ppl. a.
1. Of a thing: Agreed upon, established or secured by covenant. Covenanted grace, mercies (Theol.): those that are secured to such as have entered into covenant with God: see COVENANT 8 b.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., III. xli. 263. The reduction of his elect to their former covenanted obedience.
1670. Milton, Hist. Eng., V. (1851), 204. Hostages … to keep thir covnanted peace.
1788. Burns, Lett., 8 Nov. Nothing inconsistent with the covenanted terms.
1836. J. H. Newman, in Lyra Apost., xxxvii. There is not on the earth a soul so base, But may obtain a place In covenanted grace.
1887. S. Cox, Expositions, Ser. III. xiii. 169. There is a very general impression … that a radical and vast difference obtains between what are called the covenanted and the uncovenanted mercies of God.
1888. Sir F. Pollock, Oxford Lect., viii. (1890), 199. Their covenanted liberty of self-government.
2. Of a person: Having entered into a covenant, bound by a covenant.
1646. P. Bulkeley, Gospel Covt., III. (1651), 232. To shew mercy to his covenanted people.
1722. Lett. fr. Mist’s Jrnl., II. 235. Any profess’d Dissenter, and covenanted Member of a Conventicle.
3. Hist. Having subscribed the Covenant.
1660. in Neal, Hist. Purit., IV. 256. He [Charles II.] thanked God that he was a Covenanted King.
1693. Apol. Clergy Scot., 90. When the Covenanted Zealots were uppermost.
1827. Hallam, Const. Hist. (1876), II. xi. 317. The presbyterians remembered that he [Charles II.] was what they called a covenanted King.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., IV. 456. The heir of a covenanted house.
4. Indian Civil Service. Applied to the regular members of the service who used to enter into a formal covenant with the East India Company, and do so now with the Secretary of State for India. Hence the covenanted service.
1757. in J. Long, Select. Rec. Govt. (Y.). A great scarcity of covenanted servants in Calcutta.
1859. J. Lang, Wand. India, 323. The idlers of the covenanted civil service in India.
1861. Times, 23 July, 9/5. In addition to general covenants for fidelity, obedience to orders, and accounting, the covenanted servants bind themselves to deliver to the Government, on demand, all their books and papers [etc.].
1885. Athenæum, 11 April, 466/1. A covenanted Bengal civilian.
