ther for Ephraim and all the
house of Israel his companions, in joining them into one stick, was
commissioned to testify to their being joined to one another, in taking
the Lord for their God, in the latter day.[775] Referring to the words
of sacred psalmody,--"Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord,
among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name;"[776] as prophetic,
an apostle unfolds the exercise of Covenanting as incumbent till the
latest times. Yea, as a fruit of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, the
service, in the loftiest terms, is foretold. "Thou hast ascended on
high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men;
yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among
them."[777]

Hence, in conclusion. How important to attend to such prophetic
intimations! They are the word of God. They were indeed addressed
through men, but their origin is Divine. They are addressed to us. In
times past God spake unto the Fathers by the prophets; he still speaks
to us in his word. By the authority of the Lord Jesus, we are commanded
to search the Scriptures;--the Old Testament as dictated by his Spirit,
and the New as also from Him. While we read his word, he speaks to us
from heaven. Let us not be slow of heart to believe all that the
prophets have written.

FOOTNOTES:

[762] Deut. xxxiii. 8-10.

[763] Some of these are contained in Is. x. 22; xxviii. 15-22; Jer. l.
5.

[764] Gen. xlix. 10.

[765] See Jer. xxxi. 31-34, and Heb. viii. 8; Ezek. xxxiv. 25; xxxvii.
26; as instances.

[766] Ps. cii. 18-22; Is. lxv. 16, 17.

[767] Is. xlii. 6; xlix. 8.

[768] Mal. i. 11.

[769] Gen. ix. 27.

[770] Rom. iii. 29.

[771] Ps. xxii. 27; Is. lii. 15; Zech. ii. 14.

[772] Rev. xi. 15; xv. 4.

[773] Is. xix. 18-25.

[774] Zech. xi. 10, 14.

[775] Ezek. xxxvii. 15-28.

[776] Ps. xviii. 49.

[777] Ps. lxviii. 18; see also Zech. ii. 11.

CHAPTER XIV.

COVENANTING RECOMMENDED BY THE PRACTICE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH.

The approved practice of the Church of God in Covenanting, is
recommended to us by these two things,--that it displays a voluntary
regard to his will, and that it exhibits his power accomplishing his
purpose.

The example of the people of God, while they walk in all his ordinances
and commandments blameless, is a warranted motive to duty. "Be ye
followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."[778] Their practice in
the discharge of the duty of