The Ordinance of Covenanting Part 2

Seventhly. This act is a solemn federal transaction among the members of the Covenanting community. The fact of the public social character of the act shows that the engagements of a Covenant with G.o.d, have a reference to the relations to one another of those who Covenant. The reception of good from the hand of G.o.d, through the means of Covenanting, necessarily supposes that that good, at least in part, will come to each in some manner by those a.s.sociated in the exercise. The promise of obedience to G.o.d by vow or oath, includes a promise of certain services to each member of the confederation. When a vow or an oath to G.o.d, to accept of good from one another, or to perform mutual services among themselves is made, a corresponding engagement to each other is thereby made among them. The two engagements are distinct in themselves; but the latter flows from, or is const.i.tuted by, the former; nay, in so far as the former has a regard to mutual relations among the parties themselves, it was made that the latter might obtain. The vow or oath to G.o.d is not an engagement to men; but what is by vow or oath promised to G.o.d to be performed to men, const.i.tutes the reality or substance of an engagement thereby made to them. Covenanting with G.o.d is the laudable means employed to bring parties together, to promise in the most solemn manner to accept of specified good from each other, and to render certain services in correspondence therewith to each.

It is by engaging to G.o.d, that they engage to one another. And therefore conversely, it may be added, that their own engagement to one another, as well as their engagement to G.o.d, by which that engagement was made, is, according to the general definition of Covenanting that has been given, a taking hold upon the Covenant of Grace.

The engagement to G.o.d is always substantial, whether by vow or oath, or by both; as is the engagement among the Covenanting parties. But one or other of the engagements may be either expressed or understood. The recognition of their engagement to one another may be implied, but not expressed, whilst the Covenant of the Lord to whom they vow or swear to give obedience, is explicitly adhered to. This was the case with the people of Israel when they engaged in the act, along with Josiah their king. "And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant which are written in this book. And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of G.o.d, the G.o.d of their fathers."[103] Again, these mutual engagements, in some cases, may be expressed, while the Covenant of G.o.d is implicitly renewed. Zedekiah, and the people of Israel, at once, in express terms, entered into an engagement to set free their servants who were of their brethren, and before the Lord thus in covenant with him implicitly engaged to a duty which, on the occasion of the Covenanting at Sinai had been enjoined.[104] In other cases, both the engagement to G.o.d, and the engagement of those who Covenant to one another, may be explicit. "Jehoiada made a Covenant between the Lord and the king and the people, that they should be the Lord's people; between the king also and the people."[105]

Eighthly. This act is a public acceptance of the truth of G.o.d, and a renunciation of error. It is a public confession to G.o.d of a heartfelt approbation of his holy oracles, and of the doctrines and precepts revealed in them--a testimony to the perfection of his word and ordinances, and an abandonment of all that is inconsistent with them. It is the act of a witnessing body, appointed to bear testimony in that exercise for him. In reference to their Covenant engagements, the Lord says to his people, "Ye are even my witnesses."[106] In this act, they confess him before men. In vowing, or swearing to give obedience to his law, is implied an approbation of his holy oracles; and that approval in the act is also declared. They who keep his Covenant, keep his testimonies; and they who cleave to the one, adhere to the other. "I have chosen the way of truth; thy judgments have I laid before me."[107]

"Thy testimonies have I taken for an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart."[108] They who take the Covenant of G.o.d into their mouth, declare his statutes;[109] and if worthy, their resolution in sincerity is thus expressed, "I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word."[110]

Lastly. This act is performed in the name of those who engage in it, and in the name of posterity. The Lord made a Covenant at once with Noah, and with his descendants. The Lord made a Covenant with Abraham as the father of many nations. In the land of Moab, the Israelites and their seed after them, at once entered into such a relation. "Neither with you only do I make this Covenant and this oath; but with him that standeth here with us this day before the Lord our G.o.d, and also with him that is not here with us this day."[111] And when the former did so, they were encouraged to choose life, that they and their seed might live.[112] The Covenant of the priesthood made with Phinehas, was not entered into merely with himself, but also with his posterity who should exist to far distant times; and at Sinai, when Israel engaged to be for the Lord, in the second commandment they had addressed to them a reason of obedience, implying that their engagement was not merely on their own, but also on their children's behalf. "I the Lord thy G.o.d am a jealous G.o.d, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments."[113]

PERMANENT MEANS OF COVENANT RATIFICATION.

