to them Now though plenteous Redemption Salvation and Peace were in being in Christ for us while Enemies and that God commended his Love towards us in that while we were Sinners Christ died for us vers 8. which doth explain the intent of the words If when we were Enemies we were reconcil'd to God by the death of his Son c. yet it is not the nature of Reconciliation for men to be Enemies to God I appeal to the Conscience of both R.G. and all other Professors Whether Enmity and Reconciliation do not differ And whether while Persons are at enmity they be then actually reconcil'd Though while we were Enemies we were reconcil'd by the death of his Son intentionally on God's Terms but not actually in our selves till the Enmity was slain in us as God with reference to his Purpose speaks to Abraham I have made thee a Father of many Nations before he was actually so made For Paul in the following words saith God who quickeneth the Dead calleth those things which be not as though they were Rom. 4.17 And also Zacharias being filled with the Holy Ghost he Prophesied saying Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his People Luke 1.67 68. and to the end of the chapter Now though this Redeemed be spoken of as a thing done yet it was spoken of in the Prophesie of Christ the Horn of Salvation whose Salvation is Deliverance and Preservation out of the hands of our Enemies that we may serve him without fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the dayes of our life This was not witnessed when the Enemy rul'd and no good was wrought in us Further If Reconciliation and Redemption had been actually finish'd without us when no good was wrought in us what needed the Apostle so earnestly beseech and pray them in Christ's stead to be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5.20 They might have said that is done and complated already Or to say Tbat Jesus Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar People c Tit. 2.14 They might have said we are redeem'd at once already without us while no good is wrought in us What needst thou to tell us of redeeming from all Iniquity or of being purified We do not expect any such thing while we live here and yet we are redeemed justified and perfect in Christ. This is according to R. G's Doctrine and Sense but the Apostle's Sense is contrary as where he saith You that were sometimes alienated and Enemies in your minds by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled in the Body of his Flâ—sh through Death to present you Holy and Vnblameable and Vnreprovable in his sight if ye continue in the Faith grounded and seâ—tled Col. 1.21 22 23. Mark here the nature and tendency of a reconcil'd stateâ— and how it differs from that of Enemies in the mind as you were sometimes Enemies yet now reconciled viz. Ye Saints and faithful Brethren in Christ which are at Coloss chap. 1.2 But the mind of him that is an Enemy in his mind is not reconcil'd to God or his Truth Drunkards Swearers and Ranters are not in a reconcil'd State nor justified State neither is God reconcil'd to them nor in Union with them Again The words Purchased and Redemption are us'd by R. G. in an Unscriptural Sense while he doth so nonsensically render it as God man having purchased all of God without and so justified man when no good is wrought in him by the Spirit of God and as if Christ's Works without were the previous purchasing cause of the Love of God and also states man's Justification and Redemption as only without and preceeding the work of the Spirit within whereas redeeming from all Iniquity and Bondage under which man was sold is not wrought without the opperation of the Spirit of God within but it is a Work to be fulfilled within where Sin and Bondage have ruled and being Washed Sanctified and Justified by the Spirit are plac'd in their proper order 1 Cor. 6.11 Sanctified being plac'd before Justified And the Apostle Paul saith You are seal'd with the Holy Spirit of Promise which is the earnest of our Inheritance note that until the Redemption of the purchased Possession unto the Praise of his Glory Eph. 1.13.14 So mark here The Holy Spirit of Promise was the Earnest of their Inheritance until the Redemption c. And grieve not the Holy Spirit whereby you are sâ—aled until the Day of Redemption Eph. 4.30 But with R. G. the Day of his Redemption was long since over many years before he was Born he was redeemed and justified above Sixteen Hundred Years ago but then he must suppose or conceit himself an Elect person before that or else the whole World is as much justified as he See how plainly these Scriptures refute R. G. as also God purchased his Church with his own Blood Acts 20.28 So his chosen People were a purchas'd Possession