another." "Behold, a
smoking furnace, and a burning lamp" (which latter was the token of
God's presence for the deliverance of His people) passed between those
pieces. In Jeremiah we have the like ceremony in making a covenant,
"They cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof." Upon
this usage the phrase is grounded of cutting or striking a covenant.
Which ceremony had this signification in it, that when they passed
between those divided parts of the slain beast, the action spake this
curse or imprecation, "Let him be cut asunder, let his members be
divided, let him be made as this beast, who violates the oath of this
covenant."

From these observations about the words, we may be directed about the
nature of the thing: and thence collect this description of a covenant.
A covenant is a solemn compact or agreement between two chosen parties
or more, whereby with mutual, free, and full consent they bind
themselves upon select conditions, tending to the glory of God, and
their common good.

A covenant strictly considered, is more than a promise, and less than an
oath; unless an oath be joined with it, as was with that in the text,
and is with this we have now before us. A covenant differs from a
promise gradually, and in the formalities of it, not naturally, or in
the substance of it. God made promises to Abraham, Gen. xii. and Gen.
xiii. but He made no covenant with him, till chap. xv. ver. 18. "In that
day the Lord made a covenant with Abraham." And the work of the Lord in
that day with Abraham, had not only truth and mercy in it, but state and
majesty in it. A covenant day, is a solemn day. As the collection of
many stars makes a constellation, so the collection of many promises
makes a covenant. Or, as in the first of Genesis, "The gathering
together of the waters, was by the Lord called seas:" so we may call the
gathering together of promises, or conditions, a covenant. The Lord doth
(as it were) rally all the promises of mercy made to us, which lie
scattered up and down through the whole volume of the scriptures, and
puts them together into a covenant: and we do (as it were) rally all the
promises of duty which we owe unto God, and to one another, and put them
together in a covenant. Such a bundle of duty is tied up in this present
covenant; what duty is there which we owe to God, to His churches, or
these commonwealths whereof we make not promise, either expressly, or by
consequence in the compass