This is a just ground of glorying to all who pos- sess it —
1. It is free from all the defects which are found in the foregoing grounds —
[They render the mind low and grovelling ; This elevates and ennobles it —
They never satisfy the soul ; This affords it perfect satisfac- tion s —
They may become sources of craft, tyranny, and avarice ; This always changes us into God's image h —
They end with our present existence ; This is perfected at death — ]
2. It transcends all the excellencies that are in the foregoing grounds —
It imparts more excellent wisdom —
[It rectifies our judgments about more important objects — It teaches us to seek the best ends by the fittest means — ]
It endues us with more excellent might —
[It renders us mighty to mortify our lusts and passions' — It qualifies us to conflict with all the powers of darkness k — ]
It conveys to us more excellent riches —
[It puts into our hands " the unsearchable riches of Christ"—
It makes us rich in possession, and in reversion too* — ]
3. It comprehends all the foregoing grounds in the highest degree :
Wisdom —
[This knowledge of God unfolds the deepest mysteries"1 — It shews how sin may be punished, and yet the sinner saved — It shews how mercy is exalted in punishing, and justice in rewarding — ]
Might—
[The salvation of a ruined world is a marvellous display of power —
Hence Christ is called " the Wisdom of God, and the Power of God" —
We have no idea of almighty power, till we know a redeem- ing God — ]
Riches —
s Isai. lv. 2. h 2 Cor. iii. 18. J 2 Cor. x. 3—5.
k Eph. vi. 11, 12. i Eccl. vii. 12. m Col. ii. 2, 3.
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[Infinite are the riches of divine grace — In the glorious mystery of redemption they are all con- tained—
The knowledge of God exhibits them all to our view" — ]
In this we cannot possibly glory too much —
[We cannot possibly set too high a value on this know- ledge ° —
We cannot pursue it with too much earnestness — We cannot delight in it with too exalted joy — Let us therefore seek to know God as He is revealed in the Gospel —
Let us take encouragement from that declaration of our Lord*—
Let the fixed purpose of our hearts resemble that of the Apostle q — ]
n Eph. ii. 7. ° 1 Cor. ii. 2. p John xvii. 3. i Gal. vi. 14.