Again, _Thirdly_, to that end, labour to approve yourselves to God in this service, in the uprightness and sincerity of your hearts. The want of this, God lays oft to the charge of the Israelites, as in other duties, so especially in this, which is now before us, "They lied to Him with their tongues: for their heart was not right with Him; neither were they stedfast in His covenant." And this stood between them and their acceptance: God tells the prophet Ezekiel as much; "Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put the stumbling-block of their iniquity before their face; should I be inquired of at all by them?" They come with their hearts full of their lusts; so many lusts, so many idols; and for this God refuseth to be inquired of by them: "should I be inquired of?" is as much as, "I will not be inquired of." It is a denial with disdain; "should I?" Or, if they be so impudent to inquire, He will not answer; or if He give them an answer, it shall be a cold one; He will give them their answer at the door; better none; "I will answer them according to the multitude of their idols," _i.e._ according to the merit of their idolatry: they bring the matter of their own damnation with them, and they shall carry away nothing else from Me, but the answer or obsignation of that damnation. Oh! it is a dangerous thing, to bring the love of any sin with us to the ordinances of God, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear my prayer." And so may we say to our own souls; if I regard iniquity, the Lord will not accept my person, He will not regard my covenant. If God see anything lie nearer our hearts than Himself, He will scorn us, and our services. If, therefore, you would be accepted, "out with your idols;" cast out the love of sin, out of your hearts; and be upright with your God in this holy undertaking. It is the main qualification in the text, "they shall inquire the way to Zion, with their faces thitherward," _i.e._, in sincerity, with uprightness of spirit, with the full set and bent of their souls: as it is said of Christ, when He went to His passion; "He stedfastly set His face to go up to Jerusalem." He went with all His heart to be crucified; with a strong bent of spirit. Beloved, we are not going to "crucifying work," (unless it be to crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts) but to marriage work; "to join ourselves to the Lord, in an everlasting covenant." Let us do it "with our faces Zion-ward;" yea, let us stedfastly set our faces reformation-ward and heaven-ward, and God-ward, and Christ-ward, with whom we enter covenant this day. A man may inquire the way to Zion, with his face towards Babylon; a people or person may enter covenant with God, with their hearts Rome-ward, and earth-ward, and sin-ward, and hell-ward. Friends, look to your hearts. "Peradventure, said Jacob, my father will feel me, and I shall seem to him as one that mocks, and I