2. To glorify him as God —
[The two particulars which Jacob mentions, namely, the building of an altar to the Lord on that very spot where God had visited him, and the consecrating to his especial service a tenth of all that God in his providence should give unto him, were optional, till he by this vow had made them his bounden duty. With those particulars we have nothing to do : but there are duties of a similar nature incumbent on us all. We must maintain in our families, and promote to the utmost in the world, the worship of God; and must regard our property as his, and, after we have "laboured with all our might" to serve him with it, must say, " All things come of Thee, and of Thine own have we given thee e." There must be one ques- tion ever uppermost in the mind ; What can I do for God ; and " what can I render to him for all the benefits that he hath done unto me?" Can I call the attention of others to him, so as to make him better known in the world? If I can, it shall be no obstacle to me that I am surrounded with heathens; nor will I be intimidated because I stand almost alone in the world : I will confess him openly before men : I will " follow my Lord and Saviour without the camp, bearing his reproach : " I will " esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt : " whether called to for- sake all for him, or to give all to him, I will do it with alacrity, assured, that his presence in time, and his glory in eternity, will be an ample recompence for all that I can ever do or suffer for his sake. He has bought me with the inestimable price of liis own blood; and therefore, God helping me, I will hence- forth " glorify him with my body and my spirit, which are hisf."]
Address —
1. To those who are just entering upon the world —
[Be moderate in your desires after earthly things. You can at present have no conception how little they will contri- bute to your real happiness. Beyond food and raiment you can have nothing that is worth a thought. Solomon, who
c Ps. lxiii. 1. d Isai. xxv. 9. with Gen. xlix. 18.
e 1 Chron. xxix. 2, 14. f 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20.