Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BT300 .O9 1679

46 The Perfon of Chrifl tl;e Foundation other EffeCts of his Goodnefs he gives of hi5 own, herein he ga·ve himfelf in taking .our Natpre upon him. And thence as he exprdfeth the defign of m~? in his fall as upbraiding him with folly and ingratitude, ~ehold the ·man is become as one of us, Gen. 3· 22; We inay Wl\h all humble thankfulnefs exprefs the means of our Recovery, Behold God iJ become like one of us, as the ApofHe declar es it at large, Phi!. 2 . 6,7,8. It is the nature of fincere Goodnefs, even in its loweft ·degree, above all other habits or principles ofNature, to give a 'Delight and complacency unto the mind in the exercite of it felf,and communication of its Effects. AGoodman cloth both 4elight in doing good, and hath an abundant reward for .the doing it, in the doing of it. And what f11all we conceive con– cermng eternal,abfolute,infinite, perfeCt, immixed Goodnefs, ~fring it felf in the higheft inftance, (in an EffeCt cognate and like unto it) that it can extend unto. So was it in the Coun– fels ofGodconcerning the Incarnation of his Son, and the Salvation of theChurch thereby. · No heart can conceive, no tongue can exprcfs the leafi: portion of that ineffable 'IJelight ~ of the holy bleffed God, in thefe Counfels wherein hyaCted and expreifed unto the utmofl: h~s own Effential G6od,nefS; Shall a liberal man de·vife liberal things, becaufe they are fuited unto his inclination? Shall a Good man find a fecret refreihment and fatisfacrion in · the exercife of that low, weak, imperf~fr, mixed Gooclnefs that his Nature is inlaid withal; and f11all not he whofe Goodnefs is E{fentia l unto him, whofe Being it is, and in whom it is the immediate Principle of communi<;ating himfelf unto others, be infi– nitely delighted in the highefl: exercife of it, which Divine . Wifdom did direCt ? The effeCt: ofthefe EternalCounfels of God in future Glory, is referved for them that do believe ; and therein will there be th~ nearefi: manifefiation of the Glory of God·himfe!funto ,. them, ,

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