The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

And if this distinction should be apprehended to be of ⟨p. 281⟩Reatus, from its formal respect unto sin and punishment, it must in both parts of the Distinction be of the same signification, otherwise there is an equivocation in the subject of it. But reatus poenae is a liableness, an obnoxiousness unto punishment according to the sentence of the Law; that whereby a sinner becomes [Greek or Hebrew]. And then Reatus culpae must be an obnoxiousness unto sin, which is uncouth. There is therefore no Imputation of sin, where there is no Imputation of its Guilt. For the Guilt of Punishment, which is not its respect unto the desert of sin, is a plain fiction, there is no such thing in rerum natura. There is no Guilt of sin, but its Relation unto Punishment.

And if this distinction should be apprehended to be of ⟨p. 281⟩Reatus, from its formal respect unto sin and punishment, it must in both parts of the Distinction be of the same signification, otherwise there is an equivocation in the subject of it. But reatus poenae is a liableness, an obnoxiousness unto punishment according to the sentence of the Law; that whereby a sinner becomes 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. And then Reatus culpae must be an obnoxiousness unto sin, which is uncouth. There is therefore no Imputation of sin, where there is no Imputation of its Guilt. For the Guilt of Punishment, which is not its respect unto the desert of sin, is a plain fiction, there is no such thing in rerum natura. There is no Guilt of sin, but its Relation unto Punishment.

That therefore which we affirm herein is, That our sins were so transferred on Christ, as that thereby he became [Greek or Hebrew], Reus, responsible unto God, and obnoxious unto punishment in the justice of God for them. He was alienae culpae reus. Perfectly innocent in himself; but took our Guilt on him, or our obnoxiousness unto punishment for sin. And so he may be, and may be said to be the greatest Debtor in the World who never borrowed nor owed one farthing on his own account, if he become surety for the greatest Debt of others. So Paul became a Debtor unto Philemon, upon his undertaking for Onesimus, who before owed him nothing.