THE
ORDINANCE
OF
COVENANTING.

BY

JOHN CUNNINGHAM, A.M.

"HE HATH COMMANDED HIS COVENANT FOR EVER." Ps. cxi. 9.

"THOUGH IT BE BUT A MAN'S COVENANT, YET IF IT BE CONFIRMED, NO MAN DISANNULETH, OR ADDETH THERETO." Gal. iii. 15.

GLASGOW:—WILLIAM MARSHALL.
SOLD ALSO BY JOHN KEITH.
EDINBURGH:—THOMAS NELSON AND JOHN JOHNSTONE.
LONDON:—HAMILTON, ADAMS, & CO.
MANCHESTER:-GALT & ANDERSON.
BELFAST:—WILLIAM POLLOCK.

TO
THE REVEREND ANDREW SYMINGTON, D.D.,
PROFESSOR OF DIVINITY
IN
THE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH,
THIS VOLUME
IS MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED.

CONTENTS.

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]

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]