“That notion of God’s last end in the creation of the
world, is agreeable to reason, which would truly imply any indigence,
insufficiency, and mutability in God; or any dependence of the Creator on the
creature, for any part of his perfection or happiness. Because it is evident by
both Scripture and reason, that God is infinitely, eternally, unchangeably, and
independently glorious and happy: that he cannot be profited by, or receive
anything from the creature; or be the subject of any sufferings, or diminution
of his glory and felicity, from any other being. The notion of God creating the
world, in order to receive anything from the creature, is not only contrary to
the nature of God, but inconsistent with the notion of creation; which implies
a being receiving its existence, and all that belongs to it, out of nothing.
And this implies the most perfect, absolute, and universal derivation and
dependence. Now, if the creature receives its all from God, entirely and
perfectly, how is it possible that it should have anything to add to God, to
make him in any respect more than he was before, and so the Creator become
dependent on the creature?”
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