produced on any other class of creatures, even on fallen angels themselves; for these resist not offers of mercy. The inanimate creation responds to God's command. He enjoins, and it obeys. There the Divine mandate has the sure counterpart of obedience. In the world of unfallen intelligences, the word of the Lord is fulfilled willingly by all. In the world of perdition, however, it is set at nought. But on earth, where benefits are dispensed, it is spurned by the wicked also. The twofold curse of a broken law and covenant pursues sinners, yet they are invited to escape it; but they will not submit. A covenant of life and peace is made known. Its blessings great and precious are freely offered to them. Yet they cherish the enmity of their hearts against God, and they will not yield. With no sinless creature of God have they communion. They are voluntarily alone in the universe, at war with all God's creatures, and lowest among them. They are most unworthy. Every arrangement of his providence tends to restore them to his favour. Neglecting the duty of Covenanting, they set all these at nought. The beasts that perish are not degraded, but these are. They are worthy to be ranked with apostate angels. In the rage of their rebellion, they are bent on enduring all the terrors of a broken law and covenant in the place of final woe. Let not sinners persevere in their obstinacy. Even yet, there is good largely offered to them, which, if they accept it, they will abundantly receive. FOOTNOTES: [456] Gen. i. 27. [457] Eccl. vii. 29. [458] Gen. ii. 16, 17. [459] Ps. cxi. 9. [460] Rom. viii. 7. [461] John v. 40. [462] Ps. lxxiii. 28. [463] Is. xlii. 18. [464] Ps. lxxxv. 8. [465] Mic. vii. 7. [466] Ps. iv. 2. [467] Is. lvi. 6. [468] Tit. i. 15. [469] Heb. ix. 14. [470] Ps. lxxxi. 11. [471] Phil. ii. 13. [472] 1 Tim. i. 9. [473] Jer. li. 25, 26. [474] Rev. xviii. 21. [475] 2 Cor. iv. 13. [476] Ps. li. 13. [477] Mark ix. 50. [478] Col. iv. 6. CHAPTER VIII. COVENANTING ACCORDING TO THE PURPOSES OF GOD. Since every revealed purpose of God, implying that obedience to his law will be given, is a demand of that obedience, the announcement of his Covenant, as in his sovereignty decreed, claims, not less effectively than an explicit law, the fulfilment of its duties. A representation of a system of things pre-determined in order that the obligations of the Covenant might be discharged; various exhibitions of the Covenant as ordained; and a description of the children of the Covenant as predestinated to peculiar privileges and services, make that announcement; and consequently, preferring the claim of submission to covenant requirements, urge, not less than to the others of these requisitions, a dutiful regard to the exercise of solemn Covenanting.