Psalms 144:8

If, owing to the fault of human error, the word God has become a common name (since in the world there are said and believed to be “gods many”), yet “the blessed God,” (who is “the Father) of our Lord Jesus Christ,” will be understood to be no other God than the Creator, who both blessed all things (that He had made), as you find in Genesis, and is Himself “blessed by all things,” as Daniel tells us. Now, if the title of Father may be claimed for (Marcion’s) sterile god, how much more for the Creator? To none other than Him is it suitable, who is also “the Father of mercies,” and (in the prophets) has been described as “full of compassion, and gracious, and plenteous in mercy.” In Jonah you find the signal act of His mercy, which He showed to the praying Ninevites. …

It is He Himself, therefore, that makes those men good, to do good works. For He did not promise them to Abraham because He foreknew that of themselves they would be good. For if this were the case, what He promised was not His, but theirs. But it was not thus that Abraham believed, but “he was not weak in faith, giving glory to God;” and “most fully believing that what He has promised He is able also to perform.” He does not say, “What He foreknew, He is able to promise;” nor “What He foretold, He is able to manifest;” nor “What He promised, He is able to foreknow:” but “What He promised, He is able also to do.” It is He, therefore, who makes them to persevere in good, who makes them good. But they who fall and perish have never been in the number of the predestinated. …

7. “Merciful and pitiful is the Lord; long-suffering, and very merciful” ( ver. 8 ). “Sweet is the Lord to all, and His compassions reach into all His works” ( ver. 9 ). Were He not such as this, there would be no seeking to recover us. Consider thyself: what didst thou deserve, O sinner? Despiser of God, what didst thou deserve? See if aught occur to thee but penalty, if aught occur to thee but punishment. Thou seest then what was due to thee, and what He hath given, who gave gratis. …

God would have her rather than sacrifices. Much does He discourse concerning her: so He loves her. “He will relieve” (it is said) “the widow” and “the fatherless” ( Ps. cxlvi. 9 ) and the poor. God wishes to be called from her. “The Lord is pitiful and merciful, long-suffering, and of great mercy” ( Ps. cxlv. 8 ), and true. The mercy of God is over all the earth. She hath saved the race of mankind (see Ps. cxlv. 9 ): For unless she had pitied us, all things would have perished. “When we were enemies” (see Rom. v. 10 ), she “reconciled” us, she wrought innumerable blessings; she persuaded the Son of God to become a slave, and to empty Himself [of His glory]. ( Phil. ii. 7 .)

54. Perchance we may suppose some things were made impossible for Him by reason of weakness. But He was not weakly Who could heal the weaknesses of others by His word of authority. Seemed He weak when bidding the paralytic take up his bed and walk? He charged the man to perform an action of which health was the necessary condition, even whilst the patient was yet praying a remedy for his disease. Not weak was the Lord of hosts when He gave sight to the blind, made the crooked to stand upright, raised the dead to life, anticipated the effects of medicine at our prayers, and cured them that besought Him, and when to touch the fringe of His robe was to be purified.