The first cause of justification before God dependeth upon the will
of God, who will justify because he will; therefore the meritorious
cause must also be of his own providing, else his will cannot herein
be absolute; for if justification depend upon our personal
performances, then not upon the will of God. He may not have mercy
upon whom he will, but on whom man's righteousness will give him
leave; but his will, not ours, must rule here, therefore his
righteousness and his only. So then, men are justified from the
curse in the sight of God, while sinners in themselves.