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

WHAT we find in Joh. 12. 23,—32. is worthy of particular notice in this place. The words and behaviour of Christ, which we have an account of here, argue two things.

1. THAT the happiness and salvation of men, was an end that Christ ultimately aimed at in the labours and sufferings he went through, for our redemption (and consequently, by what has been before observed, an ultimate end of the work of creation.) The very same things which were observed before in this passage (chap. second, sect. third) concerning God's glory, are equally, and in the same manner observable, concerning the salvation of men. As it was there observed, that Christ in the great ⟨p. 100⟩conflict of his soul, in the view of the near approach of the most extreme difficulties which attended his undertaking, comforts himself in a certain prospect of obtaining the end he had chiefly in view. It was observed that the glory of God is therefore mentioned and dwelt upon by him, as what his soul supported itself and rested in, as this great end. And at the same time, and exactly in the same manner, is the salvation of men mentioned and insisted on, as the end of these great labours and sufferings, which satisfied his soul, in the prospect of undergoing them. Compare the 23d and 24th verses; and also the 28th and 29th verses; ver. 31. and 32. And,

1. THAT the happiness and salvation of men, was an end that Christ ultimately aimed at in the labours and sufferings he went through, for our redemption (and consequently, by what has been before observed, an ultimate end of the work of creation.) The very same things which were observed before in this passage (chap. second, sect. third) concerning God's glory, are equally, and in the same manner observable, concerning the salvation of men. As it was there observed, that Christ in the great ⟨p. 100⟩conflict of his soul, in the view of the near approach of the most extreme difficulties which attended his undertaking, comforts himself in a certain prospect of obtaining the end he had chiefly in view. It was observed that the glory of God is therefore mention'd and dwelt upon by him, as what his soul supported itself and rested in, as this great end. And at the same time, and exactly in the same manner, is the salvation of men mentioned and insisted on, as the end of these great labours and sufferings, which satisfied his soul, in the prospect of undergoing them. Compare the 23d and 24th verses; and also the 28th and 29th verses; ver. 31. and 32. And,