A89732:519
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.
Dialogu. This act of Christ was an everlasting act of Mediatorial obedience, it was no legal obedience, nor was it any humane act of obedience, as all legal obedience must be, but it was a supernatural act of obedience, it was no less then a Mediatorial oblation, and therefore it was the meritorious procuring cause of our Redemption from the curse of the Law even at that very same time when Christ was made a curse for us, by hanging as a Malefactor upon a tree.
Dialogu. This act of Christ was an everlasting act of Mediatoriall obedience, it was no legall obedience, nor was it any humane act of obedience, as all legall obedience must be, but it was a supernaturall act of obedience, it was no lesse then a Mediatoriall oblation, and therefore it was the meritorious procuring cause of our Redemption from the curse of the Law even at that very same time when Christ was made a curse for us, by hanging as a Malefactor upon a tree.
Answ. Christ acted in his death, not as his own Executioner, but as our Priest and faithful Surety yielding up his life according to his voluntary pre-consent. This act of Christ in laying down his life was an act of legal obedience, because it was done in obedience to the Law, This commandment have I received from my Father. Joh. 10.18. He was obedient to the death, he humbled himself, and became obedient to the death, even the death of the Cross, Phil. 2.8. He was made under that is, subject to the Law, Gal. 4.4. and ⟨p. 104⟩fulfilled the Law, Mat. 5.17. this act of laying down his life was supernatural, but not only supernatural, it was both divine and humane, according to both natures, for it was the act and obedience of him who was God-man, as God-man-Mediator, otherwise it could not have been effectual. This reasoning is as full of peril, as empty of sound reason.