God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself but the Saints who are hiâ— Friends are actually reconcil'd he hath fulfill'd it in them And now because those terms in Scripture relating to Christ and his Works are mis-understood and pâ—rverted by many Professors and Priests as this man hath done I shall state them with the natural and simple sense thereof as followeth viz. Jesus a Saviour who saveth from sin of whom it was said by the Angel Thou shalt call his Name Jesus for he shall save his People from their sins Mat. 1.21 Christ is Anointed for he was anointed with Power from on High Propitiation a Sacrifice well-pleasing which is to purge away sin and in Scripture sence to make nigh to God and which imports Forgiveness Reconciliation Favour Mercy Kindness c. as Propitious is favouable merciful c. Sacrifice an Oblation or Offering which is to Consecrate or make Holy Reconciliation an Agreement a Peace-making between them that have been Friends and afterwards Foes a setting at One. Covenant an Accord Agreement a Contract a Treaty a Condition c. Attonement Peace Quietness c. between them that are reconcil'd or in mutual Friendship Redemption a Ransoming Buying again Rescuing or Recovering such as were under Bondage or sold under Slavery Salvation a Saving Preserving or a making Safe from the hand of an Enemy Destroyer or Oppressor c. Imputation an Ascribing Attributing to laying to the Charge of or an Accounting Reckoning or Thinking Justification a making Righteous Just Upright Vertuous Good Perfect c. and also an Adjudging Pronouncing and Sentencing one that is made Righteous to be so Now if Professors come not to feel and experience these things or works of Christ fulfill'd within them they are but meer empty Professors and Talkers of them without the true Life and Power of Christianity and true Religion Certain Scriptures touching the Saviour Redeemer Redemption and Salvation c. Thou shalt know
which saves the soul and it is the soul as in the Power that is unchangable And God is not to be divided into parts and particulars he is not divisable nor separable It was the Priests words That the soul is a part of the Divine Essence 〈◊〉 in the said Book pag. 227. And one of them confessed That there was a kind of Infiniteness in the soul pag. 90. And in p. 68. it is said God breathed into man the Breath of Life and he became a Living Soul for that which came out from God is the Cause that man became a Living Soul And is not this of God c Now Infinite Divine c. is no otherwise intended to the soul then as relating to the Breath of Life which immediately came from God by which the soul lives and subsists in its Beeing which figuratively some have put for or called the Soul as being the Soul or Life of it by which it lives and is upholden whether under a sense of Anguish or Peace And this hath no accord with Rantism but is a Testimony against it and thee too And it had been well for thee to have cleared thy self of Rantism ere thou hadst charged it on others for indeed thy doctrine hath a direct tendency to it as That men are perfectly justified and reconciled in the sight of God Gâ—d with them and they with him while Whoring Killing Stealing Cursing Roaring Ranting yea that Raâ—ters if all while Enâ—mies wicked no good wrought in them c. are perfectly justified reconciled with God and Gâ—d with them Doth not this tend directly to strengthen the Ranters in their Rantism And as touching G. F's words the places have been look'd and it s found that thou hast disorder'd them and left out what was necessary â—o clear their sense and his Intent R. G. If their Consciences accuse them not neither have I who have not so much as mention'd them Answ. Our Consciences do not accuse us but thou hast covertly and deceitfully when thou didst not mention us by name and now hast openly revil'd us and wrong'd our Principles contrary to that love so much pretended by thee So now thou appearest in thy own shape and for all thy shuffling and shifting in this matter I appeal to thy own Conscience if thou didst not chiefly mean the Quakers in thy other Pamphlet more than Turks or Jews Arians Papists Socinians or Ranters Will these Pretences excuse thee And as to thy not finding a plain consistency in our Principles nor a unanimous reception of them by every Person among us no doubt but thou hadst us'd thy skill to make an inconsistency in our Principles but art disappointed and to stumble the weak by thy undeâ—ly Insinuations against us But I ask What persons among us are so far from the reception of our Principles as to receive thine or own thy spirit R. G. What an inconsistency is there between thy words and this work published by you four against my Testimony and that