covenant, according to the originals of the Old and New Testament—
but in the manner of revealing it; and the promises are said to be
"better promises" upon the same account, Acts 10:35.
(2.) The covenant of grace, is now more largely extended. Then it
extended only to the Jews; but now it extends to all who know the
Lord, and who choose him, fear him, love him, and serve him in all
nations, Col. 3:11; Neh. 7:2; Job 1:1, 8; Acts 13:22, seq.; Romans
4:18-20.
(3.) There is more abundance of the Spirit, of grace, of light, of
knowledge, of holiness, poured out generally upon the people of God
now—than there was in those times. Though then some few eminent
saints had much of the Spirit, and much of grace and holiness, both
in their hearts and lives; but now the generality of the saints have
more of the Spirit, and more grace and holiness, than the generality
of the saints had in those times. But,
4. Fourthly, Premise this with me—that a right notion of the
covenant, according to the originals of the Old and New Testament—
will conduce much to a right understanding of God's covenant. [The
word covenant in our English tongue, signifies, as we all know, a
mutual promise, agreement, and obligation, between two people. A
covenant is a solemn compact or agreement between two chosen
parties; whereby, with mutual, free, and full consent, they bind and
oblige themselves one to another. A covenant is "A friendly state
between allies." Martin Luther. The derivation of the Hebrew word,
and of the Greek, may give us great light, and is of special use to
show the nature of the covenant which they principally signify, and
what special things are therein required.
(1.) The Hebrew word, Berith, a covenant, is by learned men derived
from several roots:
[1.] First, Some derive it from Barar—to purify, make clear, and to
purge out dross, chaff, and all uncleanness; and to select, and choose
out, and separate the pure from the impure, the gold and silver from
the dross, and the pure wheat from the chaff. The reasons of this
derivation are these:
(1.) Because by covenants, open and clear amity is confirmed, and
faithfulness is plainly and clearly declared and ratified, without
deceit or fraud, between covenanters; and things are made plain and
clear between them in every point and article.
(2.) Because God, in the covenant of works, did choose out man
especially, with whom he made the covenant; and because in the
covenant of grace, he chooses out of the multitude his elect, even his
church and faithful people, whom he did separate by predestination
and election from all eternity, to be a holy people to himself in Christ,
Eph. 1:4.
(3.) Some derive it from Barah, and truly, the Lord, when he makes a
covenant with any, he does separate them from others, he looks on
them, and takes them, and owns them for his "peculiar people," 1
Pet. 2:9, for his "peculiar treasure," Exod. 19:5, and agrees with them
as the chosen and choicest of all others. The first staff in Zech. 11:10,
is called "Beauty," and this was the covenant; and certainly it must be
a high honor for a people to be in covenant with God; for by this
means God becomes ours, and we are made near unto him, Jer.
31:38, 40-41. He is ours, and we are his, in a very peculiar way of
relation; and by this means God opens his love and all his treasures
of grace unto us. In his covenant he tells us of his special care, love,
kindness, and great intentions of good to us; and by this means his
faithfulness comes to be obliged to make good all his covenant
relations and engagements to us, Deut. 7:9. Now in all this God puts
a great favor and honor upon his people. Hence, when the Lord told
Abraham that he would make a covenant with him, Abraham fell
upon his face; he was amazed at so great a love and honor, Gen. 17:2-
[2.] Secondly, Some derive the word from Barah—to eat, because
usually they had a feast at the making of covenants. In the Eastern
countries they commonly established their covenants by eating and
drinking together. Herodotus tells us that the Persians were
accustomed to contract leagues and friendship in a full feast, whereat
their wives, children, and friends, were present. The like custom,
Tacitus reports of the Germans. Among the Greeks and other
nations, the covenanters ate bread and salt together. The Emperor of
Russia, at this day, when he would show extraordinary grace and
favor unto any, sends him bread and salt from his table. When he
invited Baron Sigismund, he did it in this form: "Sigismund, you
shall eat our bread and salt with us." Hence that symbol of
Pythagoras, "break no bread," is interpreted by Erasmus and others
to mean, "break no friendship."
Moreover, the Egyptians, Thracians, and Lybians in special, are said
to have used to make leagues, and contract friendships—by
presenting a cup of wine one to another; which custom we find still
in use among our western nations. It has been the universal custom
of mankind, and still remains in use, to contract covenants, and
make leagues and friendship—by eating and drinking together.
