us, must still retain its forensic and judicial character, even while it is also an act of grace. For this reason Protestant divines have been careful to combine, in their definitions or descriptions of it, both its judicial and its gracious aspect, and to show that, according to the scheme of the Gospel, ‘He is faithful and just,’ while He is also ‘merciful and gracious’ ‘to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’ ‘Justification,’ says Bishop Downhame, ‘is a most gracious