A26923:481
An end of doctrinal controversies which have lately troubled the churches
An end of doctrinal controversies which have lately troubled the churches by reconciling explication without much disputing. Written by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for John Salusbury, 1691
Chapter 12 › Section 1: Of the Law or Covenant of Innocency made to Adam.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
§. 20. But whether God must, and whether he might, punish the least Sin with Hell, are different questions: Whether by the Law of Nature he must do it or be unjust, and so a vain thought was not pardonable by or under that Law, and so Adam was an Heir of Hell when his thought first failed, before he did eat or consent to eat the forbidden Fruit, are questions which I cannot resolve from Nature, and are to me more difficult in Scripture than to wiser men.
§. 21. The supernatural part of the Law is known to us only by Scripture, but perhaps the Fathers before the Flood might know more of it by Tradition, than God hath thought meet to write for our times.
§. 22. The preceptive part was the not eating the forbidden Fruit, and consequently the overcoming all Temptations thereto: The Law of Matrimony and the Sabbath also, are partly supernatural (called Positive.)
§. 23. The Penalty is called Death, which signifieth Undoing and Misery: But whether it was only temporal Death or also Hell, Divines are not agreed. They that are for the former, seem chiefly drawn to it, by comparing the Law with the ⟨p. 119⟩