N07809:93
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 1 › 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.
BUT how God's value for and delight in the emanations of his fullness in the work of creation, argues his delight in the infinite fullness of good there is in himself, and the supreme ⟨p. 29⟩respect and regard he has for himself; and that in making these emanations of himself his end, he does ultimately make himself his end in creation, will more clearly appear by considering more particularly the nature and circumstances of these communications of God's fullness which are made, and which we have reason either from the nature of things, or the word of God to suppose shall be made.
BUT how God's value for and delight in the emanations of his fulness in the work of creation, argues his delight in the infinite fulness of good there is in himself, and the supreme ⟨p. 29⟩respect and regard he has for himself; and that in making these emanations of himself his end, he does ultimately make himself his end in creation, will more clearly appear by considering more particularly the nature and circumstances of these communications of God's fulness which are made, and which we have reason either from the nature of things, or the word of God to suppose shall be made.
ONE part of that divine fullness which is communicated, is the-divine knowledge. That communicated knowledge which must be supposed to pertain to God's last end in creating the world, is the creatures knowledge of him. For this is the end of all other knowledge: And even the faculty of understanding would be vain without this. And this knowledge is most properly a communication of God's infinite knowledge which primarily consists in the knowledge of himself. God in making this his end, makes himself his end. This knowledge in the creature, is but a conformity to God. 'Tis the image of God's own knowledge of himself. 'Tis a participation of the same: 'Tis as much the same as 'tis possible for that to be, which is infinitely less in degree: As particular beams of the sun communicated, are the light and glory of the sun in part.