THE COVENANT OF WORKS The twelfth question of the Shorter Catechism asks: “What special act of providence did God exercise toward man in the estate wherein he was created?” Its answer is revealing in that, responding as it does to a question concerning God’s special providence, it specifically places the covenant of works within the arena of God’s special providence: “When God had created man, He entered into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of perfect obedience; forbidding him to eat