And shall any other person " give unto the Lord, and not be recompensed again g ? " The ungodly have indeed said, " What profit is there that we should serve him h ? " but he never gave occasion for such an impious charge. Say, ye who have endea- voured to live for His glory, has he not favoured you with his visits, and " lifted up upon you the light of his countenance ? " Has he not shed abroad his love in your hearts, and " by the witness of his Spirit enabled you to cry, Abba, Father ?" Yes, his promise to you is this ; " Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him : I will set him on high, be- cause he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble : I will deli- ver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation1." This, I say, is his promise to his faithful servants ; and the whole of it shall be fulfilled to you in its season. " Faithful is He that hath called you ; who also will do itk."]
2. To those over whom it is exercised —
[It is said, " Train up a child in the way he shall go, and when he is old he will not depart from it1." This is not to be understood as an universal truth : for it is in many instances contradicted by experience : but it is a general truth : and there is ample ground to hope for its accomplishment. At all events some benefit must accrue to those who are brought up in the fear of God. Innumerable evils, which under a different
f ver. 20. R Rom. xi. 35. ll Mai. iii. 14.
1 Ps. xci. 14—16. k 1 Thess. v. 24. ' Prov. xxii. 6.