eXVI APPENDIX TO THE
putation of the active righteousness of Christ unto our justification. Why, you say, it is contrary to reason ; for that we are freed from satisfying God's justice by being punished by death, but not from the fulfiUing of the law : therefore the ful- filhng of the law by Christ is no satisfaction for us, — we are not freed from active obedience, but from passive obedience. Pray, sir, do not mistake that such mis- taken reasonings can give vis any occasion to change our judgments in an article of truth of this importance. When you shall have been pleased to read my book of Justification, and have answered solidly what I have written upon this subject, I will tell you more of my mind. In the meantime I tell you, we are by the death of Christ freed from all sufferings as they are purely penal, and the effects of the curse, though they spring out of that root ; only, sir, you and I know full well that we are not freed from pains, afflictions, and death itself, — which had never been, had they not proceeded from the curse of the law. And so, sir, by the obedience of Christ we are freed from obedience to the law, as to justification by the works thereof. We are no more obliged to obey the law in order to justifica- tion than we are obliged to undergo the penalties of the law to answer its curse. But these things have been fully debated elsewhere.
In the last place, your friend wishes it could be avoided, and declined to speak any thing about universal grace, for that it would raise some or most divines against it. I judge myself beholden to your friend for the advice, which I presume he judges to be good and wholesome ; but I beg your pardon that I cannot com- ply with it, although I shall not reflect with any severity upon them who are of another judgment; and, to tell you the truth, the immethodical new method in- troduced to give countenance to universal grace, is, in my judgment, suited to draw us off from all due conceptions concerning the grace of God in Jesus Christ ; which I shall not now stay to demonstrate, though I will not decline the under- taking of it, if God gives me strength, at any time. And I do wonder to hear you say that many, if not most divines, will rise against it, Avho have published in print that there were but two in England that were of that opinion, and have strenu- ously opposed it yourself. How things are in France, I know not ; but at Geneva, in Holland, in Switzerland, in all the Protestant churches of Germany, I do know that this universal grace is exploded. »Sir, I shall trouble you no farther. I pray be pleased to accept of my desire to undeceive you in those things, wherein either a corrupt copy of our Confession or the reasonings of other men have given you so many mistaken conceptions about our Confession. — I am, Sir, yours,
J. Owen.
TO THE LADY HARTOPP.
Dear Madam, — Every work of God is good ; the Holy One in the midst of us will do no iniquity ; and all things shall work together for good unto them that love him, even those things which at present are not joyous, but grievous ; only his time is to be waited for, and his way submitted unto, that we seem not to be displeased in our hearts that he is Lord over us. Your dear infant is in the eter- nal enjoyment of the fruits of all our prayers ; for the covenant of God is ordered in all things, and sure. We shall goto her; she shall not return to us. Happy she was in this above us, that she had so speedy an issue of sin and misery, being born only to exercise your faith and patience, and to glorify God's grace in her eternal blessedness. My trouble would be great on the account of my absence at this time from you both, but that this also is the Lord's doing ; and I know my own uselessness wherever I am. But this I will beg of God for you both, that you may not faint in this day of trial, — that you may have a clear view of those spiritual
LIFE OF DP. OWEN. CXVII
and temporal mercies wherewith you are yet intrusted (all undeserved), — that sor- row of the world may not so overtake your hearts as to disenable to any duties, to grieve the Spirit, to prejudice your hves ; for it tends to death. God in Christ will be better to you than ten children, and will so preserve your remnant, and so add to them, as shall be for his glory and your comfort. Only consider that sor- row in this case is no duty ; it is an effect of sin, whose cure by grace we should endeavour. Shall I say, Be cheerful ? I know I may. God help you to honour grace and mercy in a compliance therewith. My heart is with you, my prayers shall be for you, and I am, dear madam, your most affectionate friend and unworthy pastor, J. Owen.