The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

But it will be said, that if our sins as to the guilt of them were imputed unto Christ, then God must hate Christ. For he hateth the guilty. I know not well how I come to mention these things, which indeed I look upon as cavils, such as men may multiply if they please, against any part of the mysteries of the Gospel. But seeing it is mentioned, it may be spoken unto. And

1. It is certain that the Lord Christ's taking on him the guilt of our sins, was an high act of Obedience unto God, Heb. 10.5, 6. And for which the Father loved him, Joh. 10.17, 18. There was therefore no reason why God should hate Christ, for his taking on him our Debt and the payment of it, in an Act of the highest Obedience unto his will. (2) God in this matter is considered as a Rector, Ruler and Judge. Now it is not required of the severest Judge, that as a Judge he should hate the guilty person, no although he be guilty Originally by Inhesion and not by Imputation. As such, he hath no more to do, but consider the guilt, and pronounce the sentence of punishment. But (3) suppose a person out of an Heroic generosity of mind should become an [Greek or Hebrew] for another, for his friend, for a good man, so as to answer for him with his life, as Judah undertook to be for Benjamin as to his liberty, which when a man hath lost, he is civilly dead, and capite diminutus, would the most cruel Tyrant under Heaven that should take away his life, in that case hate him; would he not rather admire his worth and virtue. As such an one it was that Christ suffered, and no otherwise. (4) All the force of this exception depends on the ambiguity of the word hate. For it may signify either an aversation or detestation ⟨p. 287⟩of mind, or only a will of punishing, as in God mostly it doth. In the first sense there was no ground why God should hate Christ on this Imputation of guilt unto him; whereby he became non propriae sed alienae culpae Reus. Sin inherent renders the Soul polluted, abominable, and the only Object of Divine Aversation. But for him who was perfectly Innocent, Holy, Harmless, undefiled in himself, who did no sin, neither was there guile found in his mouth, to take upon him the guilt of other sins, thereby to comply with and accomplish the design of God for the manifestation of his Glory and infinite Wisdom, Grace, Goodness, Mercy, and Righteousness, unto the certain expiation and destruction of sin, nothing could render him more glorious and lovely in the sight of God or man. But for a will of punishing in God, where sin is imputed, none can deny it, but they must therewithal openly disavow the satisfaction of Christ.