Dissertation of the End in Vol I of the Works - Edwards - I - Chapter 1

Required reading
Dissertation of the End in Volume I of the Works by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 1 of 'Dissertation on the end for which God created the world'.

My summary.

Today we begin a new book in the first volume of the works.

Edwards is concerned to show the end for which God created the world and in chapter one he uses reason to draw several conclusions.  Next week it will be Scripture that is used for his conclusions.

Thus Edwards reasons that:

(i) God did not create the world to receive anything from his creation;

(ii) God created the world to manifest his glorious attributes;

(iii) God delights in these manifestations of his attributes;

(iv) God is not selfish etc in making himself the end of the world.

What grabbed me

I particularly enjoyed section four where Edwards answered objections to God being concerned for his own glory.

For example, here is Edwards' answer to the charge that God is selfish:

'OBJECT. II. Some may object, that to suppose God makes himself his highest and last end, is dishonorable to him; as it in effect supposes, that God does every thing from a selfish spirit. Selfishness is looked upon as mean and sordid in the creature; unbecoming and even hateful in such a worm of the dust as man. We should look upon a man as of a base and contemptible character, who should in every thing he did, be governed by selfish principles; should make his private interest his governing aim in all his conduct in life. How far then should we be from attributing any such thing to the Supreme Being, the blessed and only Potentate! Does it not become us to ascribe to him the most noble and generous dispositions, and qualities the most remote from every thing private, narrow, and sordid?

Ans. 1. Such an objection must arise from a very ignorant or inconsiderate notion of the vice of selfishness and the virtue of generosity. If by selfishness be meant, a disposition in any being to regard himself; this is no otherwise vicious or unbecoming, than as one is less than a multitude, and so the public weal is of greater value than his particular interest. Among created beings one single person is inconsiderable in comparison of the generality; and so his interest is of little importance compared with the interest of the whole system. Therefore in them, a disposition to prefer self, as if it were more than all, is exceeding vicious. But it is vicious on no other account, than as it is a disposition that does not agree with the nature of things; and that which is indeed the greatest good. And a disposition in any one to forego his own interest for the sake of others, is no further excellent, no further worthy the name of generosity, than it is treating things according to their true value; prosecuting something most worthy to be prosecuted; an expression of a disposition to prefer something to self-interest, that is indeed preferable in itself. But if God be indeed so great, and so excellent, that all other beings are as nothing to him, and all other excellency be as nothing, and less than nothing and vanity, in comparison of his, and God be omniscient and infallible, and perfectly knows that he is infinitely the most valuable being, then it is fit that his heart should be agreeable to this—which is indeed the true nature and proportion of things, and agreeable to this infallible and all-comprehending understanding which he has of them, and that perfectly clear light in which he views them—and that he should value himself infinitely more than his creatures.'

If you're supreme, you can't be selfish.

Next week's reading
Read Chapter 2 of 'Dissertation on the end for which God created the world'.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.