Speculum theologiæ in Christo, or, A view of some divine truths which are either…

Secondly, It is utterly impossible that there should be a Justification without a Righteousness. Constitutive Justification makes us Righteous, Estimative or sentential Justification esteems or pronounces us such; a Justification cannot be without a Righteousness; nor can any thing be a Righteousness, unless it answer the Law. What then is our Righteousness as to the Law? Faith, answers the Gospel terms: But what answers the Law? Surely nothing under Heaven can do it but Christ's Satisfaction. The Quaere therefore is, Whether that Satisfaction be our Righteousness in it self, or only in its effects: if in the effects only, then something less than Christ's satisfaction, viz. an effect, is our Righteousness as to the Law, and by consequence something less than that satisfies the Law: I cannot imagine ⟨p. 342⟩that one thing should satisfy the Law, and another justify against it; one and the same satisfaction of Christ doth both. There are but two sorts of Righteousness as to the Law; the one a Righteousness in the idem, a direct conformity to it; the other a Righteousness in valour, a full compensation or satisfaction for the breaches of it, a third cannot be found, where there is neither such a conformity to the Law, that all is done as it ought to be, nor such a satisfaction to it, that all that is done amiss, is compensated, there is no such thing as Righteousness, a pardon or freedom from punishment there may be, but a Righteousness there is not. Because there is nothing done to the Law; either by way of obedience or recompense; and where nothing is done to the Law, there cannot be a Righteousness: Now a Sinner not being capable of a Righteousness of conformity, his Righteousness must be that of a satisfaction or compensation; not an effect of it, but the thing it self, no other thing can be a Sinners Righteousness. It is observable in Scripture, That Justification is so set forth, that the Law is established in it, Rom. 3.31. that its Righteousness is fulfilled, Rom. 8.4. that it hath its end, Rom. 10.4. And all this because in Christ's Satisfaction there is a full compensation made for sin, such as comes in the room of a perfect conformity, and supplies that defect of it which rises out of the suult committed: This is done by the Satisfaction it self, not by an effect of it. Nothing less than it self could give the Law its end or establishment: