[1.] First, Some derive it from "112, 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 two : — (1.) Because by cove- nants open and clear amity is confirmed, and faithfulness is plainly and clearly declared and ratified, without deceit or sophistication, betwixt covenanters ; and things are made plain . and clear betwixt them in every point and article. (2.) Because God, in the cove- nant of works, did choose out man especially, with whom he made the covenant; and because in the covenant of grace he chooseth 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. i. 4. (3.) Some derive it from r\12, and verily, the Lord, when he makes a covenant with any, he doth separate them from others, he looks on them, and takes them, and owns them for his ' peculiar people,' 1 Pet. ii. 9, for his ' peculiar treasure,' Exod. xix. 5, and agrees with them as the chosen and choicest of all others. The first staff in Zech. xi. 10, is called * Beauty,' and this was the covenant ; and certainly it must be a high honour for a people to be in covenant with God ; for by this means God becomes ours, and we are made nigh unto him, Jer xxxi. 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. vii. 9. Now in all this God puts a great favour and honour 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 ai;id honour. Gen. xvii, 2, 3.
[2.] Secondly, Some derive the word from »"T)3, Barah, comedit, 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 wont to contract leagues and friendship, inter vinum et epulas, in a full feast, whereat their wives, children, and friends, were present. The like, Tacitus reports of the Germans. Amongst the Greeks and other nations, the covenanters ate bread and salt together. The Emperor of Eussia, at this day, when he would shew extraordinary
^ The word covenant in our English tongue, signifies, as we all know, a mutual promise, bargain, and obligation, between two persons ; and so likewise doth the Hebrew Berith, and the Greek 5i.a0r]KT]. A covenant is a solemn compact or agreement between two chosen parties, or more ; whereby, with mutual, free, and full consent, they bind and oblige themselves one to another. A covenant ia Amicus status inter fwderatos : so Martin [Luther?] ' A friendly state between allies.'
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grace and favour unto any, sends him bread and salt from his table ; and when he invited Baron Sigismund, the Emperor Ferdin- and's ambassador, he did it in this form : Sigismunde, comedes sal et panem nostrum nohiscum: Sigismund, you shall eat our bread and salt with us. Hence that symbol of Pythagoras, "Aprov jxrj KaTo/yvveiv, ' 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 friendship, by presenting a cup of wine one to another ; which custom we find still in use amongst 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 saith, ' He made him, and those that were with him, a feast ; and they did eat and drink, and rose up betimes in the morn- ing, and sware one to another,' Gen. xxvi. 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,' saith tiie text. Gen. xxxi. 54. When David made a league with Abner, upon his promise of bringing all Israel unto him, David made ' Abner and the men that were with him a feast,' saith the text, 2 Sam. iii. 20. Hence, in the Hebrew tongue a covenant is called /in^, Berith, of m2, Barak, to eat, as if they should say an eating ; which derivation is so natural, that it deserves, say some, to be preferred before that, from the other signification of the same verb, which is to choose ; of which before. Now they that derive Berith from Barah, which sig- nifies to eat and refresh one's self with meat, they give this reason for that derivation, viz., 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. ii. 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 beasts, 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 cove- nant, gave man leave to eat the flesh of beasts, Deut. xii. 27, which he might not do in the state of innocency, Gen. i. 29, being limited to fruits of trees, and herbs bearing seed, for his meat. So, also, in solemn covenants between men, the parties were wont to eat together, Gen. xxxi. 46.
[3.] Thirdly, Others derive the word Berith from K12, Bara, or ni2, 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 beasts slain, divided, and cut asunder, and the choice fat, and other parts, ^ Vide Turcium ritum opud Busbequium, epist. i. 11.
290 THE COVENANT OF GRACE PROVED AND OPENED.