Introduction 1

CHAPTER I.

NATURE OF COVENANTING.

Term Covenant defined, 5

Sinners Redeemed, are in Covenant with God, 6

This relation not a mere law, 7

has parties, 7

has conditions, 7

is the Covenant of Grace, 8

Term Covenanting defined, 8

By Covenanting men make a Covenant with God, 8

This Covenant not distinct from that of Redemption, or that of Grace, 9

The formal exercise of Covenanting not indispensable to an interest in the Covenant of Grace, 11

God's Covenant may, for the first time, be entered into in the exercise of Covenanting, 12

In Covenanting, if God's Covenant has been laid hold on before, it is then renewed, 14

THE VOW.

Definition, 15

Vow made to God alone, 15

a solemn promise to God, 16

to be made voluntarily, 17

must be consistent with duty, 17

never made but in Covenanting, 17

THE OATH.

Definition, 18

To swear, to use an oath, 19

It is by the Lord that all ought to swear, 19

Oath sworn with the lifting up of the right hand, 20

Swearing a devotional exercise, 21

In the oath is implied a condensed adoration, 21

The oath a solemn appeal to God, 23

In swearing a lawful oath, a Covenant with God is made, 23

whether given to confirm an assertion, 23

or given to confirm an explicit promise, 26

The civil or moral use of the oath depends on its spiritual character, 29

The oath distinct from the vow, 30

CONFESSION.

To confess, to perform services which include Covenanting, 31

—in the Old Testament, 32

—in the New, 33

To confess Christ, to Covenant, 36

To profess, sometimes, to confess, 37

Then, profession equivalent to confession, 38

PERSONAL COVENANTING.

This an act, of adherence to God's Covenant, 38

approving of the way of salvation through Christ, 39

of accepting Christ and all his benefits, 39

of renouncing satan and sin, 42

of self-dedication to God, 43

in which duty is promised to God, 44

SOCIAL COVENANTING.

This also an act of acquiescence in God's Covenant, 44

Performed by the Church in an ecclesiastical capacity, 45

Performed by Covenanting in a national capacity, 46

That may be performed by various communities in one confederation, 47

Implying all that is included in Personal Covenanting, 48

An act of acceptance of the benefits of God's Covenant, 49

Of vowing general and specified obedience, 50

Of federal engagement among the members of the Covenanting community, 51

Of public acceptance of the truth of God and of renouncing error, 52

Performed in the name of those who engage in it, and in the name of posterity, 53

COVENANT RATIFICATION.

By oath, 54

Oath and Covenant associated, 54

Oath for confirmation, 55

Oath essential to a Covenant with God, 55

CHAPTER II.

MANNER OF COVENANTING.

Preliminaries, 57

Intelligently, 61

Cordially, 62

Deliberately, 63

Sincerely, 63

In the first ages by sacrifice, 64

Phrase considered, 64

What intended by the bisection of the victim, 67

Swearing symbolized by sacrifice, 67

Explicit proof, 69

Covenants ratified by blood of sacrifice, 70

In all ages by faith, 71

Devotionally, 73

In solemn assemblies, 73

A holy exercise, 74

Should be performed with godly fear and reverence, 74

With confession of sin, 75

Vow made in prayer, 76

Sometimes with the living voice, 77

Sometimes by subscription, 77

Covenanting a distinct exercise, 78

Though entering into other duties, yet by itself not unnecessary, 79

CHAPTER III.

COVENANTING A DUTY.

According to the will of God as King and Lord, 83

Obedience to Christ as possessed of all power in heaven and in earth, 83

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, obedience, 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 transactions 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 threatenings of Divine judgment against such as disregard it, 106

Personal Covenanting commanded, 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 investigation 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 present and permanent duty, 131

Duties to each one's self, 132

The cultivation of personal religion, 133

Sobriety and temperance, 134

The cultivation of the various powers of the soul, 135

The proper application of every capacity, 136

All such different from restraints imposed by human authority, 137

Duties to society in general, 138

To families, 139

To civil communities, 141

Owing by masters and servants, 142

Lawful civil governors and the people under them, 143

Duty of the civil magistrate, 144

Duties of the people in regard to the choice of their civil rulers, 145

—and to their obedience to them, 148

Duty of people living under civil governments not sanctioned by God's authority, 151

The doctrine evil, that so long as any law exists it ought to be obeyed, 155

To promote the real welfare of civil society, the duty of nil, 156

To classes of men, of whatever kind, 157

To the Church of Christ, 158

To abide by all the ordinances of divine grace, 159

To support the ordinances of religion, where enjoyed, 159

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 profession 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 intercession of Christ, 172

—of the Headship of Christ, 172

over the Church, 172

over the nations, 173

—of man's depravity and inability to restore himself, 175

Covenanting should engage all to every former good attainment, 176

—to cleave to new correct views of truth and duty, 177

—to abandon the evil in the vow unobserved at the making of it, 178

Covenanting does not shackle inquiry, 179

CHAPTER V.

