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

FROM what has been observed in the last section, it appears, that however the last end of the creation is spoken of in scripture under various denominations; yet if the whole of what is said relating to this affair, be duly weighed, and one part compared with another, we shall have reason to think, that the design of the spirit of God don't seem to be to represent God's ultimate end as manifold, but as one. For tho' it be signified by various names, yet they appear not to be names of different things, but various names involving each other in their meaning; either different names of the same thing, or names of several parts of one whole, or of the same whole viewed in various lights, or in its different respects and relations. For it appears that all that is ever spoken of in the scripture as an ultimate end of God's works, is included in that one phrase, the glory of God; which is the name by which the last end of God's works is most commonly called in scripture; and seems to be the name which most aptly signifies the thing.

FROM what has been observed in the last section, it appears, that however the last end of the creation is spoken of in scripture under various denominations; yet if the whole of what is said relating to this affair, be duly weighed, and one part compared with another, we shall have reason to think, that the design of the spirit of God don't seem to be to represent God's ultimate end as manifold, but as one. For tho' it be signified by various names, yet they appear not to be names of different things, but various names involving each other in their meaning; either different names of the same thing, or names of several parts of one whole, or of the same whole viewed in various lights, or in its different respects and relations. For it appears that all that is ever spoken of in the scripture as an ultimate end of God's works, is included in that one phrase, the glory of God; which is the name by which the last end of God's works is most commonly called in scripture; and seems to be the name which most aptly signifies the •hing.

THE thing signified by that name, the glory of God, when spoken of as the supreme and ultimate end of the work of creation, and of all God's works, is the emanation and true external expression of God's internal glory and fullness; meaning by his fullness, what has already been explained. Or in other words, God's internal glory extant, in a true and just exhibition, or external existence of it. It is confessed that there is a degree of obscurity in these definitions: but perhaps an obscurity which is unavoidable, through' the imperfection of language, and words being less fitted to express things of so sublime a nature. And therefore the thing may possibly be better understood, by using many words and a variety of expressions, by a particular consideration of it, as it were by parts, than by any short definition.