83

According to the will of God as

King and Lord,

83

Obedience to Christ as possessed

of all power in heaven and in

earth,

Believers engage in it as under

law to Christ,

84

Covenanting in an ecclesiastical

capacity, obedience,

86

Covenanting in an ecclesiastical

and in a national capacity, obe-

dience,

88

Commanded in the MORAL LAW, 92

In the first three precepts of the

decalogue,

92

In statutes that illustrate these, 94

commands to glorify God, 94

to worship God,

95

enjoining faith,

96

forbidding federal transac-

tions with what is evil, 96

Enjoining the vowing of the vow, 98

Explanation of Deut. xxiii. 22, 100

of Eccles. v. 5, 102

inculcating the swearing of

the oath,

103

The duty of swearing the

oath not abrogated, 104

enjoining the exercise in all

its parts,

106

The exercise inculcated in threat-

enings of Divine judgment

against such as disregard it, 106

Personal Covevanting command.

ed,

108

Social

109

in an ecclesiastical capacity, 110

in a national capacity,

112

Nations whose constitutions are

immoral and unscriptural,

called to the duty,

118

Nations that have not heard the

gospel, not guiltless for not

Covenanting,

119

in various capacities, 120

Assemblies for the investi-

gation of Divine truth, 122

Bible societies,

122

Missionary Societies, 125

None may be excused for not

engaging in Covenanting, 128

CHAPTER IV.

COVENANT DUTIES.

Covenanting ought to embrace

Lawful civil governors and

present and permanent duty, 131

the people under them,

143

Duties to each one's self,

132 Duty of the civil magistrate, 144

The cultivation of personal Duties of the people in regard to

religion,

133 the choice of their civil rulers, 145

Sobriety and temperance, 134

-and to their obedience to

The cultivation of the various

them,

148

powers of the soul,

135 Duty of people living under civil

The proper application of every governments not sanctioned by

capacity,

136 God's authority,

151

All such different from 're- The doctrine evil, that so long as

straints imposed by human any law exists it ought to be

authority,

137 obeyed,

155

Duties to society in general, 138 To promote the real welfare of

To families,

139 civil society, the duty of all, 156

To civil communities,

141 To classes of men, of whatever

Owing by masters and ser- kind,

157

vants,

142 To the Church of Christ, 158

.

.

PAGE

PAGE

To abide by all the ordinances

of divine grace,

159

To support the ordinances of

religion, where enjoyed, 157

To maintain the rights and

privileges of the Church,

160

To unite the various Churches

of Christ,

161

To enlarge the Church,

163

-through Bible Societies, 163

Missions, at home,

164

-to the heathen,

165

-to the Jews,

167

To the Mediator, as Lord of all, 168

To declare the glory of God, 169

To maintain the truth, by pro-

fession and practice,

169

-of God's character,

170
-of God's government,

171
of the relations of the persons
of the ever-blessed Trinity in
the Everlasting Covenant, 171

--of the mediatorial character
and glory of Christ,

171

-of the influences of his word

and Spirit,

172

-of the atonement and inter-

cession of Christ,

172

of the Headship of Christ, 172

over the Church,

172

over the nations,

173

-of man's depravity and inabi-

lity to restore himself, 175

Covenanting should engage all

to every former good attain-

ment,

176

to cleave to new correct views

of truth and duty,

177

-to abandon the evil in the vow

unobserved at the making of

178

Covenanting does not shackle in-

quiry,

179

it,

CHAPTER V.

all ages,

COVENANTING CONFERS OBLIGATION.

