his other Strange Work, chofe in his milder Addreffes to be call'd by the former, and in his feverer Proceedings by the latter. Which was the reason, (as the forementioned Learned Critick remarks,) why our Saviour at the Point of his Dereliction cried out, not, Jehovah, Jehovah, but Eli, Eli, my God, my God, as not prefuming at that time and in that Capacity, to call God by his Titles of Paternal Love and indearment, but as Naming the Fudge of the World doing the extreameft right upon his own Son, treading the Wine-prefs alone in the Perfon of all Mankind, as that Learned Author expreffes it, Pag. 7.

But the greatest and most convincing Demonftration of the Mercy of God, is feen in the mysterious and coftly Redemption of Laps'd Man. The greatest Exaltation of which, is to fay nothing of it, but, as the Angels are reprefented to do in Heaven, to ftoop down and look near into it with filence and wonder. Which things the Angels defire to look into, i Pet. 1. 12. An Allufion no doubt to the Propitiatory or Mercy-lid upon the Ark, whereupon two Angels, Cherubins, (who are the Angels of Knowledge) did abide with their Faces one toward another, and their Eyes bent down to the Ark. Which by the way is also a fufficient Argument of the Unfathomableness of this great Difpenfation of Mercy, which can ftill find further

Em

Employment for the Study and Curiosity even of Angels.

But perhaps 'twill be faid, that Mercy in God is of another kind than what is call'd by that Name in Man, that it comes nearer the Stoical Notion of Mercy, importing only a bare Will to help the Miferable, without any compaffionate Refentment for his Misery. It may be fo, I wont difpute that now, tho I can hardly believe but that fuch strong and flaming Expreffions of the Divine Mercy in Scripture must needs fignifie fomething more than what fuch cold Interpreters affix to them.

But however, to be more convincing, I further inftance in the Human Soul of our Saviour Jefus Chrift. 'Tis most certain that of all Human Spirits his was the most excellent. Adam in his Innocence was not comparable to him. He was excellent only by way of Nature, but our Saviour's Human Spirit to the fame or greater Excellence of Nature had also fuperadded the Excellency of Grace, not common Grace, but that great and transcendent Grace of the Hypoftatick Union. And 'tis as certain that as he had the Beft, fo he had the Best-natur'd and moft tenderly compaffionate Soul in the World. I need not produce Inftances, his whole Life is but one Argument of it. Only one Paffage, when he faw the multitude fcattered abroad like Sheep that have no Shepherd, 'tis faid,

απλα

απλα χνίθη αε αύ, He was moved with compaffion on them, Mat. 9. 36. fo we render it but indeed the Expreffion is too high and pregnant to be verbally tranflated. Twould require a long copious Paraphrase to drain the Senfe of that one Word, which fignifies all that inward Feeling and Yerning of the Heart and Soul at a pitiful Object, that melts and turns the very Bowels of the Good-natured Spectator.

And the fame Tenderness of Spirit which he had on Earth, he retains ftill in Heaven, tho in all other respects Impaffible, and incircled with Divine Glories. Whereupon he is call'd in Scripture our merciful High-Prieft; and to convince any Oppofer that this is not meant of Mercy improperly fo called, a bare Will to help without any Compaffionate refentment, fays the Author to the Hebrews, we have not an High-Priest which cannot be touched with feeling of our Infirmities, Heb.

15.

4.

And these two Confiderations by the way give a clear defeat to the Pretences of both the forementioned Adverfaries. For whereas the Stoick traduces this noble Vertue for a piece of Weakness and Infirmity, fit only for foft and effeminate Perfons; to him I oppofe the inftance of our Saviour's Human Soul while on Earth. And whereas the Ariftotelian makes the only ground of Pity to be a

fear

fear of falling into the like Calamity; to him I oppose the fame Inftance of our Saviour, but in another Capacity, when he was altoge ther Impaffible in his glorify'd ftate, and above the poffibility of partaking with us in our Miferies any other way, than by Sympathy and Compaffion.

To this I may add, that among meer Men the most generous and brave Spirits, those whom Paganifm has Deify'd, Christianity has Sainted; thofe Heroes whom Hiftory has mark'd with Honour, and whom Envy it felf is afham'd to calumniate, have all along been fignal for their Mercy and Good-Nature. As on the contrary, the most bafe, timorous and low-fpirited Breafts are always obferv'd to be the Seats of Cruelty and Hard-heartedness.

But 'tis no wonder that this Difpofition is found in the Best of Natures, fince in the Second Place it proceeds from the Best of Principles. For it proceeds from Charity, with which the least thing a Man can think or do is excellent, and without which the greatest, Rom. 13. even Martyrdom it felf, is nothing worth. It has that for its Parent which is the Mother of all Vertues, and which is of it felfthe fulfilling of the most perfect, that is, of the Chriftian Law. And that it proceeds from Charity is plain. For the more we defire the Happiness and well-being of Mankind, the more we shall be troubled to fee

any

any of them in Mifery, and be the more willing to procure them Eafe and Deliverance. And this tho we do not apprehend our felves in danger of the like Calamity, there being no neceffity of making that the ground of Pity, as appears from the inftance of our Saviour's Human Soul in its Glorified State. I deny not but that the generality of Men are moved to Pity upon the confideration of common Danger, and that it may be their own turn next to fuffer and ftand in need of help; but it is not neceffary that they fhould, and 'tis their imperfection that they are. I fay their imperfection, not that of the Affection it felf, whofe Idea involves no fuch felfish Principle, and which may really be feparated from it, as by the fore-alledged Example is certain and evident.

And now ifto be found in the Best of Natures, and to proceed from the Best of Principles, be any Argument of Excellence, we may hence conclude what a Noble and Excellent Disposition of Mind this is, and that when the Roman Orator told Cafar, That of all his many Vertues, none was either more acceptable, or more wonderful than his Mercy and Clemency; he might perhaps Complement the Emperour, but faid nothing extraordinary of the Vertue.

As will further appear by confidering Secondly the great Reafonablenefs and Ufefulnefs of it. Asto the Former, befides that all