Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-04-24

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There is no doctrine which is more
useful and consola,ory, than that which
revelation teaches us concerning tho
constant operation of a divine and far-
tieular Providence. If We believed that
the universe was a state OF anarchy,
confusion and uprsar; that the governor
of the world was cruel and malignant
Being, who made sport Of human mise.
nv, such a thought would overwhelm
the mind; il would turn the gloom Of
adversely into shadow of death, and
mingle poison in the cup Of bitterness
which we are doomed to drink. But
scripture informs Us, that tho dars DIS
pensations of Providence are part OF
that plan which has the ultimate good
of the world for its object; take their
rise from the goodness of our Father
in Heaven, and are intended for the re-
formation and blasssdness of his chill
dren. The best affections of the heart,
the noblest graces of the soul, the high
est virtues of life, the Offering that is
most acceptable to Heaven are taught
and acquired in the school of adversely
Since the evils of life do SO nscess,ve
rily force Us to have resort to the col8l-
forts Of religion, being capable of nd
other cure or remedy, it may shew US
sons marks of Gods goodness and aare
of us, even in his permitting these ma
ny evils in the world, They are 50
many Calls to Us to search out and Sc
cure to ourselves that real Happiness, 20
which we are designed. Had we been
made for this world only. it would be
impossible to imagine reason, why
Being of Infinite goodness should place
as in the midst of so many fears and
sorrows; bit as we aFe formed feY
mora lasting state than this, and are
placed hsre only for trial, it was neces.
sary and agreeable to the wise ends Of
Providence to surround us on all siocs
with warnings not to set up our rasr
heen ANT 70 So, ,,,.,s,, ~. Il st,iy "a
might to labor for the life that shall
never perish. To this end the evils Of
the world are subservient; they are diff.
fused through all conditions Of life, and
are calls to persons of all conditions to
rsmenber God in all their ways, and to
keep stedfast aye upon tho things g hich
He hath prepared for them who love
him.
Since the evils of life further cannot
be avoided, nor when thev fall upon US,
cured, without tic helps and assistanees
which religion affords; let Us consider
what a sad choice we make for ourselves,
when we throw from us the hopes and
comforts which flow from due acknow-
ledrment of God. If we have hope in
this life only. we arc most miserable -
We are born to misery, and must die to
be happy. But if we add to the terrars
of death by renouncing or forfeiting our
hopes of faturity; if we corrupt the few
pleasures of life by the fears Of guilt,
and give weight and sharpness to all our
other affections, by fearful looking for
Of Judgment TO come, our condition in
this life will be most deplorabe. AS
we value therefore even the pleasures
sof this life, and our share in the good
things of this world, which tho Provi-
dsnce of God has placed before us, let
US keep ourselves in capacity Of en-
loving them, by holding fast the COM
forts of religion. This we can do, only
by complying with its acquisitions,
which say to us in the language of So
!omea, "Give me thy heart" BY yield
ing our hearts, our affections and eur
lives to the service Of the Most High,
we are kroug ht into friendship with him,
and have claim to all the blessings and
promises of his holy covenant What
ever be our allotment hsre, however de-
pressed our circumstances in life, sal
though the fig tree should not blsssom,
ner fruit be found in the vine; Though
the labor Of the olive should fail, and the
field shonll weld no meat; though the