Covenanting confers obligation by Social Covenanting entails obliga-

the authority of God,

181 tion on the society till the end

Personal and social on the Cove- of the covenant be attained

nanting parties,

182 Because Social Covenanting,

Such are represented as bound-

approved in Scripture,
are said to be joined to the

conferred obligation, 196
Lord-to take hold of his

Because the ends of such cove-

covenant-nto cleave to him, 183

nants may not be attained

God enjoins obedience as the fulfil-

during the lives of those

ment of Covenant duties, 184

who entered into them, 197

--that the vow be paid, 186 Because the people of God
Difficulty considered,

187

view themselves bound by

He threatens those who keep not

anterior engagements of

his covenant,

187

his Church,

198

Social Covenanting entails obliga- Because the Lord himself

tion on the society till the end

views his Church as bound

of the covenant be attained, 189

by these,

i99

Because by it, Covenants are Covenanting entails' obliga-

made in the name of pos-

tion even on the unbeliever

terity,

189

who vows and swears,

201

Because the Church is one in

Even those in the Church who
190

do not formally Covenant

Because of the Church's social

are under obligation, 203

character,

192 A minority in a church or

Every adult member of the

nation are bound by Cove-

Church engaged to its privi.

nant engagements, though

leges and duties,

193

the others cast them off, 204

Children of church members

Covenanting does not impli-

are members of the Church,

cate conscience,

205

and therefore under obliga-

That men are bound by pre-

tion,

193

vious engagements is no rea.

The privileges enjoyed by

son why they should not

children show them to be

Covenant,

207

under obligation,

194

CHAPTER VI.

COVENANTING PROVIDED FOR IN THE EVERLASTING COVENANT. :

SECTION I.

In that, the promises accepted

In regard to sinners, the exercise

in Covenanting made to the

provided for in the Covenant of

Surety,

212

Redemption, .

210 The people of God Covenani on

That covenant considered, 210 the ground of the righteousness

In that, Christ represented the of Christ-the condition of that

elect,

211 Covenant,

214

PAGE

Believers given to Christ in

that Covenant,

215

The elect chosen in Christ, that

in union to him they might per-

form the duty,

216

SECTION IT.

Covenanting, under every dispen-

sation, provided for,

21

Exhibitions of Christ the chief

blessings of the Covenant, com-

mon to all of them,

219

The erection and continuance of

the Church in the world flows

from that,

220

True religion represented as a

covenant with God,

Revelation of the will of God

termed a covenant,

223

In the Everlasting Covenant, pro-

vision made for Covenanting

under the patriarchal and levi-

tical dispensations,

224

The acknowledgments and con-

duct of believers in those times

illustrate this,

224

Provision made through promises, 226

PAGR

Provision made through types, 226

-typical persons, •

227

-places,

227

-things,

228

-seasons,

228

-acts,

229

-miracles,

230

-teaching of prophets,

232

-whole of Old Testament,

232

Designations,

232

Terms,

233

Reconciliation and atone-

ment,

233

Provision made for Covenanting

under last dispensation, 236

This acknowledged by believ-

ers in the apostolic age, 236

Provision made through injunc-

tions of last inspired writers, 237

-whole of New Testament, 238

New Testament contains same

kind of expressions as the old

in reference to Covenant, 238

Covenant of God a testament, 241

Covenanting not a mere Jewish

thing,

244

221

CHAPTER VII.

COVENANTING ADAPTED TO THE MORAL CONSTITUTION OF MAN.

Adapted to that, when in inno-

cence,

246

according to scripture account

of that constitution, 246

Because the law of 'God to

him in innocence, of a cove-

nant form,

248

To Adam, as an individual, 248

-as representative of his

posterity.

250

Adapted to that, when in a state

of grace,

251

Inasmuch as gracious capaci-

ties lead to acquiescence in

what God requires,

251

-as invitations to accede to it

are accepted by the regener-

ate,

254

The Covenant of Works a reality, 256

The wicked alone not in cove.

nant,

259

T'hose who are in covenant with

God make and keep covenant

engagements,

263

State of those not in covenant

with God dreadful,

265

.

CHAPTER VIII.

COVENANTING ACCORDING TO THE PURPOSES OF GOD.

