A Body of Practical Divinity

Resp. 1. The Spring of Mercy which God shows, is free and spontaneous: To set up Merit, is to destroy Mercy; nothing can deserve Mercy, or force it, we cannot deserve Mercy, because of our Enmity, nor force it; we may force God to punish us, not to love us, Hos. 14.4. I will love them freely. Every link in the golden Chain of Salvation is wrought and interwoven with Free-grace. Election is free, Eph. 1.4. He hath chosen us in him, [Greek or Hebrew], according to the good pleasure of his Will. Justification is free, Rom. 3.24. Being justified freely by his Grace. Say, not then, I am unworthy, for Mercy is free. If God should show Mercy only to such as deserve it, he must show Mercy to none at all.

Resp. 1. The Spring of Mercy which God shews, is free and spontaneous: To set up Merit, is to destroy Mercy; nothing can deserve Mercy, or force it, we cannot deserve Mercy, because of our Enmity, nor force it; we may force God to punish us, not to love us, Hos. 14.4. I will love them freely. Every link in the golden Chain of Salvation is wrought and interwoven with Free-grace. Election is free, Eph. 1.4. He hath chosen us in him, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, according to the good pleasure of his Will. Justification is free, Rom. 3.24. Being justified freely by his Grace. Say, not then, I am unworthy, for Mercy is free. If God should shew Mercy only to such as deserve it, he must shew Mercy to none at all.

2. The Mercy God shows is Powerful. How Powerful is that Mercy which softens an Heart of Stone? Mercy changed Mary Magdalens Heart, out of whom Seven Devils were cast. She who was an Inflexible Adamant, Mercy made her a weeping Penitent. Gods Mercy works sweetly, yet irresistibly; it allures, yet conquers. The Law may terrify, Mercy doth mollify. Of what Sovereign Power and Efficacy is that Mercy which subdues the Pride and Enmity of the Heart, and beats off those Chains of Sin in which the Soul is held!