Happiness

No. 315

HAPPINESS IS THE END OF THE CREATION, as appears by this, because the creation had as good not be, as not rejoice in its being. For certainly it was the goodness of the Creator that moved him to create; and how can we conceive of another end proposed by goodness, than that he might delight in seeing the creatures he made rejoice in that being that he has given them? It appears also by this, because the end of the creation is that the creation might glorify him. Now what is glorifying God, but a rejoicing at that glory he has displayed? An understanding of the perfections of God, merely, cannot be the end of the creation; for he had as good not understand it, as see it and not be at all moved with joy at the sight. Neither can the highest end of the creation be the declaring God's glory to others; for the declaring God's glory is good for nothing otherwise than to raise joy in ourselves and others at what is declared. Wherefore, seeing happiness is the highest end of the creation of the universe, and intelligent beings are that consciousness of the creation that is to be the immediate subject of this happiness, how happy may we conclude will be those intelligent beings that are to be made eternally happy! - WJE 13:200–01

CORPUS NOTECARDS

None

TERMS & REFERENCES

Term Set A: happiness rejoice rejoicing

Term Set B: creation

Max Distance Between Terms = 6

Reference List A/B

3:159 - Original Sin (WJEO 3)
13:173 - The Miscellanies: (Entry Nos. a-z, aa-zz, 1-500) (WJEO 13)
13:199 - The Miscellanies: (Entry Nos. a-z, aa-zz, 1-500) (WJEO 13)
13:200 - The Miscellanies: (Entry Nos. a-z, aa-zz, 1-500) (WJEO 13)
13:276 - The Miscellanies: (Entry Nos. a-z, aa-zz, 1-500) (WJEO 13)
13:417 - The Miscellanies: (Entry Nos. a-z, aa-zz, 1-500) (WJEO 13)
14:60 - Sermons and Discourses: 1723-1729 (WJEO 14)
14:146 - Sermons and Discourses: 1723-1729 (WJEO 14)
20:464 - The Miscellanies, 833-1152 (WJEO 20)
23:162 - The Miscellanies, (Entry Nos. 1153-1360) (WJEO 23)
39:4 - Church and Pastoral Documents (WJEO 39)
40:17 - Autobiographical and Biographical Documents (WJEO 40)
42:6 - Sermons, Series II, 1723-1727 (WJEO 42)
43:4 - Sermons, Series II, 1728-1729 (WJEO 43)
49:34 - Sermons, Series II, 1734 (WJEO 49)
49:35 - Sermons, Series II, 1734 (WJEO 49)

Reference List B/A

5:346 - Apocalyptic Writings (WJEO 5)
8:488 - Ethical Writings (WJEO 8)
13:251 - The Miscellanies: (Entry Nos. a-z, aa-zz, 1-500) (WJEO 13)
13:256 - The Miscellanies: (Entry Nos. a-z, aa-zz, 1-500) (WJEO 13)
13:272 - The Miscellanies: (Entry Nos. a-z, aa-zz, 1-500) (WJEO 13)
14:146 - Sermons and Discourses: 1723-1729 (WJEO 14)
18:520 - The Miscellanies, (Entry Nos. 501-832) (WJEO 18)
19:563 - Sermons and Discourses, 1734-1738 (WJEO 19)
20:46 - The Miscellanies, 833-1152 (WJEO 20)
20:47 - The Miscellanies, 833-1152 (WJEO 20)
39:4 - Church and Pastoral Documents (WJEO 39)
46:19 - Sermons, Series II, 1731-1732 (WJEO 46)
52:24 - Sermons, Series II, 1737 (WJEO 52)