subscription to the contents of the New Covenant: for the word imports such an action as persons perform when they fet their hand unto a written deed, in token - of their approving the contents of it; or, as when persons subjoin their name to a letter, in the ordinary manner in which they subscribe it.-Again, public covenanting is nothing else than a public and social acceptance of it, adapted to that œconomy which the covenanters enjoy: This will be evidenced, I hope, in all the instances which fall under our confideration. Hence, in some of them, the promises of the Covenant of Grace only are expressed, and the Church's Engagements unto Duty are implied. The stipulation is mutual, however, as these promises, by the working of God's good Spirit, were made effectual, to bring persons and churches to give themselves unto the Lord, as also, to take God for their God, for ever and ever. For example, God's promise to Abraham was, " I am thy shield, and exceeding great reward;" and his engagement is included, though not expressed. This is evident from his faith, patience, and resignation to the will of God.

4. THE

4. THE Eternal Contract and our En gagement to Duties stand in the closest connection with each other, as the promises and privileges of that Covenant are the grandest motives to enter into these Engagements. Thus, Is it not a forcible motive to take hold of Jesus Chrift, as the only propitiation for our fins, that God hath set him forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood? Is it not a cogent argument, to take his righteousness as the only foundation of our access to, and acceptance with God, that we have access, with boldness, into the holiest of all by the blood of Jefus? Can there be a stronger argument for our taking hold of the Covenant of free and rich promise, as our only charter to the heavenly inheritance, than God's making with us an everlafting Covenant, even the fure mercies of David? Can there be a stronger excitement to take his word, for our perfect and only rule of faith and practice, than his giving us fuch a light to our feet, and fuch a lamp to our paths? Can any but an unbelieving and ungrateful heart refuse to take his Spirit, as the fole guide into all truth, feeing he has engaged to bestow fuch

fuch a leader? "Howbeit, when the Spirit of Truth is come, he will guide you into all Truth." Can any hefitate whe ther we should, each for ourselves, avouch the Lord as our own God, seeing God hath faid, " I am the Lord thy God?" If a God in covenant hath given us a system of pure ordinances, holy doctrine, spiritual worship, evangelical government and difcipline, Why should not every perfon, who claims an interest in this covenanted God, refolve to continue in the faith, profeffion, and obedience of that system all the days of his life? The inspired system is conferred on us for our own good, as well as God's glory; That gratitude, therefore, which inspires with love to his glory, which disposes to prefer it above all things, will also inspire with love unto his truth, as the means of advancing it; and, of consequence, with the hatred of every false and wicked way: The more as our own advantage is inseparably connected with his honour, and immediately fubordinated to it. If God promise the enlargement and continuance of the kingdom of Chrift, as an encouragement to his fubjects, Why should not they most ardently defire the enjoyment of that comfort?

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E

comfort? Why should they not use every mean of his appointment for obtaining it ? In one word, If persons are infinitely obliged to God, being redeemed by his Son, fanctified by his Spirit, and saved by his Grace? Does not justice, as well as gratitude, fay, we are not our own? Why should not we devote our services unto our rightful Lord, depending upon the power of his HOLY SPIRIT, that he may enable us to do our duty, unto the praise of his grace in all the churches. Amen *.

In the LAST PLACE, We shall survey the State of the Church from the Fall of Adam to the Covenant between God and Noah, before the Flood.--And we may take a view of it both in its constitution and continuance. As to the FIRST we may observe,

1. THE person who erected this Church was no other than the Son of God. I find some authors who explain this appearance of the Father, I cannot easily reconcile myself to go into it however; " for no

* See the Bond for renewing our Solemn Covenants.

man

man hath seen God at any time; but the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." I fhall not stay to prove, that all the appearances, with which the Old Testament Church was favoured, were made by the Son God, as this point has been demonftrated, with a degree of evidence fuperior to reasonable contradiction, by others. Our tranflation describes his appearance thus; "And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden, in the cool of the day *." But, if we turn to the inspired original, we will find that it was the VOICE which WALKED; the word VOICE and WALKING are connected together: And by the VOICE we are to understand the word, that is, the perfonal Word; he then walked in the garden, as a prelude of his afterwards walking up and down in our world, in the fulness of time. The ancient Church understood this text of the PERSONAL WORD, and they were not deceived †; the business

*Gen. iii. 8.

+ For proof of what is above afsserted, the learned reader may confult BOSTON's Tractat. Stigmologic. p. 62; Dr OWEN's Exercit. prefixed to his Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews, Vol. I. p. 114, 115.