Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-08-07

preseht to reasons eye every feature OF
truth, and this noble faculty mast De
obscured by the delirium of the senses,
nay, if possible, ex.inguished, before "a
nv rational doubt. can. be entertained OF
The authenticity ofthe prophetic and a.
pos,oIic writings. When once the
proofs Of these are established, which IS
readily done, then man perceives him
self to be tributary being, and bound
to his Creator by the strongest ues both
o! r.stice aud gratitude.
He sees within himself, and IN every
thing around him, FIRE sh motives tor at
tac...ag himself without reserve to God,
and for houoring him. by that worship
which he has ordained. In vain now arc
the ,musmurs of the reluctaat passions,
the rebellion Of the senses, and the per-
plexf,ies Of uncertainty. The soul thinks
and combines for herself and quickly
discovers, that through faisA ALONE we
are bound, aud enabled to adore a Being
altogether incomprehensble, Thus our
reason, (f the expression nay be allow
ed,) is then only rational, when 1t fills
u. with silent admiration, and profound
humility in the presence of the Eternal,
convincing us at the same time, that all
the specu!ations which have been ba-
zarded on this subject, have ended in
nothing bat obscurity and doubt. What,
| in fact. have those philosophers taught
US, who, in the pride of their hearts,
have presumed to be the Legislators of
! mankind Some haze classcd US with
the most unseemly add ferociouS AMI
mas while others have regarded US
only as parts Of an inert, aud senseless
Divinity identified with matter. But,
alas these thoughtless mortals refuse
to consider, that when Being essenti.
oily Infinite is the subject ofour medita;
tons, reason is justified in admitting
incomprehensible truths, though not in
her efforts to conceive of this Great
Being himself.
tbs not reason, then, but the perver-
sion of lhi, faculty, that delivers Us over
to sophistry and absurdity Thelanguage
Of reason is consistent, when we listen
to no other, & to stop at the limits which
her Greater has assigned her, she deems
more conducive to her glory, than to
wander through the frighsful void, in
which pride and presumption are always
bewildered. Our obligations to God,
are therefore, so palpabe, that we must
be deaf to the voice of conscience before
we can plead any exemption from them.
But this moral deafness alas too gene
rally prevails. Most men are too occu-
pied, or too dissipated, to listen either to
inspiration or rerorse. They live as
if their lives were under their own con-
troll; and their desires are such, as would.
seem to connect their accomplishment
with the sole end Of human existence.
They fnndly affect to be ignorant, that
God possesses an absolute right over
every thought and sentiment Of man
that to him we owe the entire sacrifice
of our men tai attainments, & animal APP
De,i,es, when either of them would be-
tray Us and that in our quality Of i'm.
mortal substances, we cannot draw a
breath, without some reference to Him.
Ard yet, can man cast one look upon
himself. without consciousness OF his
de pendence and frailty! God, like the
sun, and man, like the shadow, appear to
move on in some degree, together; but
the light of the former, is alone imPor-
tant. i,nparting body as 1t were, even to
shadow itself Our reason possesses
nei,her discrimination nor precision, on
ly SO Tar as it emanates from the creating
Spirit, who preserves and anImates our
being It's in God only, the centre and
lulhess Of all truth, that we car disco
yer the science Of numbers, as St. Aa.
justine has observed; and If from them
VIC advance to the contemplation OF CO.
lors, and the other objects OF our senses,
we are Immediately convinced, that In.
,lependen,ly of US, there exists a harmo-
nv in them all. which is neither arbitrary
nor fictitious but is the spring OF what
ever regales and delights us. Thus re-
minded every moment, If the impress
sion of omnipotence, the soul Places
chief happiness in acknowledging It's re.
atty, and admiring its perfections. On
every mind. this truth is'impressed by
reason that the present state Of exist
ence cannot constitute the sole end aud
happiness OF mau, and that of course, 1t
is his duty, by an innocent and holy lite,
20 secure reversion Of more solld and
lasting felicity. All cur obligations to
God, may be reduced to one head: and
that is love. Reason continually deli
vers this lesson. She proclaims with
voice loud and ineligible, that he who
ha. made all things in US, and for US, x
who is 10 be at last ourgreat reward. CAM
not be forgotten, without guilt OF the
bl cke.t die; and since from him alone,
We receive the capacity OF loving. every
attachment Of our hearts should bear
some reference to him, as our creator
and Bcnefactor.
~ Gcd ~ Fl