A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 1 (Question 1)
SERMON, I.
QUESTION, I.
WHAT is the CHIEF END of Man?
ANSWER.
Man's Chief End is to GLORIFY GOD, and ENJOY HIM for ever.
THAT it hath been cuſtomary in the Church of Chriſt from the beginning, to drew up the main and moſt neceſſary points of Religion into a Method, which we commonly call a Body of Divinity, there needs no more to make it evident, but that of Paul in his advice to Timothy, 2 Tim. 1.13. Hold faſt the form of ſound words, which thou haſt heard of me, in faith and love which is in Chriſt Jeſus. The great Uſefulneſs of which cuſtom is manifeſt, in that it is profitable for all ſerts of Chriſtians. It … of great uſe for Young ones, that they may be principled in the Truth, and preſerved from being drawn away with Error; which is uſually occaſioned by a confuſed knowledge, and want of being well ſettled at firſt. It is neceſſary for Miniſters of the Goſpel, for their profitable Preaching, and help to reduce all their Doctrines, to the proper foundamental Article they relate unto. And for every Profeſſor, it is exceeding advantageous, to help them in reading the Scriptures, and trying of Doctrines. The reducing theſe Heads or Articles into a Catechetical way, for the better inſtitution of Youth, is of no late Original. The Primitive Church had it's Catechument, ſuch as were queſtioned about the Matters of Faith diſtinctly, in order to their coming to the Lord's Table. Nor are there obſcure footſteps for Catechiſing in the Scripture: The word tranſlated Inſtructed, Luk. 1.4. ſignifies Catechiſed; the ſame word is uſed. Act. 18.25. Gal. 6.6. which word ſignifies a being taught the Rudiments of any Art whatſoever and is in the New-Teſtament applied to the firſt Elements of the Chriſtian Religion. And that it is commonly received among Profeſſors, appears in that all Churches in all Nations, and among all ſorts, have their Catechiſms.
THERE have been various Methods obſerved in the compiling of theſe Syſtems; But that which hath of late more generally of … …amed among us, is that of this Catechiſms. … Expoſition whereof having once, more glancingly gone over, for the help of Young ones eſpecially; I ſhall endeavour in this ſecond Eſſay, more elaborately to open; adding to the clearing up of the ſenſe of the Doctrine, as there is occaſion, the removal of Objections, and ſatisfying Caſes of Conſcience depending.
TOUCHING the Method of the Catechiſm in general, we may obſerve; That the Great Thing which all Rational, and Immortal Creatures have to be moſtly inquiſitive about, is HAPPINESS: The Subſtance of this Inquiry may be reduced to Two Heads, or gathered up in two Queſtions, viz. What is Happineſs; and How may it be Obtained? So that the whole Doctrine hereto related, bares reſpect either to the End or to the Means. Happineſs properly conſiſts in our attaining of our End, and this is reached unto by a right uſing of Means ſuitable and proper. The End, tho' it be laſt in execution, yet is the firſt in intection; and being that unto which the Means are to be fitted, is that which i… firſt to come into …eration; becauſe, the better that is known, the fitter we are to judge of the other. A Man cannot rationally tell what he is to do, until he firſt underſtand what it is for: hence therefore all Art: and Sciences are went to be defined by their END … unto which, all that is delivered under them, is to be Reduced; and the dignity, worth or excellency of every Art, is thereby to be judged of.
THE Art or Doctrine, which we have now under Conſideration is DIVINITY, or Religion: and not only ſo, but the Chriſtian Religion, or that which is ſuited to direct and guide fallen Man to Glory. That there is ſuch a Doctrine is not hard to be proved: for if there … Happineſs provided for fallen Man, there … be a Way to bring him to the Enjoyment …at; and conſequently a Rule to ſet him in that Way, and conduct him in it, and that is Religion.
THE ſpecial Worth of this Doctrine, ſhewing it to excel all others, diſcovers it's ſelf in the End that it points Men to; and that is BLESSEDNESS, than which nothing can be more excellent or deſirable.
THE Firſt Queſtion with is Anſwer is a …y to all the Reſt, becauſe they refer to Divinity no further than they refer Hither: it is therefore neceſſary to ſtate this Caſe rightly: for which purpoſe, I ſhall firſt take an account of the Thing armed at in the Queſtion, and then proceed to give the Right meaning of the Anſwer.
Firſt. In the QUESTION, we are marily to note what the Enquiry is about: And here are two Poſitions.
I. IT is about Mans END. Man is therefore properly & peculiarly concerned in it: It belongs to every rational Creature to know what he was made for, and what is his proper Work. Till a Work man knows his End, he cannot work prudently: for how ſhould he be able to chuſe and uſe Means, except he know for what? The reaſon why the moſt of Men lead ſuch fooliſh Lives, and do ſo many impertinent Actions, is becauſe they know not what they live for, nor whereto their actions …: And if they would be perſwaded to … their Works with their End, they would … call themſelves Fools. Now when Man's END is enquired after, we are to obſerve,
1. Negatively, THE Queſtion is not about that which the moſt of Men do practically make their End, or propound to themſelves as their Deſign. The Deſign of Divinity is to tell us what is Right; and by that it gives us light to diſcover that which is Wrong. Fallen Man is therein unhappy, becauſe he hath loſt his Right End, and is fallen upon others, which are ſo various, that they are alſo endleſs, Eccl. 7.29. Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright: but they have ſought out many inventions.
