CHAPTER XX: The perfect holiness of Christ's nature imputed to a believer
mortification is rather ascribed to the virtue and power of Christ's death, as quickening or vivification to his resurrection; because mortification hath a greater similitude with his death, as the effect useth to have with its cause. So likewise remission of sins is rather attributed to Christ's death; justification of life to his active obedience, because of the greater congruity and correspondent proportion. As a whole, Christ is made mediator; and that he might be a fit one, it was requisite that he should partake of the natures of the persons between whom he was constituted mediator, and yet both of them should coalesce into one person, but without confounding them together; so that the whole mediatorial work should proceed from both natures, should reside in both, and should be ascribed to both, both of them concurring to every work of the mediator; and the whole Christ is mediator. In like manner it is as to the work of this mediation; and so the matter is, that both the active and passive obedience in our one entire justification bears some resemblance to the two natures of Christ in one person. For since we owed both of them to the law, he performed them both; and yet in the performance they were not divided one from the other (that I may allude to that of David concerning Saul and Jonathan), but were joined with a most strait and indissoluble bond. For Christ in his life had suffering actions, and he sustained in his death active passions, as Bernard speaks. But in the imputation and application of them to us, they coalesce with almost a hypostatical union into one entire righteousness; so that our whole righteousness proceeds from both, and resides in both, and it may be attributed to both, that the whole righteousness is imputed to us.
CHAPTER XX*
That the perfect holiness of Christ's nature is imputed to a believer, to justify him against the condemnation of original sin.
The right context of Scripture is half the interpretation; and therefore I will shew the coherence of this with the foregoing chapter.
Now. These words refer to the former chapter, and it is as if he had thus spoken, 'It therefore follows from what I have said.' What had he said? He had made in his own person the lamentable complaint of a poor regenerate soul in his constant conflict; often foiled, and somewhat prevailed upon, as in ver. 23, 'The law in my members brings me into captivity to the law of sin.' But it is but the captivity of a prince, one of a prince-like spirit, though put upon drudgery to do what he hates: 'What I hate, that do I.' And for holy duties: 'I would do good,' says he, 'but find no strength for it.'
He describes here a regenerate man at his worst. It is evident he speaks of a godly man, one in Christ: 'O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me? I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord,' says this man. Therefore he is a man in Christ. It is the greatest misery in the world to such a one to be thus beset with sin. There is no cross like it, and therefore, says he, ver. 24, 25, 'O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?' Ver. 25,
'I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.' He gives thanks for that deliverance he had in his eye; that he should be delivered from the power of sin at last, and that he was freed from the guilt of it at present. And in the 25th verse he makes it clear he intends such a one (viz., a godly man): 'So then,' says he, 'I myself with the mind do serve the law of God.'
Mark then the scope: 'There is therefore now,' &c. As if he should say, If it be the case of a man in Christ, to be as I have said; if he that yet serves the law of sin in a great measure, is yet a man in Christ, because in his mind he serves the law of God; then plainly there is no condemnation to such a one; for here is the worst case you can suppose him in. I will premise two or three things.
1. That what is said between ver. 1 and ver. 5 is meant of justification.
2. That there is yet a conflict between grace and corrupt nature; and yet no condemnation. It is meant of non-condemnation for the
corruption of our nature. It might have been said, So far as a regenerate man is sinful, so far he is liable to condemnation. No, saith he, 'There is no condemnation to such a man;' for he is 'in Christ,' and shall be preserved in him.
There is no condemnation to them who walk, &c. 1. They are in Christ Jesus. 2. They walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
These two restrain non-condemnation to such. Their being in Christ is the true original ground why there is no condemnation to them.
Though their conflict be great, and corruptions strong; yet being in Christ, and flying to him for help, there is no condemnation to them
'who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.' This is a description who these are.
But does he mean it of such as are led captive by sin? Is there no condemnation of them? He must intend it of such, or he had said nothing. He is led captive; but there is a spirit of regeneration in him that works against his lusts, even in the midst of his captivity. A poor soul hath some weak resistances against sin, even whiles he commits it. There is a thread of the renewed nature still runs through him; he hath a pulse still, though it be but weak, and Jesus Christ knows it.
There is a stream of spirit runs out against sin, and that is his walk.
For otherwise, when a man has but weak resistances against sin, and is overcome, he would be out of Christ, and be in a state of condemnation.
Obs. 1. That our being in Christ, and united to him, is the fundamental constitution of a Christian. The state of a Christian is expressed so: Rom. 16:7, 'He was in Christ afore me;' that is, he was converted afore me.
