Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-07-24

June.
The history before US teaches US how
apt men are t. deceive themselves, no"
little We know of our own faults and fol-
lies, and how frequently we condemn
others for such things as we practice
ourselves A man of Dayid's natural
good sense & understanding, must have
known, that adultery and murder were
most heiDous crimes-must have known
that he had committed them, and there
by incurred the divine displeasure. But
conscience, when it has not power to
prevent, loses also frequently the power
to award the immediate punishment oil
the crime. 10 this case, David had at
least some how palliated the matter to
his conscience, and centrived to for,iiy
his peace; for it does not appear from
the relation, that he had felt any remorsc
or testified the least ,contrition. Nay,
when Natban was sent to rcProve him,
and in the ingenious parable before Us,
represented bis picture, he did not con-
ceive that it was his own resemblance.
But reason and justice compelled him
at once to pronounce the sentence OF
condemnation upon one who had thus
outraged every principle of law, honor,
humanity and religion. AS the Lord
liveth, the man that hath done this thing
shall surely die" Such is the self-love
of man, such the deceptive Influence of
sin, such the cloud which it casts over
the intellectul vision, that he could not
discern his likeness, until the Prophet
added 'Thou art the man %
The poet has well said, "The proper
study Of mankind is man Man is so
much engaged in surveying the world "a
broad, that he has no leisure, and still
less inclination to contemplate that little
world within, where are displayed in
miniature all the scenes which are trans
acting upon the great theatre of the
globe If man were to write book
upon the eccentricities of the human
mind, be could not find more copious
theme for the Illustration of his subject
than the self. same medley of ignorance
and knowledge that is to be found in the
same person. Men strangely impose
upon themselves in the most material
articles of life, and are as quick-sighted
to spy out another's failings as they are
blind to their own. II is no unusual
thing TO hear the covetous declaiming a
gainst covetousness, and the great deal
ers in scandal and defamation pouring
their maledictions on those who are So
wicked as to do the same things towards
others. Some persons are so conceItcd
in themselves and others, that they will
hardly allow themselves at any time to
be wrong. a man is commonly his own
greatest admirer; and It often happens
that they shall set the highest value on
themselves, who have the least reason TO
value themselves at all. W. hear of in
famotis conduct, and pronounce sentence
upon the perpetrstor, without consider
ing that we may be guilty OF the same
crime.
Fer with regard to the crimes now un-
der consideration-althoueh there be
none who read this, that are guilty OF
the overt act of adultery or murder, yet
may they possess, in the sight of tina Be-
ing who sees into every heart, those en-
bryos of iniquty, those dispositions Of
seasuaiity and hatred, which are equally
displeasing in his sight. Such Is the vi.
sionary enjoyment Of sensual m,n,whose
thoughts traverse the forbidden paths of
folly, where, though the phantom be al
nv, vet does this dream of sensuality dc.
rive itself from no imaginary corruption,
but from a real distemper OF the mind
inordinate desires and affections. Such
is the secret anger, such the malice oil
the heart which sits brooding over envi-
Gus or revengeiul desire, which 1t con-
trives within itself. and seems TO execute
up9n its enemies. Harmless and limo.
cent as these dispositions may seem,
which spend themselves in imaginary
mischief and pleasure, yet they spring
from a root of bitterness within, and
prove heart not right in the sight OF
God Human judicatures must deter
mine hy the action, but God will Judge
by the dispositions of man; and in the
great day Of accounts, men will De over
whelmcd with the crimes which they not
only never committed, but of which they
did not think themselves capable. They
shall come out as from an smbuscade,
4 numerous host. " 0 my God, said
the great Augustine, +" could bat see
myself as / shall be seen in that day
could ! despoii myself of those Preju-'
dice. which blind me, and mistrust tAoss
examples which confirm me (; could |
strip myself of that self love which now
H,tters me; what measures would | not
adopt, to sustain the manifestation of that
day when Thou shalt reveal the con-
sciences Of men"
We learn from the case of David, tina,
if ne who was so guilty could deceive