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the kingdom to God, even the Father, that God may be all in all, and universal goodness, virtue, and happiness prevail for ever?

What a glorious and happy consummation will this be! How fully will it reconcile the ways of God to man, and convince us that all his attributes are in perfect unison with each other! Under this view of the Divine government, the Gospel is indeed good news to all mankind. It is the religion, and the only religion, that can be universal; the religion, and the only religion, which, to use your own words, gives to a creature who has sinned and broken his Maker's laws, a foundation on which he can stand at the tribunal of his judge; the religion, and the only religion, which can meet the necessities of fallen man, for it meets and completely provides for the necessities of them all, and is intended ultimately to make them all supremely and everlastingly happy.

It is the most beautiful, as well as beneficent system, that the warmest wishes of mankind could ever have aspired to, could they have formed a conception of it, before it descended from Him who is the Father of lights, and the giver of every good and perfect gift. Its nature and character designate it as having emanated from Him whose most distinguished attribute is universal benevolence, who delights to represent himself as Love itself, as the Father and Friend of all his rational offspring. How delightful is it to consider

ourselves as living under the administration of such a glorious and beneficent Sovereign as this, who is continually pouring forth upon us a rich profusion of his bounties, who crowneth us with loving kindness and tender mercies, who is always watching over us for our good, and never even punishes us but for our own benefit! Whilst the warm glow of gratitude and devotion dilates our breasts, we can repose all our cares upon him who careth for us; and if any who are at present very near and dear to us, should wander from his ways, and notwithstanding our most ardent wishes and anxious endeavours to bring them back again to God and virtue, by going out of this world unreformed, render themselves the subjects of punishment in a future state, the desolating sense of despair on their account, which is the most distressing of all feelings, which we cannot experience for a moment without misery, can never invade our bosoms, because we know that every one of them shall at last, each in his own order, be made perfect through sufferings, and be advanced to a state of never-ending felicity, which will make the greatest sufferer of them all rejoice with joy unspeakable, that this gracious Creator, the Supreme Governor of the Universe, was pleased to call him into existence; that he might finally make him a partaker of a state of happiness, compared with which, the previous misery inflicted upon him for his own benefit and that of others, will be as nothing, but be swallowed up and lost in the

enjoyment of the glories of that heavenly kingdom, into which all shall have been admitted, and in which God will be all among all.

Is it to be wondered at, then, that we who entertain these views of the character and government of the Supreme Being, and of his gracious designs towards ourselves and our fellow men, should bind them to our hearts, and cherish them as heavenly treasures; that they should be present to us when we lie down, and when we rise up, sweetening the cup of life and filling our minds continually with the highest gratitude, veneration, and love, for him who hath promised to bestow such invaluable benefits upon us?

Now unto him the blessed and only potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who only hath immortality, dwelling in light inaccessible, whom no man hath seen, or can see, to Him be honour and dominion for ever.

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Having brought this long letter to a conclusion, I subscribe myself once more, sincerely wishing you every happiness,

My dear Sir,

T

Yours most truly.

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