Thomas Watson — A Body of Practical Divinity, "Of the Mercy of God" (on the freeness of mercy)

To sin because mercy abounds, is the devil's logic. He that sins because of mercy is like one that wounds his head because he hath a plaster; he that sins because of God's mercy, shall have judgment without mercy. Mercy…

Assurance is like the mariner's lantern on the deck, which gives light in a dark night. Assurance gives the light of comfort in affliction. He that hath assurance, can rejoice in tribulation; he can gather grapes of thor…

Hell is a place of pure justice. In this life, God in anger remembers mercy; he mixeth compassion with suffering. Asher's shoe was of iron, but his foot was dipt in oil. Affliction is the iron shoe, but mercy is mixed wi…

Weeds grow of themselves. Flowers are planted. Sanctification is a flower of the Spirit's planting, therefore it is called, "The sanctification of the Spirit," 1 Pet. i. 2.

Lord, I am content to be a loser, if thou be a gainer; to have less health, if I have more grace, and thou more glory.

To know that nothing hurts the godly, is a matter of comfort; but to be assured that all things which fall out shall co operate for their good, that their crosses shall be turned into blessings, that showers of afflictio…