The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

This being the constant Doctrine of all the reformed Churches and Divines, it is an open Calumny whereby the contrary is ascribed unto them, or any of those who believe the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto our Justification before God. So Bellarmine affirms that no Protestant Writers acknowledge an inherent Righteousness, but only Bucer and Chemnitius when there is no one of them, by whom either the thing it self, or the necessity of it is denied. But some excuse may be made for him, from the manner whereby they expressed themselves, wherein they always carefully distinguished between inherent Holiness, and that Righteousness whereby we are justified. But we are now told by one, that if we should affirm it an Hundred times he could scarce believe us. This is somewhat severe; for although he speaks but to one, yet the charge falls equally upon all who maintain that Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ, which he denies; who being at least the generality of all Protestant Divines, they are represented either as so foolish, as not to know what they say, or so dishonest as to say one thing and believe another. But he endeavours to justify his censure by sundry Reasons; And first he says, that inherent Righteousness can on no other account be said to be ours, than that by it we are made Righteous, that is, that it is the condition of our Justification required in the new Covenant. This being denied, all inherent Righteousness is denied. But how is this proved? what if one should say, that every Believer is inherently Righteous, but yet that this inherent Righteousness was not the condition of his Justification, but rather the consequent of it, and that it is no where required in the new Covenant as the condition of our Justification, how shall the contrary be made to appear? The Scripture plainly affirms that there is such an inherent Righteousness in ⟨p. 328⟩all that believe; and yet as plainly that we are justified before God, by Faith without works. Wherefore that it is the condition of our Justification and so antecedent unto it, is expressly contrary unto that of the Apostle; unto him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his Faith is counted unto him for Righteousness, Rom. 4.5. Nor is it the condition of the Covenant it self, as that whereon the whole Grace of the Covenant is suspended.

This being the constant Doctrine of all the reformed Churches and Divines, it is an open Calumny whereby the contrary is ascribed unto them, or any of those who believe the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto our Justification before God. So Bellarmine affirms that no Protestant Writers acknowledge an inherent Righteousness, but only Bucer and Chemnitius when there is no one of them, by whom either the thing it self, or the necessity of it is denied. But some excuse may be made for him, from the manner whereby they expressed themselves, wherein they always carefully distinguished between inherent Holiness, and that Righteousness whereby we are justified. But we are now told by one, that if we should affirm it an Hundred times he could scarce believe us. This is somewhat severe; for although he speaks but to one, yet the charge falls equally upon all who maintain that Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ, which he denies; who being at least the generality of all Protestant Divines, they are represented either as so foolish, as not to know what they say, or so dishonest as to say one thing and believe another. But he endeavours to justifie his censure by sundry Reasons; And first he says, that inherent Righteousness can on no other account be said to be ours, than that by it we are made Righteous, that is, that it is the condition of our Justification required in the new Covenant. This being denied, all inherent Righteousness is denied. But how is this proved? what if one should say, that every Believer is inherently Righteous, but yet that this inherent Righteousness was not the condition of his Justification, but rather the consequent of it, and that it is no where required in the new Covenant as the condition of our Justification, how shall the contrary be made to appear? The Scripture plainly affirms that there is such an inherent Righteousness in