Richard Baxter's Catholic theology plain, pure, peaceable, for pacification of the dogmatical word-warriors who,…Richard Baxter's Catholick theologie plain, pure, peaceable, for pacification of the dogmatical word-warriours who,…

An. I believe it not, because it is not written, nor naturally revealed, that I know of. My reasons against it are, 1. It is dangerous to add to Gods Word.

2. The words [In the day that thou eatest thou shalt die] seemeth to look further than to one first act or day, and is as much as whensoever thou eatest; though he should obey till that time.

3. It is utterly improbable that Adam did not perform one Act of Love or Obedience before his Fall. For, 1. We are uncertain how long he stood; However confident some Rabbins, and Broughton and some others are, that it was the same day in which he was created. 2. You confess he was made with powers sanctified and fitted to obey. 3. Gods Law of Love was written in his heart, and as old as himself; and could not but oblige a fit subject to the act. And he must sin all that while that he loved not God as God. 4. He had many thoughts and affections all that while; which were sinful if not animated by holy Love, and done in Obedience to God. 5. He spent some time, which was sinfully spent, if not spent in Love and Obedience. 6. God spake to him, and so had sensible Communion with him, which must needs ⟨p. 9⟩oblige him to some love. 7. He had a Law given him to dress and keep the Garden, which if he accepted not by consent in Obedience to God, he sinned. 8. He gave names to all the Creatures upon Gods bringing them to him; which must be done obediently or sinfully. 9. He had the Law of Marriage given him, with the Woman; which if he received not in love and obedience he sinned. 10. He had all the World before him to show him Gods Perfections, and if yet he had not one act of love to God as God, he heinously sinned. 11. He had the Law of Love and Obedience given him by way of Covenant, that is, binding him presently to consent; And he could not delay a willing consent one minute or hour without sin: And consent is Love and Obedience in the first act. 12. He loved himself, and his Wife, and other Creatures before his Fall: But if he loved not God before, then he all that while loved himself, his Wife, and all the Creatures more than God, yea without God: And then they were his Idols. 13. Else he never used one Creature holily before his Fall, and therefore sinfully. 14. You make Adam to have had less actual good before his Fall than the weakest Christian now; If not than many wicked men; who have some moral good secundum quid, though not simpliciter.