nature and perfections, the exhortation may be applied with still more propriety and stronger energy.
Let us then (as the text requires) first remove the false and insufficient grounds of glorying, and then propose such as are true and sufficient.
The usual grounds of glorying the prophet here proscribes :
" Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches."
It is by no means to be imagined that earthly things are to be utterly disregarded, and that Christians in these days are to expect those miraculous gifts of wisdom and power which were bestowed in the days of the Apostles, or that we are now called to forsake our several occupations as they were : this would be enthusiasm indeed. At the first promulgation of Chris- tianity, it was necessary that the instruments used for that purpose should be both weak and illiterate, that the excellency of the power might more evidently appear to be of God : but the person who should now hope to speak by inspiration, to work miracles, or live like the birds of the air, without any thought for the mor- row, would grossly misunderstand the Scriptures, and become an object of ridicule or pity to all rational and sober-minded Christians.
Wisdom is highly necessary in religious concerns and in every department of social life ; it capacitates us for instructing others ; it enables us to make im- provements in arts and sciences ; it qualifies us for supe- rior usefulness at the bar and in the senate : nor less in religious exercises ; it gives a deserved pre-eminence to all who possess it ; and a want of it (especially in a seat of learning) is deservedly attended with pro- portionable ignominy.
Pozver also is desirable ; inasmuch as it may be used for the preservation of due order in society and most beneficially employed in punishing vice and rewarding virtue. Nor are riches to be disregarded, for they afford us many opportunities as well of encou-