The Ordinance of Covenanting (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from The Ordinance of Covenanting

Beauteous whole. By reason of the light broken by error falling upon it, many who contemplate its features apprehend not the individuality it dis plays, but, reflecting on each part separately, connect them so as not to be impressed by the object presented in the union of all. Like the distinct objects which make up the entire land scape, when each one is examined by itself, the various religious exercises which enter into this, if each be recognised alone, leave no impression of the whole as it would appear if contemplated at once. Prayer and the offering of praise are uni versally admitted to be duties of religion. The Scriptures announce a place among these for the exercise of solemn Covenanting. Nay, as including these services and others, though as different from each of them, they ive its delineation. To enable those who ponder t e scriptural representation of it to answer suitably the Divine demand, Under standest thou what thou readest prayer for heavenly illumination upon it is not merely desir able, but necessary; and by all who have felt its advantages, supplication for this in greater measure will be habituall ofl'ered. In order to a proper investigation of t e subject, care must be taken to avoid two extremes - that minute analysis of it that would annihilate the observance itself, by re solving it into its constituent parts; - and that slight examination of it which would result in an estimate of itself and its elements, alike vague and undefined. What God hath joined let not man put asunder. And efforts should be made, and supplications offered, to obtain guidance on this point into all truth. Like a refracting medium which presents disjointed parts - each also deformed, instead of one beauteous image of a resplendent scene, prejudice, on the one hand, instead of displaying the exercise with the fulness and splendour of unmarred truth, has obtruded its ideal misrepresentations of it, alike.

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