committed to their care to him, and to train them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and to teach all under their care to know and serve him. In words to this effect do professors generally covenant. They bind themselves to an unreserved obedience to the whole will of God.

Having considered what professors covenant with God and their brethren, we will now contemplate the solemnity of the transaction. There is every thing which can well be conceived, to render the transaction of covenanting with God solemn. His greatness, before whom all the nations of the earth are as nothing, and they are accounted to him as less than nothing, and vanity; his infinite purity, before whom the very heavens are unclean; his omniscience and omnipresence; the impossibility of deceiving him, or of escaping out of his hand, all conspire to render the transaction solemn. He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength. None hath hardened himself against him and prospered. He can save, and he can destroy. He is our

judge, and will dispense the rewards of eternity. These considerations all combine their influence to make the transaction deeply and wonderfully solemn and momentous. It is

further rendered exceedingly interesting and solemn, in as much, as in its very nature it contains the obligation of a most solemn oath; and even the implication of a curse on those who deal falsely with God. Thus Moses and the ancient people of God understood it. It was termed both an oath and a curse. (Deut. xxix. 12.) That thou shouldest enter into covenant with the Lord thy God, and into his oath. (Neh. x. 29.) And entered into a curse and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God; and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and his judgments, and his statutes. The ancient people of God, in covenanting with God, swore universal obedience to his will; and exposed themselves to the curses of his law upon them, if they did not perform their oath, in keeping covenant with him. In covenanting, a calf, or some beast for sacrifice, was cut in pieces, and the covenanters passed between the pieces, the more deeply to impress the mind, silently confessing, that it would be just in God, if they should not keep covenant with him, to cut them asunder, as they had the beast, between the parts of which they had passed. In this manner it appears that God and

Abraham covenanted. (Gen. xv. 9, 10. 17, 18.) Abraham passed between the pieces of those beasts which he had divided and laid one against the other; and when the sun went down and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. This was, doubtless, emblematical of God's passing between them, and confirming the covenant. It is therefore

written, In that same day the Lord made a covenant with Abraham. In this manner did the Israelites covenant with God in Jeremiah's time. They passed between the pieces of the divided calf, confessing it would be just in God to cut them in pieces if they should not keep covenant with him. (Jer. xxxiv. 18.) Hence covenanting with God was term ed an oath and a curse; and making a covenant, in the Hebrew Phraseology, is termed cutting the covenant: because the slain beast or sacrifice, at the time of covenanting, was divided, and those who entered into covenant, passed between the pieces*. In some other

* See Poole's Synopsis, and his English Annotations on Gen. xv. 9, 10. 17, 18.; on Neh. x. 29.; and on Jer. xxxiv. 18. And Buxtorf on the Hebrew root Carat. See also Robertson's Key to the Hebrew Bible on the same word. This appears anciently to have been the usual way of covenanting.

passages, covenanting is termed, Swearing unto the Lord, swearing with all the heart, an oath, and swearing in righteousness. (2 Chron. xv. 14, 15. Isa. xix. 18. Jer. iv. 2.) Nothing, therefore, can be more solemn and interesting, than the manner of covenanting with God.

. Further, covenanting with God is solemn and interesting, as the safety and comfort of Christians in the present state, and eternal life in the future, are dependent on the manner in which they covenant. If they covenant in a right manner, choosing God with supreme affection, believing on the name of his Son, and depend on his merits for acceptance, and for grace to keep covenant with him, he will be their God. They will have an interest in his covenant love, and in his gracious promises. He will enable them to keep his covenant. They will have communion with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. They will have peace with God, and in their own consciences; and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. He will never leave nor forsake them.

But if they covenant in a state of unregeneracy, while they have no love to God, no faith in Christ, and no interest in him, they

can derive no grace nor strength from him and without him they do nothing acceptably. They can never keep covenant with him, nor perform one covenant duty. In the very act of covenanting, they will flatter him with their mouth, and lie unto him with their tongues. (Psal. Ixxviii. 36.) They will grieve his Spirit, and backslide from him. They will be but foolish virgins, bearing lamps without oil. As they will bear no good fruit, there will be great danger that God will take them away from his altar, by discipline, or by his judgments. For now the axe is laid unto the root of the trees; therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the fire. (Matt. iii. 10.) Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away. (John xv. 2.) Having not on a wedding garment, they may soon be bound hand and foot, and be cast into outer darkness; soon may they be cut asunder and have their portion with hypocrites, where is wailing and gnashing of teeth.

God's own children may bring grievous afflictions on themselves and on their families, by violating his covenant, and not walking steadfastly in his commandments. God hath