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An Explicatory Catechism

Question 1

On Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647) Q. 1

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What is the chief end of Man?

Mans chief end is to glorifie God, and to enjoy him for ever.

What do you mean by Mans chief end?

That which God did chiefly intend or aim at in making Man, and which Man is chiefly to intend.

Is Mans chief end to seek himself?

No.a

Is it to enjoy the pleasures, profits, and preferments of this World?

No.b

Is it to glorifie God, and to enjoy him for ever?

Yes.

What is Mans chief Duty?

To glorifie God.c

What is it to glorifie God?

To order all our actions to that end, that God might have the Glory.d

What is Mans chief happiness?

To enjoy God for ever.e

How doth Man enjoy God?

Two waies 1. Here in this life, by an holy Communion with him in the Duties of his Worship,f and in an upright Conversationg 2. Hereafter in the life to come, in a glorious and immediate Communion with him in his Kingdom.h

May a man have another subordinate, or less principal end, besides the glorifying of God, and enjoying him for ever?

Yes.i

What do you mean by a subordinate end?

That which a man intends, or aims at, in order to another end, or for some further end.

May a man make any thing else his ultimate or principal end, besides glorifying and enjoying God?

No.j

Is the glorifying of God, and enjoying him for ever mans subordinate end, or else his ultimate and chief end?

Mans chief end.

Why are the glorifying of God, and the enjoying him for ever joyned as one chief end of man?

Because God hath inseparably joyned them together, so that men cannot truly design, or seek the one without the other.k

Proofs

Each links to the Scripture index: what else cites the passage.

  1. aHosea 10:1; Isaiah 5:2
  2. bPsalm 4:6–7; 1 John 2:15–16
  3. cProverbs 16:4; Romans 11:36
  4. d1 Corinthians 10:31
  5. ePsalm 73:24–26
  6. f1 John 1:3
  7. gPsalm 50:23; 25:14
  8. h1 Corinthians 13:12; Luke 13:28
  9. i1 Thessalonians 4:11–12; 1 Timothy 5:8; Proverbs 30:8; Psalm 144:15; Proverbs 3:8; Deuteronomy 12:19; 14:27, 29; Malachi 3:8
  10. jJohn 11:4; Psalm 144:15
  11. kDeuteronomy 30:19–20; Isaiah 55:3; John 17:3

Cite this

An Explicatory Catechism (1675) on Q. 1, symbolics.dev/explicatory1675/1

Permalink: https://symbolics.dev/explicatory1675/1

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