The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

And his working Personal Righteousness in us, which is our Sanctification, and the Imputation of his Righteousness unto us, whereby we are made righteous before God, are not only consistent, but the one of them cannot be without the other.

2. He pleads, That Christ is said to be made Righteousness unto us, as he is made Redemption. Now he is our Redemption, because he hath redeemed us. So is he said to be made Righteousness unto us, because by him we become righteous; or as another speaks, Because by him alone we are justified. This is the same plea with the former, namely, that there is a metonymy of the effect for the cause in all these expressions; yet what cause they intend it to be, who expound the words By him alone we are justified, I do not understand. But Bellarmine is approaching yet nearer the Truth, for as Christ is said to be made of God, Redemption unto us, because by his Blood we are redeemed, or freed from Sin, Death, and Hell, by the ransom he paid for us, or have redemption through his Blood, even the forgiveness of sins: So he is said to be made Righteousness unto us, because through his Righteousness granted unto us of God (as Gods making him to be Righteousness unto us, and our becoming the Righteousness of God in him; and the Imputation of his Righteousness unto us, that we may be righteous before God, are the same) we are justified.

2. He pleads, That Christ is said to be made Righteousness unto us, as he is made Redemption. Now he is our Redemption, because he hath redeemed us. So is he said to be made Righteousness unto us, because by him we become righteous; or as another speaks, Because by him alone we are justified. This is the same plea with the former, namely, that there is a metonymy of the effect for the cause in all these expressions; yet what cause they intend it to be, who expound the words By him alone we are justified, I do not understand. But Bellarmine is approaching yet nearer the Truth, for as Christ is said to be made of God, Redemption unto us, because by his Blood we are redeemed, or freed from Sin, Death, and Hell, by the ransome he paid for us, or have redemption through his Blood, even the forgiveness of sins: So he is said to be made Righteousness unto us, because through his Righteousness granted unto us of God (as Gods making him to be Righteousness unto us, and our becoming the Righteousness of God in him; and the Imputation of his Righteousness unto us, that we may be righteous before God, are the same) we are justified.