Q. 20. What was the providence of God toward man in the estate in which he was created?

A. 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;[80] putting the creatures under his dominion,[81] and ordaining marriage for his help;[82] affording him communion with himself;[83] instituting the sabbath;[84] entering into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience,[85] of which the tree of life was a pledge;[86] and forbidding to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, upon the pain of death.[87]

[80] Genesis 2:8, 15-16. And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.... And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat.

[81] Genesis 1:28. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

[82] Genesis 2:18. And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

[83] Genesis 1:26-29. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

Genesis 3:8. And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

[84] Genesis 2:3. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

[85] Galatians 3:12. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. Romans 10:5. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.

[86] Genesis 2:9. And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

[87] Genesis 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.