A89732:533
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.
Answ. There is much difference between a contradiction and a denial. If he denieth that Christ suffered the pains of the damned either in body or soul,1 as you affirm, in so saying, he saith the truth, with divers others, who distinguish between the pains of those who deserved to be damned, namely, the Elect, and the pains of the damned, and judiciously resolve that it is better to say Christ suffered the pains of those who were to be damned according to their deserts, that is, the essential punishment due unto the Elect for their sins, then that he suffered the punishment of the damned, part whereof, though not the substantial but circumstantial, is their total and final separation from God, sin, despair, duration of the torments for ever, &c. none of which Christ suffered.
Answ. There is much difference between a contradiction and a deniall. If he denieth that Christ suffered the pains of the damned either in body or soul,1 as you affirm, in so saying, he saith the truth, with divers others, who distinguish between the pains of those who deserved to be damned, namely, the Elect, and the pains of the damned, and judiciously resolve that it is better to say Christ suffered the pains of those who were to be damned according to their deserts, that is, the essentiall punishment due unto the Elect for their sins, then that he suffered the punishment of the damned, part whereof, though not the substantiall but circumstantial, is their totall and finall separation from God, sinne, despair, duration of the torments for ever, &c. none of which Christ suffered.
- 1Christus corpore & animâ sentit totalem Dei iram, explicat. Catechis. part. 2. qu. 37. q. 1. pag. 256. Idem ibid. qu. 44. pag. 277.
Those Divines that thus interpret the Articles of Christs descent into hell, concerning soul-sufferings of Gods wrath, distinguish the sufferings of Christ into outward, intended by them in those words [he was crucified, dead and buried] and inward,