Of free justification

Neither do I ask that, what the Lord hath promised: For Salvation is promised, Pardon of Sins is promised: But this is it which properly comes in question here: Upon what account, and for what cause, this Salvation and Pardon of Sins is promised, whether there is no condition interposed? Or whether there is some condition? But I think there is none, can say, there is no condition. Therefore it remains that we confess there is necessarily some condition. Which of what manner it is, let us examine by the Scriptures.

Neither do I ask that, what the Lord hath promised: For Salvation is promised, Pardon of Sins is promised: But this is it which properly comes in question here: Upon what account, and for what cause, this Salvation and Pardon of Sins is promised, whether there is no condition interposed? Or whether there is some condition? But I think there is none, can say, there is no condition. Therefore it remains that we confess there is necessarily some condition. Which of what manner it is, let us examin by the Scriptures.

But in the mean while perhaps some Man will object: If the promise of God be confined to certain conditions, how then shall we with Paul make the ¹mercy of God free, whereby he freely justifies the Wicked? Yea verily, I both judge and hold that the Mercy of God is most free: Free, I say, in Christ. Otherways without Christ there can be no hope of Mercy, nor promise of Salvation, nor remission of Sins. And the Sons of the Papacy will not deny this that all the riches of the Divine promise and of our Salvation stand in Christ. And indeed in so much they are in ⟨p. 284⟩the right. For hereby I understand the Mediator, by whom ²God dispenses his Heavenly gifts to us: That […] Christ. But I do not yet perceive well enough, how he dispenses by this Mediator. For tho I acknowledge him to be Mediator, to whose merit only we are beholden for all our Salvation,