2. Poſſitively, or Affirmatively: THERE are three things eſpecially intended in it.
1. WHAT is that End, which Man is by the Precept commanded to as … at: Or, What it is that God would have Man to make his End? Mans being fallen ſhort by …n, both not … the Rule: his Duty ſtill abides: the Force of the Command is not Elemented: whether he doth ſo … no practically, yet it is his Duty to make this his End; God appointed him ſo to do, and it is his Sin to do otherwiſe; for which, reaſon thoſe two things are put together, Rom. 3.23. For all have finner, and come ſhort of the glory of God.
2. WHAT is that End which doth moſt properly fate the … of Man? What is moſt proper and national for him… fo…? and in the making … whereof, be can end diſcover … Wiſdom? According So that, Job 28.28. And unto man he ſaid, Behold, the jear of the Lord, that is Wiſdom, and to depart from evil is underſtanding. For, as when God wrought the works of Creation, he had a Deſign in every Creature which he made; ſo he therein diſplayed his Infinite Wiſdom, in that he ſuited all the Creature Natures and Ends one is another. This then is …e End which Man, if he knows himſelf, and his Natural Conſtitution, will propoſe to himſelf, as being made for it, and all his faculties were ſuited to it, before ſuch time as Sin had depraved them.
3. WHAT is that End which, if attained by him, will make him Happy? Man is a Creature that was made capable of Happineſs: which no other inferiour Creature, can ever attain unto. Hence God was pleaſed to appoint him ſuch an End, as in the attainment whereof he might be Bleſſed for ever. Every other thing by reaching it's End, attains to it's Goodneſs; but Man by his, gains his Felicity: Hence that. Iſa. 56.2. Bleſſed is the man that doeth this, and the ſon of man that layeth hold on it: that keepeth the ſo… bath from polluting is, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. Jam. 1 25. But whoſe … into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, be being not a forgetful hearer, but a … of the work, this man ſhall be bleſſed in his deed. And if he falls ſhort of it, he makes himſelf Miſerable.
II. IT is Man's CHIEF End, which is here enquired after. The Queſtion takes it for granted, that a Man may have Diverſe Ends, which he propoſeth to himſelf in his action; and that not only practically, through miſtake, but lawfully and regularly. There are various Deſigns, and diverſities of Operations which Man is appointed to: and hence there are divers Arts and Sciences, which he hath to guide him therein, and every Art hath its diſtinct End. But we are here given to underſtand, that Divinity or Religion hath its peculiar Glory and Preference, in that its buſineſs is to treat of Man's Cheif End. That a Man may and muſt have Divers Ends in his Operations, appears for Two Reaſons.
1. Becauſe there is many times a Subordination of Means: It is ſo in every Art: there being a great many Steps to be taken in the Way to that End, which is firſtly and principally aimed at: Yea, Nature it ſelf follows ſuch an order Hoſ. 2.21, 22. A man doth one thing for another, and that for another; and ſo till he refts in ſomething, beyond which he hath no reſpect: which Subordination produceth manifold Ends; becauſe that for which another thing is done, bears the reſpect of an End unto that which was done for it. Thus a Carpenter cuts one piece of Timber for a Groundſel, another for a Poſt, &c. though all be for the Houſe.
2. BECAUSE a Man bears Divers Capacities or Relations, to which he is to refer his relative Actions, and to aim at the Diſcharge of them. A Man may be a Member of a Civil or Eccleſiaftical Society; and he is as ſuch, to ſeek the Good and Proſpenrity of that Society; and what he doth, as ſuch a Member, ought to look that way. He may have the care of a Family upon him, to provide for, and diſcharge many Offices to; and hence muſt make that his End in many things which he doth: To this purpoſe is that of the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 7.33, 34. Man hath a bodily Life to take care for, Food and Raiment to provide, and for th…s is appointed his Labour in his particular Calling; and he is to make it his next End, …ccl. 6.7. All the labour of …m is for his month.
NOW among all theſe T…ds that a Man propounds to himſelf, there is and m…ſt be One that is Chief; One that is preſentable to all the reſt, and bears the bell away from them: and the Reaſon is, becauſe there is ſomething that he was ſpecially and ultimately made for: & will farther appear, if we conſider what are the NOTES, by which our Chief End is …be judged of, which are more printipally theſe Three:
1. THAT, in the Attamment whereof, a Man's Beſt and higheſt Good doth couſiſt. It is a Rule in Logick F…uit et B…um conver…r; the End & Goodneſs of a thing are the ſame. If then theſe be Degrees of Goodneſs in the things aimed at, there muſt be Degrees in the Ends: If one thing …e Better than another, & conſequently if there he a Beſt, Good, there is a Chief End. For that which is Beſt, can be but One… and that there is ſo, is intimated in that of Chriſt, Mat. 19.17. There is none good but one, i. e. eminently, ſuperlatively good; Goodneſs it ſelf, compared to whom the Goodneſs of all other things diſappears.
