href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@25353@[email protected]#Page_159" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">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, public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@25353@[email protected]#Page_224" class="pginternal"