praecipiat, iisque mortem aliquando infligat, 1 Cor. 11. 30. Serva…a interim misericordia illa aeterna, quae in Iustificatione per Spiritum Sanctum consignata est. Abbot. in Thomps. Diat. &c. cap. 16.elswhere. That place Hab. 1. 3. & 13. agrees with that in Numbers, Videt visione contemplationis, non visione comprobationis, He sees it because he beholds it, but not without displeasure and detestation, although he bear for a time.
God could bestow such a measure of grace on his people, and so guide them with his Spirit that they should not sin, but he doth not dispense his grace and Spirit in such a measure as to keep his people free from sin, for then they should have no use of the Lords Prayer to beg remission of sins. The Priests in the Old Testament offered first for their own sins, and then for the sins of others; and Christ taught the Apostles in the New Testament to pray, Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debters.