the unfailing obedience of all his children, the fidelity of the second Adam, the Lord from heaven, must secure to all his spiritual children the continuance and final perfection of that obedient character, which he has graciously imparted to them? Had the first Adam been able at the close of his probation, to say to his unborn posterity, I live, he might have added, ye shall live also. But the second Adam was able to say to the children of his love," Because I live, ye shall live also:" and this he did say. John xiv. 19.

Some may demand proof of what is here taken for granted, viz: That the obedience of Adam would have secured an obedient character to his posterity. In support of this commonly received sentiment, I shall offer

two reasons.

1st. This view of the covenant with Adam makes it self-consistent ; that is, its two sides agree together. It would be unnatural, that our first father's failing to keep covenant, should entail on us a depraved character; without supposing, that his faithfulness to the covenant would have produced a contrary effect. It would seem to implicate the benevolence of the Creator, to suppose that the good which was promised, had relation to none but himself; and that the evil which was threatened, comprehended his posterity. If the threat, Thou shalt surely die, was addressed to him as the father of mankind, the implied promise, Thou shalt live, must also have extended to them.

2dly. God's covenant transactions with other parents, since the fall, together with the promises and threatenings which relate to our offspring, are calculated to confirm us in the sentiment that Adam's obedience to the first covenant would have secured his race from apostacy. When God threatens to visit the iniquity of those who hate him upon their children, he promises to show mercy to the generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. While he says to the wicked, "Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body," he promises the righteous that the fruit of their body shall be blessed. Deut. xxviii. 4, 18. And the providences of God have often been of such a nature as to verify these declarations of his word. And when these declarations and providences are viewed in connexion, they reflect much light on the covenant which was made with our first parents; and they serve to show, that their conduct, whether good or bad, was designed to stamp the character of all their unborn generations.

I would now ask, Has not the doctrine of this Article been shown to be contained in the word of God? If it has, then the word of God contains no doctrine which is in contrariety to it. If there be a single text, which undeniably teaches the certain perseverance of all those who are once brought within the bonds of the new covenant, we may be sure there is not a single text against it. "Not a single text against it!" some may exclaim with surprise: as if the writer were uncandid to suppose all the scripture on his own side. But is it not clear if there be in reality a single passage against it, there can be none for it? Is the scripture of truth divided?

The plan of this work will not permit me to stop, to give a particular explanation of all the passages, which have been considered as standing opposed to the doctrine in question. Most of these, however, are comprehended under three classes, to each of which some attention will now be given.

The first class of texts which I shall introduce, are those which suspend the blessedness of believers on their enduring to the end. The Savior says, "But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." Matt. xxiv. 13. Similar to this is the declaration of the apostle, "To present you holy and unblamable and unreproveable in his sight, if ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel." Col. i. 22, 23. Texts of this class prove unquestionably, that perseverance in faith and good works, is absolutely necessary to insure an admission into the kingdom of heaven. And yet there is nothing in them which asserts that any true converts will fail to persevere.

"But why, it will be asked, does the promise contain the conditional clause, if ye continue in the faith, in case that such continuance is uniform?" A very good reason can be assigned for it. Divine wisdom sees it to be better, in the present state, to describe God's chosen people by their appropriate character, than by their names; and this is revealed to be one essential ingredient in their character, that they con. tinue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel. A work of grace can not be commenced in their hearts, short of their drinking of the water of which Christ spake to the woman of Samaria: and yet when this is once drunk, it uniformly becomes a well of living water, springing up into everlasting life. They can not in a spiritual sense, become rich at all, except they buy of Christ, that gold which is tried in the fire; and they who have this can never become poor, because it will endure to the end; there is no furnace which will consume it. When the Lord promises a crown of life to such as are faithful unto death, it is the same as to promise it to all those who are now his real friends; for all such will be faithful unto death: and their faithfulness unto death is the grand proof of a right outset in their Christian course.

These remarks will serve to show the fallacy of an objection which is often made against this doctrine, as though its tendency was to relax our endeavors to persevere in holy living. If we have understood the doctrine aright, a relaxation of our endeavors to persevere, must always diminish the evidence of the genuineness of our religion, and, of course, of the reality of our conversion.

