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ON SEVERAL

SUBJECTS and OCCASIONS,

By the most Reverend

Dr. JOHN TILLOTSON,

LATE

Lord Archbishop of Canterbury.

VOLUME the SIXTH,

STOR LIBR

TEW-YOR

LONDON:

Printed for C. Hitch and L. Hawes, J. Hodges, A. Millar, J. and
R. Tonfon, G. Woodfall, J. Rivington, J. Rivington and
J. Fletcher, J. Ward, R. Baldwin, W. Johnfton,
S. Crowder and H. Woodgate, M. and T. Longman,

P. Davey and B. Law, A. and C. Cerbet,

R. Ware, and M. Cooper.

MDCCLVII

SERMON LXXXV.

The love of GOD to men, in the incarnation of CHRIST.

I JOHN IV. 9.

In this was manifefted the love of GOD towards us, becaufe that GOD fent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

T

LXXXV.

in the

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HESE words contain a clear and evidentS ER M. demonftration of the love of GoD to us; "In this was manifefted the love of GOD Preached "towards us;" that is, by this it plainly appears, that GOD had a mighty love for us, "that he fent Lambeth"his only begotten Son into the world, that we house on might live through him." In which we may Day, confider this threefold evidence of GOD's love to 1691. mankind.

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I. That he should be pleased to take our cafe into confideration, and to concern himself for our happinefs.

II. That he fhould defign fo great a benefit to us, which is here expreft by life; " that we might live through him."

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III. That he was pleased to ufe fuch a means for the obtaining and procuring of this benefit for us; " fent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him." Each of these singly is VOL. VI.

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a great

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SERM. a great evidence of God's love to us; much more all of them together.

LXXXV.

I. it is a great evidence of the love of God to mankind, that he was pleased to take our cafe into confideration, and to concern himfelf for our happinefs. Nothing does more commend an act of kindness, than if there be great condescension in it. We ufe to value a fmall favour, if it be done to us by one that is far above us, more than a far greater done to us by a mean and inconfiderable perfon. This made David to break out into fuch admiration, when he confidered the ordinary providence of God towards mankind, "LORD, what is man, that thou art mind"ful of him! or the fon of man, that thou shouldst "confider him!" This is a wonderful condefcenfion indeed, for GOD to be mindful of man.

At the best we are but his creatures, and upon that very account at an infinite diftance from him; fo that were not he infinitely good, he would not be concerned for us, who are fo infinitely beneath the confideration of his love and pity. Neither are we of the highest rank of creatures; we are much below the angels, as to the excellency and perfection of our beings; fo that if God had not had a peculiar pity and regard to the fons of men, he might have placed his affection and care upon a much nobler order of creatures than we are, and fo much the more miserable, because they fell from a higher step of happiness, I mean the loft angels; but yet for reafons beft known to his infinite wifdom, GoD past by them, and was pleased to confider us. This the apostle to the Hebrews takes notice of, as an argument of God's peculiar and extraordinary love to mankind,

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