That which follows in Mr Baxter, from p. 152 unto p. 155, chap, xix., belongs not to me, being only a declaration of his own judgment about the things in hand ; ^'herein, although many things are not only incommodiously expressed, to suit the unscriptural method of these mysteries which he hath framed in his mind, but also directly opposite to the truth, yet I shall not here meddle with it, referring them who desire satisfaction in this business to a serious consideration of what I have written to this purpose.
Page 155, chap, xx,, he returns to the consideration of my assertion concerning our deliverance ipso facto by the blood of Christ, and tells you,
" I do not understand Mr Owen's meaning ; for he saith that Christ did actually and ipso facto deliver us from the curse and obligation, yet we do not instantly apprehend and perceive it, nor yet possess it, but only we have actual right to all the fruits of his death," etc. So he.
The things of that treatise were written with the pen of a vulgar scribe, that every one might run and read ; whence, then, it should be that so learned a man should not understand my meaning, unless from his own prejudice, I know not. However, I have now so fully delivered my sense and meaning as to these things, that I hope no place remaineth for disceptation thereabout. But let us look a little into Mr Baxter's inquiry after that which he professeth not well to under- stand : —
1. " Whether," saith he, " a man may fitly be said actually and ipso facto to be dehvered and discharged who is not at all delivered, but only hath a right to de- hverance, I doubt."
To unriddle this, with most of the following exceptions, and to resolve his douljt so far as I am concerned, as having administered occasion thereunto, I shall tran- scribe the place from whence these difficulties are pretended to arise.
The passage is in lib. iii. cap. 7 of that treatise, pp. 140, 141 [268, 269], as followeth : — 1 . " That actual freedom from the obligation doth not follow the satisfaction made by Christ cannot be granted ; for by death he did deliver us from death, and that actually, so far as that the elect are said to die and rise with him. lie did .ictually, or ipso facto, deliver us from the curse, by being made a curse for us ; and the hand-writing that was against us, even the whole obligation, was taken out of the way, and nailed to his cross. It is true, all for whom he did this do not instantly actually apprehend and perceive it, which is impossible ; but yet that hinders not but that they have all the fruits of his death in actual right, though not in actual possession, — which last they cannot have until at least it be made known to them. As, if a man pay a ransom for a prisoner detained in a foi'eign countrv, the very day of the payment and acceptation of it the prisoner hath right to his libiTty. although he cannot enjoy it until such time as tidings of it are brouglit unto him, and a warrant produced for his delivery. So that that reason is nothing but a begji^ing t-.u Iv apxn 2. The satisfaction of Christ, by the payment of the same thing that was recjuired in the obligation, is no way prejudicial to that free, gracious condonation of sin so often mentioneil. God's gracious pardoning of sin compriseth the whole dispensation of grace towards us in Chri.st, whereof there are two parts: — First, The laying of our sin on Christ, or making him to be sin for
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us ; which was merely and purely an act of free grace, w^hich he did for his own sake. Secondly, The gracious imputation of the righteousness of Christ to us, or making us the righteousness of God in him ; which is no less of grace and mercy, and that because the very merit of Christ himself hath its fovmdation in a free compact and covenant. However, that remission, grace, and pardon which is in God for sinners, is not opposed to Christ's merits, but ours. He pardoneth all to us, but he spared not his only Son, he bated him not one farthing. The freedom, then, of pardon hath not its foundation in any defect of the merit or satisfaction of Christ, but in three other things: — First, The will of God freely appointing this satisfaction of Christ, John iii. 16 ; Rom. v. 8 ; 1 John iv. 9. Secondly, In a gi'acious accepta- tion of that decreed satisfaction in our steads ; for so many, no more. Thirdly, In a free application of the death of Christ unto us. Remission, then, excludes not a full satisfaction by the solution of the very thing in the obligation, but only the solution or satisfaction by him to whom pardon and remission are gi'anted," etc.
All that is here affirmed may be reduced to these heads: —
(1.) Actual freedom from the obligation is the immediate fruit of the death of Christ. Understand such an immediation as I have often described.
(2.) Hence Christ is said actually, or ipso facto, to deliver us, because our de- liverance, which is to be accomplished sub termino, is the infallible, absolute, im- mediate issue and product of what he did for us. Actual and ipso facto are opposed to the intervention of any such thmg as should make our deliverance to be only potential or conditional.