1870. But anything good people with faith do, they do not believe to be their own, either, because all truth and goodness is of the Lord. Thus neither should any believe that the good they have thought and done, is credited to them because they did the good, because it is not theirs, but they must believe that it is of the Lord's mercy. Thus neither is anyone saved other than by pure mercy.
For the Lord has need of no one. He owns all. If He wished to create anew heavens unlimited, and stock them anew with unlimited numbers of angels, what would stand in His way, He being omnipotent? So it is all of mercy alone. 1748, 7 April.
Obs. obs.
1870. Whatever of good is done by the man who is in faith, as he does not believe it to be his own, inasmuch as everything true and good is of the Lord, so neither does he believe that the genuine good which he thinks and does is imputed to him simply from his doing the good, because he does not recognize it as his own, but as of the Lord's mercy, consequently that he is no otherwise saved than from pure mercy. For the Lord has need of no one; He possesses all things; and if it should please Him to create anew innumerable heavens and stock them anew with countless hosts of angels, what should hinder Him, seeing He is omnipotent? Wherefore all is of mercy alone. - 1748, April 7.
1870. Quicquid autem boni, homo qui in fide est, agit, illud credit nec suum esse, quia omne verum et bonum est Domini, ita nec credet 1
quod bonum, quod cogitat et agit, ei imputetur, ex eo quod bonum egerit, quia ipsius 2
non est, sed quod sit misericordiae Domini; ita quod non aliter salvetur, quam ex pura misericordia. Dominus enim nullius opus habet, possidet omnia, si coelos indefinitos e novo cum indefinitis numeris angelorum e novo vellet creare, quid impediret, quia omnipotens? quare solius misericordiae est. 1748, 7 April.
Footnotes:
1. nisi legendum credat, vel cum in J.F.I. Tafel's edition credit
2. The Manuscript has Ipsius