Fri.-Sabbath, 4/22-24/16 Devotion

Hip, hip, hooray—it is almost Sunday! Here is Thomas Watson, from his, "A Body of Divinity" book. He is addressing God's Mercy in this section. . . .

"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: 'He has 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). If God should show mercy to such only as are worthy, he would show none at all.

"God's mercy is an overflowing mercy; it is infinite. 'Plenteous in mercy, (Psa. 86:5). 'Rich in mercy,' (Eph. 2:4). 'Multitude of mercies,' (Psa. 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 mor-ning,' (Lam. 3:23). He has night mercies: 'In the night His song shall be with me,' (Psa. 13:8). God has mercies under heaven, which we taste; and in hea-ven, which we hope for."