Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647), Westminster Assembly

Question 12

What special act of providence did God exercise toward man in the estate wherein he was created?

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.a

What special act of providence did God exercise toward man in the estate wherein he was created?

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.a

  1. a. Galatians 3:12; Genesis 2:17

    Galatians 3:12

    3:12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

    3:12 The law, however, is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them."

    Genesis 2:17

    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.

    2:17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die."

    King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

Diff style

Changes in The Baptist Catechism (1695), Question 15

No change, but in spelling and punctuation.

No change, but in spelling and punctuation.

The Baptist Catechism (1695), Question 15

What special act of providence did God exercise toward towards man in the estate wherein he was created?

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.

Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647), Question 12

What special act of providence did God exercise toward man in the estate wherein he was created?

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.

The Baptist Catechism (1695), Question 15

What special act of providence did God exercise towards man in the estate wherein he was created?

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.

The Baptist Catechism (1695), Question 15

What special act of providence did God exercise toward towards man in the estate wherein he was created?

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.

Westminster Shorter Catechism (modernized) (1647), Question 12

What special act of providence did God exercise toward man in the estate wherein he was created?

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.

The Baptist Catechism (1695), Question 15

What special act of providence did God exercise towards man in the estate wherein he was created?

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.

Related (1)

Westminster Larger Catechism (1647), parallel to this question

Question 20

What was the providence of God toward man in the estate in which he was created?

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; putting the creatures under his dominion, and ordaining marriage for his help; affording him communion with himself; instituting the sabbath; entering into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience, of which the tree of life was a pledge; and forbidding to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, upon the pain of death.

Commentaries (10)

  • Hugh Binning, 1659, The Common Principles of the Christian Religion (2 parts)

    Gen. 2. 17. In that day thou eatest, thou shalt die the death. Gen. 1. 26. Let us make man according to our image. The state wherein man was created at first, you heard was…

    Hugh Binning’s text
  • Joseph Alleine, 1672, A Most Familiar Explanation of the Assemblies Shorter Catechism

    What special Act of Providence did God exercise towards man in the estate wherein he was created? When God created man, he entred into a Covenant of life with him, upon condition…

    Joseph Alleine’s text
  • Thomas Lye, 1672, The Assemblies Shorter Catechism Drawn out into Distinct Propositions

    What special act of Providence did God exercise toward Man, in the estate wherein he was created? When God had created Man. he entred into a Covenant of life with him, upon…

    Thomas Lye’s text
  • Thomas Vincent, 1673, An Explicatory Catechism

    What special act of providence did God exercise towards Man, in the estate wherein he was Created? When God had created Man, he entred into a Covenant of Life with him, upon…

    Thomas Vincent’s text
  • 1675, An Explicatory Catechism

    What special act of Providence did God exercise towards man in the state wherein he was Created? When God had created Man, he entred into a Covenant of life with him, upon…

    Its text
  • John Flavel, 1692, An Exposition of the Assembly’s Catechism

    What special Art of Providence did God exercise towards Man, in the estate wherein he was created? When God had created Man, he entred into a Covenant of Life with him, upon…

    John Flavel’s text
  • Thomas Watson, 1692, A Body of Practical Divinity

    Quest. IX. I Proceed to the next Question, What special Providence did God exercise towards Man in the Estate wherein he was created? Answ. When God created Man he entred into a…

    Thomas Watson’s text
  • Matthew Henry, 1703, A Scripture Catechism

    What special Act of Providence did God exercise towards Man in the Estate wherein he was Created? When God had created Man, he entred into a Covenant of Life with him, upon…

    Matthew Henry’s text
  • Alexander Whyte, 1883, A Commentary on the Shorter Catechism

    Immediately after the definition of providence given in the eleventh Answer, there is an illustration supplied in the twelfth. “What special act of providence did God exercise?”…

    Alexander Whyte’s text
  • Benjamin Beddome, 1752, A Scriptural Exposition of the Baptist Catechism

    On The Baptist Catechism (1695), Question 15, which adapts this question

    Did God make man perfectly holy? Yes. God made man upright, Was the covenant which God entered into with Adam, a covenant of life? Yes. For the law is not of faith; but the man…

    Benjamin Beddome’s text