"As God's mercy makes the saints happy, so it should make them humble. Mercy is not the fruit of our goodness, but the fruit of God's goodness. Mercy is an alms that God bestows. They have no cause to be proud that live upon the alms of God's mercy. 'If I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head,' (Job 10:15). All my righteousness is the effect of God's mercy, therefore I will be humble and will not lift up my head. . . .
"God's mercy is free. To set up merit is to destroy mercy. Nothing can deserve mercy, because we are polluted in our blood; nor force it. We may force God to punish us, but not to love us. 'I will love them freely,' (Hos. 14:4). Every link in the chain of salvation is wrought and interwoven with free grace. Election is free. '[God] has chosen us in [Christ], according to the good pleasure of His will,' (Eph. 1:4). Justification is free. 'Being justified freely by [God's] grace,' (Rom. 3:24). Salvation is free. 'According to [God's] mercy He saved us,' (Titus 3:5). . . . If God should show mercy to such only as are worthy, He would show none at all."
