A89732:672
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.
2. Concerning the nature of Mediatorly obedience, we have First a new Law given, which is called the Law of the Mediator excluding from it wholly the Law of works; Secondly, we have a new Mediatorly obedience conformable to that new Law, and excluding expressly the essential obedience of the Mediator, which consists in obedience to the Law of works.
2. Concerning the nature of Mediatorly obedience, we have First a new Law given, which is called the Law of the Mediatour excluding from it wholly the Law of works; Secondly, we have a new Mediatorly obedience conformable to that new Law, and excluding expresly the essential obedience of the Mediatour, which consists in obedience to the Law of works.
That obedience which the Creditor according to the Law demands and the Debtor owes, that the Surety is to pay; but the obedience unto the Command, i.e. the Law of works, Lev. 18.5. Gal. 3.10. and suffering of the punishment due to sin, Gen. 2.17. is that which God according to Law demands, and the Debtor namely the sinner oweth; therefore obedience unto the Law of works is that which the Surety ought to pay.
It is a fiction not only unwarrantable, and from beginning of time (as I believe) unheard from any Classical author, but above measure presumptuous, expressly to deny, about or near 30 years of the obedience of Christ to be Mediatorly obedience, and upon point to acknowledge only an uncertain little part of his life to be spent in that service; it is also an ignorant and snaring contradiction, to affirm that to be meritorious which is not done in a way of justice; Justice is of the form of merit: Merit is a debt according to order of justice; it is a just debt. Christs mediatorly obedience was an act of a far higher nature then is the fictitious obedience of the Dialogue. It is an untruth of perilous consequence to corrupt the Faith of the Reader by asserting Gods high acceptance of such a Mediatorly obedience, which is not Mediatorly obedience nor will be so owned of God.