imputeth faith to us as our own, to this end that the righteousnesse which we possesse by it, may make us righteous before him, or be righteousnesse unto us in his sight.
The second exposition is, that faith is graciously imputed, reckoned or esteemed for righteousnesse, or in the place or steed of righteousnesse, because the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed to none but beleevers. For those sinners onely are justified before God, who (we speake of them that live till they come to yeares of discretion) Quae semper tacentur nunquam affirmantur: Quae affirmantur, dum reliqua tacentur, sola affirmantur.by a sound and saving faith doe lay hold of, and rely upon Jesus Christ, as he is set forth of God to be a propitiation. Hence it is, that the Covenant of Grace, in steed of the righteousnesse of the Law required to legall Justification, which is wanting in us by reason of our sins, exacteth no other thing inherent in us, as a cause of Justification, or condition in respect whereof we are justified, but faith alone. And thus in a fit sence it may be said, that faith is of grace accounted, in steed of legall righteousnesse: not that it is the meritorious or materiall cause of our Justification, as legall righteousnesse should have been, if Justification had been by the Law, nor that it is accepted for the perfect righteousnesse of the Law: but because it is the sole instrumentall or conditionall cause, required on our part to Justification, in respect whereof we are acquitted from our sins. For in the Covenant of workes perfect obedience is required at our hands to Justification: Reputare sive imputare ad justitiam, idem est, quod in justitiae loco numerare.but in the Covenant of Grace nothing but faith on our parts is called for, and that not as the forme or matter of Justification, but the instrument only, whereby we receive remission of sins, and are partakers of the merits of Christ.
The third Exposition is, that when faith is imputed for righteousnesse, it is not to be understood materially, as though the dignity, worth and perfection of faith made us just; but relatively and in respect of the object, that is, to us beleeving righteousnesse, sc. of Christ is freely imputed, and by faith we receive righteousnesse and remission of sins freely given of God. And therefore to say faith justifieth, and faith is imputed for righteousnesse, are phrases equivalent. For faith justifieth not by it's merit or dignity; but as an instrument and correlatively, that is, the merit of Christ apprehended and received by faith justifieth, not faith whereby it is apprehended and received, unlesse it be by an improper speech, wherein the act of the object, by reason of the neareand
