Two Dissertations Concerning the the World and Virtue, Dissertation 1 · Chapter 2 · Sect 7
SECT. VII.
SHEWING that the ultimate end of the creation of the world, is BUT ONE, and what THAT ONE END is.
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 ſupream 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 fulneſs; meaning by his fulneſs, 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, thro' the imperfection of language, and words being leſs fitted to expreſs things of ſo ſublime a nature. And therefere 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.
THERE is included in this, the exerciſe of God's perfections to produce a proper effect, in oppoſition to their lying eternally dormant and ineffectual: as his power being eternally without any act or fruit or that power; his wiſdom eternally ineffectual in any wiſe production, or prudent diſpoſal of any thing, &c. The manifeſtation of his internal glory to created underſtandings. The communication of the infinite fulneſs of God to the creature. The creature's high eſteem of God, love to God, and complacence and joy in God; and the proper exerciſes and expreſſions of theſe.
THESE at firſt view may appear to be entirely diſtinct things: but if we more cloſely conſider the matter, they will all appear to be one thing, in a variety of views and relations. They are all but the emanation of God's glory; or the excellent brightneſs and fulneſs of the divinity diffuſed, overflowing, and as it were enlarged; or in one word, exiſting ad extra. God's exerciſing his perfection to produce a proper effect, is not diſtinct from the emanation or communication of his fulneſs: for this is the effect, viz. his fulneſs communicated, and the producing this effect is the communication of his fulneſs; and there is nothing in this effectual exerting of God's perfection, but the emanation of God's internal glory. The emanation or communication, is of the internal glory or fulneſs of God, as it is. Now God's internal glory, as it is in God, is either in his underſtanding, or will. The glory or fulneſs of his underſtanding, is his knowledge. The internal glory and fulneſs of God, which we muſt conceive of as having its ſpecial ſeat in his will, is his holineſs and happineſs. The whole of God's internal good or glory, is in theſe three things, viz. his infinite knowledge; his infinite vertue or holineſs, and his infinite joy and happineſs. Indeed there are a great many attributes in God, according to our way of conceiving or talking of them: but all may be reduced to theſe; or to the degree, circumſtances and relations of theſe. We have no conception of God's power, different from the degree of theſe things, with a certain relation of them to effects. God's infinity is not ſo properly a diſtinct kind of good in God, but only expreſſes the degree of the good there is in him. So God's eternity is not a diſtinct good; but is the duration of good. His immutability is ſtill the ſame good, with a negation of change. So that, as I ſaid, the fulneſs of the God-head is the fulneſs of his underſtanding, conſiſting in his knowledge, and the fulneſs of his will, conſiſting in his vertue and happineſs. And therefore the external glory of God conſiſts in the communication of theſe. The communication of his knowledge is chiefly in giving the knowledge of himſelf: for this is the knowledge in which the fulneſs of God's underſtanding chiefly conſiſts. And thus we ſee how the manifeſtation of God's glory to created underſtandings, and their ſeeing and knowing it, is not diſtinct from an emanation or communication of God's fulneſs, but clearly implied in it. Again, the communication of God's vertue or holineſs, is principally in communicating the love of himſelf (which appears by what has before been obſerved.) And thus we ſee how, not only the creature's ſeeing and knowing God's excellence, but alſo ſupreamly eſteeming and loving him, belongs to the communication of God's fulneſs. And the communication of God's joy & happineſs, conſiſts chiefly in communicating to the creature, that happineſs and joy, which conſiſts in rejoicing in God, and in his glorious excellency; for in ſuch joy God's own happineſs does principally conſiſt. And in theſe things, viz. in knowing God's excellency, loving God for it, and rejoicing in it; and in the exerciſe and expreſſion of of theſe, conſiſts God's honor and praiſe: ſo that theſe are clearly implied in that glory of God, which conſiſts in the emanation of his internal glory. And tho' we ſuppoſe all theſe things, which ſeem to be ſo various, are ſignified by that glory, which the ſcripture ſpeaks of as the laſt end of all God's works; yet it is manifeſt there is no greater, and no other variety in it, than in the internal and eſſential glory of God itſelf. God's internal glory is partly in his underſtanding, and partly in his will. And this internal glory, as ſeated in the will of God, implies both his holineſs and his happineſs: both are evidently God's glory, according to the uſe of the phraſe. So that as God's external glory is only the emanation of his internal glory, this variety neceſſarily follows. And again, it hence appears that here is no other variety or diſtinction, but what neceſſarily ariſes from the diſtinct faculties of the creature, to which the communication is made, as created in the image of God; even as having theſe two faculties of underſtanding and will. God communicates himſelf to the underſtanding of the creature, in giving him the knowledge of his glory; and to the will of the creature, in giving him holineſs, conſiſting primarily in the love of God: and in giving the creature happineſs, chiefly conſiſting in joy in God. Theſe are the ſum of that emanation of divine fulneſs called in ſcripture, the glory of God. The firſt part of this glory, is called truth, the latter, grace. Joh. 1. 14. "We beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth".
