l be
like a smoking furnace to consume thee." Thus also Moses makes a
covenant with Israel, and offers sacrifices, and takes the blood of the
sacrifices and divides it, and half of it he sprinkles upon the altar,
(which represents God's part) and the other half he sprinkles upon the
people, as if he should say, "As this blood is divided, so will God
divide you, if ye break covenant." This was the custom among the Jews,
amongst the Romans. Sometimes they make covenants by taking a stone in
their hands, and saying, "If I make this covenant seriously and
faithfully, then let the great Jupiter bless me; if not so, let me be
cast away from the face of the gods, as I cast away this stone." This
was called _jurare per Jovem lapidem_. All these things are not empty
notions and metaphorical shadows, but real and substantial practices;
signifying unto us, that God will and must (for it stands with His
honour to do it) divide and break them in pieces that break covenant
with Him. This day you are to take a covenant by the lifting up of your
hands unto the most high God, which is a most emphatical ceremony,
whereby we do as it were call God to be a witness and a judge of what we
do, and a rewarder or revenger, according as we keep or break this
covenant. If we keep it, the lifting up of our hands will be as an
evening sacrifice; if we break it, the lifting up our hands will be as
the lifting up of the hands of a malefactor at the bar, and will procure
woe and misery, and wringing of hands at the great day of appearing.

The Third reason why God will be avenged of those that are
covenant-breakers, is: Because that a covenant is the greatest
obligation and the most forcible claim that can be invented to tie us to
obedience and service. God may justly challenge obedience without
covenanting, by virtue of creation, preservation and redemption: He hath
made us, and, when lost, He hath purchased us with His blood. But being
willing more abundantly to manifest His love, that we be the more
fastened to Him, He hath tied Himself to us, and us to Him, by the
strong bond of a covenant: as if God should say, Oh ye sons of men! I
see you are rebellious and sons of Belial, and therefore, if it be
possible, I will make sure. I will engage you unto Me, not only by
creation, preservation and redemption, but also by the right of covenant
and association. I will make you Mine by promise and oath. And surely he
that will break these bonds is as bad as