not by the youngest among you Answ. Thou knowest in thy own Conscience that it was G. K. that chiefly answer'd thy Book A. R. and G. L. were little concern'd in it and it was thy irreconcilable Contradictions that I chiefly took notice of What a silly ambitious Boaster art thou then to seek to make the World believe that four of us were so deeply engag'd against thee and thy self to be such an eminent Champion against us Thy Testimony is so much of it false and confus'd that many more then us four would have testified agâ—inst it and what we did it was not so much to wage War with thee as to answer the Truth in our selves and clear it in general However through thy Ambition thou shewest thy Vapouring spirit and Ostentation against four oâ— us the least of which yea the youngest Child of Truth may see thy weakness Whereas G. K. said Though Redemption is wrought within by the Spirit of Christ. To which thou sayst Here I take notice of thy slighting that great Work of man's Redemption as already purchas'd by Christ for Sinners by that one Sacrifice of his crucified Body Answ. We do not slight that one Sacrifice nor the Dignity thereof by confessing to Redemption as wrought within by the Spirit of Christ if thou wilt own Redemption in the true sense thereof as Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity whiâ—h is not remov'd without his spiritual Operation within But thou contradictest thy Tutors thâ— Presbyterians and Independants in saying That man's Redemption is purchas'd by his Crucified Body for they say He did not satisfie as Man simply but as God and Man or as God Man which is all one as to say that God satisfied and paid God or that God purchased Redemption of himself for they say That his Suffering being finite could not purchase an infinite Reward for nothing but an infinite Price could procure that there must be an equivâ—lency between the Price and the thing purchas'd c. Whereas it was the Love and Good-will of God to send his Son into the World to redeem man from Sin and Corruption which is a work inwardly effected and Christ giving himself a Ransom for all was for a Testimony of Gods Love to all R. G. The Operations of the Spirit of Holiness being necessary for bringing the Believer into Vnion and Friendship with God c. p. 8. Answ. This confuteth much of thy work for then men are not in a reconcil'd state while out of that Friendship for where the mind is reconciled to God it is brought out of the enmity and evil works into union with God and so there is mutual union between him and the Creature R. G. He slew the Enmity in himself God reconcil'd us to himself through the Death of his Son while we were yet Enemies so no qualification wrought in us by any spirit whatsoever in order to the perfecting of the Purchase and paying the Ransom for Sinners pag. 8. Answ. Here is still thy old Story with thy additional Excuse of purchasing and payment to lessen the dignity and worth of the Spirit of God and its Qualification and Work within â—s as if God did not value the same Spirit of his and its work in his People now as formerly in Christ and his Followers whenas it is the same Spirit by which Jesus Christ offered up himself a Lamb without Spot to God and that rais'd him up from the dead which also quickeneth true Believers But thou preferest the Suffering of the Body before the Spirit and layest all the stress upon it as the only cause of Redemption Justification c. and the Works of the Spirit but as the Effect thereof How darkly hast thou herein consulted and set the Flesh above that Spirit which is the cause of Spiritual Effects for without the eternal Spirit his Body could not be offer'd nor rais'd nor the Saints quickened And concerning his Slaying the enmity
THE NATURE OF CHRISTIANITY IN THE True Light ASSERTED In opposition to Antichristianism Darkness Confusion Sin-pleasing Doctrines BEING A Looking-Glass For Sin-pleasâ—ng Professors of all Sorts Written upon particular occasion herein signified By a Servant of Christ G. Whitehead If we say that we have fellâ—wship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the Truth 1 Joh. 1.6 Printed in the Year 1671. AN Epistle Explanatory To the Unprejudiced READER· COntention especially with perverse spirits that desire it and seek occasion for it is not a thing desireable to me howbeit for the living and precious Truth 's sake and that living effectual faith which was once deliver'd to the Saints I am one necessitated earnestly to contend being brought forth and rais'd up by the Power of the Living God for that end against perverse Gainsayers and peevish Opposers One of whom I find one ROBERT GORDON in a second piece of Antichristianism stuft with Confusion Perversion of Scriptures Abusing