Answer. 2. Precisely in the same way that you can, if the doctrine is not true. Tell me how you can be saved on your own plan, without this doctrine, and I will tell you how all the non-elect can be saved. Tell me how any sinner can be saved on your own plan, when none are elected, and I will tell you how all may be saved on my plan, when a part only are elected.

But if I am not elected, I cannot be saved, continues the objector. How can I?

Answer. 3. Sir, you do not mean as you say. You mean that you can be saved without the doctrine of election. For if this doctrine is not true, you are not elected, of course. And still, you think you can be saved, if you are not elected.

You, who do not believe this doctrine, who maintain that none are elected till they believe and become Christians, of all men, ought never to say, if I am not elected, I cannot be saved. If I am not elected how can I be saved? is a question, which all who deny the doctrine of election, are doubly bound to answer. For on their plan, this is the awful condition of every impenitent sinner.

Those who deny the doctrine of election, do not suppose that it lies at the foundation of all hope, as to the salvation of men. They suppose that any or all may be saved as well without, as with it.

If mankind are so good, and so well disposed, that they can and will become Christians without being elected, very well. I have certainly no objection to your undertaking. If you will repent, and believe, and be born again without being elected, then commence the work immediately. But if I have no such

opinion of the goodness of my heart,-if I choose to join with Paul, and attribute my faith, and repentance, and new heart to God alone-if I choose to trace all up to God's electing love, and say, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world”—“ Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace which were given us in Christ Jesus before the world began"-why should any one complain?

But if I am not elected, I cannot be saved. How can I?

Answer. 4. I do not know. That is for you to answer, who deny the doctrine. My object has been to show that if there are difficulties in admitting the doctrine, there are still greater difficulties in rejecting it.

Sinners who cannot get along with the doctrine of election, uniformly plead that they cannot get along without it.

If mankind were good enough to become Christians without being elected, then I acknowledge that this doctrine would not be necessary. That it is the duty of sinners to become Christians without being elected, I agree. But that sinners are disposed to do their duty, is not admitted.

Perseverance of the Saints.

It is said that Judas became a devil after the sop, and not before; for would the devil enter into a devil? Ans. The devil did enter into a thief, for so Judas was called, at least, six days before the devil is said to have entered into him.

Infant Depravity.

If infants sustain the same relation to the moral government of God, as brute animals, then they can no more be the subjects of prayer, of regeneration, of redemption by Christ, or of salvation, than brute animals.

Those who deny that infants are sinners, have devolved on them the Herculean task of defending the justice of God in bringing suffering and death upon millions of beings who are perfectly innocent. Those who admit the doctrine of infant depravity, have no difficulty on this subject.

How old must a child be, before he can be said to belong to the human race? When a child dies, how old must he be, before it can be said of him, that his death was by sin? in other words, before he can be considered as included in the following declaration of the apostle? "By one man, sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned."

The influence of self-interest on human belief.

To believe against personal interest, requires an honest heart. Without it, the mind will exert itself to evade the truth. It often requires but little evidence to lead to the adoption of a pleasing sentiment; while the most conclusive evidence fails to produce conviction of an unwelcome truth. E. g. The word everlasting when applied to the future punishment of the wicked, is by some explained to mean always a limited duration; but when applied to the future happiness of the righteous, it is readily admitted to denote endless duration. I know not that the latter was ever questioned. If a man were to undertake seriously to prove, that the word everlasting when applied to the happiness of the righteous, denotes only a limited duration, and when applied to the punishment of the wicked means an endless state of being, he would be pronounced a fool. And yet he would act no more irrationally than the man who adopts the opposite course of reasoning, by which so many profess to be convinced.

Hence we should exercise great caution in receiving doctrines which are pleasing to the natural heart; and equal caution in rejecting doctrines to which the natural heart is opposed.

Prayer.

Objection. I have a wicked heart, and it is an abomination for me to pray with such a heart.

Answer. Granted. It is so. But what then? Is

it not an abomination to neglect to pray? And do you think that God will accept of one abomination, in excuse for another?

Objection. What shall I do then? You tell me I must neither neglect to pray, nor pray with an impenitent heart. You leave me no choice. I expose myself to the curse either way.

Answer.

This statement is not correct. There is a course left for you to choose, and that is, to pray as God commands you. Why are you not willing to do as he commands? It is true you have no choice between neglecting prayer, and praying with an impenitent heart. The path of duty is plain.

Objection. If to neglect prayer is sin, and if to pray with an impenitent heart is sin, I wish to know which is the greatest sin?

Answer. Why do you ask such a question as this? What right have you to be balancing sins, to see which you shall choose, when your duty is plain before you ? It is of no consequence to you to have this question answered. To neglect prayer, or to pray with an impenitent heart, is abomination to God. Either course leads to hell. Of what consequence is it to the poor soul who is determined to walk in one of them, to know whether they are of equal or unequal length, when they both lead with equal certainty to destruction? Your duty is plain. You must pray with a penitent heart, or be lost.

Objection. But I cannot pray with a penitent and believing heart. I do not possess such a heart; and I cannot change my heart.

Answer. Do you mean to plead your wicked heart as an excuse? Will God who commands you to love