The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

1. It is not imputed unto us for a perfect Righteousness, the Righteousness required by the Law, for so it is not. Episcopius confesseth in his disputation, Disput. 43. §. 7, 8. that the Righteousness which is imputed unto us must be absolutissima & perfectissima, most absolute and most perfect. And thence he thus defineth the Imputation of Righteousness unto us, name]y that it is, gratiosa Divinae mentis aestimatio, qua credentem in filium suum, eo loco reputat ac si perfecte justus esset ac legi & voluntati ejus per omnia semper paruisset. ⟨p. 462⟩And no man will pretend, that Faith is such a most absolute and most perfect righteousness, as that by it the Righteousness of the Law should be fulfilled in us, as it is by that Righteousness which is imputed unto us.

2. It is not imputed unto us for what it is, an imperfect Righteousness. For, (1.) This would be of no advantage unto us. For we cannot be justified before God by an imperfect Righteousness, as is evident in the Prayer of the Psalmist, Psal. 143.2. Enter not into judgment with thy servant, for in thy sight no man living, (no Servant of thine who hath the most perfect, or highest measure of imperfect Righteousness) shall be justified. (2.) The Imputation of any thing unto us, that was ours antecedently unto that Imputation, for what it is, and no more, is contrary unto the Imputation described by the Apostle, as hath been proved.

3. This Imputation pleaded for, cannot be a judging of that to be a perfect Righteousness which is imperfect. For the Judgment of God is according to Truth. But without judging it to be such, it cannot be accepted as such. To accept of any thing, but only for what we judg it to be, is to be deceived.