“The history of nations must be imperfect and erroneous, unless all is referred to the secret spring by which every motion is directed — the purpose of God to glorify himself in the salvation of the Church.”

Alexander McLeod’s historical introduction to the 1806 Testimony, quoted in William J. Edgar, History of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America 1871-1920, 159.

“In Gen. 1:27 it is declared that man was created in ‘the image of God.’ In Eph. 4:24 and Col. 3:10, men in regeneration are declared to be re-created in ‘the image of God.’ Regeneration is the restoration of human nature to its pristine condition, not a transmutation of that nature into a new form. The likeness to God which was lost by the fall must therefore be the same to which we are restored in the new birth. But the latter is said to consist in ‘knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness'” (A. A. Hodge, Confession of Faith, 88).

“God’s purpose in the gift of Christ cannot be in any respect in vain” (A. A. Hodge, Confession of Faith, 74).

“Throughout the unfolding of the covenant of grace, has been preparing the hearts of His people for the new Jerusalem. When Adam and Eve had stood barred from the garden of Eden, separated from the God whose presence had marked every moment of their lives, turned over to the death that God had said would come upon their disobedience, clothed in the skins of slain animals, they could not have fathomed the iridescent glory of the new Jerusalem (Gen. 3:21–24). But gradually, over generations and generations, God prepared His people for it. God had His purpose, He pursued it by His covenant of grace, and in a city bulging with radiant light and jubilant praise, He achieves it. God has a people and they are dwelling with Him in eternal glory.”

STEPHEN G. MYERS, GOD TO US: COVENANT THEOLOGY IN SCRIPTURE, 400.

“The Biblical principle is to bring the sacrifice God designates. Psalm 50:23 reads, “He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me.” The Old Testament saints gave honor to God by obeying Him and offering the sacrifice that He commanded. To honor God in the church of the New Testament, believers also bring the sacrifice of thanksgiving, the fruit of lips, that God commands. This is an expression of the regulative principle. God, therefore, provides the substance and content of this praise. David confesses, “From You comes my praise in the great assembly” (Ps. 22:25). Calvin translates this text, “My praise shall proceed from thee,” and goes on to say, “I do not reject the other translation; but in my opinion, the Hebrew manner of expression here requires this sense — that David will take the matter of his song of praise from God.” That is, the substance and content of David’s praise is from God. The Hebrew does use the preposition from. Psalm 22:25 is an expression of the regulative principle.”

Dennis J. Prutow, Public Worship 101, 233-234.