GOD’S MERCY –

 

“Oh give thanks to the LORD; for He is good; for His mercy endures forever” Ps. 136:1.

 

“God’s mercy is free.  To set up merit is to destroy mercy.  Nothing can deserve mercy, because we are polluted in our blood (whole being); nor force it.  We may force God to punish us, but not to love us.  ‘I will love them freely’ (Hosea 14:4).  Every link in the chain of salvation is wrought and interwoven with free grace.  Election is free.  ‘He hath chosen us in him, according to the good pleasure of his will’ (Eph. 1:4).  Justification is free.  ‘Being justified freely by his grace’ (Rom. 3:24).  Salvation is free.  ‘According to his mercy he saved us’ (Titus 3:5).  Say not then, I am unworthy; for mercy is free.  If God should show mercy to such only as are worthy, he would show none at all.”  – Thomas Watson, 17th century.

 

“God’s mercy is an overflowing mercy; it is infinite.  ‘Plenteous in mercy’ (Psalm 86:5).  ‘Rich in mercy’ (Ephesians 2:4).  ‘Multitude of mercies’ (Psalm 51:1).  The vial of wrath drops, but the fountain of mercy runs.  The sun is not so full of light as God is of mercy.  God has morning mercies.  ‘His mercies are new every morning’ (Lamentations 3:23).  He has night mercies.  ‘ In the night his song shall be with me’ (Psalm 42:8).  God has mercies under heaven, which we taste; and in heaven, which we hope for.”

 

“God’s mercy is eternal.  ‘The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting’ (Psalm 103:17).  ‘His mercy endureth forever,’ is repeated twenty-six times in one Psalm – Psalm 136.  The souls of the blessed shall be ever bathing themselves in this sweet and pleasant ocean of God’s mercy.  God’s anger to his children lasts but a while, ‘but his mercy lasts forever’ (Psalm 103:9).  As long as he is God he will be showing mercy.  As his mercy is overflowing, so it is ever flowing.”

[From “A Body of Divinity,” by Thomas Watson.  Banner of Truth Trust]