A brief discourse of justification. Wherein this doctrine is plainly laid down according to…

1. That Christs Righteousness justifies us in way of imputation.

2. That this imputation is an act of Gods free grace.

1. That Christs Righteousness justifies us in way of Imputation; or by the reputing and accounting of his Righteousness to be ours: That this is a great and undeniable Truth, there needs no more to clear it up, then the consideration of the plentiful Testimony of the Scripture, which ascertains us that it is so: The word [Justification] as it is used in the word of God doth almost ⟨p. 55⟩every where intend a change of a mans state as it is legally considered, or refers to the relation which he bears to the Law, but besides we read, 1 Cor. 1. 30. That Christ is made of God our Righteousness to us; wherein is expressed one of the great benefits which believers are made partakers in by Christ; namely, that he is that Righteousness which is accepted as theirs; so that when Justice looks for a Righteousness which it may acquit them for, it finds it in him: and we read 2 Cor. 5.19. that we are reconciled to God in Christ: and ver. 21: proves it to be by imputation; for no otherwise could he possibly be made sin for us, who knew none in himself; or we be made the Righteousness of God through him, who in our selves were sinners, and in Rom. 5. 19. the Apostle makes our Condemnation in Adam, and our Justification by Christ to be parallel, when he saith, as by one mans Disobedience many were made sinners, so by the Obedience of one shall many be made Righteous; but that was by imputation, and therefore so must this, and it must needs be so, otherwise it would be an unjust thing to justify the ungodly; nor could God be both just, and the Justifier of them that believe, both which things the Apostle doth assert,