and Belying the People call'd Quakers though he hath given it the Title of Christianity Vindicated but therein hath discover'd a great deal of his own and of his Tutor's Ignorance of the very Nature of Christianity as concerning those weighty matters of Salvation to wit Reconciliation Justification and Redemption which in the true nature and sense thereof are in this Treatise unfolded according to the holy Scriptures although this man hath grosly wronged divers of us by accusing us as if we did oppose and seek to overthrow the plain Testimonies and Voices of all the Prophets and Apostles concerning the True Saviour or the Man Christ Jesus whom we have frequently confessed both as to his Divinity and as to his taking upon him the Body prepar'd for him to do the Will of God in according to the Scriptures of Truth yea both his outward and inward Appearance his Suffering Nature and Glorified State and his Divinity in both we have always truly believ'd and confess'd even his Dignity Spiritual Out-goings from of old from everlasting as also his outward Birth and coming in the fulness of time in that Body wherein he shew'd forth Innocency Preacht Righteousness wrought Miracles suffered Contradictions Crucifying and Death by wicked hands together with his Glory Dignity Resurrection and glorious Triumph as a Captain as a Conqueror Leader and Example through all These things have a Spiritual and Divine Impression upon us and a place in our hearts through that eternal Spirit by which Christ offered up himself a Lamb without Spot and a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling Savour to God which things being so openly and frequently own'd by us according to the Scriptures of Truth We cannot but look upon it as a wilful Perversion and wicked Abuse in this R. G. or any others contrariwise to represent us when as to him we have only oppos'd his confus'd dark Testimony which is without Life and much of it without Sense or Reason although pervertedly he hath interwoven some Scriptures abus'd by him in it Howbeit he saith He hath testified to what he received of the Lord and witnessed through and under the Ministry of those I caâ—l Presbyterians and Iâ—dependants Now seeing he hath learn'd his Testimony or Religion of such and yet hath pirked up as if he were â—ome-body or could do more against us then his Tutors or Fraternity although he falls short of many of them in the manageâ—ent of their Cause I should think it were more Prudence in the Presbyterians and Indepenâ—ants to stop such shallow Cavellers and forward Novices as can scarce write three Pages without manifestly contradicting themselvâ—s as this their Disciple R. G. hath done who will never bring any Honour to the Cause of Presbyterians and Independants He should have let us known whether they do approve of this his work against us yea or nay which it he write again we desire him to signifie whether he is own'd and his work approv'd of by the Presbyterians and Independants yea or nay Some suppose it probable that what he hath writ against the Innocent and Suffering People of God in this nature hath some Self-interest and End as either of some Preferment or Applause at least who though he be dismounted with the Times from his former Place and Preferment yet is not content to live quietly in that obscurity he is in but he must Villifie Reproach and Slander an Innocent People who have appear'd and do stand up for God and the Testimony of Jesus in his Divine Power where such peevish pittiful underly Cavellers as R. G. dare not shew their Faces for Christ nor yet for their own Directory and Church-Faith for all their pretended Zeal for him though he and they can carp and quarrel against us who are under Sufferings And he having shown himself both an Antinomian a shatter'd Presbyterian and Independant he is the more fit man to insinuate into such especially the more ignorant sort of them for some Applause or Name to himself like many of his selfish Teachers before who being dismounted from their parochial Bishopricks Pulpits Tythes are now for the rattling of the Platters which have been vâ—ry beneficial to many such fain'd Preachers and Temporizers who can make a florish in fair Weather but eiâ—her â—lee Sculk or Comply when a Storm or a Pinch comes or otherwise drive a Trade more privately and have the Platters rattle more secrâ—tly with their Watchers and Spies at eaâ—h Corner to give them warning lest they should be surpriz'd for driving a Trade unlicens'd that they may escape out at Back-doors â—or By-wayes which hath been the manner and practice of such as R. G's Tutors notwithstanding their severely pressing their Hearers to Faithfulnâ—ss and to Stand fast c. when they are no Example thereof themselves