The article deals with little-known or at least often overlooked in Russian literature concept of the covenant and its application by the Puritans in the seventeenth century New England. Meanwhile the doctrine of the covenant was one of the foundations of the social cohesion and vitality of the Puritan society. A feature of this group's of Calvinists approach to all more or less important relationships has been treating them as if they were contractual agreements with God as one of the parties to them. The author examines the major facets of the doctrine of the covenant and analyzes in some detail the church and social covenants. The latter constitutes in the application of biblical principles to public and political domain and in particular the formation of institutions of the state. Church covenant was a voluntary agreement to organize a religious community under the auspices of God. The way how covenant theology affected the Puritans' assurance of salvation and their work ethic is also briefly assessed.