THUS we ſee that the great and laſt end of God's works which is ſo variouſly expreſſed in ſcripture, is indeed but one; and this one end is moſt properly and comprehenſively called, THE GLORY OF GOD; by which name it is moſt commonly called in ſcripture. And is fitly compared to an effulgence or emanation of light from a luminary, by which this glory of God is abundantly repreſented in ſcripture. Light is the external expreſſion, exhibition and manifeſtation of the excellency of the luminary, of the ſun for inſtance: It is the abundant, extenſive emanation and communication of the fulneſs of the ſun to innumerable beings that partake of it. 'Tis by this that the ſun itſelf is ſeen, and his glory beheld, and all other things are diſcovered: 'tis by a participation of this communication from the ſun, that ſurrounding objects receive all their luſtre, beauty and brightneſs. 'Tis by this that all nature is quicken'd and receives life, comfort and joy. Light is abundantly uſed in ſcripture to repreſent and ſignify theſe three things, knowledge, holineſs and happineſs.*'Tis uſed to ſignify knowledge, or that manifeſtation and evidence by which knowledge is received. Pſal. 19 8. and 119. 105. 130 Prov. 6. 23. Iſai 8. 20. and 9 2. and 29. 18. Dan. 5. 11. Eph 5. 13. "But all things that are reproved, are made manifeſt by the light: for whatſoever doth make manifeſt, is light." And in other places of the new teſtament innumerable.— 'TIS uſed to ſignify vertue or moral good. Job. 25. 5. Ecel. 8. 1. Iſai. 5. 20 and 24. 23. and 62. 1. Ezek 28. 7. 17. Dan. 2. 31. 1 Joh. 1. 5. And many other places— AND 'tis abundantly uſed to ſignify comfort, joy and happineſs. Eſth. 8. 16. Job 18. 18. and 22. 28. and 29. 3. and 30. 26. Pſal. 27. 1. and 97 11. and 118. 27. and 112. 4. Iſai. 42. 16. and 50. 10. and 59. 9. Jer. 13. 16. Lam. 3. 2. Ezek. 32. 8. Amos 5. 18. M…c 7. 8, 9. And other places.—
WHAT has been ſaid may be ſufficient to ſhew how thoſe things, which are ſpoken of in ſcripture as ultimate ends of God's works, tho' they may ſeem at firſt view to be diſtinct, are all plainly to be reduced to this one thing, viz. God's internal glory or fulneſs extant externally, or exiſting in its emanation. And tho' God in ſeeking this end, ſeeks the creature's good; yet therein appears his ſupreme regard to himſelf.
