3. The manner used both by Jews, Heathen, and Christians, in entering into Covenant, doth clearly set out the weightiness of it, and what a horrible sin it is to break it. The custom amongst the Jews will appear by divers texts of Scripture: ⟨p. 16⟩Jer. 34. 18. it is said, And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, which have not performed the word of the Covenant which they had made before me, when they cut the Calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof. The words they used when they passed between the parts were, So God divide me, if I keep not covenant. Neh. 5. 12. Nehemiah took an oath of the Priests,1 and shook his lap and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out and emptied. And all the Congregation said, Amen. In the 15 of Genesis Abraham divided the Heifer, and she-Goat, and a Ram, &c. And when the Sun was down; a smoking furnace and burning lamp passed between these pieces. This did represent Gods presence, saith Clemens Alexandrinus, and it was as if God should say: Behold, this day I enter into covenant with thee, and if thou keepest covenant, I will be as a burning lamp to enlighten and to comfort thee: But if thou breakest covenant, I will be like a smoking furnace to consume thee. Thus also Exod. 24. 6. Moses makes a covenant with Israel, and offers sacrifices, and takes the blood of the sacrifice and divides it, and half of it he sprinkles upon the Altar, (which represented Gods part) and the other half he sprinkled upon the people, as if he should say, As this blood is divided, so will God divide you if you break covenant. This was the custom amongst the Jews. Amongst the Romans, Caesa firmabant foedera porca. And when it was divided, the Feciales gave one half to one party, and the other half to the other, and said, So God divide you asunder if you break this covenant, and let God do this so much the more by how much he is the more able. Hinc foedus à foedo animali (scilicet porco) diviso. Sometimes they did 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.
3. The manner used both by Jewes, Heathen, and Christians, in entring into Covenant, doth clearly set out the weightinesse of it, and what a horrible sin it is to break it. The custome amongst the Jewes will appear by divers texts of Scripture: ⟨p. 16⟩Jer. 34. 18. it is said, And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, which have not performed the worde of the Covenant which they had made before me, when they cut the Calfe in twain, and passed between the parts thereof. The words they used when they passed between the parts were, So God divide me, if I keep not covenant. Neh. 5. 12. Nehemiah took an oath of the Priests,1 and shook his lap and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out and emptied. And all the Congregation said, Amen. In the 15 of Genesis Abraham divided the Heifer, and shee-Goat, and a Ram, &c. And when the Sun was down; a smoaking furnace and burning lampe passed between these pieces. This did represent Gods presence, saith Clemens Alexandrinus, and it was as if God should say: Behold, this day I enter into covenant with thee, and if thou keepest covenant, I will be as a burning lampe to illighten and to comfort thee: But if thou breakest covenant, I will be like a smoaking furnace to consume thee. Thus also Exod. 24. 6. Moses makes a covenant with Israel, and offers sacrifices, and takes the blood of the sacrifice and divides it, and half of it he sprinkles upon the Altar, (which represented Gods part) and the other half he sprinkled upon the people, as if he should say, As this blood is divided, so will God divide you if you break covenant. This was the custome amongst the Jewes. Amongst the Romans, Caesa firmabant foedera porca. And when it was divided, the Feciales gave one half to one party, and the other half to the other, and said, So God divide you asunder if you break this covenant, and let God doe this so much the more by how much he is the more able. Hinc foedus à foedo animali (scilicet porco) diviso. Sometimes they did make covenants by taking a stone in their hands and saying, If I make this covenant seriously and faithfully, then let the great Jupiter blesse 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.
- 1Gen. 15. 10. 17, 18,
