Two dissertations, I. Concerning the end for which God created the world. II. The…

WE have seen that the scriptures speak of the creation of the world as being for God, as its end. What remains therefore to be enquired into, is, which way do the scriptures represent God as making himself his end?

IT is evident that God don't make his existence or being the end of the creation; nor can he be supposed to do so without great absurdity. His being and existence can't be conceived of but as prior to any of God's acts or designs: they must be presupposed as the ground of them. Therefore it can't be in this way that God makes himself the end of his creating the world. He can't create the world to the end that he may have existence; or may have such attributes and perfections, and such an essence. Nor do the scriptures give the least intimation of any such thing. Therefore, what divine effect, or what is it in relation to God, that is the thing which the scripture teacheth us to be the end he aimed at in his works of creation, in designing of which, he makes himself his end?

IN order to a right understanding of the scripture doctrine, and drawing just inferences from what we find said in the word of God relative to this matter; so to open the way to a true and definitive answer to the above enquiry, I would lay down the following positions,