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^ MKjP 4 SSfjk ^ isss ^ mf % &ifi - w& ILjW ^ nliw wfelli t $ i $ f W ^ MJr tri ^ fefct , and in feotfi dSfes ^ lM- irietfti 6 iigbt to " derive a lustre ft ^^ li ^ feWfe . ^ ft ii 4 idt % fiy ^ iafr ttotf fhe tfonvicturn of tfitf ^ fevMiBVf : iD *; ilrtse jmn
istimWits shdWld 1 * £ fefr $ atrftn ^ ly Mt , * o * ivg ' ffiffiS ' r | att& * r to b&i £ ve that their a < nittfti < $ s WifP faf ^ ilfeeed ^ all Mrfehly paitisV ^ 5 < fe 3 fclifcrer are many minds oii vfrhicKth& stftotrfas ^ of fear , produeed ; tff this cdhvict& 4 h ' , will have a ifr&re lastfhfir atid ' praetieal effect than of ho wil
die ; ' wtfttiE ^ ttW afte ' pe . I l menffbti ; ti ^ ca stes ; however , most ptot ^ bly : of * ito uncommon oee u& . n $ & , m wMch the ieelings fcbovem ^ ntiotted al ^ e inj ariaus to the caus e of vittue , arid therefore hostile to the triiespidt of Cbristlaiiitjr .
E The first case I have in view is otie in Which repeated attempts to oveteqiite habits of vice , iq whieH time and neglect have given unusual strength , ta ^ e entirety mitedi and the a ^ roacWng clos e of l ife precludes the hopfe Uiat , in this world , tfre dfeejkly - seated stain may be wasbed avvay . 'The epihrtion resaltaf su ^ i a
conjuttcttire wotild be despbtf ; ^ and tins despair would ^ ithef give feinh to an litter recklessness of th ^ future , and concentrate all the powers of th « mihd on the ptirsuit 6 f present enjoymerit , of , wftieh id nearly as deplora-Me , ivbiild iirei ^ h down with melan *
chdty airid iitdbleiJt dejection a-mind whteh ¦ : x vith its gltirkras destiny , ought : to be Ml of lifei md activity , and hope : But if fatwe punishments be vieived as Another instance of the pa ^ f f ? al sii ^ rifiitettdenee 6 f the Divine wmg , Ml as a final means of fitting
men for the tmSpeiakable happiness whlcIi he ' has in store for them , despair £ fres p } aee to gratitude . The certsirity that no bad habits are irre-Mie diabfy fixed , all beinjf destined at S « rtre period to t > e eradicated W ^ everywjind , stimulates the desire fw improvement ; hope still rewui
* her > late , nKimatrng every effort , btrengtheni ^ every exertion , and contXl ? ? ^ ever y failure . I can con-^ ot sudi a man as I have descri bw ; i * f ntttSlih * more « han doubtful waitare agaitist his own bad passions , whJu « * i e > f P « etation of ihe time ie a release from the temptations xxi
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of the worM and tlie afee ^ je < st m mean * of MfAr ^^ lg ^ e ^ Wg& ^ m with what additional punish m ^ ts it may ptefitse ^ his Heavenly PftU ^ i-1 # inflict , Mrill ^ ecessfully co-op ^ itate in pr ^ TuciW ff the eonstoteati ^ | lr i ^ vliich his spirit lort ^ si ftfr ftMStokg death with resignation , though h&
knows that suffering % vill be ifej tiil ^ mediate consequence , the glorious object of this infliction imparting ; to it , with -all Atn severity and gi 0 <^ m 5 : the aspect of a messenger df We ;;
This power of the d 6 etrinhe ttndet consideration will , I think , appear very important to all Who liave fflt the necessity of hope , as a suppariiiigf ajid anirti ^ ting etement of virtuous resolutions .
II . The second instance in which this rational view of futm * e punishments may be of cdnsiderable practical Utility is , the death of-one whose lyfe * bti& Uetn ^ pea t , Chough not in absolute dieptavffy , gtitl with none of those- intent d ^ siFtes after
improvement atid tMt frequent and strict self-examination which experience prdv ^ -to be the onty efficacious means ef corr ^ Jtmg vicious habits artA > cottotcracting' evil tendencies . In thte case the pastor wba attends the bed of death cannot
conscientiously give hopes that death will be immediately followed by a state of bliss , yet fears to disturb ^ at so critical a moment , the complacent tranquillity with which this result is anticipated . Here , it appears to ' ine ^ an open avowal of the painful
consequences which are likely td f < A £ ow the departure froin this world , accompanied by a distinct explanation of the purpose of this punishment , would be a means , probably the ouly means , of
making- the few last moments of life subservient to the future welUbeing of the dying person . One who should enter ou the discipline of a future retribution with his inind composed by the assurance that all will conduce to
his greatest good > and grateftil to God for thus caring for him , would be much more fitted to experience the benefits of the infliction tjian he who fondly expects enjoyment , but meets
with misery , or dies full of apprehension , and meets his reward with unwillingness , terror and ' despair * I nm perhaps wrong in supposing thfct tfii& method of fitting- the mind for th ^
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TWBw ^ ti&yf' Utoivtti&W W& » r < M < h . W& ,
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1826, page 533, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2552/page/25/
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