Of God's Covenant with Man
Shorter Catechism Q.12, Larger Catechism Q.20
I. The distance between God and the creature is go great, that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience unto Him as their Creator, yet they could never have any fruition of Him as their blessedness and reward, but by some voluntary condescension on God's part, which He has been pleased to express by way of covenant.(a)
(a) Isaiah 40:13-17 — Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor hath taught him? Ver.14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding? Ver.15 Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. Ver.16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. Ver.17 All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.
Job 9:32-33 — For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment. Ver.33 Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.
1 Samuel 2:25 — If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them.
Psalm 113:5-6 — Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, Ver.6 Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!
Psalm 100:2-3 — Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Ver.3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Job 22:2-3 — Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself? Ver.3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him that thou makest thy ways perfect?
Job 35:7-8 — If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand? Ver.8 Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man.
Luke 17:10 — So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.
Acts 17:24-25 — God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Ver.25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things.
7.2 The first covenant made with man was a covenant of works,(b) wherein life was promised to Adam; and in him to his posterity,(c) upon condition of perfect and personal obedience.(d)
(b) Galatians 3:12 — And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
(c) Romans 10:5 — For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
Romans 5:12-20 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. ver.15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. ver.16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. ver.17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) ver.18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. ver.19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.Ver.20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.
(d) Genesis 2:17 — But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Galatians 3:10 — For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
Shorter Catechism
Q. 12 What special act of providence did God exercise toward man in the estate wherein he was created?
A. When God had created man, he entered into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of perfect obedience; forbidding him to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, upon the pain of death.(z)
(z) Galatians 3:12 — And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
Genesis 2:17 — But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Larger Catechism
Q. 20 What was the providence of God toward man in the estate in which he was created?
A. The providence of God toward man in the estate in which he was created, was the placing him in paradise, appointing him to dress it, giving him liberty to eat of the fruit of the earth;[h] putting the creatures under his dominion,[i] and ordaining marriage for his help;[k] affording him communion with himself;[l] instituting the sabbath;[m] entering into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience,[n] of which the tree of life was a
pledge;[o] and forbidding to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, upon the pain of death.[p]
[h] Genesis 2:8, 15-16 — And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed...And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. Ver.16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat.
[i] Genesis 1:28 — And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
[k] Genesis 2:18 — And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
[l] Genesis 1:26-29 — And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. Ver.27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Ver.28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Ver.29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
Genesis 3:8 — And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
[m] Genesis 2:3 — And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
[n] Galatians 3:12 — And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
Romans 10:5 — For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
[o] Genesis 2:9 — And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
[p] Genesis 2:17 — But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Martin Luther is reported to have said
“If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the Word of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Him. Where the battle rages there the loyalty of the soldier is proved; and to be steady on all the battle front besides, is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.”
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