A89732:638
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 And as God doth tie himself to this Rule of justice touching the everlasting state of mens souls, so he doth appoint civil Magistrates to observe this Rule of justice touching the bodiet of sinful Malefactors, they may not punish an innocent for a guilty person, but that man only that sins must die, as 2 Kin. 14. doth expound the meaning of the judicial Law. in Deut. 24.16. I hold it a point of gross injustice for any Court of Magistrates to torture an innocent person for the redemption of a gross Malefactor.
Dialogu And as God doth tye himself to this Rule of iustice touching the everlasting state of mens souls, so he doth appoint civil Magistrates to observe this Rule of iustice touching the bodiet of sinfull Malefactors, they may not punish an innocent for a guilty person, but that man only that sins must die, as 2 Kin. 14. doth expound the meaning of the iudicial Law. in Deut. 24.16. I hold it a point of grosse iniustice for any Court of Magistrates to torture an innocent person for the redemption of a grosse Malefactor.
Answ. It is manifest that as God according to his own free constitution doth not, so man according to Gods Law may not punish a person that is simply innocent, concerning such an one that Law holds. Deut. 24.16. The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers. Every man shall be put to death for his own sin. But we must here distinguish between an inherent judicial guilt, and an extrinsical judicial guilt: if Thomas be judicially guilty of a capital crime inherently, though Peter be guiltless thereof inherently, yet if he be guilty thereof extrinsically, it seemeth to be no injustice for the Magistrate in case to put Peter to death for Thomas his crime.