A89732:585
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. Guilt is either taken for the personal commission of sin, or for a personal obligation unto punishment (upon our voluntary taking thereof) for the sin committed by another; in the last sense only Christ was guilty of sin, that is, he was guilty imputatively, not inherently: as Christ was guilty of sin, so also he was sensible of an accusing Conscience. If Christ (saith D Willet) truly bare our sins, he sustained also the grief of conscience for them, which is the inseparable companion of our sin. The question is not, Whether Christ be polluted with our sin inherently, but only whether he may be said to be polluted with our sin imputatively. Desperation is not of the essence, but accidental, in penal wrath, The rest is but a repetition of what was said, and also answered a little before.
Answ. Guilt is either taken for the personal commission of sin, or for a personall obligation unto punishment (upon our voluntary taking thereof) for the sin committed by another; in the last sense only Christ was guilty of sin, that is, he was guilty imputatively, not inherently: as Christ was guilty of sin, so also he was sensible of an accusing Conscience. If Christ (saith D Willet) truly bare our sins, he sustained also the grief of conscience for them, which is the inseparable companion of our sin. The question is not, Whether Christ be polluted with our sin inherently, but only whether he may be said to be polluted with our sin imputatively. Desperation is not of the essence, but accidental, in paenal wrath, The rest is but a repetition of what was said, and also answered a little before.
Did Christ suffer the torments of hell in the proper place of hell? seeing none can suffer the torments of hell as long as they live in this world, none can suffer the second death till after this life is ended.
Answ. The place of punishment is not of the essence of punishment, as the place of the third heaven is not of the essence of blessedness, so neither is the place of the damned of the essence of misery.