When Isaac made a covenant with Abimelech, the king of Gerar, the
text says, "He made him, and those that were with him, a feast; and
they did eat and drink, and rose up early in the morning, and swore
one to another," Gen. 26:30-31. When Jacob made a covenant with
Laban, after they had sworn together, he made him a feast, "and
called his brethren to eat bread," says the text, Gen. 31:54. When
David made a covenant with Abner, upon his promise of bringing all
Israel unto him, David made "Abner and the men who were with him
a feast," says the text, 2 Sam. 3:20. Hence, in the Hebrew tongue a
covenant is called Berith, of Barak to eat, as if they should say an
eating; which derivation is so natural, that it deserves, say some, to
be preferred before the other signification of the same verb, which is
to choose.
Now they that derive Berith from Barah, which signifies to eat and
refresh one's self with a meal, they give this reason for that
derivation, namely, because the old covenant of God, made with man
in the creation, was a covenant wherein the condition or law was
about eating; that man should eat of all the trees and fruits, except of
the tree of knowledge of good and evil, Gen. 2:16-17; and in the
solemn making and sealing of the covenant of grace in Christ, the
blessed seed, the public ceremony was slaying and sacrificing of
animals, and eating some part of them, after the fat and the choice
parts were offered up and burned on the altar. For God, by virtue of
that covenant, gave man leave to eat the flesh of animals, Deut.
12:27, which he might not do in the state of innocency, Gen. 1:29,
being limited to fruits of trees, and herbs bearing seed, for his meat.
So, also, in solemn covenants between men, the parties were
accustomed to eat together, Gen. 31:46.
[3.] Thirdly, Others derive the word Berith from Bara, or Barah, to
smite, strike, cut, or divide, as both these words signify. The word
also signifies to elect or choose; and the reasons they give for this
derivation, are these two:
First, Because covenants are not made, but by choice persons, chosen
out one by another, and about choice matters, and upon choice
conditions; chosen out, and agreed upon by both parties.
Secondly, Because, in making of covenants, commonly sacrifices
were stricken and slain, for confirmation and solemnity. Of old, God
sealed his covenants by sacrifices of animals slain, divided, and cut
asunder, and the choice fat, and other parts, offered upon the altar.
And in making of great and solemn covenants, men, in old time, were
accustomed to kill and cut asunder sacrificed animals; and to pass
between the parts divided, for a solemn testimony, or for the
confirmation of the covenants that they had made, Gen. 15:9-10, 17.
[Jer. 34:18-20, and Lev. 26:25. Weigh well these two scriptures.
Covenant breakers may well look upon them as flaming swords, as
terrible thunderbolts.]
And as learned men have long since observed, that the very heathen,
in their covenanting, used sacrifices, and divided them, passing
between the parts; and this they did, as some conjecture, in imitation
of God's people.
This third opinion, is the common opinion, about the original of this
name; and therefore preferred before all others. So this word Berith,
covenant, seems to sound as much as Kerith, a smiting or striking,
because of sacrifices slain in covenanting. Hence the word covenant
is often joined with Karath, which signifies striking of covenant. An
example of this beyond all exception, says my author, is in that
sacrifice, wherein God by Moses, made a covenant with all the people
of Israel, and bound them to obey his law: the description of it is in
Exodus 24:4-8, "Then Moses carefully wrote down all the Lord's
instructions. Early the next morning he built an altar at the foot of
the mountain. He also set up twelve pillars around the altar, one for
each of the twelve tribes of Israel. Then he sent some of the young
men to sacrifice young bulls as burnt offerings and peace offerings to
the Lord. Moses took half the blood from these animals and drew it
off into basins. The other half he splashed against the altar. Then he
took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They all
responded again, "We will do everything the Lord has commanded.
We will obey." Then Moses sprinkled the blood from the basins over
the people and said, "This blood confirms the covenant the Lord has
made with you in giving you these laws."
[Ancient covenants were made with blood, to betoken constancy in
the covenant, even to the shedding of blood, and loss of life.] I shall
not trouble my reader with that mystical and too curious a sense,
that some of the ancients put upon these words. The historical sense
is here more fit: for in this ceremony of dividing the blood in two
parts, and so besprinkling the altar with the one half, which
represented God; and the people with the other, between whom the
covenant was confirmed, the old use in striking of covenants is
observed. For the ancient custom was, that they which made a league
or covenant, divided some animals, and put the parts asunder,
walking in the midst; signifying that as the animal was divided, so
they should be, who broke the covenant. So when Saul went against
the Ammonites, coming out of the field, he hewed two oxen, and sent
them into all the coasts of Israel, 1 Sam. 11:7; expressing the like
signification, that so should his oxen be served, which came not forth
after Saul and Samuel. After the same manner, when God made a
covenant with Abraham, Gen. 15:12-19, and he had divided certain
animals, as God had commanded him, and laid one part against
another, a smoking firebrand went between, representing God,
signifying, that so he who violated the covenant should be divided.
