N07809:202
Two dissertations, I. Concerning the end for which God created the world. II. The…
Two dissertations, I. Concerning the end for which God created the world. II. The nature of true virtue. / by the late Reverend, learned and pious Jonathan Edwards, A.M. president of the College in New-Jersey.
Boston: printed by S. Kneeland, 1765
Concerning the END for which GOD created the WORLD. › Chapter 2 › Sect 3
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
FROM these things it is manifest by the fourth position, that God's glory is the ultimate end of the creation of the world.
9. IT appears from what has been already observed, that the glory of God is spoken of in scripture as the last end of many of God's works: and it is plain that this thing is in fact the issue and result of the works of God's common providence, and of the creation of the world. Let us take God's glory in what sense so ever, consistent with its being something brought to pass, or a good attained by any work of God, certainly it is the consequence of these works: and besides it is expressly so spoken of in scripture. This is implied in the 1st. ver. of the 8th. psalm, wherein are celebrated the works of creation; the heavens being the work of God's fingers; the moon and the stars being ordained by God; and God's making man a little lower than the angels, &c. The first verse is, "O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens", or upon the heavens. By name and glory, very much the same thing is intended here, as in many other places, as shall be particularly shown afterwards. So the psalm concludes as it began. "O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth"! So in the 148th. psalm, after a particular mention of most of the works of creation, enumerating them in order, the psalmist says, ver. 13. "Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is excellent, his glory is above the earth and the heaven". And in in the 104th psalm, after a very particular, orderly and magnificent representation of God's works of creation and common providence, 'tis said in the 31st ver. "The glory of the Lord shall endure forever: the Lord shall rejoice in his works". Here God's glory is spoken of, as the grand result, and blessed consequence of all these works, which God values, and on account of which he rejoices in these works. And this is one thing doubtless ⟨p. 75⟩implied in the song of the seraphim, Isai. 6. 3. "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory".