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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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that all things will issiie well , fhat all human beings will eventually be happy * The language of metaphor seems to be almost exhausted by the sacred writers , to convey to our minds the most beautiful and touching images pf the Divmfe goodness . He is our
Father , He is Jove itsfclf . . He deliyhtetk to do us good ; He preserves us as the apple of his eye ; He is a strength to the poor , a strength to the needy , a refuge from the storm , and a shadow from the heat * Foi what purpose now is all this language used ? In rftockery
and in sport ? Impossible—it must be meant to coftvey to our minds the truths orf which it is f > feiniy srtid forcibly descriptive . If other notions of God * had been designed , why had not
pther terms been used ? Why adopt il \ e strongest possible language the other way ? But Ao due denies , it may be mid , that Qo& is infinitely good and infinitely riiercifui ; not in vfords it is true . In the face of the can fool
Scri ^ tur ^ s no be ehbugh to say literally and directly that God fg cru ^ k that God is unj ust , > that God is tyrabnical ; but yiet rhtetr ftaVe not be £ n afraid of attributing conduct to God tfahich is citalel , which is unjust ,
which is tyrannical * Words are , or ought to be , the signs of ideas . In any fxartsafctibh betWefen man and rn&n , if language were used by one party itt a s'gnse not undieirstooct by the other * , or in a sense different from that in coihmon' us& and so w £ re the
rilearis of deceiving him , it would be r ^ egardfed as an act of treachery and fraud . I am told of such a man , that he is a kind , indulgent , affectionate parent ; 6 f course I expect to discover in his behaviour clear indications of his
kindndss and affection j but I witness in his actions the reverse of all this ; I see him exercising towards his childVe ' n the greatest rigour and cruelty . Aid I then to be imposed upon by mere words ? No , words will weigh
nothing with me" against facts 3 my judgment is decided n 6 t by What has been said , blit by vtfh&fc is done ; and though tlie l&hguag ^ of flattery may still be addressed to hitii , thtalgh He ittfcV still bi ^ called a kind rnl d aff ^ ctlm % t <* ' parent , I set liim doWri ih rfiy O ^ rlrtiiad its at mWi ^ er , atttf a dis * grm&tv thfe ritttUr * xtftich hk * Bfeshrsl Nt > v <* itp&f thlf rift&irihg to ttf ^ cit ^
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racfer of God . He is described fi ^ Scripture not only as the besi ^ but sis the mercifullest of Beings , as the lover of souls , as one to whom judgment is a strange work , afs a tender parent giving good things to his children Wtid ask him for them , as mourning 1 aver the absence of his disobedient and
wandering child , antd then , wheri he sees him coming towards hirti W ^ epi ^ rng and penitent , eager to receive hVtfi back to his love ; and yet , notwithstanding all this , some men \ ftoUfd
persuade us that for the errors' of this short life , the great ttitotesrof mankind are to be doomed to ^ xcruciiatiiVg , uninterrupted , everlasting formentW . Fticredibfe , impossible i Every particle of reason within us becomes vocal and
exclaims against it 5 every feeltngf of the heart rises up in indignation , ^ ad cries out , it cannot be , for then Goil would be cfudl , for then G ^) d \ voulfi be unjust . It is therefore falsfe . God is faithful and cannot deny himself . In this way it is that I dedu £ 6 tBS great and itnport ^ tit doctrine of € 6 ii final salvation' or restitution of alif
mankind . Whatever previbiis' sufferings the sinner maty lirtdergo , however long and dreadftilly severe fh&f may be , still if the Scripture a ^ ccodtit * of Christ's kingdom and of thd character of God be correct ^ if language oyed
be not ^ m ^ l to deceive : u $ T ih& time will c 6 nde when these suffMti g ^ « hdll have ati e ^ iid , aiid one rnagnifitdnt scene of virtue and of hatpin ess h ^ unfoldisd to our viidW .
But hbw f it rtia'y be asked , doi ^ s flife conclusion accord vvith tli ^ state of things as actually existing before oiir eyes ? Here are pains and evils and
sufferings , here justice does not alwtty ^ triumph , nor truth always succeed . Often does piety irioirrh in secret atitf virtue bleed in public . Why then da you not cohdluffe from this appointitient of Providence , that God is itdtf
infinitely good and merciftll ? For this plain , obvidus reasdii ^ -thisit h £ rS we s ^ e only a part , and but a v ^ ry * small purt of the ftefld of Provirffenc ^ . If vve could see the \** i ole , th ^ y ^ hol ^ W £ shotiM fjfbhduiicd ' td be go 6 d ; th ^ r < iitd would justify ih £ meanJ ^ , territt ^ in
ftiify evil w" 6 uld b ^ absorbed etertiat goddi Tlie ^ ye which noft ^ tKrbufth 4 ^ gU ^ y darkly ; 4 dfeaiikfed of its e * ttKly * flfcii > * & $ ^ W its pd ^* ST # vi ^ ioh strWfBlf ^ ied ahd eular ^ if t 4
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Mi * . Madge on the Doctrine affinal Restitution . Sr > 3
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1818, page 563, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2480/page/27/
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