from the curse, himselfe being made a curse for us: but also the holi∣nesse of his person, and the obedience of his life, whereby he perfectly satisfied the justice of God infulfilling the commandements. Now Gods acceptation of Christs satisfaction in our behalfe, whereby he ab∣solveth us from the guilt of sin and damnation by imputation of Christs sufferings, and his acceptation of us as righteous in Christ, by imputa∣tion of his most perfect righteousnesse and obedience, is that very thing, which wee, according to the Scriptures, doe call justification, which distinct benefit of Christ not to be confounded with sanctifica∣tion, the Papists must learne to acknowledge, if they would bee sa∣ved.
§. VIII. To these I adde other as plaine testimonies, where it is said, that wee are justified by the bloud of Christ, and his obedience. From whence I argue thus:
If we be justifi•…•…d by the bloud and obedience of Christ, that is, by his passive and active righteousnesse, then are we justified by the perso∣nall righteousnesse of Christ, which being proper to his person, is out of us in him. But we are justified by the bloud and by the obedience of Christ, Rom. 5. 9. 19. therefore by his personall righteousnesse.
§. IX. Our fifth argument: By what righteousnesse our sinnes are covered, as with a garment, and by which we, being indued therewith, appeare righteous before God, that is the matter of our justification. For he is justified whose sinnes are covered, Psal. 32. 1.
By the righteousnesse of Christ, as a most pretious robe of righte∣ousnesse, and as our wedding garment, our sinnes are covered. (For as Iustin Martyr truly saith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for what other thing was able to cover our sinnes, but his righteous∣nesse?) and wee being clothed therewith appeare righteous before God. Therefore by the righteousnesse of Christ we are justified. Bel∣larmine having, as it were, in our name objected to himselfe, Eph. 4. 22. 24. (which none of us, that I know of, doe object, for wee acknowledge the place to be understood of sanctification, which consiste•…•…h in the put∣ting off the old man, and putting on the new) hee saith, that wee argue from the similitude of a garment, as more fitly resembling imputed ju∣stice than inherent: and that we confirme it by the example of Iacob, who being clothed with the rayment of his elder brother, obtained the blessing.
§. X. To this Bellarmine shapeth two answers. First, that the simi∣litude of a garment may fitly agree to inherent righteousnesse, which I wil not deny: for in the Scriptures theterme of clothing or putting on, is of a large extent: so that he will confesse, that the Hebrew Labash and the Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, properly signifying to cloth or to put on apparrell, which is not inherent in the body, but adherent, is more fitly by a me∣taphore applyed to signifie outward, than inward indowments. And therefore that I may come to the proofe of my assumption, those phra∣ses of putting on Christ and his righteousnesse, figured by Iacob his put∣ting on of his elder brothers apparell, Gen. 27. of the wedding garment,