God to give up their substance had not been made, the language
of reproof addressed to them would have been inapplicable. It is true,
that when one lies to men, he disobeys God. But the language, "thou hast
not lied unto men, but unto God," must intimate that the possession of
the two individuals had been, either publicly before their brethren, or
secretly, or in both ways, vowed to God. The conclusion is corroborated
by the obvious consideration, that the practice of acting in this
manner, although not to such an extent, was quite in accordance with
that of vowing things to God under the dispensation that had then been
brought to a close; and especially by the very language of Peter,
"Whilst it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it
not in thine own power?" precisely agreeing with the words of the Old
Testament record, "But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin
in thee." Again, the practices of making _confession_, and of
_professing_, which we have found to be in reality the making of
Covenant engagements, would appear from the references made to them by
the inspired writers, to have been ordinary occurrences of their times.
And, lastly, the conduct of the Macedonian Churches, in giving
themselves to the Lord, to which we have had occasion to refer, is
worthy of being remembered as an authenticated source of Covenanting in
those times, that had been performed by many, in one of the spheres
where the truth had most manifestly taken effect.

The practice was provided for through the direct injunctions of the last
inspired writers. These, dissuading from idolatry,[429] taught the
necessity of the practice, the reverse of that, of recognising God and
acknowledging him by vowing and swearing to him as a covenant God.
Teaching the necessity of faith and other graces, they showed that it is
dutiful to engage in that and those other exercises in which these are
requisite. They explicitly enjoin the exercise of Covenanting.[430]
Inculcating the holding fast of the Christian _profession_,[431] an
apostle teaches that such a profession should not merely be adhered to,
but also made. And delivering the express words of the Redeemer, the
last of the apostles, teaching the duty of entering into covenant
engagements, and keeping them till Christ should come, tendered the
command, "But that which ye have already, hold fast till I come."[432]

The practice was provided for through the whole of the Ne