Two Dissertations Concerning the the World and Virtue, Dissertation 1 · Chapter 2 · Sect 5
SECT. V.
PLACES of ſcripture from whence it may be argued, that communication of good to the creature, was one thing which God had in view, as an ultimate end of the creaon of the world.
1. ACCORDING to the ſcripture, communicating good to the creatures, is what is in itſelf pleaſing to God: and that this is not meerly ſubordinately agreable, and eſteemed valuable on account of its relation to a further end, as it is in executing juſtice in puniſhing the ſins of men; which God is inclined to as fit and neceſſary in certain caſes, and on the account of good ends attained by it: but what God is inclined to on its own account, and what he delights in ſimply and ultimately. For tho' God is ſometimes in ſcripture ſpoken of as taking pleaſure in puniſhing men's ſins, Deut. 28. 63. "The Lord will rejoice over you, to deſtroy you". Ezek. 5. 13. "Then ſhall mine anger be accompliſhed, and I will cauſe my …ury to reſt upon them, and I will be comforted". Yet God is often ſpoken o… as exerciſing goodneſs and ſhewing mercy, with delight, in a manner quite different, and oppoſite to that of his executing wrath. For the latter is ſpoken of as what God proceeds to with backwardneſs and reluctance; the miſery of the creature being not agreable to him on its own account. Neh. 9. 17 "That thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, ſlow to anger, and of great loving kindneſs". Pſal. 103. 8. "The Lord is merciful & gracious, ſlow to anger, and plenteous in mercy". Pſal. 145. 8. "The Lord is gracious and full of compaſſion, ſlow to anger, and of great mercy". We have again almoſt the ſame words, Jonah 4. 2. Mic. 7. 10. "Who is a God like thee, that pardoneth iniquity, &c—He retaineth not his anger forever, becauſe he delighteth in mercy". Ezek. 18. 32. "I have no pleaſure in the death of him that dieth, ſaith the Lord God; wherefore turn yourſelves, and live ye". Lam. 3. 33. "He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men". Ezek. 33. 11. "As I live, ſaith the Lord God, I have no pleaſure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O houſe of Iſrael". 2 Pet. 3. 9. "Not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance".
2. THE work of redemption wrought out by Jeſus Chriſt, is ſpoken of in ſuch a manner as being from the grace and love of God to men, that does not well conſiſt with his ſeeking a communication of good to them, only ſubordinately, i. e. not at all from any inclination to their good directly, or delight in giving happineſs to them, ſimply and ultimately conſider'd; but only indirectly, and wholly from a regard to ſomething entirely diverſe, which it is a means of. Such expreſſions as that in Joh. 3. 16. carry another idea. "God ſo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten ſon, that whoſoever believeth in him, ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting life". And 1 Joh. 4. 9. 10. "In this was manifeſted the love of God towards us, becauſe that God ſent his only begotten ſon into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love; not that we loved God but that he loved us, and ſent his ſon to be a propitiation for our ſins". So Eph. 2. 4. "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, &c". But if indeed this was only from love to ſomething elſe, and a regard to a further end, entirely diverſe from our good; then all the love is truly terminated in that, its ultimate object! and God's love conſiſts in regard towards that: and therein is God's love, and therein is his love manifeſted, ſtrictly and properly ſpeaking, and not in that he loved us, or exerciſed ſuch high regard towards us. For if our good be not at all regarded ultimately, but only ſubordinately, then our good or intereſt is in itſelf conſidered, nothing in God's regard or love: God's reſpect is all terminated upon, and ſwallowed up in ſomething diverſe, which is the end, and not in the means.
