ßtt Contxtbtng 't'i' nf'Viii¢btrnptiot. 139_ tuous benefa&or there Ihould not redound a doúble Ch. VIII. Benefit. .4"a T. From the Eternal Reward which God hath pro- mifed. And, 2. From the Internal Beauty of an honeft a&ion, which the Philofophér affirms, doth exceed any lofs that can befál us. For ifone dyes for his Friend, yet he loves himfelf motf, for he would not chufe to be lefs:vertuous than his Friend, and by dying for him he excels him in Vertue, which is more valuable than Life it felf. But to theSon ofGod no fuch advantage could accrue; for being infinitely holy and happy in his Ef- fence, there can be no addition to his Felicity or Ver- tues by any external emanation from him. His Love was for our profit, not his own. 2. The freenefs of Gods Mercy is evident by confi- dering therewas notye uponhim to difpence it. Grace ftri&ly takendiffers fromLove: for that may be a Debt, and without injuftice not denied. Thereare inviolable obligations on Children to love theirParents; and du- ty leffens defert: the performance of it loth not fo much deferve praife, as the negleec merits cenfure and reproof. But the Loveof God to Man is a pure, free, and liberal Affe&ion, noway due. The Grace of God, Rom. 5;i9. and thegiftby Gracebath abounded untomany. TheCre- ationwas aneffution of goodnefs, much more Redempti- on. Thou art worthy, OLord, to receive Glory, and Ho- Rev. 4. a t' sour, andPower : forthou haft createdall things, and for thy pleafure theyare, andwere created. 'TisGrace that gave being to the Angels, withall the prerogativesthat a- dorn their Natures : 'tis Graceconfirm'd them in their o- riginal integrity. For God ows them nothing, and they are nothing to him. 'Twas Grace that plac'd Adam in Paradife, and made him as a vifible God in the lower World. And if Grace alone difpenfed benefits to in- T 2 nocent
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