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/ to N . Dear N . \ bth October . " As to the true scriptural Calvinist , he possesses all the consummation that you can hold out to him . He is
assured that every thing * will be restored to its proper place—that ^ he will find every thing in heaven a good being would wish for ; and he cannot have more . He is swallowed up in a sense of the love of God in Christ
Jesus , brimfuil , and can hold no more —is immersed in an ocean without bounds . He will be of one mind with God to all eternity ; and all creature considerations will be resolved into the glory and sovereignty of God . " Introduce me to such a man , and I will gladly give him the right-hand of
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fellowship , and acknowledge him for a true Christian . It is not quite correct in free , discussions : for one of the parties to assume the point in dispute . The question was not what Calvinists believe , but what the Bible teaches . You
always make the term Calvinist ( a modern sect ) synonymous with true believer , which was precisely the course pursued by the Papists , when reasoning with the Reformers . This is puerile and unworthy a man of sense . In speaking of the , spiritual condition of those who believe
conscientiously that the Bible teaches some things which the Calvinistie creed does not contain , and that some of the dogmas of that sect are not to be found iu the Bible , you undertake that
for wliich you are not qualified ; for you do not know the people of whom you thus judge . The Calvinists are very numerous , and , Idoubt not , that among them there are many sincere and humble Christians . The other
parties to whom you allude are earnestly desirous that a sectarian should be superseded by a more Catholic spirit : they do , not underrate the paramount importance of personal
holiness , nor treat lightly the consequences of sin ; hut they do think that the conversion of sinners i 3 more likely to be effected by scriptural representations of the love of God to mankind .
and of his justice and impartiality in his dealings with his creatures , than by those dreadful denunciations which , although they may for a while astound the faculties of men , are so opposed to every idea of the character of a
just and good Ruler , as speedily to evaporate and leave the mind void of any well-defined notions . In fact , the experiment of the doctrine of neverending punishment has been tried for ages , and has left men as hardened and as dissolute as ever . It is time
that another course should be tried , and tried it will be . , You say , " It is a great pity that while we are so anxious for the repentance of condemned spirits , we should be so little anxious for our own . " It
would , indeed , be a pity if this were the case ; but is it the case ? It pleases you to assume tli ^ t it is so . Whether or not you have judged correctly I leave with a power to whom we are all accountable .
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460 j 4 Friendly Correspondence between an Unitarian and a Calvinht .
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perceive and feel with acute anguish , horror and dismay , such deviations as , I believe , your people w 6 uld think very little of ; and as respects spiritual affections and desires , I cannot see how ; it is possible that the two sects can harmonize . This applies to partially awakened Calvinists .
True Calvinists do not exult over the finally impenitent and their doom , but tremblingly say , " 1 am by nature and conduct under the same tremendous liability , but hope I have found a sure refuge . I am taught the evil of , sin by this awful exposure . He
will offer salvation to every true penitent ; leaving it to God to judge as to the . nature of the repentance of the individual . But this is swerving from the avowed object of this paper , which
is intended to be confined to thorough awakenings , quickenings and enliglitenings , and real spirituality of affection . You will , I suppose , say that your sect are truly spiritual . I do not remember to have ever seen one
that I thought to be so according to the definition of scripture . There seems to be a great difference as respects convictions of righteousness and of holiness ; and between convictions as to sufferings or liability
to suffer , and conviction of the evil of sin , both which can only be spiritually discerned by supernatural light of the Holy Ghost . This must be sought for on both sides , and as soon as that is the case I believe the
discussion respecting future dispensations will be superseded and left to God .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Aug. 2, 1824, page 460, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2527/page/12/
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