The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

Only Christ hath deserved by his Righteousness, that our Righteousness may be so accepted, and is therefore as unto the End of our Justification before God, subordinate thereunto.

But to return from this Digression, and to proceed unto our Argument. This personal inherent Righteousness which according to the Scripture we allow in Believers, is not that whereby, or wherewith, we are justified before God. For it is not perfect, nor perfectly answereth any Rule of Obedience that is given unto us, and so cannot be our Righteousness before God unto our Justification. Wherefore we must be justified by the Righteousness of Christ imputed unto us, or be justified without respect unto any Righteousness, or not be justified at all. And a threefold imperfection doth accompany it.

First, as to the Principle of it, as it is habitually resident in us. For (1) There is a contrary principle of sin abiding with it in the same subject whilst we are in this World. For contrary Qualities may be in the same subject whilst neither of them is in the highest Degree. So it is in this case, Gal. 5.17. For the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the Flesh, and these are contrary one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. (2) None of the Faculties of our Souls are perfectly renewed whilst we are in this World. The inward man is renewed day by day, 2 Cor. 4.16. And we are always to be purging our selves from all pollution of flesh and spirit, 2 Cor. 7.1. And hereunto belongs whatever is spoken in the Scripture, whatever Believers find in themselves by experience of the Remainders of In-dwelling-sin, in the Darkness of our minds, whence at best we know but in part, and through Ignorance are ready to wander out of the way,