The Blefednefs of the Peace -makers; 399 infinite benignity of his nature, and love to S E R his creatures, he is gracioufly inclined to keep XIV. all of them in peace with himfelf, I mean all who are capable of that happinefs, that is, all moral agents ; for if multitudes of them have gone into enmity by wicked works, it is entirely owing to their own folly and per - verfenefs, nothing was wanting on his part to prevent the breach, of which he hath given a moft glorious demonftration in that marvelous and moft compaflionate fcheme he formed for recovering mankind from their apoftacy by the gofpel, and reconciling them to himfelf by the death of his fon ; not only on this ac- count, I fay, is he filed the God of peace, but alfo becaufe he is the author and pre - ferver of the peace and harmony of the creatures among themfelves. As the whole fyftem of inanimate beings is governed by his wife counfels, and his conftant interpofi- tion in a beautiful regularity, and the jarring elements, whofe oppofite natures tend to dif- cord and confufion, do, under his wife di- reEtion confpire harmonioufly to the order of the vifible world ; fo the parts of the moral fyftem, influenced by him in a way fuitable to their different natures, fubfift in a con- cord which muff appear wonderful to an at- tentive mind, confidering the contrary ten - dency
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=