s adulterous, as
unstable, as backsliding as ever. It is not a pleasant land, a goodly
heritage, that will make thee better. Well, after some pause, God was
resolved what to do: and I said, hear His resolution, "Thou shalt call
Me, my Father, and shalt not turn away from Me:" that is, as if He had
said, I will take this course with thee, I will first give thee the
heart of a child, "thou shalt call Me, Father:" and then I will give
thee the inheritance of a child, "a goodly heritage." And when I have
done; I will not leave thee to thyself, but I will knit thee to Myself,
by an indissoluble union. "I will put My Spirit into thee." "And thou
shalt not turn away from Me." There is God's wise resolution; He
resolves to do all Himself, and then He is sure it will not fail His
expectation; He undertakes it. "Thou shalt call Me, my Father, and shalt
not turn away from Me." Thus God, when He marrieth His people to
Himself, doeth it in judgment. Now therefore, "be ye followers of God,
as dear children." And since you come now about the counterpart of the
same work; namely, to join or marry yourselves to God, do it in
judgment. Consider well what you do; and, among other things, since you
are so poor, and nothing in yourselves, as you have seen in the opening
of this precious Scripture; bethink yourselves where you will have
strength and sufficiency, to make good this great and solemn engagement
with your God. But of this more hereafter.

_Secondly_, See that you come to this service with a reverential frame
of spirit, with that holy fear and awe, upon your hearts, as becomes the
greatness and holiness of that God, and that ordinance, with whom you
have to do; remembering that you are this day to swear before God, by
God, to God: either of which, singly considered, might justly make us
fear and tremble; how much more may this threefold cord bow and bind our
hearts down in an humble, and holy prosternation? It is said of Jacob,
"He sware by the fear of his father Isaac." Jacob in his oath chooseth
this title of fear, to give unto God, to shew with what fear he came;
but to swear by this God, what should we do; when, as I say, we come to
swear by Him, and to Him? Surely, when He is so especially the object of
our oath, He should then especially be the object of our fear. The
consideration of that infinite distance between God and us, may
wonderfully advantage us towards the getting of our hearts into this
holy posture. Great is tha