So the ſcripture every where repreſents concerning Chriſt, as tho' the great things that he did and ſuffered, were in the moſt direct and proper ſenſe, from exceeding love to us; and not as one may ſhew kindneſs to a perſon, …o whoſe intereſt, ſimply and in itſelf conſidered, he is intirely indifferent, only as it may be a means of promoting the intereſt of another (that is indeed directly regarded) which is connected with it. Thus the apoſtle Paul repreſents the matter, Gal. 2. 20. "Who loved me, and gave himſelf for me". Eph. 5. 25. "Husbands love your wives, even as Chriſt loved the church, and gave himſelf for it". And Chriſt himſelf, Joh. 17. 19, "For their ſakes I ſanctify myſelf". And the ſcripture repreſents Chriſt as reſting in the ſalvation and glory of his people, when obtain'd, as in what he ultimately ſought, as having therein reached the goal at the end of his race; obtained the prize he aimed at; enjoying the travail of his ſoul, in which he is ſatisfied, as the recompence of his labours and extreme agonies. Iſai. 53. 10, 11. "When thou ſhall make his ſoul an offering for ſin, he ſhall ſee his ſeed, he ſhall prolong his days, and the pleaſure of the Lord ſhall proſper in his hand. He ſhall ſee of the travail of his ſoul, and ſhall be ſatisfied: by his knowledge ſhall my righteous ſervant juſtify many, for he ſhall bear their iniquities". He ſees the travail of his ſoul, in ſeeing his ſeed, the children brought forth in the iſſue of his travail. This implies that Chriſt has his delight, moſt truly and properly, in obtaining the ſalvation of his church, not meerly as a means conducing to the thing which terminates his delight and joy; but as what he rejoices and is ſatisfied in, moſt directly and properly: as do thoſe ſcriptures, which repreſent him as rejoicing in his obtaining this fruit of his labour and purchaſe, as the bridegroom, when he obtains his bride. Iſai. 62. 5. "As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, ſo ſhall thy God rejoice over thee". And how emphatical and ſtrong to the purpoſe, are the expreſſions in Zeph. 3. 17. "The Lord thy God in the midſt of thee is mighty; he will ſave, he will rejoice over thee with joy: he will reſt in his love, he will rejoice over thee with ſinging". The ſame … may be argued from Prov. 8. 30, 31. "Then was I by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him: rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth, and my delights were with the ſons of men". And from thoſe places that ſpeak of the ſaints as God's portion, his jewels and peculiar treaſure. Theſe things are abundantly confirmed by what is related, Joh. 12. 23.—32. But the particular conſideration of what may be obſerved to the preſent purpoſe, in that paſſage of ſcripture, may be refer'd to the next ſection.
3. THE communications of divine goodneſs, particularly forgiveneſs of ſin, and ſalvation, are ſpoken of from time to time, as being for God's goodneſs ſake, and for his mercies ſake, juſt in the ſame manner as they are ſpoken of, as being for God's name's ſake, in places obſerved before. Pſal. 25. 7. "Remember not the ſins of my youth, nor my tranſgreſſions: according to thy mercy remember thou me, for thy goodneſs ſake, O Lord". In the 11th. ver. the pſalmiſt ſays, "For thy name's ſake, O Lord pardon mine iniquity". Neh. 9. 31. "Nevertheleſs for thy great mercies ſake, thou haſt not utterly conſumed them, nor forſaken them; for thou art a gracious and a merciful God". Pſal. 6. 4. "Return O Lord, deliver my ſoul: O ſave me for thy mercies ſake". Pſal. 31. 16. "Make thy to face ſhine upon thy ſervant: ſave me for thy mercies ſake." Pſal. 44. 26. "Ariſe for our help; redeem us for thy mercies ſake." And here it may be obſerved, after what a remarkable manner God ſpeaks of his love to the children of Iſrael in the wilderneſs, as tho' his love were for love's ſake, and his goodneſs were its own end and motive. Deut. 7. 7, 8. "The Lord did not ſet his love upon you, nor chooſe you, becauſe ye were more in number than any people, for ye were the feweſt of all people; but becauſe the Lord loved you."
4. THAT the government of the world in all parts of it, is for the good of ſuch as are to be the eternal ſubjects of God's goodneſs, is implied in what the ſcripture teaches us of Chriſt's being ſet at God's right hand, made king of angels and men; ſet at the head of the univerſe, having all p…er given him in heaven und earth, to that end that he may promote their happineſs; being made head over all things to the church, and having the government of the whole creation for their good.*Eph. 1. 20, 21, 22, 23. Joh. 17. 2. Mat. 11. 27. and 28. 18, 19. Joh. 3. 35. Chriſt mentions it (Mar. 28. 29.) as the reaſon why the ſon of man is made Lord of the ſabbath, that "the ſabbath was made for man". And if ſo, we may in like manner argue, that all things were made for man, that the ſon of man is made Lord of all things.
5. THAT God uſes the whole creation, in his whole government of it, for the good of his people, is moſt elegantly repreſented in Deut. 33. 26. "There is none like the God of Jeſhurun, who rideth on the heavens in thine help, and in his excellency on the ſky". The whole univerſe is a machine, which God hath made for his own uſe▪ to be his chariot for him to ride in; as is repreſented in Ezekiels viſion. In this chariot God's ſeat, or throne is heaven, where he ſits, who uſes and governs and rides in this chariot (Ezek. 1. 22, 26, 27, 28.) The inferior part of the creation, this viſible univerſe, ſubject to ſuch continual changes and revolutions, are the wheels of the chariot, under the place of the ſeat of him who rides in this chariot. God's providence in the conſtant revolutions and alterations and ſucceſſive events, is repreſented by the motion of the wheels of the chariot, by the ſpirit of him who ſits in his throne on the heavens, or above the firmament. Moſes tells us for whoſe ſake it is that God moves the wheels of this chariot, or rides in it ſitting in his heavenly ſeat; and to what end he is making his progreſs, or goes his appointed journey in it, viz. the ſalvation of his people.
