de in Personal Covenanting.

The vow of Jacob at Bethel, at the distance of several years, was
followed by a command from God to erect there the altar, which in that
he had virtually promised to build. The vow of Hannah was acknowledged
by the gift of a son, whom the Lord honoured to be a signal blessing to
Israel. The vow of David,--"To find out a place for the Lord, an
habitation for the mighty God of Jacob," received the approval,--"It was
well that it was in thine heart," though the duty was made to devolve
upon his son. These are examples of Covenant engagements made by
individuals, to be performed by themselves, or by others, according to
the will of God, and which he afforded grace to parties chosen by
himself to fulfil.

Secondly. He approved of engagements made in Social Covenanting.

The Covenant made with Noah was dictated by the Lord himself. The
patriarch and his family acceded to it. He and they, along with the
living creatures concerning which he had received instructions, entered
the ark according as God had commanded; and the Lord shut him in.[743]

That Covenant was renewed with the patriarch by the express words of
God; a promise kindred to that delivered to man in a state of innocence,
but which, containing also the grant of animal food, and thereby
affording an intimation of the exercise of feeding by faith on the flesh
of the Redeemer, included a gracious grant which the other promise could
not contain, was added at the renovation; and the bow in the cloud was
declared a token that the Lord would not forget the transaction, but
while that emblem should continue, even to all ages should fulfil the
promise made by Him, and accepted in faith by his servants.

The Covenant with Abraham was graciously proposed by the Lord himself.
And the faith of the patriarch, called into exercise at the ratification
of it, was encouraged by the appointment of a special sacrifice, and the
wondrous phenomenon of the smoking furnace and the burning lamp.[744]

That covenant was ratified a second time, while the Lord appointed the
ordinance of circumcision as a sign and seal of it, to be extended to
the descendants of the patriarch, not merely as the progenitor of the
Israelites, but as the father of many nations. The extension of the
privilege to Ishmael, the descendants of whom observed the rite, and to
the other males of Abraham's household, was a pledge that all the
Gentile nations should in due time become inte