invited to escape it; but they will not submit. A covenant of life and
peace is made known. Its blessings great and precious are freely offered
to them. Yet they cherish the enmity of their hearts against God, and
they will not yield. With no sinless creature of God have they
communion. They are voluntarily alone in the universe, at war with all
God's creatures, and lowest among them. They are most unworthy. Every
arrangement of his providence tends to restore them to his favour.
Neglecting the duty of Covenanting, they set all these at nought. The
beasts that perish are not degraded, but these are. They are worthy to
be ranked with apostate angels. In the rage of their rebellion, they are
bent on enduring all the terrors of a broken law and covenant in the
place of final woe. Let not sinners persevere in their obstinacy. Even
yet, there is good largely offered to them, which, if they accept it,
they will abundantly receive.

FOOTNOTES:

[456] Gen. i. 27.

[457] Eccl. vii. 29.

[458] Gen. ii. 16, 17.

[459] Ps. cxi. 9.

[460] Rom. viii. 7.

[461] John v. 40.

[462] Ps. lxxiii. 28.

[463] Is. xlii. 18.

[464] Ps. lxxxv. 8.

[465] Mic. vii. 7.

[466] Ps. iv. 2.

[467] Is. lvi. 6.

[468] Tit. i. 15.

[469] Heb. ix. 14.

[470] Ps. lxxxi. 11.

[471] Phil. ii. 13.

[472] 1 Tim. i. 9.

[473] Jer. li. 25, 26.

[474] Rev. xviii. 21.

[475] 2 Cor. iv. 13.

[476] Ps. li. 13.

[477] Mark ix. 50.

[478] Col. iv. 6.

CHAPTER VIII.

COVENANTING ACCORDING TO THE PURPOSES OF GOD.

Since every revealed purpose of God, implying that obedience to his law
will be given, is a demand of that obedience, the announcement of his
Covenant, as in his sovereignty decreed, claims, not less effectively
than an explicit law, the fulfilment of its duties. A representation of
a system of things pre-determined in order that the obligations of the
Covenant might be discharged; various exhibitions of the Covenant as
ordained; and a description of the children of the Covenant as
predestinated to peculiar privileges and services, make that
announcement; and consequently, preferring the claim of submission to
covenant requirements, urge, not less than to the others of these
requisitions, a dutiful regard to the exercise of solemn Covenanting.

Many things in creation and providence were appointed for this, as well
as for other ends, that men might make and fulfil solemn vows to God.
The work of creation its