requisite. Set your hearts before God in an
humble obedient frame. "Thou shall fear the Lord thy God, and serve Him,
and swear by His name." The apostle Paul was sensible of this
engagement, even in the very act of this duty. "I call God to witness,
whom I serve in my spirit:" although it be a work of the lips, yet the
heart, and the whole man must be interested, if we expect this worship
to be acceptable. "Accept the free-will offering of my mouth, and teach
me Thy judgments."

Also it must be done in the greatest simplicity and plainness of spirit,
in respect of those with whom we covenant; we call God as a witness
betwixt us, who searcheth the heart: "With Him is wisdom and strength,
the deceived and deceiver are His." He hath wisdom to discover, and
strength to punish, if our hearts be not upright to our brethren in
this matter. Let us be contented with this, that the words of our
covenant be bands; it may not be, so much as in the desire of our
hearts, that they should become snares, no not to the weakest and
simplest person that joineth with us. On the whole work make your
address unto God, as Jacob did to his father Isaac, and let there be the
like fear and jealousy over your spirits. "My father peradventure will
feel me, and I shall seem to Him as a deceiver, and I shall bring a
curse upon me, and not a blessing."

I take liberty with more earnestness to press this care upon you,
because I have observed oaths and covenants have been undertaken by us
formerly, and by the command of authority, the fruit whereof, though
great, yet answered not our expectation; the Lord surely hath been
displeased with the slightness of our hearts in the work. I beseech you
be more watchful, and stir up your hearts with more industry this day
than ever before. As it is the last oath you are likely to take in this
kind, so it is our last refuge, _Tabula post naufragium_. If this help
us not, we are likely to remain to our dying day an unhappy people; but
if otherwise, "You will indeed swear with all your hearts, and seek the
Lord with your whole desire, God will be found, and give you rest round
about."

And having sworn, and entered into this solemn engagement to God and
man, make conscience to do accordingly; otherwise it is better thou
shouldst not vow. As is said of fasting, "It is not the bowing down of
the head for a day;" so of this solemn swearing, It is not the lifting
up of the hand for a day, but an honest and faithful