Brightness Quote by Jonathan Edwards
“Because God is not only infinitely greater and more excellent than all other being, but he is the head of the universal system of existence; the foundation and fountain of all being and all beauty; from whom all is perfectly derived, and on whom all is most absolutely and perfectly dependent; of whom, and through whom, and to whom is all being and all perfection; and whose being and beauty are, as it were, the sum and comprehension of all existence and excellence: much more than the sun is the fountain and summary comprehension of all the light and brightness of the day.”
About This Quote
Source Sermon: The Nature of God, Jonathan Edwards, 1740s
God is portrayed as the ultimate source and foundation of all existence, beauty, and perfection, surpassing even the sun in significance.
In simple terms: God is the ultimate source of everything.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and honor the divine origin of all things.
Themes
theology
philosophy
metaphysics
spirituality
Mood
reverent
inspirational
Type
theological
philosophical
When to use this quote
- Contemplating nature
- prayer
- ethical decision making
- seeking purpose
- studying theology
Key Concepts
Divine omnipotence
cosmic order
existential dependence
Questions to Reflect On
- How does this view shape moral behavior?
- Can divine supremacy coexist with scientific understanding?
A Different Perspective
The description may be abstract and difficult to reconcile with empirical reality.
![“[God is] the eternal, independent, and self existent Being; the Being whose purposes and actions spring from himself, without foreign motive or influence; he who is absolute in dominion; the most pure, the most simple, the most spiritual of all essences; infinitely perfect; and eternally…” quote by Adam Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f83/adam-clarke-14388_god_god-is-the-eternal-independent-and-self_1574867.jpg)
![“But it is doubtless true, and evident from [the] Scriptures, that the essence of all true religion lies in holy love; and that in this divine affection, and an habitual disposition to it, and that light which is the foundation of it, and those things which are the fruits of it, consists the whole…” quote by Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2fd/jonathan-edwards-770_affection_but-it-is-doubtless-true-and-evident-fro_82879.jpg)
