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good and the evil which seem to exist in this world stand in relation to each other as fixed and ultimate qualities;—and the purpose of these reasonings has been to evince, that, even on this supposition, the amount of good which is presented to us by this portion of the Divine kingdom, still predominates over the quantity of evil.

But the supposition on which these reasonings have proceeded, by no means affords a fair view of the actual arrangements of the Divine kingdom, even in so far as this world is concerned. For it is not simply evil placed in opposition to good, and existing as an ultimate appearance, that we see, -but evil flowing into good,—or subservient to it,

-or operating as an instrument of its production. It is not an end even in this world, but a mean ;· and when the arrangements of Providence are viewed in this light, it is plain that our impression of the benignity of the principles which pervade these arrangements must be enhanced to an incalculable amount, or rather, that evil, even in so far as this portion of the Divine kingdom is concerned, assumes an entirely new and different aspect.

Thus the course of Providence subjects every man, during the progress of life, to hard trials,—and to

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sore perplexities or sufferings;-but these also are capable of being made,-and in the progress of events are usually made,-instrumental in fixing him in a better condition, or in giving him altogether a higher character than, previous to their infliction, he enjoyed.

Thus also the follies and errors of men themselves entail on them, in the course of life, many distresses, or lead them into sore and long perplexities, but these also have in them a regenerating power, of which it is the business and the privilege of man to avail himself;—and when he so uses them, they become to him not evils but blessings, -by serving as a warning against the continuance of his sins, and by establishing him in greater purity and firmness of spirit.

Generally, the troubles and difficulties which we encounter in the earlier periods of life, assume, in almost every case, when we have had time to trace their effects, or when we look back on their consequences from any of the more advanced stages of our journey, the appearance not of evils, but of kind though hard means of promoting our eventual good; and thus universally the plan of Providence, even in so far as this world is concerned, is

to bring "good out of evil,”—or rather to employ what we call evil as an instrument of promoting our welfare.

In by far the greater number of cases we can actually trace their progress ;-and if there be some instances in which we cannot follow our sufferings to their remote consequences in good,-this is only what might have been expected from the relation which all the parts of our present history have to a greater and future plan which is yet to be evolved,and which holds us in intimate connexion, not only with the arrangements of many greater worlds, but with the revolutions of ages, to the extent of which our imaginations can assign no limit.

Now, this is a view of the present appearances of "the kingdom of God," even in that portion of it which we witness, which it is of great importance that we should make familiar to our minds,—and use as a solution of all the difficulties that may meet our view;-for it throws a new and beautiful light over all the arrangements in the midst of which we now find ourselves;-it is fitted to make us cheerful and thankful even in the midst of the severest dispensations that may affect either our own fortunes or those of our fellow-men ;-it will dispose us to

cherish a warmer admiration of the character of that Being, who not only makes "goodness and mercy at all times to follow us," but who can render even evil but a mean of good;-and, finally, it will serve as a beautiful intimation of the connexion in which our present abode is placed with the arrangements of that far more extensive order in which all evil will be more clearly seen leading to progressive and ever-increasing good.

It conspires, therefore, with all the views we have previously exhibited, in satisfying us, that, amidst all the apparent evils and disasters of life, we are still under the government of a good and gracious Being, or are still subjects of his universal kingdom.

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THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD, IN THAT PART OF IT WHICH IS EXPOSED TO OUR VIEW, IS A KINGDOM OF GRACE, OR OF FORGIVENESS TO SINNERS.

Perhaps this is the most characteristic and peculiar of all the features by which that portion of the universal kingdom, with the arrangements of which

we are at present more immediately connected, is distinguished, for it presupposes the existence of that evil, respecting the nature and amount of which we have discoursed in the preceding sections ;—and it throws a character of deep and affecting interest, from the remedy which it suggests for this evil, over the whole aspect of our situation in existence.

The sentiment, we have said, which lies at the foundation of this peculiarity, is that of every man being a sinner;-or the feeling, that, be his character or his attainments, in other respects, what they may, he is still conscious that, in the interesting words of revelation, he is essentially "guilty before God."

Philosophers, indeed, have attempted to trace the causes of this feeling to circumstances in the original constitution or peculiar situation of the human being;—and it is probable, that if we could take into view all the circumstances that have contributed to make every human being what he is, or if we could extend our vision over the whole range of his history, we should perceive that sin, in every case, is but the necessary condition of a creature who is encompassed with infirmity,—and liable to error,— and beset with temptations;—and that when viewed

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