Lord’s Day 3, Chapter 2: Man’s Relation to God (2)

Many and serious objections may be raised against this rather generally accepted doctrine of the "covenant of works." That the relation between God and Adam in the state of righteousness was a covenant relation, we readily admit. But that this covenant should be an established agreement between Adam and his Creator, consisting of a condition, a promise and a penalty, and that it was essentially a means whereby Adam might work himself up to the higher state of eternal life and heavenly glory...