THE emanation or communication of the divine fulneſs, conſiſting in the knowledge of God, love to God, and joy in God, has relation indeed both to God, and the creature: but it has relation to God as its fountain, as it is an emanation from God; and as the communication itſelf, or thing communicated, is ſomething divine, ſomething of God, ſomething of his internal fulneſs; as the water in the ſtream is ſomething of the fountain; and as the beams of the ſun, are ſomething of the ſun. And again, they have relation to God, as they have reſpect to him as their object: for the knowledge communicated is the knowledge of God; and ſo God is the object of the knowledge: and the love communicated, is the love of God; ſo God is the object of that love: and the happineſs communicated, is joy in God; and ſo he is the object of the joy communicated. In the creature's knowing, eſteeming, loving, rejoicing in, and praiſing God, the glory of God is both exhibited and acknowledged; his fulneſs is received and returned. Here is both an emanation, and remanation. The refulgence ſhines upon and into the creature, and is reflected back to the luminary. The beams of glory come from God, and are ſomething of God, and are refunded back again to their original. So that the whole is of God, and in God; and to God; and God is the beginning, middle and end in this affair.
AND tho' it be true that God has reſpect to the creature in theſe things; yet his reſpect to himſelf, and to the creature in this matter, are not properly to be looked upon, as a double and divided reſpect of God's heart. What has been ſaid in chap. 1. ſect. 3, 4, may be ſufficient to ſhew this. Nevertheleſs, it may not be amiſs here briefly to ſay a few things; tho' they are moſtly implied in what has been ſaid already.
WHEN God was about to create the world, he had reſpect to that emanation of his glory, which is actually the conſequence of the creation, juſt as it is with regard to all that belongs to it, both with regard to its relation to himſelf, and the creature. He had regard to it, as an emanation from himſelf, and a communication of himſelf, and as the thing communicated, in its nature returned to himſelf, as its final term. And he had regard to it alſo, as the emanation was to the creature, and as the thing communicated was in the creature, as its ſubject. And God had regard to it in this manner, as he had a ſupreme regard to himſelf, and value for his own infinite internal glory. It was this value for himſelf that cauſed him to value and ſeek that his internal glory ſhould flow forth from himſelf. It was from his value for his glorious perfections of wiſdom and righteouſneſs, &c.—that he valued the proper exerciſe and effect of theſe perfections▪ in wiſe and righteous acts and effects. It was from his infinite value for his internal glory and fulneſs, that he valued the thing itſelf, which is communicated, which is ſomething of the ſame, extant in the creature. Thus, becauſe he infinitely values his own glory, conſiſting in the knowledge of himſelf, love to himſelf, and complacence and joy in himſelf; he therefore valued the image, communication or participation of theſe, in the creature. And 'tis becauſe he values himſelf, that he delights in the knowledge and love and joy of the creature; as being himſelf the object of this knowledge, love and complacence. For it is the neceſſary conſequence of the true eſteem and love of any perſon or being (ſuppoſe a ſon or friend) that we ſhould approve and value others eſteem of the ſame object, and diſapprove and diſlike the contrary. For the ſame reaſon is it the conſequence of a being's eſteem and love of himſelf, that he ſhould approve of others eſteem and love of himſelf.
THUS 'tis eaſy to conceive, how God ſhould ſeek the good of the creature, conſiſting in the creature's knowledge and holineſs, and even his happineſs, from a ſupreme regard to himſelf; as his happineſs ariſes from that which is an image and participation of God's own beauty; and conſiſts in the creature's exerciſing a ſupreme regard to God and complacence in him; in beholding God's glory, in eſteeming and loving it, and rejoicing in it, and in his exerciſing and teſtifying love and ſupream reſpect to God: which is the ſame thing with the creature's exalting God as his chief good, and making him his ſupream end.
AND though the emanation of God's fulneſs which God intended in the creation, and which actually is the conſequence of it▪ is to the creature as it's object, and the creature is the ſubject of the fulneſs communicated, and is the creature's good; and was alſo regarded as ſuch, when God ſought it as the end of his works: yet it don't neceſſarily follow, that even in ſo doing, he did not make himſelf his end. It comes to the ſame thing. God's reſpect to the creature's good, and his reſpect to himſelf, is not a divided reſpect; but both are united in one, as the happineſs of the creature aimed at, is happineſs in union with himſelf. The creature is no further happy with this happineſs which God makes his ultimate end, than he becomes one with God. The more happineſs the greater union: when the happineſs is perfect, the union is perfect. And as the happineſs will be increaſing to eternity, the union will become more and more ſtrict and perfect; nearer & more like to that between God the Father, and the Son; who are ſo united, that their intereſt is perfectly one. If the happineſs of the creature be conſidered as it will be, in the whole of the creature's eternal duration, with all the infinity of its progreſs, and infinite increaſe of nearneſs and union to God; in this view, the creature muſt be looked upon as united to God in an infinite ſtrictneſs.
