power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing :" therefore, " Bless- ing and honour and glory and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever11."
Say now, Whether there be not a glory and ex- cellency in the Gospel, not only beyond any thing which is generally contemplated, but far beyond what any finite capacity can ever fully comprehend ? Yet, how is it regarded amongst us? Does it in any degree corresponding with its importance, occupy our minds as Christians, and our ministrations as ambassadors of Christ ? On the contrary, is it not rather viewed with suspicion, and in too many in- stances loaded with contempt ? But would it be so treated, if it were properly understood ? See what effects are ascribed to it, and what blessings a just comprehension of this mysterious subject is calcu- lated to impart. In my text it is said, that a view of this sublime mystery will " fill us with all the fulness of God." And what can be meant by this ? Can it be supposed that a creature should ever resemble God in his natural perfections ? No : but in his moral perfections we both may and must resemble him, if ever we would behold the face of God in peace. Nay more ; we must not only partake of his moral perfections, but must have them all united and harmonizing in us, even as they unite and harmonize in God himself, and in this stupendous mystery, which has emanated from him. For instance ; whilst justice, and mercy, and truth, and love, find in us, on all occasions, their appropriate operations, we must be careful that the opposite graces of faith and fear, humility and confidence, meekness and forti- tude, contrition and joy, have full scope, not only for occasional, but for constant and harmonious ex- ercise. In a word, we should resemble " God, who is light" itself x. In light, you know, there is an assemblage of widely-different rays; some of which,
u Rev. v. 9—13. * 1 John i. 5.