Of the Covenant of Works
Powerful? Dan. 4:35. And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing, and he doth according to his will, in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What dost thou?
Q. 9. What is the first instruction from it?
A. That God's people are safe amidst all their enemies and dangers; 2 Chron. 16:9. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose hearts are perfect toward him.
Q. 10. What is the second instruction from it.
A. That prayer is the best expedient to prosperity and success of our lawful affairs; Psalm 145:18. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.
Q. 11. What is the third instruction from it?
A. That God's people should rest quietly in the care of his providence for them in all their straits; Matth. 6:26. Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet our heavenly Father feedeth them: are not ye much better than they?
Q. 12. What is the last instruction from it?
A. That it is no small privilege to be adopted children of God, and the members of Christ; for all is ordered for their eternal good; Eph.
1:22, 23. And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Of the Covenant of Works
Quest. 12. WHAT special act of providence did God exercise towards man, in the estate wherein he was created?
A. When God created man, he entered into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of perfect obedience, forbidding him to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, upon pain of death.
Q. 1. What was God's covenant with Adam before the fall?
A. It was to give life and happiness upon condition of perfect personal obedience; Gal. 3:12. The law is not of faith; but the man that doth them shall live in them.
Q. 2. Was this covenant made only with Adam, or with him and his posterity?
A. It was made with him, and all his natural posterity, descending in the ordinary way of generation from him; Rom. 5:12. 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. 14 and 18.
Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come: 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.
Q. 3. Was Adam able to perform the obedience required of him in this covenant?
A. Yes; for he was made upright; Eccl. 7:29. God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
Q. 4. Had this covenant any Mediator?
A. No; he neither had, nor needed any Mediator for satisfaction, because no sin was in him; nor intercession, for he wanted nothing.
Q. 5. Did this covenant admit of no repentance, nor accept any shorter endeavours?
A. No, it did not; but sentenceth and curseth the transgressors of it, for the least breach; Gal. 3:10. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
Q. 6. How was this threatening fulfilled, of dying the day he eat, seeing he lived 930 years?
A. He died spiritually that day: and though the sentence on his body was respited in order to posterity, yet then his body received the death's wound, of which afterward he died.
Q. 7. What is the first inference from Adam's covenant?
A. Miserable are all they that grow on the natural root of the first Adam: Gal. 4:21, 22. Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bond-maid, the other by a free-woman.
Q. 8. What is the second inference?
A. That God is just in all the punishments and miseries that come upon man; yea, infants that never sinned after his similitude; Rom.
5:14. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression.
Q. 9. What is the third inference?
A. The glorious privilege of believers who are under a better covenant, established upon better promises; Heb. 8:6. But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the Mediator of a better covenant, which is established upon better promises.