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]
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]
instituted, [327]
introductory to other privileges, [328]
enjoined under greatest penalty, [329]
seal of Covenant, [330]
under New Testament dispensation, what circumcision was under the former, [330]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]