CHAPTER XII.

THE COVENANT OF WORKS; OR, THE FIRST WEDDING.

QUESTION XII. _What special act of providence did God exercise toward man in the estate wherein he was created?_

ANSWER. When God had created man, he entered into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of perfect obedience, forbidding him to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, upon pain of death.

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WALTER DERMOTT was, as I have said, a boy of remarkable intelligence for one of his years. He had naturally a quick and somewhat passionate temper; but this had been so controlled by his parents, that at the present time he was a conscientious, amiable youth.

He was exceedingly fond of his sisters and cousin, especially of Isabelle, who was, indeed, a pet of the whole family. Helen was more nearly like himself—active, enthusiastic, and energetic. Belle was quiet, and though affectionate, yet not demonstrative. She rarely lost her temper, and gained many friends by her readiness to oblige all who were in need of her services. She was very fond of hearing stories, especially those contained in the Bible; and Walter could at any time attach her to himself by the promise of story.

Since the lessons in the Catechism had commenced, he had often been called upon to repeat the stories which had illustrated them. She had been particularly interested in the narrative of the creation, and was delighted to learn that there would be a continuation of this account.

"Isabelle," called her father, when her mother had read the answer for her, "have you ever been to a wedding?"

"No, sir."

"O, yes, you have!" cried Helen. "Only you didn't know what it was. You remember when cousin James stood up with Sarah Churchill?"

"And she cried so when they were bidding her good by?"

"Yes, that was a wedding."

"Once I was a boy like Walter," added Mr. Dermott, "and lived at home with my father and mother. Your mother was younger than you are, and lived nearly a mile distant. By and by, as I grew up, I wanted some young lady, who knew about housekeeping, to come and take care of me. There were a great many young ladies in the town, and a great many more in the city where I was doing business; but somehow I liked your mother the best, and thought, if she would consent to leave her parents, brothers, and sisters, I would purchase a house, and we would have a home of our own."

"And did she?" eagerly asked the child, fixing upon her father a pair of bright blue eyes.

Mr. Dermott gave his wife a glance of affection; and Helen exclaimed, "Why, yes, we know she did, or else she would not have been here now."

"I hope no one will ask me to go away," said Isabelle with a deep sigh. "I should not like to go away from home."

"Of course they won't while you are a little girl," remarked Walter in a comforting tone.

"I was very glad that she said yes," continued the gentleman; "indeed, I don't know what would have become of me if she had refused, for I could think of no one else, among all my friends, who would do as well."

Helen caught her mother's hand, and pressed it enthusiastically to her lips.

"Then I went to her father's house," added the gentleman, "and we stood up together and were married, and that was called a wedding. We promised to love and cherish each other as long as we lived. The Bible has rules for persons who live together as we intended to, and we promised to try to live according to them. Now, Walter, can you tell me what relation Adam was to Eve?"

"He was her husband."

"Where was their wedding?"

"In Eden."

"Who married them?

"God."

"There was a great and glorious company present; can you tell me who they were?"

"I suppose," replied Mrs. Dermott, "you refer to the angels, as the Bible says,—

"'The morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.'"

"Then God entered into a covenant, here called a covenant of life,—perhaps you would call it an agreement,—with the newly married pair, that if they would render perfect obedience to his one command, and not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, they might enjoy all the pleasures of the beautiful garden, and a whole eternity of joy and bliss. But if they disobeyed his command, and ate the forbidden fruit, they would be cast out of the garden, and becoming sinful, would be made miserable forever."

"I think it was real mean in them to eat the forbidden fruit," cried Walter, indignantly, "when God had done so much to make them happy."

"Yes, my dear, those who commit sin are always guilty of meanness. But is it any less mean and foolish in us to sin than it was in them?"

"It seems to me it would have been very easy for them to obey in just one thing," added the boy.

"Yes, to us it does seem so, especially as they had not the temptation of wicked hearts prompting them to sin. Their only temptation was from Satan, who, from the moment they were placed in paradise, watched for an opportunity to destroy their happiness. Remember, children, he is just as busy now as he was then. He is constantly whispering in the ear of some little boy or girl, that it would be no harm for them to disobey their father or their mother—no harm to break the laws of God.

"To impress this answer upon your minds, I shall illustrate it by a story which is not true; but which I shall invent for this occasion. It is called a parable, and is like what the Saviour used, to illustrate and enforce the truths which he taught."

"There was once a boy by the name of Edward. He had a father, mother, and one sister. He had also a rich uncle, named Mr. Tudor, who had lived for many years in India, and brought home a great many curious things. Some of these were placed for safe keeping with his sister, who was the mother of Edward. The boy had amused himself for hours in examining them. But there was in the attic a small, curiously-shaped box, which very much excited his attention. There must be something very wonderful in it. Edward longed to see it opened. When his uncle visited them, Mrs. Rowe told him of the boy's desire, and he immediately sent for his nephew to come into the room.

"'Edward,' said he, 'your mother says you are curious to know what is in that foreign box up stairs.'

"The boy looked rather confused, but answered, 'Yes, sir.'

"'Well, I sent for you to tell you that on no account must you touch it. Remember if you are ever so curious, don't go near it, for you might be seriously hurt, and perhaps killed. But I will make a covenant, or agreement with you, that if you will not go near it until my return, which will be in one month, I will give you all that it contains, which will be a very valuable present.'

"'I will be sure to remember,' exclaimed Edward, in an animated tone.

"The next day, when his uncle left, he said, 'Remember our agreement, my boy, and be sure not to go near the box.'

"This was said in an impressive voice, and deepened Edward's determination to fulfil his part of the agreement. In order to do this, he promised himself that he would not go into the attic, for fear it would be a temptation to open the forbidden box, as the key, he found, was attached to the trunk by a string. But in two or three days he found himself sitting again by its side, and wondering at its contents. He began to reason, as Eve did, that his uncle really meant nothing by the threat. He thought about the box, and dreamed about it, until he lost his appetite, and grew thin and pale.

"In Milton's 'Paradise Lost,' he says that Eve dreamed of eating the fruit; then she persuaded Adam that they should accomplish more in tending their garden, if they were separated for a season, as it took up too much time to talk, and bestow glances of affection. So she went to a distance from him, where the tempter found her; and we know too well the sad consequences. We must defer the conclusion of our story until the next lesson."