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

Did God make man perfectly holy?

Answer: Yes.

Proof: God made man upright, (Ecclesiastes 7:29)

And perfectly happy?

Answer: Yes.

Proof: For he blessed him, (Genesis 1:28)

Did he give him a law?

Answer: Yes.

Proof: The Lord God commanded the man, (Genesis 2:16)

And was man as God’s creature obliged to obey that law?

Answer: Yes.

Proof: 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?

Answer: Yes.

Proof: 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?

Answer: Yes.

Proof: Of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat, (Genesis 3:17)

And was death threatened in case of disobedience?

Answer: Yes.

Proof: In the day thou eatest thou shalt surely die, (Genesis 2:17)

Was he under any natural necessity to break this law?

Answer: No.

Proof: 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?

Answer: Yes.

Proof: For he was the figure of him that was to come, (Romans 5:14)

Was Eve included in it?

Answer: Yes.

Proof: For God said unto the woman, what hast thou done, (Genesis 3:13)

Was this law worthy of God?

Answer: Yes.

Proof: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? (Genesis 18:25)

Is the second covenant better than the first?

Answer: Yes.

Proof: For Christ is the Mediator of a better covenant, (Hebrews 8:6)