but on slite Occasions ready to flee like Hirelings and ready to give their â—locks the â—â—ip And now as to the Doctrinal part of his Book he having affirm'd a Justification aâ—d Redemption of men even while no good is wrought in them by any Light or Spirit whatsoever and when no qualificatâ—on is wrought in man by any Spirit whatsoever to mend the matter he adds in order to the perfecting the Purchase of Redemption c. Which word purchase he thus explains in an Unscriptural and Nonsensical stile viz. That God man purchased and compleated Reconciliation Justification c. with God at once without us which is as good sense as to say God Purchas'd them of God and for Proof thereof he very many times over repeats that Scripture Rom. 5.10 If when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son not so much minding the following words much more being reconciled we shall be sav'd by his Life And verse 11. We have now received the Attonement c. This he hath made a Cloak for his justification of men even while no good is wrought in them one while saying they are reconcil'd to God another while God
in Himself as thou wordst it and misconstrues Eph. 2.15 for thy sinful design against the worth of the Operations and Qualifications of the Spirit of Holiness within Christ had no enmity or sin in himself to slay but the enmity which he abolisht in his Flesh was the Law of Commandments contain'd in Ordinances for to make in himself of twain One new Man Eph. 2.15 or that both Jews and Gentiles might be reconcil'd in one Body Now the new Man hath the inward Qualifications and Fruits of the Spirit which thou wantâ—st and therefore art not in a reconcil'd state nor actually reconcil'd in thy self who reckonest all done purchas'd and paid in thy stead at once without thee while no qualification nor good is wrought in thee by the Spirit of God and yet thou must be qualified with Faith and both Reconciliation Justification and Redemption must be effected or fulfilled in thee or else thou canst not be sav'd according to thy own Concession What Confusion are you still in R. G. I say That the Works wrought for us by Christ in his crucified Body is the first Mystery the Foundation of all our Mercies the ground of the possibility of having any Works wrought in us by the Spirit of God tending to our being made like unto him pag. 8. Answ. The Ground and Cause of all our Mercies is the infinite Love of God in which he sent his Son whose Works for us and Example to us were Effects and Tokens of the Love of God to man and not the ground and purchasing cause thereof nor as by way of Payment and ridgid Satisfaction to vindictive Justice as Presbyters call it as if Christ were more kind to man and his Love more infinite than his Father's which is blasphemous like some of the Popish Fryars that said The Son was better then the Father And what better doth thy doctrine imply then that the Son's Works wrought without us are the previous procuring purchasing Cause of the Law of God to us while Sinners pag. 22. On this erronious stuff depends much of thy Book thou mightest as well say That God and his Love had a Beginning or were inferior to the Man Christ as that Christ's Works without were the previous or foregoing Cause of God's Love to us How then is his Love infinite in it self and free to us and the Cause of sending his Son Joh. 3.16 And darest thou say That God had not Love to Mâ—nkind before he sent his Son in the Flesh Or that the Love of God was not the previous Cause of his so sending his Son and of Christ's Testimony and Works in the dayes of his Flesh R. G. The Works wrought in us who Believe being but the Consequence and Effect of what he did for us even when Sinners pag. 9. Ans. If but the Consequence then men must begin first to learn and believe the History or outward Relation of Christ's Sufferings and not in the Spirit whereas the True and Well-beginning of the Churches of Christ was in the Spirit which is Life and then I ask If none can be saved nor sanctified but they who have that outward Relation or History When as it s confessed that the Operations of the Spirit of Holiness within do bring the Believer into Union and Friendship with God And is noâ— thâ—s absolute Reconciliation or Agreement with God So Justification making Righteous and accepted with God from thosâ— things from which we could not be justified by â—he Law of Moses and Redemption from Iniquity which are Effâ—cted within are the Effects and immediâ—te Consequences of the Operations of God by his Son or Power within who hath ordain'd Peâ—ce for us For note that he hâ—th wrought all our works in us Isa. 26 12. A Testimony whereof and of the Love of God to us was even Christ's outward Manifestation Works