that which is_ good. 1 Thess. v. 21.” CAMPBELL. Quest. I. QUEST. I. _What is the chief and highest end of man?_ ANSW. Man’s chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him for ever. 1. It is supposed, in this answer, that every intelligent creature, acting as such, designs some end, which excites endeavours to attain it. 2. The ends for which we act, if warrantable, may be considered as to their degree of excellency, and, in proportion to it, are to be pursued by proper means conducing thereto. 3. There is one that may be termed the chief and highest end, as having an excellency and tendency to make us blessed above all others: this consists, as it is observed in this answer, in the glorifying and eternal enjoyment of God, the fountain of blessedness. If it be enquired with what propriety these may both be called chief and highest, the answer is obvious and easy, _viz._ That the former is absolutely so, beyond which nothing more excellent or desirable can be conceived; the latter is the highest or best in its kind, which, notwithstanding, is referred, as a means leading to the other; and both these ends, which, with this distinction, we call chief and highest, are to be particularly considered by us, together with the connexion that there is between them.[4] I. We are to consider what it is to glorify God. In order to our understanding of this, let it be premised, 1. That there is a great difference between God’s glorifying himself and our glorifying him; he glorifies himself when he demonstrates or shews forth his glory; we glorify him by ascribing to him the glory that is his due: even as the sun discovers its brightness by its rays, and the eye beholds it. God glorifies himself, by furnishing us with matter for praise; we glorify him when we offer praise, or give unto him the glory due to his name. 2. Creatures are said to glorify God various ways: some things do it only objectively, as by them, angels and men are led to glorify him; thus _the heavens declare his glory_, Psal. xix. 1. The same might be said of all other inanimate creatures which glorify God, by answering the end of their creation, though they know it not: but intelligent creatures, and particularly men, are said to glorify God actively; and this they do by admiring and adoring his divine perfections: these, as incomprehensible, are the object of admiration; and accordingly the apostle admires the divine wisdom, Rom. xi. 33. _O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God; how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!_ and as they are divine, so they are the object of adoration: God is to be admired in all the displays of his relative or manifestative glory; and _his work which men behold_, is to be _magnified_, Job xxxvi. 24. But he is to be adored more especially for his essential perfections.