The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

2. The Lord Christ voluntary susception of the state and condition of a surety, or undertaker for the Church, to appear before the Throne of Gods Justice for them, to answer whatever was laid unto their charge, was required hereunto. And this he did absolutely. There was a concurrence of his own Will in and unto all those Divine Acts whereby he and the Church were constituted one mystical person. And of his own Love and Grace did he as our surety stand in our stead before God, where he made Inquisition for sin; He took it on himself, as unto the punishment which it deserved. Hence it became just and righteous that he should suffer, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us unto God. For if this be not so, I desire to know what is become of the Guilt of the sins of Believers; If it were not transferred on Christ, it remains still upon themselves, or it is nothing. It will be said that Guilt is taken away by the free pardon of sin. But if so, there was no need of punishment for it at all; which is indeed what the Socinians plead, but by others is not admitted. For if punishment be not for Guilt, it is not punishment.

But it is fiercely objected against what we have asserted, that if the Guilt of our sins was imputed unto Christ, then was he constituted a sinner thereby; for it is the Guilt of sin that makes any one to be truly a sinner. This is urged by ⟨p. 283⟩Bellarmin; lib. 2. de Justificat. not for its own sake, but to disprove the Imputation of his Righteousness unto us, as it is continued by others with the same design. For, saith he, if we be made Righteous, and the Children of God through the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ, then was he made a sinner, & quod horret animus cogitare, filius Diaboli; by the Imputation of the Guilt of our sins, or our Unrighteousness unto him. And the same Objection is pressed by others, with instances of consequences, which for many Reasons I heartily wish had been forborne. But I answer,

But it is fiercely objected against what we have asserted, that if the Guilt of our sins was imputed unto Christ, then was he constituted a sinner thereby; for it is the Guilt of sin that makes any one to be truly a sinner. This is urged by