Argument for Covenanting, from the The people of God an elect people, 283

Divine purposes, stated, 268 were elected from transgres-

System of things predetermined

sors and their works, 283

in order to Covenanting.

were chosen in Christ, 284

Creation,

268 were elected to covenant obe-

Arrangements of an ordinary

dience,

285

,

268

Covenant of God ordained by him, 291

were elected to privileges that

belong only to those in cove-

That was Appointed,

271

nant with him,

286

established

272 The is the heavenly calling 286

and therefore according to his the blessing of Justification, 288

purpose,

273 the adoption of sons,

289

commanded,

274 the blessing of sanctification,

291

stands according to a sovereign To them belong the benefits of

decree,

275 Redemption, :

292

A people were foreordained to assurance of God's love, 293

make solemn vows,

277 peace of conscience,

293

were formed,

277 joy in the Holy Ghost, 294

were appointed,

280 increase of grace,

296

were written in the book of

perseverance in grace, 297

life,

282

eternal glory,

298

COVENANTING A PRIVILEGE OF BELIEVERS.

A spiritual privilege what, 311 Those Covenanting, enjoy com-

Evidence that Covenanting is so, 311 munion with God,

317

Believers a people near to God, 311 By his love the Lord constrains

-in the gracious presence of his people to take hold on his

God,

312 covenant,

318

They Covenanting, see God, 313 The observing of the other duties

-know God and are known of of the Covenant, as well as the

Him,

315 taking hold of it, a privilege, 319

To those Covenanting, the Lord is

favourable,

316

.

CHAPTER XI.

COVENANTING ENFORCED BY THE GRANT OF COVENANT SIGNS AND

SEALS.

Design of the gracious grant of The Sabbath-

Covenant signs and seals, 320 has afforded calls for engaging

SIGNS.

in the practice of vowing to

The Rainbow,

321 God,

334

a sign that the benefits of God's affords provision for the obser-

Covenant should be conferred, 321 vance of every religious ser-
explicitly referred to in Scrip-

vice,

334

ture as a sign,

322 kept, to the attainment of the

presented before the prophet most varied and extensive

Ezekiel in vision, at his en-

good,

336

trance upon an important The Priesthood-

mission,

324 a people in Covenant with God,"336

displayed in vision introducing what among the Israelites, 337
prophetic part of the book of a living sign,

338

Revelation,

325 a sign, as set apart to wait on

presented in vision which exhi-

the ordinances of grace, 339
bited the two Witnesses who Term, a denomination of God's
should prophesy in sackcloth, 326 Covenant people,

339

encouraging sign, ·

327 Those faithful to the Covenant of

Circumcision-

the priesthood approved, and the

instituted,

327 desecrators thereof condemned, 340

introductory to other privileges, 328 The priesthood recognised in all
enjoined under greatest penalty, 329 ages,

341

seal of Covenant,

330 Difficulty in reference to priest-

Baptism-

hood under the law made with.

under New Testament dispensa- out an oath considered and ob-

tion, what circumcision was viated,

342

under the former,

330 The

priesthood dependent on the

The Sabbath-

priesthood of Christ,

344

instituted from the beginning, 333 The New Heart-

observed to the enjoyment of all being a New Covenant blessing,

religious privileges,

333 is a New Covenant sign,

345

COVENANTING PERFORMED IN FORMER AGES WITH APPROBATION

FROM ABOVE.

General remarks,

358

The Lord approved of engagements

made in Personal Covenanting, 358

-in Social Covenanting, 359

We have encouragement to make

vows, the engagements of which

are lawful,

363

CHAPTER XIII.

COVENANTING PREDICTED IN PROPHECY.

Nature of the argumentexhibited, 364 Predicted in reference to New Tes-

Force of it depends on the manifes- tament times,

366

tation of God's will,

365 Important to attend to such pro-

Predicted in reference to Old Tes- phetic intimations,

368

tament times,

366

CHAPTER XIV.

COVENANTING RECOMMENDED BY THE PRACTICE OF THE NEW

TESTAMENT CHURCH.