Humanity Against Cruelty to Animals in Historical Literature, Timeline of Animal Rights History

Animal Rights History »»John Tillotson

1700 | Discourses on the Attributes of God

His Goodness

All creatures have reason. (John Tillotson, Discourses on the Attributes of God [1700], "His Goodness")

His Mercy

How cruel are we to Creatures below us! with how little remorse can we kill a Flea, or tread upon a Worm? partly because we are secure that they cannot hurt us, nor revenge themselves upon us; and partly becasue they are so despicable in our Eyes, and so far below us, that they do not fall under the consideration of our Pity. Look upward, proud Man! and take notice of him who is above thee, thou didst not make the Creature below thee as God did, there's but a finite distance between thee and the meanest Creatures; but there's an infinite distance between thee and God. Man is a Name of Dignity, when we compare our selves with other Creatures; but compared to God, we are Worse, and not Men; yea, we are nothing, yea, less than nothing and vanity How great then is the Mercy of God, which regards us, who are so far below him, which takes into Consideration such inconsiderate nothings as we are! (John Tillotson, Discourses on the Attributes of God [1700], "His Mercy")

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1700 | John Tillotson, Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, "The Goodness and Mercy of God, "Sermons 1-5 in The Remaining Discourses on the Attributes of God, Vol. 7 (London, 1700; Digitized by Google).

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