A discourse of the saving grace of God

Answ. The Offers of Salvation, the Promises of saving Mercies, notwithstanding any Conditionalness in them, any Terms annexed, are free and gracious, upon a manifold account: for in many cases, Conditions or Terms do not hinder a Grant or Promise from being free.

1. If the Condition be so only in respect of outward Form and Manner of Proposal, not properly and really: For then it seems to be a Condition, but is not strictly. So here: Gospel Promises are Conditional [Greek or Hebrew], not [Greek or Hebrew], quoad externam formam & modum proponendi, not propriè & quoad rigorem: as to manner of proposal they seem Conditional; but examine them by the Laws of Conditions, and they will be found rather Absolute. If the denomination must be taken à majori, or à potiori, if the Number or Weight will carry it, bring them to the Test, examine why they should be counted Conditional or Absolute; and it will be found, that in more respects, and for more weighty Considerations they ought ⟨p. 122⟩to pass for Absolute, rather than Conditional, in the Pelagian sense; so no reason to question their Freeness.

1. If the Condition be so only in respect of outward Form and Manner of Proposal, not properly and really: For then it seems to be a Condition, but is not strictly. So here: Gospel Promises are Conditional 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, not 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, quoad externam formam & modum proponendi, not propriè & quoad rigorem: as to manner of proposal they seem Conditional; but examin them by the Laws of Conditions, and they will be found rather Absolute. If the denomination must be taken à majori, or à potiori, if the Number or Weight will carry it, bring them to the Test, examin why they should be counted Conditional or Absolute; and it will be found, that in more respects, and for more weighty Considerations they ought ⟨p. 122⟩