CHAP。32。——INWHATWAYGODUSESMAN。
35。ButneitherdoesHeuseafterourfashionofusing。Forwhenweuseobjects,wedosowithaviewtothefullenjoymentofthegoodnessofGod。God,however,inHisuseofus,hasreferencetoHisowngoodness。ForitisbecauseHeisgoodweexist;andsofaraswetrulyexistwearegood。And,further,becauseHeisalsojust,wecannotwithimpunitybeevil;andsofarasweareevil,sofarisourexistencelesscomplete。NowHeisthefirstandsupremeexistence,whoisaltogetherunchangeable,andwhocouldsayinthefullestsenseofthewords,\"IAMTHATIAM,\"and\"Thoushaltsaytothem,IAM
hathsentmeuntoyou;\"(6)sothatallotherthingsthatexist,bothowetheirexistenceentirelytoHim,andaregoodonlysofarasHehasgivenittothemtobeso。Thatuse,then,whichGodissaidtomakeofushasnoreferencetoHisownadvantage,buttooursonly;and,sofarasHeisconcerned,hasreferenceonlytoHisgoodnessWhenwetakepityuponamanandcareforhim,itisforhisadvantagewedoso;butsomehoworotherourownadvantagefollowsbyasortofnaturalconsequence,forGoddoesnotleavethemercyweshowtohimwhoneedsittogowithoutreward。Nowthisisourhighestreward,thatweshouldfullyenjoyHim,andthatallwhoenjoyHimshouldenjoyoneanotherinHim。
CHAP。33。——INWHATWAYMANSHOULDBEENJOYED。
36。Forifwefindourhappinesscompleteinoneanother,westopshortupontheroad,andplaceourhopeofhappinessinmanorangel。Nowtheproudmanandtheproudangelarrogatethistothemselves,andaregladtohavethehopeofothersfixeduponthem。But,onthecontrary,theholymanandtheholyangel,evenwhenwearewearyandanxioustostaywiththemandrestinthem,setthemselvestorecruitourenergieswiththeprovisionwhichtheyhavereceivedofGodforusorforthemselves;andthenurgeusthusrefreshedtogoonourwaytowardsHim,intheenjoymentofwhomwefindourcommonhappiness。Foreventheapostleexclaims,\"WasPaulcrucifiedforyou?