TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
tion, save in the Son of God alone? Oh, sweet exchange! Oh, counsel untraceable, and mercies out of thought!—that the guilt of many might be covered by one that was righteous, and the righteousness of one might justify many who were guilty. Having, then, in the times past, ensured the incapacity of our nature for the attainment of life, and sending a Saviour afterwards, who is able to save those who of themselves are incapable of salvation, He has pleased, from both these truths, to make us rely on His goodness, and regard Him as our Guardian, our Father, our Teacher, our Counsellor, our Physician, our Mind, our Light, our Honour, and Glory, and Strength, and Life; and so take no thought for raiment or for food.
If, then, you are anxious to know and accept this Faith, first learn that God has love for mankind, and for their sake made the world, and gave them dominion over all things in it: He gave them reason and perception; them only He permits to look upward towards Himself, and made them in His own image, and sent to them His only-begotten Son, announcing a kingdom in Heaven, which He will give, if they love Him. When you learn this, with what joy, think you, will you be filled, or how will you love one who first loved you so well? And if you love Him, you will imitate His kindness. Nor wonder that man can be an imitator of God; by God's gift, he can; for happiness does not rest in the possession of authority over others, or in aiming at advantages which others possess not, or in wealth or superior power: in these things it is not possible for man to imitate God; but he who bears a brother's burden, and shares of his abundance to them that want, does the work of God towards those, who at his hands receive what God had given him: and that man is an imitator of God. Thus shall you discover, while you dwell on earth, that God works His purposes in Heaven; you will begin to tell of the hidden things of God, and will love and admire those who are punished for refusing to deny Him; you will discern the deceitfulness and crafts of the world: for you will learn truly to live in Heaven, and despise that seeming death here, when you are afraid of the very death, which is kept for those who are condemned to eternal fire, the endless punishment of all who are cast to it; and you will esteem such as endure this
