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,…

§. 8. This is plain if you consider that Gods Act by which he maketh sin a Punishment, was Before the sin, though the Relation of a Punishment come after the relation of sin. Here are two Agents, 1. God making Nature and a Law therein; 2. Man disordering his actions by transgressing. 3. Hence Immediately followeth Guilt or the form of sin. 4. And with it, even in the change, or after it, the natural pain, of loss or hurt; 5. And this is Related to man as a punishment for the sin, in the last place.

For instance, God made man, and God made meat, wine, and poison: God telleth Man in Nature, [I have made thee such a Creature, as that excess of Meat will make thee sick, excess of Wine will make thee mad, and Poison will torment and kill thee: I have given thee self-love, and command thee that thou avoid all these; and I will not deny thee necessary help; But if thou wilt not, it will be thy pain, which I will that thou suffer for and by thy sin.] I need not further apply it here; the application is obvious.

For instance, God made man, and God made meat, wine, and poyson: God telleth Man in Nature, [I have made thee such a Creature, as that excess of Meat will make thee sick, excess of Wine will make thee mad, and Poyson will torment and kill thee: I have given thee self-love, and command thee that thou avoid all these; and I will not deny thee necessary help; But if thou wilt not, it will be thy pain, which I will that thou suffer for and by thy sin.] I need not further apply it here; the application is obvious.

§. 9. All this I speak only of natural punishments which by the Law of nature follow sin: what is supernatural is after to be considered.