Rich. Baxters apology against the modest exceptions of Mr. T. Blake and the digression…

§. 56. Of the Life Promised, and Death threatened to Adam in the first Law.

§. 56. Of the Life Promised, and Death threatned to Adam in the first Law.

Mr. Bl. I Find no material difference in the Conditions on Gods part in these Covenants; Life is promised in both in Case of Covenant-keeping: and Death is threatened in both in case of Covenant-breaking. Some indeed have endeavoured to find a great difference in the Life Promised in the Covenant of Works, and the Life that is promised in the Covenant of Grace; as also in the Death that is threatened in the one and in the other; and thereupon move many, and indeed inextricable difficulties, What Life man should have enjoyed in case Adam had not fallen? and what Death man should have dyed, in case Christ had not been promised? From which two, endlessly more by way of Consectary maybe drawn, by those that want neither wit nor leisure to debate them. In which the best way of satisfaction, and avoidance ⟨p. 111⟩of such puzzling mazes, is to enquire what Scripture means by Life, which is the good in the Covenant promised, and what by Death, which is the evil threatened. Now for the first, Life contains all whatsoever conduces to true Happiness, to make man blessed in Soul and body. All good that Christ purchases and Heaven enjoys, is comprised under it in Gospel expressions, &c. On the contrary, under death is comprised all that is injurious to man or mankind, that tends to his misery in Soul and body; The damnation of Hell, being called death (the uttermost of evils being the separation of Soul and body from God, Joh. 8.51. 1 Joh. 3.14.) Sin which leads to it, and is the cause of it, is called death in like manner,