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respects our own merits , to plead g-uilty . But the last wefrd must be , Let us pray , and continue instant in prayer , and continue to do so % o the end .
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ItoN . Dear N . 13 th October . I have pleasure in repeating what t have formerly said , that Christians of the Calvinist profession do manifest a degree of piety towards God , and of
zeal in doing good to man , whieh are very exemplary * I hold the persons of these people in high respect . The dogma against which I am opposed , is not the peculiar doctrine of the Cal-^ rinistg , but that which has unhappily tainted Christian Churches of all
denominations * with a few exceptions . St . Paul expressly says that the grand mystery of the restitution of all things "is to be testified in due time ; or , according to a revised translation , is a testimony for its proper season : that season is now at hand . One cheering sign of its approach , is the cordial union of all sects of Christians for the
purpose of extending the knowledge of divine truth to all the nations of the earth . I have just read with greafc pleasure a report of the proceedings of the Southampton Bible Society . The Chairman , Sir George Rose , said , he was attached to the Bible Society , on
account of the charitable spirit of ¦ co-operation which it aimed to secure among Christians of different parties and of different opinions on minor points . Its tendency was to fraternize the whole Christian Church , and to uptake all parties active in promoting one great object , amicable rivalry 3
and brotherly affection . * In another speech , adverting to the discouraging report of the Abb 6 Dubois , respecting the progress whieh has been made in converting the Hindoos , he says , ** If he ( the Abb £ ) had read and believed the prophecies , he must have perceived and believed that the whole world is
destined to come under the spiritual dominion of Chri&t . " Such a faith as this is undoubtedly well calculated to animate the exertions of Christians ; and the man who cordially holds it > is
prepared to hope and expect that so powerful a principle as the lave of Christ will eventually triumj h over sin and misery , wherever they may be found . The leaven will continue to
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work until the whole shall-to leavened . Such is the nature and design of Christ ' s kingdom , that wherever sin has . abounded , it will conquer and su « perabound ; for this end Christ both died and rose and revived , that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living . "
The belief of this revealed mystery will not , as you justly observe , affect the statq of the dead , nor influence the Divine decrees ; but , nevertheless , it does affect the mind of him that
believes it , because it strengthens his confidence in the love of God , it excites a feeling of joy at the prospect of the triumph which awaits the kingdom of Christ , and it is calculated to
excite charity towards the human race at large , as eventual partakers of the blessings of the gospel . This is the utility of the doctrine . To be deprived of this hope would be a serious injury to me 5 but I do not say that you may not be able to enjoy a sense of the Divine favour , although the truth in question is hidden from your eyes .
With respect to the words for ever , everlasting and eternal , as applied in the English Version of the Bible to future punishment , I need not deem it necessary to advert to them , because you know that the original words do
not convey the idea of endless duration ; and that even in the English Bible the words are actually applied to many things which , it is admitted on all hands , have or will come to an end . I now close all that I intend to
say upon the subject . You still insinuate that I have not sought for a knowledge of the truth by prayer . Private devotion is a thing not to be boasted of , and I shall not
say a word more respecting it , than that H ^ who heareth and answereth prayer knows , and will hereafter make manifest , who they are that seek him .
With respect to the exercise of reason in matters of faith , to which you appear to object , I venture to challenge you to produce a single passage of Scripture that forbids it . I am well aware that much is said as
to the temper of mind in which our inquiries should be conducted ; namely , that we should , like little children , ( free from pride , malice and anger , ) apply our minds to learn the truth . No man is against reason until he finds reas&n against Mm . Some men
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458 A Friendly Correspondence between an Unitarian and a Calmn iu *
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Aug. 2, 1824, page 458, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2527/page/10/
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