The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

3. This Inherent Righteousness, taking it for that which is habitual and actual, is the same with our Sanctification; neither is there any difference between them, only they are divers names of the same thing. For our Sanctification is the inherent Renovation of our Natures, exerting and acting it self in newness of Life, or Obedience unto God in Christ, and works of Righteousness. But Sanctification and Justification ⟨p. 216⟩are in the Scripture perpetually distinguished, whatever respect of causality the one of them may have unto the other. And those who do confound them, as the Papists do, do not so much dispute about the Nature of Justification, as endeavour to prove that indeed there is no such thing as Justification at all. For that which would serve most to enforce it, namely, the pardon of sin, they place in the exclusion and extinction of it, by the Infusion of inherent Grace, which doth not belong unto Justification.

4. By this inherent Personal Righteousness, we may be said several ways to be justified. As (1) In our own Consciences, in as much as it is an Evidence in us and unto us, of our Participation of the Grace of God in Christ Jesus, and of our Acceptance with him, which hath no small Influence into our Peace. So speaks the Apostle; Our rejoicing is this, the Testimony of our Conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly Wisdom, but by the Grace of God, we have had our Conversation in the World, 2. Cor. 1.12. who yet disclaims any confidence therein as unto his Justification before God. For saith he, although I know nothing by my self, yet am I not thereby justified, 1 Cor. 4.4. (2) Hereby may we be said to be justified before men; that is, acquitted of evils laid unto our charge, and approved as righteous and unblameable. For the state of things is so in the World, as that the Professors of the Gospel ever were and ever will be, evil spoken of as evil doers. The Rule given them to acquit themselves, so as that at length they may be acquitted and justified by all that are not absolutely blinded and hardened in wickedness, is that of an holy and fruitful walking in abounding in good works,