VIII–XI. Bodily means; covenants of marriage and natural religion
VIII. Through bodily or natural things God also governs human beings — for conserving life, for discipline and punishment, and for benefits and warnings. XI. Further, in a more notable respect God governs humans by teaching when He constitutes covenants among them, and between Himself and them, and acts according to those covenants.
God constituted among humans the covenant of marriage, of which we saw above when teaching the creation of humankind (Genesis 1:28-29; 2:24; Malachi 2:14), which spouses ought to keep between themselves by the faith of chastity and to strengthen by a concordant partnership of useful works. And between Himself and humans God at the beginning constituted the solemn covenant of natural religion (Genesis 1:28-30; 2:16-17; 3:1-4, 22). Here circumspect faith and special obedience toward that law became humans, with the understanding that they were justly punished for their sins, as they also understood themselves obliged to every obedience (Genesis 3:3).
And according to this covenant God so acted that He permitted humans their liberty, as the event makes clear. But they by their own fault, the Devil deceiving, fell into sin, and therefore are justly afflicted by God (Genesis 3; 2 Corinthians 11:3). Hence also they begot offspring after their own likeness (Genesis 5:3; Job 15:14-16; Psalm 51:5; Romans 5:12).
Latin
VIII. Per res corporeas aut naturales Deus etiam homines gubernat, tum ad conservationem vitae, tum ad disciplinam et poenam, tum ad beneficia et monita. XI. Porro cum insigniore respectu Deus homines docendo gubernat, quando foedera inter ipsos, et inter se ac illos constituit, secundum ea agit. Deus inter homines constituit foedus coniugii, de quo supra vidimus cum doceremus de creatione hominis (Gen. 1:28-29; 2:24; Mal. 2:14), quod foedus coniuges inter se fide castitatis servare et operarum utilium concordi societate firmare debent. Inter se vero et homines Deus in principio constituit solenne foedus religionis naturalis (Gen. 1:28-30; 2:16-17; 3:1-4, 22). Et hic homines decuerat fides circumspecta et obedientia specialis erga illam legem, cum hac confessione iure ipsos puniri si peccarent, uti et se ad omne obsequium obligatos intelligebant (Gen. 3:3). Et secundum hoc foedus Deus sic egit, ut homines suae libertati permiserit, ut ex eventu liquet. Hi vero suapte culpa, deceptore Diabolo, in peccatum lapsi sunt, et propterea iuste a Deo affliguntur (Gen. 3; 2 Cor. 11:3). Unde et sobolem genuerunt ad similitudinem suam (Gen. 5:3; Iob 15:14-16; Psal. 51:7; Rom. 5:12).