6. GOD's judgments on the wicked in this world, and alſo their eternal damnation in the world to come, are ſpoken of as being for the happineſs of God's people. So are his judgments on them in this World. Iſai. 43. 3, 4. "For I am the Lord thy God, the holy one of Iſrael, thy ſaviour. I gave Egypt for thy ranſom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou haſt been precious in my ſight, thou haſt been honorable, and I have loved thee; therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life". So the works of God's vindictive juſtice and wrath, are ſpoken of as works of mercy to his people, Pſal. 136. 10. 15, 17, 18, 19, 20. And ſo is their eternal damnation in another world. Rom. 9. 22. 23. "What if God, willing to ſhew his wrath and make his power known, endured with much long ſuffering, the veſſels of wrath fitted to deſtruction: and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the veſſels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory". Here it is evident the laſt verſe comes in, in connect on with the foregoing, as giving another reaſon of the deſtruction of the wicked, viz. the ſhewing the riches of his glory on the veſſels of mercy; in higher degrees of their glory and happineſs, in an advancement of their reliſh of their own enjoyments, and greater ſenſe of their value, and of God's free grace in the beſtowment.
7. IT ſeems to argue that God's goodneſs to them who are to be the eternal ſubjects of his goodneſs, is the end of the creation, that the whole creation, in all parts of it, and all God's diſpoſals of it, is ſpoken of as THEIR'S. 1 Cor. 3. 22, 23. "All things are yours. Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things preſent, or things to come, all are yours". The terms are very univerſal; and both works of creation and providence are mentioned: and 'tis manifeſtly the deſign of the apoſtle to be underſtood of every work of God whatſoever. Now, how can we underſtand this any otherwiſe, than that all things are for their benefit; and that God made and uſes all for their good?
8. ALL God's works, both his works of creation and providence, are repreſented as works of goodneſs or mercy to his people in the 136th. pſalm. His wonderful works in general, ver. 4. "To him who alone doth great wonders; for his mercy endureth forever". The works of creation in all parts of it. Ver. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. "To him that by wiſdom made the heavens; for his mercy endureth forever. To him that ſtretched out the earth above the waters; for his mercy endureth forever. To him that made great lights; for his mercy endureth forever. The ſun to rule by day; for his mercy endureth forever. The moon and ſtars to rule by night; for his mercy endureth forever". And God's works of providence, in the following part of the pſalm.
9. THAT expreſſion in the bleſſed ſentence pronounced on the righteous at the day of judgment, "Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world", ſeems to hold forth as much, as that the eternal expreſſions and fruits of God's goodneſs to them, was God's end in creating the world, and in his providential diſpoſals ever ſince the creation: that God in all his works, in laying the foundation of the world, and ever ſince the foundation of it, had been preparing this kingdom and glory for them.
10. AGREABLE to this, the good of men is ſpoken of as an ultimate end of the virtue of the moral world. Rom. 13. 8, 9, 10. "He that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou ſhalt not commit adultery, Thou ſhalt not kill, &c.—And if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this ſaying, Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thyſelf. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law". Gal. 5. 14. "All the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thyſelf". Jam. 2. 8. "If ye fulfill the royal law, according to the ſcripture, Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thyſelf, thou ſhalt do well".
IF the good of the creature be one end of God in all things he does; and ſo be one end of all things that he requires moral agents to do; and an end they ſhould have reſpect to in all that they do, and which they ſhould regulate all parts of their conduct by; theſe things may be eaſily explained: but otherwiſe it ſeems difficult to be accounted for, that the Holy Ghoſt ſhould thus expreſs himſelf from time to time. The ſcripture repreſents it to be the ſpirit of all true ſaints, to perfer the welfare of God's people to their chief joy. And this was the ſpirit of Moſes and the prophets of old: and the good of God's church was an end they regulated all their conduct by. And ſo it was with the apoſtles. 2 Cor. 4. 15. "For all things are for your ſakes." 2 Tim. 2. 10. "I endure all things for the elects ſake, that they may alſo obtain the ſalvation which is in Chriſt Jeſus, with eternal glory." And the ſcriptures repreſent as though every chriſtian ſhould in all things he does be employed for the good of God's church, as each particular member of the body, is in all things employed, for the good of the body. Rom. 12. 4, 5. &c. Eph. 4. 15, 16. 1 Cor. 12. 12, 25. to the end; together with the whole of the next chapter. To this end the ſcripture teaches us the angels are continually employed. Heb. 1. 14.