COVENANTING CONFERS OBLIGATION.

Covenanting confers obligation by the authority of God, 181

Personal and social—on the Covenanting parties, 182

Such are represented as bound—are said to be joined to the Lord—to take hold of his covenant—to cleave to him, 183

God enjoins obedience as the fulfilment of Covenant duties, 184

—that the vow be paid, 186

Difficulty considered, 187

He threatens those who keep not his covenant, 187

Social Covenanting entails obligation on the society till the end of the covenant be attained, 189

Because by it, Covenants are made in the name of posterity, 189

Because the Church is one in all ages, 190

Because of the Church's social character, 192

Every adult member of the Church engaged to its privileges and duties, 193

Children of church members are members of the Church, and therefore under obligation, 193

The privileges enjoyed by children show them to be under obligation, 194

Social Covenanting entails obligation on the society till the end of the covenant be attained—Because Social Covenanting, approved in Scripture, conferred obligation, 196

Because the ends of such covenants may not be attained during the lives of those who entered into them, 197

Because the people of God view themselves bound by anterior engagements of his Church, 198

Because the Lord himself views his Church as bound by these, 199

Covenanting entails obligation even on the unbeliever who vows and swears, 201

Even those in the Church who do not formally Covenant are under obligation, 203

A minority in a church or nation are bound by Covenant engagements, though the others cast them off, 204

Covenanting does not implicate conscience, 205

That men are bound by previous engagements is no reason why they should not Covenant, 207

CHAPTER VI.

COVENANTING PROVIDED FOR IN THE EVERLASTING COVENANT.

SECTION I.

In regard to sinners, the exercise provided for in the Covenant of Redemption, 210

That covenant considered, 210

In that, Christ represented the elect, 211

In that, the promises accepted in Covenanting made to the Surety, 212

The people of God Covenant on the ground of the righteousness of Christ—the condition of that Covenant, 214

Believers given to Christ in that Covenant, 215

The elect chosen in Christ, that in union to him they might perform the duty, 216

SECTION II.

Covenanting, under every dispensation, provided for, 218

Exhibitions of Christ the chief blessings of the Covenant, common 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, 221

Revelation of the will of God termed a covenant, 223

In the Everlasting Covenant, provision made for Covenanting under the patriarchal and levitical dispensations, 224

The acknowledgments and conduct of believers in those times illustrate this, 224

Provision made through promises, 226

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 atonement, 233

Provision made for Covenanting under last dispensation, 236

This acknowledged by believers in the apostolic age, 236

Provision made through injunctions 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

CHAPTER VII.

COVENANTING ADAPTED TO THE MORAL CONSTITUTION OF MAN.

Adapted to that, when in innocence, 246

according to scripture account of that constitution, 246

Because the law of God to him in innocence, of a covenant 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 capacities lead to acquiescence in what God requires, 251

—as invitations to accede to it are accepted by the regenerate, 254

The Covenant of Works a reality, 256

The wicked alone not in covenant, 259

Those 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 Divine purposes, stated, 268

System of things pre-determined in order to Covenanting, Creation, 268

Arrangements of an ordinary providence, 268

Covenant of God ordained by him, 271

That was Appointed, 271

established, 272

and therefore according to his purpose, 273

commanded, 274

stands according to a sovereign decree, 275

A people were foreordained to make solemn vows, 277

were formed, 277

were appointed, 280

were written in the book of life, 282

The people of God an elect people, 283

were elected from transgressors and their works, 283

were chosen in Christ, 284

were elected to covenant obedience, 285

were elected to privileges that belong only to those in covenant with him, 286

Theirs is the heavenly calling, 286

the blessing of Justification, 288

the adoption of sons, 289

the blessing of sanctification, 291

To them belong the benefits of Redemption, 292

assurance of God's love, 293

peace of conscience, 293

joy in the Holy Ghost, 294

increase of grace, 296

perseverance in grace, 297

eternal glory, 298

CHAPTER IX.

COVENANTING SANCTIONED BY THE DIVINE EXAMPLE.

