JM
Puritan Board Doctor
"It is an act of pure and free grace, without any motive in the creature: Therefore the Apostle faith, "being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption which is in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:7.)"
But this benefit would not be of grace, but of works, was our faith the impulsive cause of it: because faith is a work or act of ours, as we learn from the words of Christ: "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent (John 6:29.)" Salvation is not of works, in any branch of it; "for by grace are we saved, through faith; that not of our selves, it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8, 9.)."
From whence it is evident that Justification, which is a considerable part of salvation, cannot be by works. The grace of God eminently appears in contriving the way of our Justification by Christ’s righteousness, and in fending him into the world to work out a righteousness for us, in which we stand compleat in his sight: Hence we are said, "to be justified by his grace, that we might made heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:7.)." No other cause can be assigned why sinners are justified in the sight of God, than his free favour and sovereign pleasure, as the effect of which he determined to justify them in the righteousness of his Son." - John Brine
But this benefit would not be of grace, but of works, was our faith the impulsive cause of it: because faith is a work or act of ours, as we learn from the words of Christ: "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent (John 6:29.)" Salvation is not of works, in any branch of it; "for by grace are we saved, through faith; that not of our selves, it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8, 9.)."
From whence it is evident that Justification, which is a considerable part of salvation, cannot be by works. The grace of God eminently appears in contriving the way of our Justification by Christ’s righteousness, and in fending him into the world to work out a righteousness for us, in which we stand compleat in his sight: Hence we are said, "to be justified by his grace, that we might made heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:7.)." No other cause can be assigned why sinners are justified in the sight of God, than his free favour and sovereign pleasure, as the effect of which he determined to justify them in the righteousness of his Son." - John Brine
