came, to wit, that man might learn how much God loves him ;
07. ON CATECHISiyC. [CHAP. T he is not of that weak type of character to which such an offence to affection will serve as a cause of freezing off from love altogether, he yet confines himself to that kind of affection in which he loves, not with the view of enjoyment to himself, but with the idea of studying the good of others. But again it is worth our while to notice how,—although superiors also have the wish to be loved by their inferiors, and are gratified with the zealous attention ^ paid to them by such, and themselves cherish greater affection towards these inferiors the more they become cognisant of that,—with what might of love, nevertheless, the inferior kindles so soon as he learns that he is beloved by his superior. For there have we love in its more grateful aspect, where it does not consume itself^ in the drought of want, but flows forth in the plenteousness of beneficence. For the former type of love is of misery, the latter of mercy.^ And furthermore, if the inferior was despairing even of the possibility of his being loved by his superior, he will now be inexpressibly moved to love if the superior has of his own will condescended to show how much he loves this person who could by no means be bold enough to promise himself so gi'eat a good. But what is there superior to God in the character of Judge ? and what more desperate than man in the character of sinner ?—than man, I ask, who had given himself all the more unreservedly up to the wardship and domination of proud powers which are unable to make him blessed, as he had come more absolutely to despair of the possibility of his being an object of interest to that power which wills not to be exalted in wickedness, but is exalted in goodness.
8. If, therefore, it was mainly for this purpose that Christ came, to wit, that man might learn how much God loves him ; and that he might learn this, to the intent that he might be kindled to the love of Him by whom he was first loved, and might also love his neighbour at the command and showing of Him who became our neighbour, in that He loved man when, instead of being a neighbour to Him, he was sojourning far apart : if, again, all divine Scripture, which was written
' Rp.iiUng fttudioso . . . ohfirfjuio, for which studiose, etc. also occurs in the editions = are earnestly gratified with the attention, etc.
' .flduat = burn, heave. ' Ex niiseria . . . e.\ niisericordia.