Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-05-15

2 u -. n
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my sossl ioass
The author Of our nature has I'M
planted IN our frame nervous system
which being cxquisitely sensible' teaches
us, instinctiyely what we should avoid as
being hurtful and destructive. This is
mound and barrier to guard US from
danger, and he who oyerlcaps or breaks
through it, is an enemy to his own lille.
and happiness. In likesmanner He has
endowed us with a moral sensibillty-
Having been placed here for great and
noble purposes, virtue is the law of our
nature. This being the great rule in the
moral world, God has enforced it in va.
rious ways. He hath given US a sense
or faculty, which viewing actions IN
themselves, without regard to their Cone
sequences, approves or disapproyes OF
them. He has endowed US with another
sense, witch passes sentence upon &C
tons according to their Consequences
in society: and He has given usa third
which, removing human actions from
life and the void altogether, carries
them 10 hig her tribunal. The first,
which Is the moral sense, belongs to rs
rs individuals, and is instructive in all
It's operations. The second, which is
the sense of utility, belongs to us as
members Of society, is directed in its
operations by reason and passes sentence
upon actions accol ding to their favorable
or pernicious influence on the public
good. The third, which is conseieneeS'
belongs to us as subjects of the divine
government, is directed in its operations
by The word, Of God, and considers hui
man actions as connected with future
state of rewards and punishments. 1t
is this which properly belongs to reli-
gion. Upon this faculty of conscience
the happiness or misery of mankind es-
sentiaiIy depends.
Tie power of conscience is seen in
all men it is common to all countries
and TO all religions; to the learned and
unlearned, to rich and poor it is IN
essential character of r.tional mind,
and therefore to man who is rational
creature, it is natural. When We have
offended wiltully against our sense of
good and evil, conscioncs never fails to
torment and reproach US with the appre-
tensions of evil and misery 20 befal Us !;
and although nature has not furnished
US with distinct knowledge Of The mi
sory prepared for the wicked, yet na.u-
rsl conscience gives every wicked nan
an expec,a,isa Of it.
These natural fears of conscience arc
also rational fears: there are some fears
planted in Us for wise purposes, which
yet our reason will teach Us to overcome
Such is the natural fear Of death all
men have ii, but the more we consult
our reason and religion about it, the less
will our fear be; they will fornish our
mind with comfort against this terror
and enable US TO expect it with calmness
and tranquility of mind. But the case
is otherwise with the fears of guilt; The
more we advise With our reason, the
better ground we shall find for these
fears; the more we consult the priDcI-
Piles Of religion, the more certainly
shall we be persuaded that the fears of
the guilty are no decisions, but real ter.
rors. How then shall We escape these
tcrrors, which nature, reason and reli.
gion have bound upon the guilty mind
.ith so strong cords?
1t is possible to shake eff the rever-
ence. but not the dread Of a Deity. A.
mid the gay circle of bis companions,
in the hour of riot and dissipation, the
fool may say in his heart there is no
God; but conscience will meet him
when he is alone, and tell hin that he is
a liar. Judge then how dismal must
the situation be for subject of the d.
vine government to consider himself as
orsipo mon a Dlan TO countcract the de.