act others to be transformed into
the unfading image of its own loveliness? How then ought all to be drawn
by imitating God in this, to the manifestation of the excellence of the
truth, that sinners may behold it, and being enabled to lay hold upon
it, may drink of that fountain of delight to which it may lead, and
which to eternity, though drawn upon by each of the redeemed, will
remain alike unfailing and satisfying to all? And how ought all thus to
endeavour to manifest that excellence which creatures were brought into
existence to contemplate, were appointed as means to lead each other to
examine, and which was to be displayed, not merely for ages, but that
holy beings might be brought, if not in their natures, at least in their
conceptions, to think in some small measure adequately of God, to
eternity!

But again, and finally. To follow the example of God in Covenanting, is
obligatory through life, and in all ages. The Lord sware in order to
give men an assurance of the immutability of his purposes of mercy. "For
when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater,
he sware by himself."... "Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show
unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it
by an oath; that by two immutable things, in which it is was impossible
for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for
refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us."[616] And in order that
men may arrive at the assurance of hope, they ought to have recourse to
the use of this, as well as every other means of grace. The man who
attempts prayer but once, does not give complete evidence of possessing
the spirit of prayer; in order to show this, he must pray habitually.
The individual who attempts to hope, must repeatedly have recourse to
the exercise, before he have pleasing evidence of the existence within
him of the hope that maketh not ashamed. Those who would be assured of
the love of God being shed abroad in their hearts, must have it in
habitual exercise within them; and those who would have the comforting
evidence of their being in covenant with God, must feel themselves drawn
by his example, frequently to acknowledge themselves as devoted to him.
It is self-evident, that every time that the people of God take hold on
his Covenant, he, after some manner, makes a covenant with them. Every
act of Covenanting, therefore, on the part of the saints of God, and
especially on