r social covenanting, that party may
be an individual or a joint number, approaching in dependence on the
grace of Christ. The promise of the Covenant of Redemption was, a people
elected to the blessings of time and eternity, these blessings
themselves, and all the countenance which the surety should receive in
fulfilling his work of righteousness, and all the glory that should come
to him as the Mediator--God and man--in obtaining for his people and
bestowing upon them the benefits of the great salvation. In all the
three cases, that promise in all its extent is exhibited. In the
Covenant of Redemption, that promise was made to the Redeemer himself.
In the Covenant of Grace, and in every covenant with God into which his
people by taking hold upon that covenant may enter, it is an object of
their faith. The blessings of time and eternity constitute the part of
the promise offered to believers, through Christ. But in taking hold
upon that covenant, they testify to their satisfaction with that part of
the promise that peculiarly belongs to the Saviour, and accept of the
benefits offered to themselves. In all the three cases, the
righteousness of Christ is the sole ground on which a title to the
promise can rest. In the first case, it is that righteousness as wrought
out by him. In the others, it is that righteousness imputed through
grace to each believer. In all, obedience to the law of God is required.
In the first, Christ gave that perfect obedience infinitely meritorious,
which, along with his sufferings of infinite value, constituted his work
of righteousness. In the Covenant dispensed, all duty is incumbent on
those under it, to be discharged so as to afford not a ground of merit
before God, but at least a testimony to the perfection of his laws. And
all duty may be frequently engaged to, and special duties in given
circumstances, as they present themselves, may be made the subject of a
solemn covenant promise to God. Hence, a covenant made in the exercise
of Covenanting, is a covenant not essentially new. As members of one
glorious body united to Christ, the Head, all believers are in the
Covenant of Grace. But their exercises in regard to that covenant,
though in spirit essentially one, do in their number, and variety, and
form, greatly differ. And of these exercises, none are more
distinguished from one another than their solemn covenant engagements.
Some with greater or less blame renew these seldom. Others faulti