The Works of Abraham Booth: Confession of faith & sermons

Book excerpt: Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAP. I. Concerning the Signification of the term Grace. That we may proceed with greater clearness and certainty in our following inquiries, it is necessary to consider what is implied in the term Grace. The primary and principal sense of the word is, free favour; unmerited kindness. In this acceptation it is most frequently used in the inspired volume; and thus it is to be understood in the words of the Holy Ghost under consideration. Grace, in the writings of Paul, stands in direct opposition to works and worthiness?all works and worthiness of every kind, and of every degree. This appears from the following passages. Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned of grace but of debt:?Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace. For by grace are ye saved?not ofworks, lest any man should boast. Who hath saved its?not according to our works, but according to his oivn purpose and grace As the word mercy, in its primary signification, has relation to some creature, either actually in a suffering state, or obnoxious to it; so grace, in its proper and strict sense, always presupposes unwoi-- thiness in its object. Hence, whenever any thing valuable is communicated by the blessed God to any of Adam's apostate offspring, the communication of it cannot be of grace, any further than the person on whom it is conferred is considered as unworthy. For, so far as any degree of worth appears, the.province of grace ceases, and that of equity takes place.Grace and worthiness, therefore, cannot be connected in the same act, and for the same end. The one must necessarily give place to the other, according to that remarkable text; If by. grace, then it is no more of work; otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace; otherwise work is no mo...