Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-08-14
NATIoSAL CRIMES, ATTENDED WITH
NATIONAL JUDGMENTS.

Oht JOQ TtiBhs> 10 al SHP'ess ~
trine of Scripture, full of terror to those
who refuse submission to his authority
He s,nites the earth with the rod of his
mouth, and with the breath OF his lips he
stays the wicked.
Certain characters are registered IT,
condemna,ion: What has befai.cn o'he'
sinners OF equal noloriety, may ne COZ
.ideresS as hanging over US. The IRE
Hsious, the dissihoted,, the OPPRESSIVE,
are ever in the utmost danger.
Ir, eiigion. which consists In unworthy
thoughts of God, and unworthy behavior
towards biH, draws down tue Divine
Judgment. ADAM did not believe that
death would attend disohedience II
God threatens, certainly he viii not eX-
ecute incsasideratc was his mind, and
unyrateful, seii-ailled and perverse.-
Too exactly is The same image received
by his sons, aud transmitted through
succeeding generations. Different cir.
cunstances may place it IN different
shades, but the likeness is striking
The Tenpter, by falshood and deceit,
succeeded in bringing men into thral.
dom, but far from reprebating the &C
cursed measures, tbey, adopting the same
for the vilest purposes, arc assimulatcd
to rebellious creatures, add may dread
their punishment! The Heather were
50 besoted and foolish, as to change the
glory ol the nncorruptible God iato an
image made like TO corruptible man, and
to birds, and to four footed BEASTS and
creeping things. Purity in heart and
life was not SD much thought Of as ex
actness in some external rites and ~cere-
monies. The Jews had adv antag es
which were denied the Heathens, but the
disposition was often the same. Their
prophets, al times, indeed, had no rea-
son to blame any neglect in the ritual
prescribed by Moses. In this they were
scrupulously exact. but all was parade :
They did not sanctty God III their hearts,
nor did they honor INN in their lives
There were times also when the ritual
prescribed by Moses was overlooked -
The homage due to tie God of Israel
only, was paycd to idols. TIE uame,
the day, the ordinances Of God were
prophaned, and dasplsed. 1t were we'll
had this root of bitterness been extlr pat.
ed after the introduction OF christianity {:
Ala. it has Oxen spsuog up to The d :
triRent Of mankind: need not give
you detail OF irrehs ion. as the disgr ,ce
OF christian countries, and christian So
cieties in every ,ge. To he intei,isen,
thus is too we'll known. Let lite years,
and this Country be ar wines IT nc sad
truth. the revolution which gave a.
mcrlca her independence and produced
great changes in Europe, affected lhe"
religiou. principles The pre- iudice, IF
former years were rejected, a'd via,
their ancestors accounted sacred, they
threw off as trifl.ng, or pernicE,us.-
Reformation is comm ndable but men
seldom keep the ned.nm. Discovering.
errors IA one side thev hurry Into errors
IN the other: 1t the fathers have hand
ID down human inventions as religion,
the chil5ren t jecung these Inventions,
rave rejected religion itself. Inhdelity
aas deep rooted in this country, and u
If luxuyiant growth. The ignorance,
IN which our youth are brought up, with
whom no pains is taken to form them to
manly spiritual solid.princip!es, afards
dismal prospect. BY some religion is
contu@ned, by others something is sub.
stituted for religion, which cannot bear
the test, The deridsrs of religion are
very numerous; they are countenaueed
oy the multitude of prophaDe swearers,
Of daring sabbath breakers, OF these W no
constantly neglect religious ordinances
Of public or private nature. And
when some attention is paid to. reli.
g,on, promoting party-quieting an
uneasy mind, an impulse of the mo-
ment, suddenly felt and suddenly re-
moved, is the foundation on which
their religion rests. 1t is foundation
of sand. which the foods shall sweep d.
say. Few experience the refined, the
heavenly, the divine principles which
ohfistianity inspires founded on love to
Gad and man {; on obedience to Christ,
and conformity 10 his example. Irreii-
eion, assuming disg suitsble to the
age aud to the stale OF society, appears
in this country with bold counten4nce
Like flood, it has delUged tue land -
Men either keep God altogether out Of
view, or believe him to be such one as
themselves, but he will reprove them,
and set their sins in order before their
eyes.
issiha ion, as well as Irreligion is
extremely rninous The Antidlluvian
world was sunk in dissipation, nothing
was thought of but pleasing the eye,
gratifying the taste, and mak'ng show
In life. They did rat they drank, they
married suives. they mere gfDen in mur-
rage, untH tie dGy Noah entered INFO
The ark and The food came and destroy
"a them oil. The lives men led in Los
day, wereahe same They dld ear. they
drank, they 6onghs, thru seLd, shey ftanf