A65285:537
A Body of Practical Divinity
A body of practical divinity consisting of above one hundred seventy six sermons on the lesser catechism composed by the reverend assembly of divines at Westminster : with a supplement of some sermons on several texts of Scripture / by Thomas Watson ...
London: printed for Thomas Parkurst, 1692
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Quest. What was the Covenant?
Resp. God commanded Adam not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge; God gave Adam leave to eat of all the other Trees of the Garden. God did not envy him any Happiness, only, meddle not with this Tree of Knowledge, because God would try Adam's Obedience: As King Pharaoh made Joseph chief Ruler in his Kingdom, and gave him a Ring off his Finger, and a Chain of Gold, only he must not touch his Throne, Gen. 41.40. in like manner God dealt with Adam, he gave him a sparkling Jewel, Knowledge, and arrayed him with a fine Vesture, put upon him the Garment of Original Righteousness, only saith God, Touch not the Tree of Knowledge, for that is aspiring after Omniscience. Adam had power to have kept this Law; Adam had the Copy of God's Law written in his heart. This Covenant of Works, had a Promise annexed to it, and a Threatening. 1. The Promise, Do this and live. In case Man had stood, it is probable he had not died, but had been translated to a better Paradise. 2. The Threatening, Thou shalt die the death; Hebr. in dying thou shalt die; that is, thou shalt die both a natural Death and an Eternal, unless some other Expedient be found out for thy Restoration.
Resp. God commanded Adam not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge; God gave Adam leave to eat of all the other Trees of the Garden. God did not envy him any Happiness, only, meddle not with this Tree of Knowledge, because God would try Adam's Obedience: As King Pharaoh made Ioseph chief Ruler in his Kingdom, and gave him a Ring off his Finger, and a Chain of Gold, only he must not touch his Throne, Gen. 41.40. in like manner God dealt with Adam, he gave him a sparkling Jewel, Knowledge, and araid him with a fine Vesture, put upon him the Garment of Original Righteousness, only saith God, Touch not the Tree of Knowledge, for that is aspiring after Omnisciency. Adam had power to have kept this Law; Adam had the Copy of God's Law written in his heart. This Covenant of Works, had a Promise annexed to it, and a Threatning. 1. The Promise, Do this and live. In case Man had stood, it is probable he had not died, but had been translated to a better Paradise. 2. The Threatning, Thou shalt die the death; Hebr. in dying thou shalt die; that is, thou shalt die both a natural Death and an Eternal, unless some other Expedient be found out for thy Restoration.