The Sufferings of Christ, Part 1 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. The Vindication of 2 Cor. 5.21.
2 Cor. 5.21. God made him to be ſin for us which knew no ſin.
Dialogu. THe meaning of theſe words is not that he was made ſin for us by Gods imputation, but that he was made ſin for us, that is to ſay, a ſacrifice for our ſin; ſin is often uſed for a ſin-offering, ſacrifices for ſin are often called ſin: the word Made is a word of Election and Ordination.
Anſw. He was made ſin for us as we were made righteouſneſſe, that is, by judiciall imputation, without the violation, yea, with the eſtabliſhing of juſtice; he was made ſin as he was made a curſe, Gal. 3.13. the Greek uſed here and there are the ſame: But he was made a curſe by judiciall imputation. Becauſe he was the ſin-offering in truth, therefore he was made ſin by reall imputation, as the legall ſin-offering was made ſinne by typical Imputation.
The ſumme of what you ſay touching the word Made to be a word of Election or Ordination (how improperly ſoever) concluding that God ordained concerning Chriſt, ſo as he might make his ſoul a ſin-offering, concludes not againſt, but conſequently for us and againſt you, from the typicall nature of a ſin-offering; Of which in the fore-going Chapter.
Dialogu. The Apoſtle doth explain the word Sin, Pſal. 40.6. thus (for ſin) Heb. 10.6. therefore ſeeing the Apoſtle doth explain the word Sin by the particle for, I may well conclude that Chriſt was not made ſin by Gods Imputation.
Anſw. What David expreſſeth by Sin Pſal. 40.6. is expreſſed by For ſin, Heb. 10.6. both places intend the ſin-offering, therefore you ſtill argue againſt your ſelf and for us: it is called a ſin-offering becauſe ſin was typically imputed to it; it is ſaid to be for ſin, becauſe it was offered for the expiation of ſin; the ſame offering is ſaid to be a ſin-offering in reſpect of its nature, and ſaid to be for ſin, that is for the expiation of ſin in reſpect of its uſe: the uſe of a thing deſtroyeth not the nature of it. The particle For beſides the taking away of ſin, notes the manner of its taking away, viz. by way of expiation.
Dialogu. The water of purification from ſin is called ſinne, Numb. 19.9. the money employed to buy the publique ſacrifice for ſinne, is called trespaſſe-money, 2 King. 12.16. and in this ſenſe God made Chriſt to be ſinne.
Anſw. The water that did typically purifie from ſin, is metonymically called ſin, Numb. 19.9. the money that was to buy the ſin-offering, 2 King. 12.16. is alſo figuratively called ſin; and Chriſt who is the tru… ſin-offering is ſaid to be made ſin, 2 Cor. 5.21. true, Therefore;
For Chriſt to be made ſin is not to have ſinne imputed to him,Vide Bezam in Gal. 3.13. is a meer non ſequitur. If Chriſt be made ſin for us in the ſame ſenſe that the water of purification and treſpaſſe-money are called ſinne: then Chriſt is made ſinne only figuratively; conſequently ſuffered for ſin figuratively not properly, the elect alſo are ſaved figuratively and not properly.
To ſay God made Chriſt to be ſin not by imputing their ſin to him, but by ordaining him to be a ſin-offering, is, as if you ſhould ſay, God made Chriſt ſin, not by imputing ſin to him, but by ordaining him to have ſin imputed to him. If ſin was imputed to him, conſequently the guilt of ſin was imputed, which we here affirm, and you deny.
Dialogu. Iſaiah tells, that Chriſt made himſelf a treſpaſs or a guilt for us, Iſa. 53.10. and if Chriſt made himſelf a treſpaſſe for us by imputing all our trespaſſes to himſelf, then he muſt likewiſe inflict upon himſelf all the curſes of the Law that are due to us for our treſpaſſes.
Anſw. If Iſaiah tels us Chriſt made himſelf a guilt for us, foreigndoubtleſſe it is a truth. The Hebrew word is not made himſelf, but if his ſoul ſhall ſet it ſelf. God chargeth Chriſt with ſin as the ſupream Law-giver and Judge: Chriſt accepts the charge as a ſurety, and ſo ſubjects himſelf to the ſatisfaction of juſtice which is the part of a ſurety; but doth not execute that juſtice which is the part of a Judge; ſo Iſaiah and Paul do not only ſweetly agree with the Leviticall phraſe, but Iſaiah, Paul, and Moſes jointly agree with us againſt you. Paul ſaith, Chriſt was made ſin, that we might be made the righteouſneſſe of God in him, Rom. 3.26. that is, that we might be juſtified: The ſame Paul ſaith, That the Beleever in Chriſt is ſo juſtified as that God is juſt, which cannot be without a judiciall imputation of the guilt and puniſhment of ſin unto the Surety. So when Paul ſaith Chriſt is made ſin, he means by judiciall Imputation of the guilt and puniſhment of ſinne. Doubtleſſe Paul to the Corinthians agreeth with Paul to the Romans.