It has been shown that whenever a vow is made, or an oath is sworn, a covenant with G.o.d is made. It now remains to be proved that every covenant with G.o.d is ratified by oath.

Though the oath is frequently exhibited without explicit reference to the Covenant, and the Covenant in like manner is spoken of without mention being made of the oath, yet since in no pa.s.sage either explicitly or implicitly is evidence afforded that the one is ever dissociated from the other, and, since the two occur so frequently together, it may be warrantably concluded, that when the one alone is adverted to, the other is implied.

In many pa.s.sages are the ideas of oath and covenant so a.s.sociated together, that the strongest presumption is afforded that the one is essential to the other; and, accordingly, that when a covenant with G.o.d is made, it is in the use of the oath. What on this point could be more conclusive than the language,--"Thus saith the Lord G.o.d, I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant?"[114]

A verb (???), signifying _to swear_, and two corresponding nouns are derived from a word for the number _seven_. That was a sacred number, or a number of perfection, not merely among the Israelites, but among other nations, and was used for the purpose of signifying an oath.

A present of seven vouchers sometimes accompanied the act of swearing.

"Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech: and both of them made a covenant. And Abraham set seven ewe-lambs of the flock by themselves.--And he said, For these seven ewe-lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me that I have digged this well. Wherefore he called that place Beer-sheba; because there they sware both of them."[115] The design of thus using the number being to give confirmation, such also must have been the end of using the oath.

It is not improbable that the number _seven_ may have been employed because that in seven days, according to the pattern set in the period of creation, and consequent sabbath, there are included the six days appointed for labour and the sabbath of rest. But, however that may be, we have the testimony of an inspired writer, that what was suggested in symbol by the number is the design of the oath. "An oath for confirmation is--an end of all strife."

Finally, a covenant with G.o.d, whether made in secret or in public, from its very nature cannot be entered into without an oath. Sometimes the vow and oath were used together. David "sware unto the Lord, and vowed unto the mighty G.o.d of Jacob." Mutual promises among men, though they confer obligation, do not always stand connected with a covenant with G.o.d, for they are made sometimes without a vow or an oath. But a promise made to G.o.d must be made either by vow or oath, or by both; and since no covenant with Him can be made without a promise, it follows that every covenant with Him is ratified by oath in its most explicit form, or by the oath implied in the vow.

FOOTNOTES:

[2] Hosea vi. 7.

[3] Jer. x.x.xiii. 20-25.

[4] Gen. viii. 22. See also Hosea ii. 18.

[5] Gen. xvii. 7.

[6] Zech. xiii. 9.

[7] Isa. lv. 3.

[8] Isa. xlv. 24.

[9] Ps. l. 16.

[10] Confession of Faith, chap. xxii. 5, 6.

[11] Ps. cx.x.xii. 2.

[12] Num. xxi. 2.

[13] Gen. xxviii. 20-22.

[14] 1 Sam. i. 11.

[15] Jer. xliv. 25, 26

[16] Jonah i. 16.

[17] Deut. xxiii. 23.

[18] Num. x.x.x. 2.

[19] Nahum i. 15.

[20] Ps. lxi. 8.

[21] Compare Ps. cx.x.xii. 2, 3, and 2 Sam. vii. 1-3.

[22] Ps. lxvi. 13, 14.

[23] Mal. i. 14.

[24] Num. xxi. 2.

[25] Exod. x.x.xiv. 11.

[26] Num. x.x.x. 9.

[27] Ezek. xx. 37.

[28] Confession of Faith, xxii. 1, 2.

[29] Joshua ii. 17.

[30] Gen. xxvi. 3.

[31] Gesen. Lex. Heb. et Chald.

[32] 1 Kings viii. 31.

[33] Gen. xxiv. 3.

[34] Lev. xix. 12.

[35] Deut. vi. 13.

[36] Mat. v. 34-36.

[37] Jer. v. 2.