Obs. 2. That union with Christ is the first fundamental thing of justification, and sanctification, and all. Christ first takes us, and then sends his Spirit. He apprehends us first. It is not my being regenerate that puts me into a right of all those privileges, but it is
Christ takes me, and then gives me his Spirit, faith, holiness, &c. It is
through our union with Christ, and the perfect holiness of his nature, to whom we are united, that we partake of the privileges of the covenant of grace.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. What is the law of the spirit of life? It is known by its opposite, sin and death, that is, inherent corruption. So then the law of the Spirit of life in Christ
Jesus is the holiness of his nature. It is called, 'the Spirit of life,' because it is the same that is in Christ. It is born of him, and this quickens us.
Why called a law? For two reasons. 1. The inherent holiness of Christ's nature is called a law in Ps. 40:8 (which is of Christ), 'Thy law is within my heart.' His delight to do God's will flowed from the writing of the law in his heart. 2. Because being in him, it had a right and authority to free us. A law has power to justify or condemn; and this law, being in Christ, has power and authority to free us, by virtue of our union with him. And if you would know what is the reason that there is no condemnation to those in Christ, notwithstanding all the remaining corruptions that are in them, it is because there is such a perfect holiness in Christ, which being mine by my union with him, frees me from the law and power of sin and death.
Hath made me free, &c. As if he should say, It is the case of all the saints; what belongs to me as a Christian, belongs to every one that is such, though ever so weak and small.
For what the law could not do. There was no remedy else. Had God made us new creatures, yet so far as corruption goes, so far had we been liable to condemnation. The law was too weak for that work, to free us from the condemnation of indwelling sin. I have a corrupt nature, and I am but flesh, and therefore can do no good upon it. A man is dead, and you will give him physic; but though it be the strongest in the world, it works not. The man is dead; that renders the strongest physic perfectly weak. And thus all the helps that are, if
given to corrupt nature, could do nothing as to the freeing you from the power of sin; but Christ is the only universal remedy, Acts 13:39.
What did God therefore do? He 'sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh.' The holiness that is in Christ's nature takes away the condemning power of original corruption in us. In the likeness of sinful flesh, that is, with all the frailties that for sin were brought upon the flesh of man. Nay, he came into the world as one that was born in sin. He took upon him the personage of one born in sin. He was circumcised; which signified the cutting off of original corruption. And his mother must be purified, as being defiled by the bearing of a sinful child. He bore our likeness every way. And the end of this was, to condemn sin in our nature. He was but the likeness of sinful flesh, yet had power to condemn that sin which is in us.
Condemned sin in the flesh. That is, he put it out of commission. If sin had its full power and authority, as by Moses' law it would have, it would condemn us; but being put out of office, it is to be executed. It is condemned by the holiness of Christ's nature; and being condemned itself, it cannot condemn you. This is in respect of corruption yet remaining, than which nothing can be more comfortable to a poor soul.
What is the ground of this assertion? There are two reasons for it.
One is, that whatever Jesus Christ did or suffered in this world for us, it hath an efficacy to free us; it is as good law as ever was. The law says, 'Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the law to do them.' And it speaks it to all that are under the law, Gal.
3:10. How is this curse removed? By as good law as that it came in by; ver. 13, 'Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.' He took sin upon himself, and so freed us.
Everything that Jesus Christ did, it was for us. He was circumcised, and this by a just law procures for us the circumcision of our corrupt nature: Col. 2:11, 'In whom also you are circumcised.' You were circumcised with him, because you you were in him, and so this his
circumcision is yours, and made good upon you. This condemned sin in your flesh. There is never a sore we have, but Christ has a plaster for it.
The other reason of it is, the ordination of the Father. God sent his own Son, and he sent him for that very purpose, for sin. What came
Christ into the world for? For sin; not to sin himself. He had not come into the world but for sin, namely, to take it away. He took away actual sin by his suffering; and original sin, by his taking on him the likeness of sinful flesh, which in him was perfectly sanctified.
And he was the Son of God. Had God created a man holy, and only put him into the world in the likeness of sinful flesh, that would not have taken away our sins. But for the Son of God to take on him our nature, that only could do it, 1 John 1:7, 'The blood of Jesus Christ his Son, cleanseth us from all sin.' The blood of angels could not have done it, but from the Son of God in our nature comes this virtue.
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us. The law had a righteousness against us; and 'whatever the law saith, it saith to them that are under the law;' and what the law saith, it saith it to sinners. Well, let the law say what it will, Christ answers it. It says,
You are a sinner. Well, but Jesus Christ was made sin for me. You are under the curse. True, but Jesus Christ was made a curse for me, that I might be made the righteousness of God in him. The law is answered here again. There be three parts of justification. First, The taking away of actual sin; this is handled in chap. 3 ver 24, 'All have sinned,' &c. His passive obedience takes away the guilt of actual sin.
But, secondly, we ought to have an actual righteousness reckoned to us. This is handled in Rom. 5:18, 'As by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all unto justification of life.' The active obedience of Jesus Christ made many righteous. Justification lies not only in pardon of sin, but in the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and imputed to us as Adam's sin was.