2 2 4 The Love of God to Men, vol. I. And if he had proceeded no farther, this had been wonderful Mercy and Kind- nefs : But his Love flopt not here, it was not contented to fpare us, and free us from Mifery ; but was reftlets till it had found out a way to bring us to Happi- nefs ; for Godfo loved the world, that he gavehis only- begotten Son, not only that whofoever believes in him might not perifh,_but might have everlaßing life. This is the SecondEvidence of God's great Love to us, the greatnefs of the Bleffing, and Benefit which he had defigned and provided for us, that we might live through him ; not only be delivered from Spiritual and Eternal Death ; but be made par- takers of Eternal Life. III. The laft Evidence of God's great Love to us, which I mentioned, was this, that God was pleafed to ufe fuch a Means, for the obtaining and procuring of this great Bleflìng and Benefit ; hefeat his only-begotten Son into the World; that we might live through him. And this will áppéar to be great Love indeed, if we con- fider thefe Four things. t. ThePerfon whom he was pleafed to employ upon this Defign ; be fens his only-begotten Son. 2. How much he abafed him, in Order to the effe ling and accomplifhing of this Defign, implyed in thefe words, hefent him into the World. 3. If we confider to whom he was fent, to the World. And, 4. That hedid all this voluntarily and freely, out ofhis weer Pity and Goodnefs ; not conftrain'd hereto by anyNeceffity, not prevail'd upon by any Application or Importunity of ours, nor obligedby any Benefit or Kindnefs from us. r. Let us confider the Perfon whom God was pleafed to employ in this Defign, hefent his only-begotten Son no lefs Perfon than his own Son, and no lefs dear to him, than his only-begotten Son. (t.) No lefs Perfon than his own Son ; and the Dignityof the Perfon that was employed in our behalf, doth ftrangelÿ heighten and fet off the Kindnefs. What an Endearment .is it of the Mercy of our Redemption, that God was pleafed to employ upon this Defign no meaner Perfon than his own Son, his begotten Son; fo he is called in the Text, his Son, in fopeculiar a Manner as no Creature is, or can be ; the Creatures below Man are call'd the Works of God, but never his Chil- dren ; the Angels are in Scripture call'd the Sons of God; and Adam likewife is call'd the Sonof God, becaufe God made him after his own Image and Likenefs in Holinefs and Righteoufnefs, and in his Dominion-and Sovereigntyover the Crea- tures below him ; But this Title of begotten Son of God was never given to anyof the Creatures, Man or Angel; for unto which of the Angels Paid he at any time, thou art my Son, this day have ,Ibegotten thee, as the Apoftle Reafons, Heb. He mull be a great Perfon indeed to whom this Title belongs, of the begotten Son of God ; and it mull be a mighty Love indeed which moved God to employ fo great a Perfon, on the behalf of fo pitifuland wretched Creatures as we are. It had been a mighty Condefcenfion for God to treat with us at all; but that no lefs Perfon than his own Son lhould be the Emballàdour, is an aftonifhing Regard of Heaven to poor finful Duft and Allies. (2.) This Perfon was as dear to God, as he was great ; he was his only begotten Son. It had been a great Inftance of Abraham's Love and Obedience to God, to have facrificeda Sonat his Command; but this Circumflance. makes it much greater, that it was his only Son ; hereby I know that thoufearefl God (fays the Angel) fine thou ha/1 not with-held thy Son, thine only Son from me. This is a demonftration that God loved us at a Itupendious rate, when he would fend his only-begotten Son into the World for us. Before this, God had tryed feveral Ways with Mankind, and employed feveral Meilengers to us ; fometimes he fent his Angels, and many times his Servants the Prophets ; But in thefe laß Days he bath fent his Son. He had many more Ser- vants to have employed upon this Meflàge, but he had but one Son; and rather than Mankindlhould be ruined and loft, he would fend him. Such was the Love of God towards us, that rather than our Recovery fhould not be effeled, hewould employ in this Work the greateft and ,deareft Perfon to him both in Heaven and Earth, his only-begotten Son; in this was the love of God manifeßed, that hefent his, only-begotten Son, that wemight live through him. 2. Let
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