| Question | What special act of providence did God exercise towards man in the estate wherein he was created? |
|---|---|
| Answer | 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 pain of death. 1 |
The Baptist Catechism Set to Music
Benjamin Beddome’s Exposition
Did God make man perfectly holy?
Yes.
God made man upright,
Ecclesiastes 7:29
And perfectly happy?
Yes.
For he blessed him,
Genesis 1:28
Did he give him a law?
Yes.
The Lord God commanded the man,
Genesis 2:16
And was man as God’s creature obliged to obey that law?
Yes.
Remember, O Israel, for thou art my servant, I have formed thee,
Isaiah 44:21
Was the covenant which God entered into with Adam, a covenant of life?
Yes.
For the law is not of faith; but the man that doeth them shall live in them,
Galatians 3:12
Was there a special command given him by way of trial?
Yes.
Of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat,
Genesis 3:17
And was death threatened in case of disobedience?
Yes.
In the day thou eatest thou shalt surely die,
Genesis 2:17
Was he under any natural necessity to break this law?
No.
For of every other tree of the garden he had liberty to eat,
Genesis 2:16
Was this covenant made with Adam as a public head?
Yes.
For he was the figure of him that was to come,
Romans 5:14
Was Eve included in it?
Yes.
For God said unto the woman, what hast thou done,
Genesis 3:13
Was this law worthy of God?
Yes.
Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
Genesis 18:25
Is the second covenant better than the first?
Yes.
For Christ is the Mediator of a better covenant,
Hebrews 8:6
The Westminster Larger Catechism
| Question | What is God's providence towards the angels? |
|---|---|
| Answer | God by his providence permitted some of the angels, wilfully and irrecoverably, to fall into sin and damnation, 1 limiting and ordering that, and all their sins, to his own glory; 2 and established the rest in holiness and happiness; 3 employing them all, 4 at his pleasure, in the administrations of his power, mercy, and justice. 5 |
| Question | What was the providence of God toward man in the estate in which he was created? |
|---|---|
| Answer | 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; 1 putting the creatures under his dominion, 2 and ordaining marriage for his help; 3 affording him communion with himself; 4 instituting the sabbath; 5 entering into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience, 6 of which the tree of life was a pledge; 7 and forbidding to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, upon the pain of death. 8 |