But there are others, who speak of God’s being reconcileable as the consequence of Christ’s satisfaction, that they might not be thought to assert that God is actually reconciled by the blood of Christ, to those who are in an unconverted state, which is inconsistent therewith; therefore they use this mode of expression, lest they should be thought to give countenance to the doctrine of actual justification before faith; but certainly we are under no necessity of advancing one absurdity to avoid another: therefore, let it be here considered, that the scripture speaks expressly of God’s being reconciled by the death of Christ; and accordingly he is said to have _brought_ him _again from the dead_, as a _God of peace_, Heb. xiii. 20. And elsewhere, he speaks of _God’s having reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ_, 2 Cor. v. 18. and not becoming reconcilable to us. Again, _When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved_, Rom. v. 10. that is, shall obtain the saving effects of this reconciliation _by his life_. And again, _Having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things to himself: and you that were sometimes alienated, and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled, in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable, and unreprovable in his sight_, Col. i. 21, 22. Where he describes those who were reconciled as once enemies, and speaks of this privilege as being procured by the death of Christ, and of holiness here, and salvation hereafter, as the consequence of it; therefore it is such a reconciliation as is contained in our justification. But though this appears very agreeable to the mind of the Holy Ghost, in scripture, yet it must be understood in consistency with those other scriptures, that represent persons in an unconverted state, as _children of wrath_, Eph. ii. 3. and being _hateful_, Tit. iii. 3. that is, not only deserving to be hated by God, but actually hated, as appears by the many threatnings that are denounced against them, and their being in a condemned state, that we may not give countenance to the doctrine of some, who, not distinguishing between God’s secret and revealed will, maintain that we are not only virtually, but actually justified before we believe; as though we had a right to claim Christ’s righteousness before we have any ground to conclude, that it was wrought out for us: but what has been already suggested concerning justification by faith, will, I think, sufficiently remove this difficulty.