So in this place, not much unlike; the blood is parted in twain,
showing that so should his blood be shed, who kept not the covenant.
[4.] Fourthly, Some derive the word Berith from Bara, to create; and
the reason they give for this derivation is this—because the first state
of creation was confirmed by the covenant which God made with
man, and all creatures were to be upheld by means of observing of
the law and condition of the covenant. And that covenant being
broken by man, the world, made subject to ruin, is upheld, yes, and
as it were created anew, by the covenant of grace in Christ.
[5.] Fifthly, Some derive the word Berith from Berath, which signifies
firmness, sureness, because covenants are firm and sure, and all
things agreed on are confirmed and made sure by them. God's
covenant is a sure covenant: Deut. 7:9, "The Lord your God, he is the
faithful God," or the God of truth, "who keeps covenant with those
who love him." Psalm 89:34, "My covenant will I not break"—
Hebrew, "I will not profane" "nor alter the thing which have gone out
of my lips." [Jer. 31:31, 33, 35-37; Psalm 19:7; Rev. 3:14; Isaiah
54:10.] All God's precepts, all God's predictions, all God's
threatenings, and all God's promises—are the expression of a most
just, faithful, and righteous will. There are three things that God
cannot do:
(1.) He cannot die.
(2.) He cannot lie: Titus 1:2, "In hope of eternal life, which God, who
cannot lie, promised before the world began."
(3.) He cannot deny himself.
Now the derivation of Berith, from the several roots specified, and
not from one only, does give much light to the point under
consideration; and does reconcile in one, all the several opinions of
the learned, and justifies their several derivations, without rejecting
or offering any wrong or disgrace to any.
(2.) Secondly, The Greek name Diatheke, a covenant or a testament.
By this Greek word the Septuagint, does commonly express the
Hebrew word Berith; and it is observable that this is the only word
by which the Hebrew word Berith is rendered in the New Testament.
This Greek word, diatheke, is translated covenant in the New
Testament about twenty times; and the same word is translated
testament in the New Testament about twelve times. [Heb. 8:6-10,
and 1:4; Luke 1:72; Romans 9:4, etc.; Mat. 26:28; Luke 22:20, etc.]
Wherever you find the word covenant in the New Testament, there
you shall find Diatheke; and wherever you find the word testament in
the New Testament, there you shall find Diatheke; so that it is of
importance for us to understand this word aright.
Now this Greek word is derived from Diatithemi, which has several
of the significations of the Hebrew words of which Berith is derived;
for it signifies to set things in order and frame, to appoint orders, and
make laws, to pacify and make satisfaction, and to dispose things by
one's last will and testament. Now to compose and set things in order
is to uphold the creation; to walk by orders and laws made and
appointed is to walk by rule, and to live, to deal plainly and faithfully
without deceit. To pacify and make satisfaction includes sacrifices
and sin-offerings. To dispose by will and testament implies choice of
persons and gifts; for men do commonly by will give their best and
most choice things to their most dear and most choice friends. Thus
the Greek which the apostles use in the New Testament to signify a
covenant, to express the Hebrew word Berith, which is used in the
law and the prophets, does confirm our derivation of it from all the
words before named.
And this derivation of the Hebrew and Greek names of a covenant
being thus laid down, and confirmed by the reasons formerly cited, is
of great USE. The various acceptance and use of these two names in
the Old and New Testament is very considerable for the opening of
the covenant:
First, To show unto us the full signification of the word covenant,
and what the nature of a covenant is in general.
Second, To justify the several acceptations of the word, and to show
the nature of every word in particular, and so to make way for the
knowledge of the agreement, and difference between the old and new
covenant. Here, as in a crystal glass, you may see that this word
Berith, and this word Diatheke, signify all covenants in general,
whether they are religious or civil; for there is nothing in any true
covenant which is not comprised in the signification of these words,
being expounded according to the former derivations. Here also we