A second class of texts are such as speak of apostacy as an evil, to which the whole church of Christ is actually exposed. Of this class, these which follow, may serve for an example: "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God." "Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." "Now the just shall live by faith; but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” Heb. iii. 12; iv. 11: x. 38. In view of these and other passages of the like import, I would remark; it is not pretended that there is no danger of apostacy in the church of Christ. It is granted there is danger of that which is partial, and also of that which is total and ruinous: real Christians are in danger of partial apostacy, and false professors of utterly renouncing their profession. If such danger exists, it is altogether proper it should be expressed by cautions, such as those which have been cited. And since the names of the true converts are

not disclosed, they, in common with others, receive the caution. All are admonished to see to it, that they are not wanting in that evidence of grace which is derived from a perseverance to the end of life. Such admonitions oblige those who are mere professors, to become what they profess, and they oblige real converts to make their calling and election sure. Every one is put on his guard against backsliding, and all those defections which indicate an unsoundness in their religion.

I will not say that real saints are not, in themselves considered, in danger of even final apostacy. There is nothing in themselves, though they are now recovered from the hand of the enemy, which makes it impossible for them to be brought under again, and even to be held in perpetual bondage. This is true, and it is what they ought most sensibly to feel. The believer, in view of his own personal insufficiency and great exposedness, is required to work out his salvation with: fear and trembling, and yet at the same time, in view of the gracious promises and all-sufficiency of JEHOVAH, he need not hesitate to say, "My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence, I shall not be moved." Thus the believer, viewed by himself, is greatly exposed to utter destruction; while in God he is perfectly secure.

This matter may be happily illustrated by the natural exposedness, and yet perfect security of the ark, that immense ship which was built by divine appointment, to preserve the chosen family from being destroyed by the flood. The ark, in itself considered, was exposed to the same disasters as other floating vessels. But is there a Christian in the world, who supposes there was anything really doubtful concerning the safety of those who entered the ark? It was a method devised by God himself, on purpose "to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth." When they had entered this asylum, the Lord himself shut them in. As soon as they were enclosed in the ark, the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened, and the ark floated upon the surface of this shoreless sea. We are now naturally led to contemplate this deeply laden vessel, as being in a state of great exposure, and yet of perfect safety. We seem to see that Almighty Being, who directed it to be built for such an important purpose, watching over it every moment, guiding all its motions, and averting all impending evils, until he causes it safely to rest on the mountains of Ararat. Here was great exposure on the one hand, and perfect security on the other. And thus it is with every one who has entered the Ark of safety, the antitype of that which preserved the family of Noah from the destruction which came on the old world. Many are the afflictions and temptations of the righteous. They are exposed to the wiles of the devil, the seductions of wicked men, and the powerful lustings of indwelling sin. They have many hair-breadth escapes from ruin. The righteous are scarcely saved and yet they are all actually saved. Like that exposed company who shared with Paul in the perils of shipwreck, they all escape safe to land.

A third class of texts are such as give an account of instances of apostacy which have actually existed. The names of a number of apostates are put on record, as so many beacons to warn others against falling after the same example of unbelief. In this monitory list are

the names of king Saul, Ahithophel, Judas Iscariot, Simon Magus, Hymeneus, and Philetus, and others with them. It is granted that these men apostatized from the church of God. But we have already seen that the scriptures account for such apostacies, by supposing some latent corruption, inconsistent with godly sincerity, to have had a previous dominion over them. They lead us to believe, that all these, who went out from the church of God, were not among its holy members, even when they were visibly in fellowship with them: and they lead us to believe, that when the faith of these men was overthrown, their foundation remained unshaken whom the Lord knew to be his. 1 John, ii. 19. 2 Tim. ii. 19.

The passages comprehended under these three classes can be seen to be both true and important, in consistency with the doctrine of the certain perseverance of the saints: but if their perseverance be not certain, no consistent interpretation can be given to those passages which were previously introduced to support the doctrine.

