Superabounding Grace

Commenting on the language of Rom. 5:17, 20, John Owen speaks of the natural tendency of the language, which natural tendency supports understanding the righteousness or justification taught in Romans 5 as imputed freely as a gift by faith apart from works. He says,

Where there is περισσεία χάριτος, and χάρις ὑπερπερίσσευουσα— “abounding grace,” “superabounding grace”—exerted in our justification, no more is required thereunto; for how can it be said to abound, yea, to superabound, not only to the freeing of us from condemnation, but the giving of us a title unto life, if in anything it is to be supplied and eked out by works and duties of our own?

—The Doctrine of Justification by Faith (vol. 5, Works; Banner of Truth: Carlisle, 1998), 330-331.