The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

If this were the mind of the Apostle, that he would exclude one sort of Works, and assert the necessity of another unto the same end, why did he not once say so, especially considering how necessary it was that so he should do, to answer those objections against his doctrine which he himself takes notice of, and returns answer unto on other grounds, without the least intimation of any such distinction.

Bellarmine considereth this Testimony in three places, Lib. 1. cap. 18. Lib. 1. cap. 19. Lib. 5. cap. 5. De Justificat. And he returns three answers unto it, which contain the substance of all that is pleaded by others unto the same purpose. 1. He saith, That the Righteousness which is by the Law, and which is opposed unto the Righteousness which is by Faith, is not the Righteousness written in the Law, or which the Law requires, but a Righteousness wrought without the aid of Grace, by the knowledge of the Law alone. 2. That the Righteousness which is by the Faith of Christ, are opera nostra justa facta ex fide, our own righteous Works wrought in Faith, which others call our Evangelical Works. (3.) That it is blasphemous to call the Duties of Inherent Righteousness [Greek or Hebrew] loss and dung. But he labours in the fire with all his sophistry. For as to the first, (1.) That by the Righteousness which is by the Law, the Righteousness which the Law requires, is not intended, is a bold assertion, and expressly contradictory unto the ⟨p. 537⟩Apostle, Rom. 9.31. Chap. 10.5. In both places he declares the Righteousness of the Law to be the Righteousness that the Law requires. (2.) The Works which he excludes, he calls the Works of Righteousness that we have done, Tit. 3.5. which are the Works that the Law requires. Unto the second, I say (1.) That the substance of it, is, That the Apostle should profess that I desire to be found in Christ, not having my own Righteousness, but having my own Righteousness; for Evangelical Inherent Righteousness was properly his own. And I am sorry that some should apprehend that the Apostle in these words did desire to be found in his own Righteousness in the presence of God, in order unto his Justification. For nothing can be more contrary, not only unto the perpetual tenor and design of all his discourses, on this subject, but also unto the Testimony of all other holy Men in the Scripture, to the same purpose, as we have proved before. And I suppose there are very few true Believers at present, whom they will find to comply and join with, them in this desire of being found in their own Personal Evangelical Righteousness, or the Works of Righteousness which they have done, in their trial before God, as unto their Justification. We should do well to read our own hearts, as well as the Books of others in this matter. (2.)