ss
thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee."[117] The oath of God was
made to Isaac.[118] To Israel at Sinai: when the Lord brought them out
of Egypt He lifted up His hand.[119] It is because not merely that with
His finger He wrote the law on two tables of stone, but that in lifting
up his hand in swearing to them there, while giving the law, that it is
said,--"From his right hand went a fiery law for them."[120] And to
David also, in making a covenant with him, the Lord sware. "The Lord
hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; of the fruit
of thy body will I set upon thy throne."[121]

Even in those ordinary cases in which, on Covenanting, communion with
God is enjoyed, He Covenants with them. This is implied in the very
designation of the exercise; but it is otherwise obvious. We have no
reason to believe that when Israel Covenanted in the land of Moab such
manifestations of God's presence as were vouchsafed at Sinai were made.
But then the Lord made an oath to his people, and thereby Covenanted
with them. "That thou shouldst enter into covenant with the Lord thy
God, and into his oath, which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this
day."[122] Yea there, after whatever manner, He avouched them to be His
people. "Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, and to walk
in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his
judgments, and to hearken unto his voice: and the Lord hath avouched
thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and
that thou shouldest keep all his commandments."[123] Yea, except the
contrary be stated or implied somewhere, we should not be warranted in
maintaining that the oath of God was not always given on occasions of
Covenanting, before the Canon of Scripture was closed. In the historic
record of Jacob's life no account is given of God's making an oath to
him. Yet we are certain that He covenanted with him. And that he
actually sware to him, is one of the conclusions that may be
legitimately drawn from the words, "As he hath sworn unto thy fathers,
to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob."[124] And that He, under this last
dispensation, always Covenants with believers, when they vow and swear
to Him, is manifest from those declarations in which he promises to make
a covenant with them. Whether or not on these occasions he absolutely
makes an oath, is not revealed. That we should know whether or not he
does so, is not necessary, else th