and Suffering in the Flesh in which he directed to the Spirit that quickens to God R. G. It hath been the work of the Devil and his Agents to darken this Doctrine of the justification of Sinners through the Death of Christ as already perfected with God c. pa. 9. Answ. By this the Reader may understand thy sense of Justification That Sinners are perfectly justified by the Death of Christ even while Sinners and Enemies But thou shouldst have defin'd what Justification is for if thy Doctrine be true all the World is in a justified State seeing Christ died for all while actually Sinners Polluted and Unjust only it remains for them to believe it is perfectly done without them and imputed to them so they may conceit themselves at peace with God in their sins A pleasant Doctrine to make Hypocrites like thy self who but in the same Page hast confessed That Christ died for our Sins and rose again for our Justification and that the Apostles intreated men to be reconcil'd to God But how agrees this with Sinners being perfectly justified without them by his Death when no good is wrought within them Did he so justifie Sinners by his Death and after rise again either to add to their Justification or do it over again What a Laborinth art thou now in But have not some of thy Brethren confessed That Sanctification and Justification are inseparable Companions R. G. But thou as doth thy Partner G. W. jumbles these things confusedly together speaking of the works wrought for us by Christ as lame and imperfect not as having finish the Work given him to do c. pag. 10. Answ. Thou belyest us for we affirm That Christ's Obedience and Works even in the dâ—yes of his Flesh were all perfect and that he therein finisht so much as the Father sent him to do having left a perfect Example to be followed being a perfect Captain Leader and Conquerer through all his Sufferings and by the eternal Spirit offered himself a Lamb without Spot to God But wherein we testifie That a meer Belief of his Works and Sufferings without are not sufficient to save man but he must know his spiritual Works wrought within and be saved by the washing of Regeneration c. this is no deeming his Works without either lame or imperfect For thou thy self sayest I do not say that he so finished it for us as if no more were to be done within us by his Spirit Now thou wouldst think much if we or any should accuse thee for rendring Christ's Works for us as lame and imperfect Hast thou done by us as thou wouldst be done unto Who also hast granted to the Operations of the Spirit within The living Testimony of Christ Jesus confirmed by him through his Sacrifice and Suffering in the flesh which we truly own is a Mystery to be known and fulfilled within where the Righteousness of Faith is experienc'd which brings the true Believers in the Light into the Fellowship of Christ's Sufferings which were both inward and outward and makes them conformable to his Death the Spirit baptizing them into it a Mystery thou
to be saved within whereas my words were thus Yet the Soul yea and the whole man is to be saved with in and through the Seed whoever believe in Christ and are joyned to him The Error in Printing is that within was put for with in and upon thy own Mistake and Abusing me thou raisest a Callumny as if I held That the full Salvation was only from sin within whereas I said The whole man was to be sav'd and I say still not only the Soul but the whole Man is to be sav'd both from sin and all the effects and consequences of it whether inward or outward And the Redemption of the Body and the Resurrection I do believe according to Scripture contrary to what thou falsly insinuatest against me And whereas thou queriest By what Scripture can I prove that Christ died for a Seed in man that needed Redemption which Seed is Christ in every man Answer Thou abusest our words herein which are not that Christ needed Redemption but that he redeems his Seed which he taketh upon him but Christ died for men that men who were dead might become alive and no other way can men live but by having Christ to live in them Gal. 2.20 And the Life of Christ in the Saints is in a rais'd Seed he who was crucified in them who could not be crucified in them but as in the Seed coming to live in them but if thou wert not ignorant of this Birth thou wouldst not propound such an ignorant Question and the Scripture speaketh expresly of Christ as having been crucified in some as Gal. 3.1 crucified in you and 1 Cor. 2.2 crucified in you for so are both places in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And said Christ Joh. 6 39. This is the Fathers Will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the Last Day Now what it is that whereof he should lose