1 . God's favour to them that fear him —
[" The eyes of the Lord," says he, " are upon the righteous, and his ear is open to their cry." Not a moment are they out of his sight, nor for a moment is he inattentive to their prayers. Are they in danger? He will protect them, and cause his angel to encamp around them, that no enemy may approach
to hurt them'' Are they in want? He will supply them
with all that is needful for them. " The lions that could prey upon them shall want and suffer hunger; but they shall want no manner of thing that is good," for body or for soul, for time or
for eternity'' Are they in trouble ? He will assuredly in
due time deliver them. They may have many troubles; but he will deliver them from all, the very instant they have accomplished their destined office ^ He sends the trials to purify them from' their dross : and he sits by the furnace, ready to bring them out, in the proper season, " purified as gold," Are they longing for his presence here, and his glory hereafter ? He will " be nigh unto their souls" in this world, and will save them in the Lord Jesus Christ with an everlasting salvation in the world to come^. In a word, there shall bean infinite distance between them and others: for they shall enjoy all the richest blessings of redemption, whilst those who cast off the fear of God shall be left inconsolably and for ever desolate ''. What inducements are here to seek that holy disposition of mind inculcated in our text !]
2. His indignation against those who fear him not —
[God does not merely withhold his blessings from these per- sons, but actually becomes their enemy: he does not on]y turn his face from them, but sets his face against them: " he walks contrary to them who thus walk contrary to him." 'Hear how indignantly he speaks to those who profess to reverence him, but in fact dishonour him by their conduct : " Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say'?" Yea, he declares that whatever profession of religion they may make, they shall never enter into his kingdom : " Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven''." He inti- mates, that in the day of judgment there will be many who will confidently claim heaven, as it were, on account of their zeal and success in his service : but that, forasnmch &s they were de- stitute of all these holy dispositions, he will not acknowledge them as his, but bid them to depart accursed into everlasting fire'. In a word, he declares that by their fruits only shall they be known either in this world or the next'".
It
■^ ver. 7. ^ ver. g, 10. ' ver. 17, IQ. ^ ver, 18.
" ver. 2 1 , 22, ' Luke vi. 45. " Matt. vii. 2 1 .
' lb. ver, 22, 23. " ib. ver. 18—20.