Balast resistor or no?

OK so I'm finding conflicting info on this. The setup I have is the pro form electronic ignition system with a edlebrock 12v max fire coil. The coil itself says a balast resistor is not required. Couldn't get the car to start with the one that's in there hooked up. Jumped the wire and it ran so I just left it jumped after researching and thought it was OK with that coil. BUT... Car started running bad which I think was bad gas cause it was pulling from the tank for the first time and has been sitting. So it died while I was adjusting the carb and I forgot to turn it off. Well the hour or so I took cleaning the carb and doing whatever I touched the alt pulley and it as hot. I was like that's weird... Touched the coil... Super hot. My temp gun read 165 degrees on the can. So I tried to start the car and it just popped a couple times. Put my spark tester on it and it has intermittent weak spark. So I figure I burned up the coil. My question is... Is this because I didn't have a resistor or because I left the key on? Thanks in advance guys.