2. THAT to which all other Ends ought to ſerve, as ſo many Means: For that which is ſubordinate, always looks forward, and points to that which is ſupream. That End, to which every other End pays contribution, and no farther truly benefits the Man, than as it helps him to the Enjoyment of that, is the Chief; and that there is ſuch an one is certain. It is a received Maxim, that all Arts are Handmaids to Divinity; and what are they but Rules to direct Man how to attain his ſubordinate Ends? Man labours that he may eat. he eats that he may live: and if that be all his Happineſs, meerly to live, what is he better than a Beaſt? The Apoſtle plainly aſſures us, that there is One Point in which all Human Actions center, and that muſt needs be Man's Chief End, 1 Cor. 10.31. Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatſoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
3. THAT which is only an End, and not a Mean. All ſubordinate Ends are alſo Means reſpectively: as they look backward, they are Ends; but as they look forward they are Means: but that which is the Chief ſerves to no other. It is that in which Man ought to reſt, and in the Fruition of it to count himſelf as happy, as he is capable of being made; he is to take it for his full Portion. So he, Lam. 3.24. The Lord is my portion ſaith my ſoul —. Such an End there muſt be, or Man can never be Bleſſed: becauſe he could never come to his Reſting Place, but muſt be left in a Labyrinth, and carried on in an endleſs Purſuit of Happineſs.
HERE that Great CASE belongs, viz.
HOW ſtall a Man know that his Ends be Right?
THE foregoing Diſcourſe well pondered, will give light to the Reſolution of it; from whence may be gathered theſe ſatisfactory CONCLUSIONS. If our Ends he Right
1. WE have an End, which we pay the Reſpect of a Chief End unto. There is One ſo by Appointment: and except we look upon One as ſo practically, we muſt needs be in on Error. That Man that hath no more Love to nor is ſpecially carryed cut after One more than all other, hath no Chief, and therefore is on a falſe bottom: Hear the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 73.23. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I deſire beſides thee.
2. WE have made choice of that to be our Laſt End, which God hath Commanded us ſo to do. There is but One; and if we be not fallen upon that, we labour under a Defuſion: for there it no other, the Obtaining whereof is able to render us truly Happy. God hath not left it to Man's Arbitrary Choice, ſo ſet up what End he will, but hath ſhewn him what is good and directed him to fix upon it; Deut. 30.19. I cell heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have ſet before you life & de…th, … … …ſing and curſing: therefore chooſe life, that both thou and thy ſeed may live.
3. WE purſue all other …feriour Ends for the ſake of the Last, but the Laſt for it's Own ſake. Religion doth hot diſallow thoſe, but only regulates them: It gives them their pace, and, if we do ſo too, we do well. And this is done, when we endeavour ſo to follow them, as to help and encourage us in following that, and not to hinder us; When we labour, both to carry that on notwithſtanding the other, and to forward that by the other; And when we have brought them thither, there we reſt Hence that, 1 Pet. 4.11. If any man ſpeak, let him ſpeak as the oracles of God; if any man min…ſter de…h t… do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorifyed through J…ſus Chriſt i… to whom be praiſe & dominion for ever & ever, Amen.
4. WE are more moderate and indifferent in our Purſuit of all Other, but m…ſt inſatiable in proſecution of This As to the Former. Paul guides us to a right acting about them. 1 Cor. 7.29, 30. And this I ſay, brethren, the time is ſhort. It remaineth, that both they that have wives, be as though had none; And they that weep, at though they wept not; and they that rejoyce, at though they rejoyced not; and they that buy, as though they poſſed not. As to the Latter, the Scripture deſcribes our Purſuits of it, by the hungring, thirſting, longing, panting, fainting of the Soul after it, Pſal. 42.1, 2. As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks ſo panteth my ſoul after ther, O God. My ſoul thirſteth for God for the living God: when ſhall I come and appear before God!
5. WE can chearfully ſuffer Diſappointment in our Other Ends, and count our ſelves Gainers by the Loſs, if it promote the Chief. So did Paul, Phil. 3.7. But what things were gain to me, thoſe I counted loſs for Chriſt. And Chap. 1.18, 19. So the Hebrews, Chap 10.34. And took joyfully the ſpoiling of your goods, knowing in your ſelves that ye have …in heaven a better & an enduring ſubſtance. And ſo John the Baptiſt, Joh. 3.29.30. He that hath the bride, is the bride-groom: but the friend of the bride groom, which ſtandeth & heareth him, rejoy…eth greatly becauſe of the bride-groods voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He muſt increaſe, but I muſt decreaſe.
AND let it be our Care to be well reſolved in this Caſe; it being the Foundation of our everlaſting Conſolation: If we miſs it in the right placing of our End, we loſe the Benefit of all the Means. As it is the Firſt Queſtion in Divinity, What is Man's Chief End? and all refers to it; ſo it is the Firſt Enquiry that every man ſhould make of his own Soul, What is the Ultimate End that I am reaching after? This for the ſenſe of the Queſtion.
[JAN. 31. 1687.]