Charles Hodge: Christ's righteousness, not works or faith, is the ground of justification

Charles Hodge explains the ground of justification as the righteousness of Christ -- His penal (passive/negative) and preceptive (active/positive) obedience -- which refutes all notions of inherent righteousness within works or even within the true faith by which we take hold of and become united with Christ:

“The ground of justification is the righteousness of Christ, active and passive, i.e., including his perfect obedience to the law as a covenant, and his enduring the penalty of the law in our stead and on our behalf.” –Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology (vol. 3)