IF God has reſpect to ſomething in the creature, which he views as of everlaſting duration, and as riſing higher and higher thro' that infinite duration, and that not with conſtantly diminiſhing (but perhaps an increaſing) celerity: then he has reſpect to it, as, in the whole, of infinite height; though there never will be any particular time when it can be ſaid already to have come to ſuch an height.
LET the moſt perfect union with God, be repreſented by ſomething at an infinite height above us; and the eternally increaſing union of the ſaints with God, by ſomething that is aſcending conſtantly towards that infinite height, moving upwards with a given velocity; and that is to continue thus to move to all eternity. God who views the whole of this eternally increaſing height, views it as an infinite height. And if he has reſpect to it, and makes it his end, as in the whole of it, he has reſpect to it as an infinite height, tho' the time will never come when it can be ſaid it has already arrived at this infinite height.
GOD aims at that which the motion or progreſſion which he cauſes, aims at, or tends to. If there be many things ſuppoſed to be ſo made and appointed, that by a conſtant and eternal motion, they all tend to a certain center; then it appears that he who made them and is the cauſe of their motion, aimed at that center, that term of their motion, to which they eternally tend, and are eternally, as it were, ſtriving after. And if God be this center; then God aimed at himſelf. And herein it appears, that as he is the firſt author of their being and motion, ſo he is the laſt end, the final term, to which is their ultimate tendency and aim.
WE may judge of the end that the creator aimed at, in the being, nature and tendency he gives the creature, by the mark or term which they conſtantly aim at in their tendency and eternal progreſs; though the time will never come, when it can be ſaid it is attained to, in the moſt abſolutely perfect manner.
BUT if ſtrictneſs of union to God be viewed as thus infinitely exalted; then the creature muſt be regarded as infinitely, nearly and cloſely united to God. And viewed thus, their intereſt muſt be viewed as one with God's intereſt; and ſo is not regarded properly with a disjunct and ſeparate, but an undivided reſpect. And as to any difficulty of reconciling God's not making the creature his ultimate end, with a reſpect properly diſtinct from a reſpect to himſelf; with his benevolence and free grace, and the creatures obligation to gratitude, the reader muſt be refer'd to chap. 1. ſect. 4. obj. 4. where this objection has been conſider'd and anſwer'd at large.
IF by reaſon of the ſtrictneſs of the union of a man and his family, their intereſt may be looked upon as one, how much more one is the intereſt of Chriſt and his church, (whoſe firſt union in heaven is unſpeakably more perfect and exalted, than that of an earthly father and his family) if they be conſidered with regard to their eternal and increaſing union? Doubtleſs it may juſtly be eſteemed as ſo much one, that it may be ſuppoſed to be aimed at and ſought, not with a diſtinct and ſeparate, but an undivided reſpect.
'TIS certain that what God aimed at in the creation of the world, was the good that would be the conſequence of the creation, in the whole continuance of the thing created.
'TIS no ſolid objection againſt God's aiming at an infinitely perfect union of the creature with himſelf, that the particular time will never come when it can be ſaid, the union is now infinitely perfect. God aims at ſatisfying juſtice in the eternal damnation of ſinners; which will be ſatisfied by their damnation, conſidered no otherwiſe than with regard to its eternal duration. But yet there never will come that particular moment, when it can be ſaid, that now juſtice is ſatisfied. But if this don't ſatisfy our modern free-thinkers, who don't like the talk about ſatisfying juſtice with an infinite puniſhment; I ſuppoſe it will not be denied by any, that God, in glorifying the ſaints in heaven with eternal felicity, aims to ſatisfy his infinite grace or benevolence, by the beſtowment of a good infinitely valuable, becauſe eternal: and yet there never will come the moment, when it can be ſaid, that now this infinitely valuable good has been actually beſtowed.