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THE

OR

Philanthropift's Museum.

INTENDED

CHIEFLY AS AN ANTIDOTE

AGAINST

THE ANTICHRISTIAN DOCTRINE

OF

ENDLESS MISERY.

VOL. II.

Behold, I make All things new. REV. xxi. 5.

London:

PRINTED FOR THE EDITOR, W. VÍDLER;

AND SOLD BY

TEULON, No. 100, Houndfditch; and PARSONS, Paternofter Row,

1798.

1062

88

--(1488)

2074

1778

PREFACE ✓ 2

TO THE SECOND VOLUME.

A

6

T this conclufion of the fecond year of our Mifcellany, we look back and bless the Father of Mercies with heart-felt gratitude, that He has brought us hitherto, and helped us thus far. Our work was begun in weakness, and we have had fhame, poverty, and reproach to ftruggle with; but we have perfevered, and ftill mean to persevere: teftifying, That the living God is the (foter) Reftorer of all men, especially of thofe that believe.' In oppofition to this fcripture teftimony, we fee on the one hand our Calvinift brethren declaring that God doth not love all; but that he made the greater part to be endless monuments of his implacable vengeance: and on the other hand our Arminian brethren declaring the love of God to all; but admitting his final failure of restoring all. The God of the former, is great in power and wifdom; but capricious in his conduct, and deficient in goodness: Who that views this character can fincerely love it? The God of the latter, is exceeding good; but deficient in power and wifdom: Who can truft fuch a being? If, therefore, Calvinifts and Arminians both love and truft the Deity, it is not under the characters which their several systems afcribe to him; but they are constrained to hide the imperfections which their views caft upon him, and boast of a God whofe highest glory their several schemes will not admit of. We are happy that our feeble labours have had some fuccefs, and that the veil which has covered the divine character-through the errors of modern fashionable fyftems of religion-has, in measure, been removed: and that the glory of God has fhone forth on many minds, in the face of Jefus Chrift. Truth, however long it may be obfcured, will finally be triumphant; it will make its way, in fpite of the united influence of force and fraud; it will enlighten the earth, and blefs mankind with its benign and cheering influence.

The Univerfal caufe, though still comparatively feeble, is increafing in numbers, learning, and refpectability. A witnefs to its truth has lately appeared among the Epifcopal Clergy, in the perfon of Mr. John Brown, M. A. late of Sidney Suffex College, Cambridge, who, in the present year, has published an Effay on the fubject. Our correfpondents alfo are increasing, and we take this opportuuity to exprefs our gratitude to them in general; and efpecially to our friend, Mr. Richard Wright, Paftor of the Univerfal Church at Wif beach, whofe acceptable labours have formed no inconfiderable part

of

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