you such a subject as this, we only " darken counsel by words without knowledge." But all the glory and felicity of heaven are ours, if only we truly fear God. Indeed, God himself tells us, that " his delight is in them that fear him." And what, I would ask, shall be done to those whom God delights to honour? Not even the angels around the throne are so blest as they whom the Saviour has washed in his own blood, and clothed in his own righteousness, and " presented faultless before the presence of his glory with exceed- ing joyg :" for the saints are represented as standing immediately around the throne of God ; whereas the angels are placed in an exterior circle round about the saints11. And well it may be so, since the angels have but the righteousness of a creature ; while the saints are clothed in the righteousness of Emmanuel, their redeeming God. I need not ask what the wisdom of this world can do for us in comparison of this ? In the view of these things, it is mere "foolishness1." It may edify and exalt us in this world ; but it can do nothing for us in the world to come.
Enough, I think, has now been said to elucidate my text ; and to shew, that that " wisdom" which brings in its train " the fear of God" is the richest of all " treasures ; " and that, though a man possess nothing else, " in having that, he really possesses all things V
And now permit me to recommend this wisdom to your special attention. For the attainment of it, all our noble institutions were formed, and especially those which were established by our pious Founder1. And certainly our advantages, for the prosecution of it, are exceedingly great. Our freedom from earthly cares, and our seclusion from the world, afford us valuable opportunities for the acquisition of self- knowledge, and the knowledge of our God. Let us only be convinced that the pursuit of these is " wis- dom/' and that the possession of them is " treasure,"
s Jude, ver. 24. h Rev. vii. 9 — 11.
1 1 Cor. iii. 19. k 2 Cor. vi. 10.
1 Preached at the Commemoration in King's Chapel, on March 25, 1828 ; the first Founder's Day after the opening of the new Hall.