Entered into by God with Adam as the representative of the human race (comp. Gen. 9:11, 12; 17:1-21), so styled because perfect obedience was its condition, thus distinguishing it from the covenant of grace.
Easton’s Bible Dictionary
Works, Covenant of
Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897), public domain. Text via Theographic Bible Metadata, CC BY-SA 4.0.