to Cantxtbtng 3leteYnption, 15 3 contains eminently all kinds of evils. A Lake of fla- Chap IX. ming Brimfrone, and whatever is mofl dreadful to senfe, is but an impede&Allufion to reprefent it. Andhowgreat is that Love which pitied andrefcued us fromSin and Hell ? This Saving Mercy is let out for its tendernefs and vehemence by the commotion ofthe Luke i. 78. bowels, at the fight of one in mifery : efpecially the workingof the Mother's when any evil befals her Chil- dren : Such an inward deep refentment of our diftrels was in the Father of Mercies. When we were in our Ezek. blood, He Paidto us, Live. And that which further difcovers the eminent degree ofhis Love is this; He might have been unconcerned with our Diftrefs, and left us under Defpair of deliverance. There is a Com- panion which arifeth fromSelf-love, when the fight of anothers Mifery furprifes us, and affe&s us in fuch a manner as todifturb our Repofe, and imbitter our Joy, by confidering our liablenefs to the fame troubles, and from hence we are enclin'd to help them. And there is a Compaffion that proceeds from pure love to the miferable, when the Perlon that expreffes it, is above all the affaults of evil, and incapable ofall Affe&ions that might leffen his Felicity, and yet applies himfelf to relieve the afflicted ; and fuch was God's towards Man. If it had been a tolerable Evil under whichwe were fain, the Mercy that recovered us had been lets : For Benefits are valued by the neceffity of the receiver. But Man was difinherited ofParadife, an Heir of Hell, his Mifery was inconceivably great. Now the meafure of God's Love is proportionable to the Mifery from whence we are redeemed. If there had been any poi- fible Remedy for us in Nature, our engagements had not been fo great : But only He that created us by his Power, could refl:ore us by his Love. Briefly, it mag- X nifies
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