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Do not let us force the word all to such extremes, "lest professing ourselves to be wise, we become fools, and change the glorious truth of God into a lie;" and the "doctrine which is according to godliness," into ungodliness.

To affirm that Sin works for good to the called of God; is a stinking antinomian assertion; baneful to society; dishonouring to God, and disgraceful to the Church of Christ. "Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity."-2 TIM. ii, 19. But why depart from that which shall work for good, yea for the best?-How widely doth this doctrine differ from the word of inspiration. The word of him that cannot lie, speaks as follows:

"The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.-PRO. xvi, 17.

"The

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of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness."-PRO. xv, 9.

"The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness."--PRO. xi, 6.

"The way of the Lord is strength to the upright; but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity."

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"A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved."PRO. xii, 3.

"Righteousness exalteth a nation; but Sin is a reproach to any people."-PRO, xiv, 34.

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Unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil."-ROM. viii, 8, 9.

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"He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul." PRO. viii, 36.—Is it good for a man to wrong his own soul? Shall we still say that "Sin works for good to the called ?"

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They have done violence to the law- the pen of the scribe is in vain.”

"Oh that my people had hearkened unto me and Israel had walked in my ways!-Ps. lxxxi, 13,16.

"O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea."-Is. xlviii, 18.

"Hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways. Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed is the man that heareth

me."--PRO. viii, 32. 34.

"To this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my word." Is. lxvi, 2.

"He looketh upon men: and if any say, I have sinned and perverted that which was right and it profited me not; He will deliver his soul from going down into the pit, and his life shall see the light."-JOB xxxiii, 27, 28.

Now for my own part, I have made this confession before a heart searching God; "that I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me wot." And I still continue to make this confession :

and I confess not only to God but also to man, that in all the sins which I have committed, I cannot trace one Sin out of the countless number, that ever worked

for my personal good. But this I can say, to the honour of the great goodness of the Lord; and to his faithfulness to his word; that the Lord has graciously manifested his salvation to my soul, delivering me from going down into the pit, and my life has seen the light; even the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ; and that manifested to, upon, and in my soul, as my great and gracious Redeemer. "And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour." And, "I know in whom I have believed." And that "I have not believed cunningly devised fables."—"I know that my Redeemer liveth, and is alive for everinore." I therefore heartily recommend every poor sinner to discountenance the lying doctrine of Sin working for good; and take the language recommended in the word, "I have sinned and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not." Take with you such words, make a similar confession in spirit and in truth; and you will find gracious deliverance, and your life shall see the light. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." "For if the blood of bulls, and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God ?"-HEB. ix, 13,

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The advocates for the Exaltation of Sin, tell us,

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that Sin worked for good in the circumstances relative to Joseph. As to his being sold; tempted by his mistress; and cast into prison. Had it not been for these acts of sin (say they) Joseph could not have been brought to interpret Pharaoh's dreams, and in that case there could have been no provision made against the approaching famine; and had no provision been made against the famine, Jacob and all his posterity must have perished; and consequently the Messiah also, who was then in their loins.

They further argue and tell us, that the Sin of Nebuchadnezzar (worked for good to Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego;) in setting up the golden image, and in commanding all people to fall down and worship this image; had it not been for this Sin (say they) the men could not have been cast into the fiery furness, and had they not been cast into the fire they could not have experienced the miraculous deliverance nor could they have had the honour and advancement that succeeded.

The circumstances respecting Daniel being cast into the den of lions; and that of Peter denying his Lord and master, are also held forth to show that Sin works for good to the called. As to the good arising from Peter denying his master, it is generally so eulogized, that one might suppose Peter to have had his Apostolic qualifications from the act. After this fall (say they) Peter could bring forth the sweet sentence; "You who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation."-1 Peter, i, 5. Holding the idea as if the church was indebted to sin for the sentence. But

Paul could preach the security of God's chosen ones, as well as Peter. Hence his language, "I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."-Rom. viii, 38, 39. This language is as rich and as full as any that ever was uttered by Peter; though there is nothing on record to shew that Paul ever denied his Lord and master. Yet Paul was not a whit behind the chiefest apostle; so that such qualifications can be communicated to a man by the Spirit, without being indebted to Sin as the mean to work this good. Hence the security and final perseverance of the whole flock of God, was preached up by him "who knew no sin ;" as it is written "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them me, is greater than all; and none is able to pluck them out of my Fathers's hand.”—John x, 27, 29. This proves that the church is not indebted to Sin, for the doctrine that Peter preached. "Truth and grace came by Jesus Christ," not by Sin. "Every good gift and every perfect gift cometh down from above from the Father of lights;" not from Sin.

And as to the advancement of Joseph, Daniel, &c., being attributed to Sin as working this good, I consider it as the most unnatural pervertion; it is " 'putting darkness for light :" was there no grace and truth, no

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