course, falling by transgression, implies losing something which is valuable, by misconduct, &c. this is the truth, and you cannot deny it. But says one, I do not like your talk, for you destroy my comfort and it is a discouraging doctrine against getting religion, if one thinks they can lose it after they get it. Answer, I might on the other hand, or in another case say, that it is discouraging against getting money, or buying this farm, or that horse, for perhaps it may be squandered, lost, or die; therefore I would not try for them. What would you think of the man that would stop and be negligent at such objections? People temporally do not term such things discouraging, so as to flee; and methinks none will make that reply, but those who love and plead for a little sin; one leak will sink a ship.

Objec. Solomon was a wise man, and yet did many things wrong; and yet wrote Ecclesiastes afterward, from which we may infer, no doubt he is happy. Answer-Solomon no doubt was a wise man, above all the kings of the earth, and yet became the greatest fool by abusing his wisdom; for after that God had done so much for SolomonSolomon turned and committed sin; and according to the Mosaic law, was worthy of temporal death in five respects: First, he made an affinity with Pharaoh, king of Egypt-Secondly, took his daughter to be his wife-Thirdly, made affinity with Hiram, king of Tyre-Fourthly, fell in love with heathenish women, who turned his heart from God-Fifthly, fell into idolatry. He had four gods that he worshipped himself, and others for his wrces. When Solomon was young, we read the Lord loved him; but now he was old, we read the Lord was angry with him, and he is angry with the wicked every day. The Lord endeavored to reclaim Solomon-first, by mercy, and then by affliction; and raised up three adversaries for

that purpose-but Solomon would not hear, but went on a step farther, and attempted to kill Jeroboam, who arose and fled to Egypt: and as the Scripture leaves Solomon, he died in that state, with murder in his heart, as he attempted to slay the innocent; and no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him." And there is no account of Solomon's repentance, but that he died in his sins; and our Lord intimates, that if we die in our sins, where he is, we cannot come. And David's dying words to Solomon were, "If thou seek the Lord, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off forever." Solomon sought the Lord, and the Lord appeared to him twice; afterwards he forsook God, and there is no account of his return as before observed; and as for believing that Ecclesiastes was wrote afterwards, I no more believe Solomon could write when he was dead, than I believe I could; and to evade this answer, and say Solomon wrote it when he was old, I reply, it is no more than any old man that swears or gets drunk can do, to ery out vanity of vanities, &c. when their lives are burthensome: but what makes the beauty of Ecclesiastes is, to see that a young man could cry out vanity, which is so contrary to nature, when nature is so fond of it; and as for the book of Pro verbs, any person may discover they were wrote before the building of the temple, by turning to 1 Kings iv. 32, &c. and before much of his wickedness. You need not say, that I said, that Solomon is gone to hell, I did not affirm so; but I take Solomon where the Scripture doth, and leave him. where the Scripture doth, in the hand of a merciful God! Asking why the Bible is so particular to mention all the good conduct of Solomon, and then this bad conduct, if he repented why was not that put down? Turn to the history of Josephus,

and it leaves Solomon if possible, in a worse situation than the Bible doth, &c.

Some people blame me for holding to perfection, and at the same time they hold to it stronger than me; and moreover, for not holding to the final perseverance of the saints; which assertion I think is wrong, for I think there is danger of falling away-therefore I hold to perseverance, Pand they cannot deny it. But they hold, a man cannot get rid of sin. Here, therefore, they hold to persevering in sin, and they hold to a falling from grace of course, this is the truth, and they cannot deny it. Some have heard ministers pray to God, that the people might be sanctified from all sin; and then told them that they could not get rid of all sin-this was a clash.People frequently feel good desires from God to get rid of all sin," James i. 17. and yet think they cannot obtain the blessing, so pray in unbelief for it. We read, that whatsoever is not of faith is sin; therefore, if I hold with them, I should pray thus, "Lord, save me from part of my sins now, and at death take them all away," &c. But this doth not correspond with the Lord's prayer, which commandeth us to pray that God's Kingdom may come, and his will be done, &c. as in heaven; and we delivered from evil.

The kingdom of God, we read, is not meat and drink; but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. And Paul saith, this is the will of God, even your sanctification: and if a man be delivered from all evil, there is no sin left.—And what is the benefit to pray for it, if we cannot have it? But in obedience to the commandment to pray for deliverance from evil; Paul besought God to sanctify the Thessalonians wholly, and to preserve their whole spirit, soul and body blameless unto the coming of Christ, 1 Thess. v. 23. and again, ver. 16, to 18, he commandeth them to

rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, in every thing give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Matt. v. 48. Christ saith, be ye perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect, i. e. for a man in our sphere, as perfect as God is for God in his sphere. Again, be ye holy, for I am holy. Again, the commandment is to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, body, mind, and strength, and our neighbour as ourself, &c. And blessed be God the promise is equal to the commandments; for God hath bound himself by a promise, Ezek. xxxvi. 25. then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you, a new heart also will I give you, &c. Again, Plalm cxxx. 8. the promise is, that Israel shall be redeemed from her iniquities: John viii. 12. Christ saith, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. And again, God hath promised by the hand of Moses, thus, "I will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord with all thy heart," &c. and thy neighbour as thyself. And Paul speaking of the oath and promise of God, two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie. Now if God cannot lie, then he cannot do all things, especially that which is contrary to his nature: if so, then the above mentioned promises are equal to the commandments, and God is bound by the law of his nature to perform the same. This is the truth, and you cannot deny it.

Objec. David saith, There is none righteous, no, not one." Answer. True, yet we read about righteous Abel, and Lot's righteous soul, (2 Pet. ii. 8. Matt. xxiii. 35.) Objec. Solomon

saith, there is no man that sinneth not."-Ans. True, but John saith," he that is born of God doth not commit sin." Objec. Paul saith, "I am

carnal, sold under sin;" yet he was a saint. Ans. Paul addeth elsewhere," that the carnal mind is enmity against God, and is not subject to his law, neither indeed can be, and to be carnally minded is death." Again," Christ came to save sinners, &c. of whom I am chief." Now to take these expressions together just as they stand, you might prove that Paul was one of the worst of men, in the way to death, and at the same time one of the best apostles in the way to life. &c.— Though Paul saith, I am carnal, sold under sin, yet it cannot be that he was speaking of himself, as a holy apostle; but was describing or rehearsing the language of one under the law, as you may see, Rom. vii. 1. "I speak to them that know the law," &c. but chap. viii. 1, 2. Paul saith, there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, for the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death," And now, if Paul was made free he could not be groaning under bondage at the same time, unless you can reconcile liberty and slavery together. Paul saith in one place, "I robbed other churches." Now to take this passage just as it stands, you might prove that Paul was a robber; if so, would not the gov ernment hang him if he was here, as they hang robbers, &c.

And to take any particular passage you may prove almost any doctrine, if it be not taken in connexion with the context, or general tenor of scripture. But as the Bible in general doth not plead for sin, but condemneth it, commanding us to be holy in heart and life, &c. therefore we should not plead for sin as though we loved it, and rolled it under our tongue as a sweet morsel, but should be scripturians or Bible men; for Paul telleth the Romans, to whom some think Paul made al