exercise of it vexatious to ourselves and others. There is not in riches ; for they are defiling in their influence, contracted in their uses, and precarious in their tenure.
Besides all which in the hour of death all our thoughts perish, our rank and dignity are annihilated, and our wealth is transferred to another owner. And in the day of judgment, not all the wisdom, might, or riches, that ever were possessed by man will be sufficient to bribe our Judge, withstand his power, or elude his search.
Let us proceed then to consider what is the true and sufficient ground of glorying : " Let him that glo- rieth, glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord who exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth."
The knowledge of God as far excels all other attainments, as God, the object of that knowledge, surpasses all created excellencies. But it is not every knowledge of God that lays a foundation for glorying. It is not the knowledge that there is a God ; for that is common to the evil angels as well as the good. It is not the knowledge of God from the works of creation ; for that comes as much under the observa- tion of heathens as of Christians. But it is a know- ledge of God as revealed in the inspired writings. This is strongly intimated in those two expressions in my text, " understandeth" and " knoweth," which are designed to teach us, that it is only in a practical and experimental knowledge of God that we are to glory; or in other words, such knowledge as makes us stand in awe of his majesty, tremble at his threatenings, and seek an interest in his love and favour. Several rea- sons might be offered for glorying in this rather than in the forementioned possessions or attainments. I will assign three which will comprehend them all : First, because the knowledge of God is not subject to any of those defects, which are almost inseparable from wisdom, might, and riches. They are above the reach of far the greater part of mankind; this is equally attainable by all : they too often debase the mind; this