Explanation of the argument, 300

God himself has entered into covenant engagements, 300

in the covenant of Redemption, 301

with man in innocence, 302

with men in Christ, 302

The Lord Jesus on earth illustrated in his practice the duty of Covenanting, 302

The Lord, in entering into covenant, provided an example for imitation, 303

It is possible, after some manner, to imitate God in Covenanting, 304

It is desirable, 304

It is a duty, 305

Shown from the fourth commandment, 306

various other injunctions, 306

The exercise of following the Divine example in Covenanting important, 308

To follow that example in this, obligatory through life, and in all ages, 309

CHAPTER X.

COVENANTING A PRIVILEGE OF BELIEVERS.

A spiritual privilege what, 311

Evidence that Covenanting is so, 311

Believers a people near to God, 311

—in the gracious presence of God, 312

They Covenanting, see God, 313

—know God and are known of Him, 315

To those Covenanting, the Lord is favourable, 316

Those Covenanting, enjoy communion with God, 317

By his love the Lord constrains his people to take hold on his covenant, 318

The observing of the other duties of the Covenant, as well as the taking hold of it, a privilege, 319

CHAPTER XI.

COVENANTING ENFORCED BY THE GRANT OF COVENANT SIGNS AND SEALS.

Design of the gracious grant of Covenant signs and seals, 320

SIGNS.

The Rainbow, 321

a sign that the benefits of God's Covenant should be conferred, 321

explicitly referred to in Scripture as a sign, 322

presented before the prophet Ezekiel in vision, at his entrance upon an important mission, 324

displayed in vision introducing prophetic part of the book of Revelation, 325

presented in vision which exhibited the two Witnesses who should prophesy in sackcloth, 326

encouraging sign, 327

Circumcision—

instituted, 327

introductory to other privileges, 328

enjoined under greatest penalty, 329

seal of Covenant, 330

Baptism—

under New Testament dispensation, what circumcision was under the former, 330

The Sabbath—

instituted from the beginning, 333

observed to the enjoyment of all religious privileges, 333

has afforded calls for engaging in the practice of vowing to God, 334

affords provision for the observance of every religious service, 334

kept, to the attainment of the most varied and extensive good, 336

The Priesthood—

a people in Covenant with God, 336

what among the Israelites, 337

a living sign, 338

a sign, as set apart to wait on the ordinances of grace, 339

Term, a denomination of God's Covenant people, 339

Those faithful to the Covenant of the priesthood approved, and the desecrators thereof condemned, 340

The priesthood recognised in all ages, 341

Difficulty in reference to priesthood under the law made without an oath considered and obviated, 342

The priesthood dependent on the priesthood of Christ, 344

The New Heart—

being a New Covenant blessing, is a New Covenant sign, 345

contrasted with the unrenewed heart subjected to various changes, 346

presented under the aspect of a circumcised heart, 347

a perfect heart, 347

one heart contrasted with the double heart, 348

among the people of God in a social capacity, 348

Christ—

a sign of the fact of the Everlasting Covenant, 350

a sign of the Covenant's ratification, 351

a sign of the dispensation of its blessings, 352

a sign by which the Covenant should be had in remembrance, 353

a sign of the performance of its duties, 354

a transcendently glorious sign, 354

CHAPTER XII.

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 argument exhibited, 364

Force of it depends on the manifestation of God's will, 365

Predicted in reference to Old Testament times, 366

Predicted in reference to New Testament times, 368

Important to attend to such prophetic intimations, 368

CHAPTER XIV.

COVENANTING RECOMMENDED BY THE PRACTICE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH.

Argument unfolded, 369

Practice recommended by the example of the Church, 369

—by the manifestation of Divine favour made in enabling the Church to act to the fulfilment of his designs, 370

The practice of the Church in the first three centuries after the apostolic age, recommends the duty, 370

Also that of the Churches of the Reformation, 371

—of the Churches abroad, 372
—of the Church in Britain and Ireland, 373

Example in this, to be imitated, 376

CHAPTER XV.

SEASONS OF COVENANTING.

Never unsuitable, 377

Special seasons, 378

Times of hazard and distress, 378

When religion is low, and error, and vice, and ungodliness, prevail, 378

Times of reviving, 378

When the friends of truth unite for its maintenance, either in an incorporate, or other cooperative capacity, 378

CONCLUSION.

The exercise important, 379

advantageous, 379

necessary, 379

It should therefore be observed, 380

APPENDIX.

A, 381

B, 383

C, 391

D, 393