and
the thunder decreed? Then no less was decreed "the fear of the Lord." To
vow unto the Lord was to manifest that fear. "Thou shalt fear the Lord
thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name."[501] And hence,
also, not less than every other effect of that true wisdom which
consists in the fear of the Lord, and of that understanding which is to
depart from evil, was ordained the service of vowing and swearing to
him.

Thirdly. A people were foreordained to make solemn vows unto God.
Representations are given of his people as formed for his service.
According to some of these, the expression, to form, means to fashion,
or to bring into existence. "I will say to the north, give up; and to
the south, keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from
the ends of the earth; even every one that is called by my name: for I
have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him."
"This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my
praise."[502] "Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my
servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant."[503] And hence,
because whatever is formed, is formed according to God's purpose, his
servants, to his service in all its parts, were foreordained by him. But
besides, the meaning of the said expression, cannot, even in the
foregoing passages, nor in others, be limited to its literal import. It
is employed to intimate that God pre-determined what his enemies should
accomplish. "Hast thou not heard long ago, how I have done it; and of
ancient times, that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass,
that thou shouldest be to lay waste defenced cities into ruinous
heaps."[504] In reference to a Covenant people to be continued to
discharge their peculiar duties, and to provisions of grace, described
in terms most beauteous, it is applied.[505] "Thus saith the Lord, the
maker thereof, the Lord that formed it, to establish it; the Lord is his
name."[506] And since the purposes of God secure their fulfilment, and
so his arrangements concerning his people secure their creation,
regeneration, and continued support, does not the expression, kindred to
others, "Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the
womb, which will help thee; fear not, O Jacob, my servant," explicitly
advert to them as predestinated to obedience, and especially the
obedience thus described, "One shall say, I am the Lord's; and another
shall call himself by