Reformed Covenanter
Cancelled Commissioner
The happiness of God consists in the knowledge of himself, his own perfections, and delight in them. God is the object of his own happiness. The knowledge of God himself is the felicity of God. No being is really happy without reflection upon, and knowledge of, that happiness. If God should be happy by the knowledge of anything else but himself, that which he did contemplate and know would be greater and better than God, because his happiness would depend upon it. Felicity can never be in anything inferior. God hath nothing higher and better than himself to contemplate.
This gave him a satisfaction before the world was, and this would still be his blessedness, if all things should be reduced to the depths of nothing. Since, therefore, he created the world, to communicate himself and his own happiness to the rational creature, felicity cannot be attained by anything less than the knowledge of the supreme good according to the creature’s measures. The angels themselves are only blessed in the contemplation of him, and affection to him. In being encompassed with his bright rays, and having their affections inflamed by him. Mat. xviii. 10, ‘they behold the face of God.’ As God’s knowledge and fruition of himself makes up his felicity, so the knowledge and fruition of God composeth our happiness.
For the reference, see Stephen Charnock on the happiness of God.
This gave him a satisfaction before the world was, and this would still be his blessedness, if all things should be reduced to the depths of nothing. Since, therefore, he created the world, to communicate himself and his own happiness to the rational creature, felicity cannot be attained by anything less than the knowledge of the supreme good according to the creature’s measures. The angels themselves are only blessed in the contemplation of him, and affection to him. In being encompassed with his bright rays, and having their affections inflamed by him. Mat. xviii. 10, ‘they behold the face of God.’ As God’s knowledge and fruition of himself makes up his felicity, so the knowledge and fruition of God composeth our happiness.
For the reference, see Stephen Charnock on the happiness of God.