though, in fact, the guilt is not difperfed, but multiplied.

Fifthly, there is no knowing what lengths a multitude may go. As reafon and judgment are given up, men may be led, in the madness of party, to do things, which in a temperate hour might have fhocked the worst of them.

it

Laftly, it should be confidered, that although may be easy to avoid a multitude, yet when a man has once joined it, he cannot easily escape. He forms connections with his party; and if he leave it, he is thought a renegade by one party, and is always fufpected by the other.

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These remarks chiefly respect riotous and, lawless affemblies; but, in a degree, they affect all affociations of men that are not warranted by fome useful end.-A fermon on this subject might be preached at the time of an election.

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from this text, and others of a fimilar caft, that the elect of God, as they are called, may arrive at a finless state of perfection. The more enlightened of these fectaries, to whom this opinion is afcribed, hold it probably in fome qualified fense; though in its most unqualified fenfe, it is often held, and preached by fome enthusiastic people *.

* The following fact was related to me by a person of great truth. A fectary of this description had put an end to his own life. When some of his neighbours were lamenting his cafe to his brother, and particularly the unhappy circumstance of his going out of the world with fuch a crime on his head, "It is of no confequence," faid the other," he was fealed."

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Now

Now in opposition to this doctrine, (though to oppose it has something of the air of fighting a fhadow,) I should first observe, that it feems false -and, fecondly, that if it were only doubtful, it could answer no good end to teach it.

In the first place, it feems to be falfe. This, one fhould think, might fufficiently appear from a knowledge of ourfelves, which must be very fuperficial, if it do not convince us, that we are finful creatures-that the best of us have much to answer for at all times, either in thought, word, or deed-and very little pofitive goodness to balance against fo much fin.

The falsehood of this doctrine appears farther from the nature of a state of trial, in which the Scriptures suppose all mankind to be placed. The Chriftian life is reprefented as a ftate of continual warfare, in which we are inftructed to put on the whole armour of God-and to be always wrestling against our fpiritual enemies. It would be endless to quote all the paffages of Scripture that excite us to conftant care and watchfulness. Thefe rules are given to all without restriction; while the Gofpel promifes happiness to thofe only who endure to the end.

The

The falfehood of this doctrine appears from fact, as well as from reafoning. We have examples of fome of the greatest Scriptural characters betrayed into fin-Mofes-David-St. Peter-and many others. St. Paul fpeaks of himself as under a poffibility of being a caftaway. And fhall the modern profeffor fuppofe himself more infallible than all these eminent characters? Can he hear undismayed the text, pronouncing, Let him that thinketh he ftandeth, take heed left he fall, and not be terrified at his own prefumption?

But, fays the maintainer of this opinion, there is no contradicting a plain declaration of Scripture. St. John exprefsly fays, that whofoever is born of God doth not commit fin.

Surely not, while he continues to be born of God that is, while he is under the influence of religion. But it does not follow, that he cannot commit fin, when he is not born of God—that is, when he is not under the influence of religion.Or, if that explanation be not fatisfactory, the text certainly admits an explanation from that common mode of fpeaking among the Jews, of putting the impoffibility of a thing for the improbability of it. So that when it is faid, whofoever

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whosoever is born of God cannot commit fin, nothing may be meant, but that it is improbable.

If neither of thefe explanations please, and the literal fenfe is still infifted on, we may oppose it with other texts, which fpeak a language directly oppofite. St. John tells us, that if we fay we have no fin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. In this paffage, the apoftle not only afferts, that no man is free from fin; but by ufing the first perfon plural, feems to unite himself with finners.-The fame apoftle tells us, that the whole world lies in wickedness. And again, that in many things we offend all. And if these texts are not fufficient, we could follow them with numberless others, which either directly, or by fair implication, fay the fame thing.-Lastly, the very words of this text itfelf feem to militate against the conclufion drawn from it. Whofoever is born of God, doth not commit fin, for his feed remaineth in him—that is, because he perfeveres in the true faith. But if his feed doth not remain in him-that is, if he gives up his faith, he certainly is not born of God, but is in a capacity to commit fin.

More than enough, I think, has been faid, to fhew the doctrine of attainable perfection to be falfe,

But