It is easy to see how God should make a continuance in well-doing, the necessary condition of glorification; and at the same time secure grace to every one whose life is hid with Christ: but we can not see how he can promise to secure that grace, and yet suffer any of its subjects to fail of salvation. God is not, in the very nature of things, under obligation to keep the saints from falling, any more than he was to prevent the fall of Adam or of the angels; but when he has made an everlasting covenant with them, even the sure mercies of David; and when he has promised to put his fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from him, we do not see how he can keep such a covenant, and verify such a promise, and yet suffer them to depart from him. We can also see how all such as are possessed of a principle of holiness may be infallibly preserved from a final apostacy, notwithstanding it is said, "When the righteous man doth turn from his righteousness and commit iniquity, he shall die." This may be an impos. sible case, introduced for an important purpose, like that of the apostle in his epistle to the Galatians, where he makes the supposition of an angel preaching a false gospel. Gal. i. 8. Or the righteous man, who turns from his righteousness, may be nothing more than one who turns from the appearance and profession of righteousness, like those described 1 John, ii. 19. Men are sometimes called by names they have assumed, or that others have applied to them, but which do not designate their real character. Thus Hananiah is called a prophet, and our Savior a malefactor; yet Hananiah was not a real prophet, nor was Christ a real malefactor. Jer. xxviii. 10. Luke xxiii. 32.*

The Bible, which has been most familiar to me for almost forty years, was printed at Edinburg by Alexander Kincaid, his Majesty's Printer, in the year 1766. In this edition of the Bible, Luke xxiii. 32, reads thus: "And there were also two other malefactors led with him to be put to death." I have also a pocket Testament which has been in my possession nearly as long; and this has the same reading as the Bible. This appears to be a correct translation of the Greek, as it stands in those Testaments which Thave examined. The pause between the adjective and the substantive, which appears in the late editions of the English Bible, is not found. With such means as I now possess to enable me to ascertain what is the true reading, I am led to believe that the English translation, which is now common, viz. "two others, malefactors," instead of "two other malefactors," is incorrect. Is there not reason to conclude that the spirit of inspiration guided the Evangelist to the choice of an expression, which would show not only the light in which Christ was viewed by those who wickedly put him to death;

But it may here be asked, How can a threatening be denounced against a man for falling away from a righteousness, which would not have saved him if he had continued in it? It does not follow because a threatening is denounced against the man who becomes an apostate, that he would have been saved in case he had not apostatized, any more than the threatening which excludes drunkards from heaven, proves all temperate men will be saved. All the unregenerate sinners in the world are comprehended in this one threatening, Except ye repent ye shall all perish. But in order more effectually to arrest the attention of an impenitent world, God has prepared a particular threatening for every kind of wickedness, to alarm the fears of all classes of sinners. They who apostatize from the faith are manifestly among his enemies. Before their apostacy, while they appear to be his friends, the threatenings which are pointed against hypocrites, belong to them; but when they become his open enemies, then the threatenings denounced against apostates overtake them.

Thus we can see how God can execute every threatening of his word, and yet keep the feet of his saints, and bring them all to glory; but we can not understand how he can fulfil all the promises he has made to them, and to their Surety concerning them, and yet suffer any of their number to fall and perish.

If, in addition to all the direct proof in favor of this Article, it can be shown to accord with those, whose agreement with the scripture is already ascertained, it will do much to confirm us in its truth. There are none of the doctrines in the system with which it is at variance; and with most of them its harmony is very apparent. Let us begin with our first two Articles: A God of infinite natural and moral attri. butes-designing by his works to make the best and most durable display of his glory. It is evident, that without intelligent creatures, God' could make no display at all; nor would his glory be displayed without the existence of creatures of a holy character; nor would its display be permanent, unless some of his creatures were to retain their holy character forever.

From the scriptures we are led to conclude, that those creatures who are recovered to holiness, will serve to make a brighter manifestation of the perfections of Jehovah, than those who were preserved from apostacy. Hence Zion, the city of the redeemed, is said to be "the perfection of beauty," the place which God hath chosen for his rest, where he will dwell forever. The church is a holy temple, builded for an habitation of God through the Spirit. Christ is glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that believe. Principalities and powers in heavenly places are to learn, by means of the church, the manifold wisdom of God. Ps. 1. 2; cxxxii. 13, 14. Eph. ii. 22; iii. 10. 2 Thess. i. 10.

but also the light in which he was now to be treated by the holy government of God. If this text must have its translation altered, lest it should seem to implicate the character of the Redeemer, we shall for the same reason, want an aleration in such texts as Isa. liii. 6, 2 Cor. v. 21, Gal. iii. 13, and Heb. ix. 28.