2. As to the case of Solomon; that he once was a true believer is allowed on both sides; for it is said concerning him, soon after he was born, that _the Lord loved him_, 2 Sam. xii. 24, 25. upon which occasion he gave him that significant name, Jedidiah, the beloved of the Lord; and it is certain, that in the beginning of his reign, his piety was no less remarkable than his wisdom, as appears from his great zeal, expressed in building the temple of God, and establishing the worship thereof; and also from that extraordinary instance of devotion with which he dedicated or consecrated the house to God, 1 Kings viii. 1. & _seq._ and the prayer put up to him on that occasion, and also from God’s appearing to him twice: in his first appearance he condescended to ask him, what he would give him? and upon Solomon’s choosing, _an understanding heart_, to judge his people, he was pleased with him, and gave him several other things that he asked not for; so that there were _not any among the kings like unto him_, chap. iii. 5, 9, 10, 12, 13. from all this it is taken for granted, that he once was a believer: but, on the other hand, we must, if we duly weigh the force of the objection, set the latter part of his life against the former, in which we find him guilty of very great sins; not only in multiplying wives and concubines, beyond what any of his predecessors had done, but in that _his heart was turned away after other gods, and_, as it is expressly said, _was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David, his father_, chap. xi. 4. And it is also said, that _the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared to him twice_, ver. 9. and on this occasion he determined to rend part of the kingdom from his son, ver. 13. which came to pass accordingly; and all this is said to have been done _when he was old_, ver. 4. And after this we read of several that were _stirred up as adversaries_ to him, ver. 14, 23, 26. And in the remaining part of his history we read of little but trouble and uneasiness that he met with; and this seemed to continue till his death, of which we have an account in 1 Kings xi. chapter throughout, which contains the history of his sin, and troubles; and we read not the least word of his repentance therein; for which reason he is supposed, in the objection, to have apostatized totally and finally.