Johannes in eremo. Memoirs, relating to the lives, of the ever-memorable, Mr. John Cotton,…

§. 17. There was yet one Comprehensive Service more, which this Learned man here did for the Church of God: and that was this. A Gentleman of New-England▪ had Written a Book, Entitled, The Meritorious Price of Mans Redemption, Wherein he pretends to prove, That Christ Suffered not for us those unutterable Torments of Gods Wrath, which are commonly called Hell-Torments, to Redeem our Souls from them; and that Christ bore not our Sins by Gods Imputation, and, therefore, also did not bear the Curse of the Law for them. The General Court of the Colony, concerned that the Glorious Truths of the Gospel might be Rescued from the Confusions, whereinto the Essay of this Gentleman had thrown them, and afraid lest the Church of God abroad should Suspect that New-England allowed of such Exorbitant Aberrations, appointed Mr. Norton to Draw up an Answer to that Erroneous Treatise. This Work he performed with a most Elaborate and Judicious Pen; in a Book afterwards Published, under the Title of, A Discussion of that Great Point in Divinity, The Sufferings of Christ; And the Questions about His Active and Passive Righteousness, and the Imputation thereof. In that Book the true Principles of the Gospel, are Stated with so much Demonstration, as is indeed unanswerable. The Great Assertion therein Explained and Maintained is (according to the Express Words of the Reverend ⟨p. 14⟩Author) That the Lord Jesus Christ as God-Man, and Mediator, according to the Will of the Father, and His own Voluntary Consent, fully Obeyed the Law, Doing the Command in a Way of Works, and Suffering the Essential Punishment of the Curse, in a Way of Obedient Satisfaction unto Divine Justice, thereby Exactly fulfilling the First-Covenant: Which Active and Passive Obedience of His, together with His Original Righteousness, as a […], God, of His Rich Grace, actually Imputeth unto Believes, whom, upon the Receipt thereof, by the Grace of Faith, He Declareth and Accepteth, as Perfectly Righteous, and acknowledgeth them to have a Right unto Eternal Life.

§. 17. There was yet one Comprehensive Service more, which this Learned man here did for the Church of God: and that was this. A Gentleman of New-England▪ had Written a Book, Entituled, The Meritorious Price of Mans Redemption, Wherein he pretends to prove, That Christ Suffered not for us those unutterable Torments of Gods Wrath, which are commonly called Hell-Torments, to Redeem our Souls from them; and that Christ bore not our Sins by Gods Imputation, and, therefore, also did not bear the Curse of the Law for them. The General Court of the Colony, concerned that the Glorious Truths of the Gospel might be Rescued from the Confusions, whereinto the Essay of this Gentleman had thrown them, and afraid lest the Church of God abroad should Suspect that New-England allow'd of such Exorbitant Aberrations, appointed Mr. Norton to Draw up an Answer to that Erroneous Treatise. This Work he performed with a most Elaborate and Judicious Pen; in a Book afterwards Published, under the Title of, A Discussion of that Great Point in Divinity, The Sufferings of Christ; And the Questions about His Active and Passive Righteousness, and the Imputation thereof. In that Book the true Principles of the Gospel, are Stated with so much Demonstration, as is indeed unanswerable. The Great Assertion therein Explained and Mentained is (according to the Express Words of the Reverend