nothing but should raise it up at the Last Day That I slight the Work of Man's Redemption or what Christ did or suffer'd in order thereunto is falsly charg'd upon me nor dost thou produce the least ground for it Did I slight his Redemption because I said in Contradiction to wâ—at thou didst alledge on us That it was not without respect to Christ as outwardly Born and Crucified I said also more and could say more but what was said was enough to clear us of thy false Accusation Pag. 10. Thou alledgest I did not in my first tell what further tendency the Sufferings Testimony and Example of Christ had unto our Reconciliation then that of Paul 's or any other Martyr's Answ. That is false both G.W. and I expresly affirm'd That he was a Sacrifice most acceptable and satisfactory so said G.W. yea and W.P. in his Book said as â—uch whom thou falsly hast accus'd and a Ransom a Propitiation and Offering for the sins of the whole World but not that men should be justified while in their sins but in having forsaken them yea in the very next two pages thou confessest That we have mention'd him an Attonement a Sacrifice a Propitiation for Mankind in his Sufferings and Death in the outward and this is more then Paul or any or of all the other Martyrs were and had a greater and more weighty service and tendency then the Sufferings of all others for of none else can it be said that is true of him who is the universal Offering Attonement Propitiation How â— art thou not asham'd thus falsly to charge us and yet a few Lines after in contradiction to thy self to clear us again Pag. 13. Thou accusest me as unfaithfully repeating thy words to make them speak what thou intend'st not but thou dost not mention one particular wherein I have so done nor canst thou only thou tell'st mâ— That I leave out that part of the Sentence in the Apostle's words that is most weighty against me viz. Being Reconciled In Answer to which I say That I did not leave out these words as making against me and that I mention'd them not was not on any such design but that the mentioning or not mentioning of them was not material to the thing in hand nor dost thou gain the least by these words being reconciled for he doth not say so of any while remaining Enemies as being reconcil'd And for a confirmation of thy false and confus'd doctrine as that Men while yet enemies and so remaining before and without respect to any inward Operations of the Spirit of Holiness are reconcil'd to God and God to them Thou abusest that Scripture Rom. 5.10 both corrupting it as it s in the English and wresting it to a wrong sense 1st in that thou addest the word yet as importing A remaining Enemies which yet is not in that verse Rom. 5.10 2d that thou draw'st from this place That God is fully reconcil'd to them while yet remaining Enemies Whereas the Scripture saith not When we were Enemies God was reconcil'd to us but thus as it is in the English When we were Enemies we were reconiled to God And that the Apostle cannot understand that they were reconcil'd to God while remaining Enemies is manifest because he inviteth Enemies to be reconcil'd to him which imports they were not already reconcil'd to him Yea thou grantest That it is a Qualification on our part as to receiving the Attonement that we be reconcil'd to God But because the English Translation at first view seemeth to favour thee I shall therefore refer thee and others who have any skill in the Greek to the Greek Text and you will find the words run thus If we being Enemies Graece 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were reconcil'd to God c. this doth not import that they were both Enemies and reconconcil'd at one and the same time more then it imports that where it is said Eph. 2.1 And you being dead in your sins c. hath he quickned for so it is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they were dead and quickned at one and the same time both Expressions importing not a remaining Enemies dead but a passing from being Enemies and dead to be quickned and reconcil'd And that it is said We were reconcil'd by his Death implyeth that his Death had an influence in order thereunto but not that we were then at his Death fully and perfectly reconcil'd as R.G. affirmeth for we are said to be sanctified through the offering of the Body of Jesus c. Yet who will say we were then sanctified Pag. 15. Thou desir'st me to ask the Boyes in the Grammar School whether was reconciling and hath reconciled do not both denote a time past Saying that I am very hard put to it Ans. If thou not I hadst not been put hard to it thou wouldst not have fled to such a weak Refuge and seeing thou appeal'st to the Boyes of the Grammar School let them determine whether was reconciling