A89732:1105
A discussion of that great point in divinity, the sufferings of Christ; and the…
A discussion of that great point in divinity, the sufferings of Christ; and the question about his righteousness active, passive : and the imputation thereof. Being an answer to a dialogue entitled The meritorious price of redemption, justification, &c. / By John Norton teacher of the church at Ipswich in New-England. Who was appointed to draw up this answer by the general court.A discussion of that great point in divinity, the sufferings of Christ; and the question about his righteousnesse active, passive : and the imputation thereof. Being an answer to a dialogue intituled The meritorious price of redemption, justification, &c. / By John Norton teacher of the church at Ipswich in New-England. Who was appointed to draw up this answer by the generall court.
London: printed by A.M. for Geo. Calvert, 1653
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
The formal cause of justification is imputation.1 Imputation is the actual and effectual application of the Righteousness of Christ unto a Believer.
The formall cause of justification is imputation.1 Imputation is the actuall and effectuall application of the Righteousnesse of Christ unto a Beleever.
- 1The formal cause.
To impute, reckon, or account, in this place intend the same thing, the same word in Greek being indifferently translated by any of these, Rom. 4. To impute, is to reckon that unto another which in way of righteousness (whether of debt or grace) belongs unto him. Imputation is either Legal, imputing to us that which we have done, so the word is used, Rom. 4. or Evangelical, imputing to us that which another hath done. Thus to impute is for God in his act of justifying a sinner to account the righteousness of Christ [which is not ours formally, nor by just debt] to be ours by grace, and that as verily and really ours as if it were wrought by us. And in this sense the word is used ten times, Rom. 4.3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11.22, 23, 24. The justification of a Believer is either by righteousness inherent or imputed. But not by righteousness inherent. Therefore by righteousness imputed. The righteousness whereby man is justified before God is perfect. It were destructive to the merit of Christ, and to turn the Covenant of grace into a Covenant of works, to say we are justified by righteousness inherent in us.