John Calvin

"What is proclaimed concerning the mercy of God is seized by some as an occasion of licentiousness; while others are hindered by slothfulness from meditating on 'newness of life.'  But the manifestation of the grace of God unavoidably carries along with it exhortation to a holy life."


John Calvin, quoted by Harry Schaumburg, Undefiled: Redemption from Sexual Sin, Redemption for  Broken Relationships, p. 103

Thomas Watson

"It is a vain thing for me, says the sinner, to set upon repentance; my sins are of that magnitude that there is no hope for me"..."Our sins are mountains, and how shall these ever be cast into the sea? Where unbelief represents sin in its bloody colours and God in his judge's robes, the soul would sooner fly from him than to him. This is dangerous. Other sins need mercy, but despair rejects mercy"..."Why should we entertain such hard thoughts of God? He has bowels of love to repenting sinners (Joel 2:13)"..."God's anger is not so hot but mercy can cool it, nor so sharp but mercy can sweeten it. God counts his mercy his glory (Exod. 33:18-19)

Thomas Brooks

"That sorrow for sin that keeps the soul from looking towards the mercy-seat, and that keeps Christ and the soul asunder, or that shall render the soul unfit for the communion of saints, is a sinful sorrow."