and which comes to us by believing in Christ, is presented to all without distinction, and is put upon
1. "How art thou righteous before God? Only by a true faith in Jesus Christ; insomuch that if my
conscience accuse me that I have grievously transgressed against all the commandments of God, nor
have kept any one of them, and, moreover, am still prone to evil; yet, notwithstanding, the full and
perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ is imputed and given to me, without any
merit of mine, of the mere mercy of God, even as if I had never committed any sin, or as if no spot at
all did cleave to me, yea, as if I myself had perfectly performed that obedience which Christ per-
formed for me.... Why is Christ's sacrifice and obedience called the material cause of our
justification? For that it is the same for which we are made righteous (Rom 5:19).-Is Christ's death
and last passion only imputed to us, or also the obedience of His life? Both. His satisfaction by
punishment meriteth for us the remission of sin. This is His passive obedience. Then there is the
obedience calle
2. That is: "Therein is the righteousness of God, which is by faith, revealed to be believed."
3. That is: The righteousness which God has provided for us, the righteousness of Him who is God,
and which comes to us by believing in Christ, is presented to all without distinction, and is put upon
all who believe for a robe or covering; as it is written "Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom 13:14);
and again, "As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Gal 3:27).
4. "I may boldly glory of all the victory which He obtaineth over the law, sin, death, the devil; and
may challenge to myself all His works, even as if they were my own, and I myself had done them....
Wherefore, when the law shall come and accuse thee that thou dost not observe it, send it to Christ,
and say, There is that man who hath fulfilled the law; to Him I cleave; He hath fulfilled it for me, and
hath given His fulfilling unto me. When it heareth these things, it will be quiet. If sin come, and
would have thee by the throat, send it to Christ, and say, As much as thou mayest do against Him, so
much right shalt thou have against me; for I am in Him, and He is in me. If death creep upon thee and
attempt to devour thee, say unto it, Good mistress Death, dost thou know this man? Come, bite out
His tooth: hast thou forgotten how little thy biting prevailed with Him once? Go to! if it be a pleasure
unto thee, encounter Him again. Thou hast persuaded thyself that thou shouldest have preva
5. In this there is no confusion of personalities; no transfer of moral character; no exchange of
inherent sin on the one hand, or inherent righteousness on the other; no literal or physical identity;
but a judicial verdict or sentence is given in our favor, constituting us partakers in law of all the
results or fruits of the work of Him whom God, as Judge, appointed our Substitute. "As we are made
guilty of Adam's sin, which is not inherent in us, but only imputed to us; so are we made righteous by
the righteousness of Christ, which is not inherent in us, but only imputed to us" (Owen). The legal or
judicial gift of benefits is certainly different from the personal meriting of them; but the benefits are