Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1820-04-25

AObSI dlio NlihiIdAk1 Odb
smooth and easy, the farther you advance
in it. The man who proceeds in it with
steadiness and resolution, will in little
time find that her nays are EbayS ofhiea-
santnesa, and that all her faiths are
aeace. "'.t
f To enforce the consideration, we may
further observe, that the practice of re-
ligion will not only be attended with
that pleasure which naturally accompa-
MES those actions to which we are habitua.
ted, but with those supernumerary Joys Of
heart that arise from the consciousness
of such pleasure, from the satisfaction
of acting up to the dictates of reason,
and from the prospect of an happy inn
mortality.
In the fourth place, we may learn from
this observation which we have made on
the mind of man, to take particular care,
when we are once settled in regular
course of life, how we too frequently in
dulge ourselves in any of the most inno-
cent diversions and entertainments, since
the mind may insensibly fall off from the
relish of virtuous actions, and, by de-
grees, exchange that pleasure which it
takes in the performance of its duty, for
delights of a much more inferior and
Improbable nature. ''-'~ T"r 80 .'''
The last use which l shall make Of
this remarkable property in human ma
ture, Of being delighted with those &C.
tons to which it is accustomed is to show
how absolutely necessary it is for us to-
gain habits of virtue in this life, if we
would enjoy the pleasures of the next
The state of bliss we call Heaven, will
not be capable of affecting those minds
which are not thus qualified for it; we
must in this world gain relish Of truth
and virtue, if We would be able to taste
the knowledge Of perfection which are
to make Us happy in the next. The
seeds those spiritual joys and raptures,
which are to rise up and flourish in the
soul to all eternity; must be planted in
her during this her present state of pro-
baton. W In short, Heaven is not to be
looked upon as the reward, but as the
natural effect of religious life. - .
On the other hand, those evil spiritss
who, by long custom, have contracted in
the body, habits of lust and sensuality,
malice, and revenge, an aversion to every I.
thing that is good, just, or laudable, are
naturally seasoned and prepared for
pain and misery. Their torments have
already taken root in them, they cannot
be happy when Invested of the body, un-
less we may suppose, that Providence
will, in manner, create them anew, and
work a miracle in the rectihcation Of
their faculties They may, indeed, taste
kind of malignant pleasure in those ac-
tons to which they are accustomed,
whilst in this life; but when they are
removed from all those objects which
are here apt to crafty them, they will
naturally become their own tormentorss
and cherish in themselves those painful
habits Of mind which are called in scrip
tnrc phrase, The Yoym z5hich never dies.
Tits notion Of Heaven and He'll is so
very conformable to the light of nature,
that it was discovered by several of the
most excellent heathens. 1t has been
finely improved by many eminent divines
of the last age, as in particular by Arch
bishop 7THotson and DR.. Sherlock; but
there is no one who has raised such no.
bic specuIations upon it as Dr. Scott, in
the first book of his Christian Life
which is one Of the finest and most RAJ
tional schemes Of divinity that are written
in our tongue OF any other. That excel
lent author has shown how every parti-
ctllar custom and habit Of virtue will, i'm
its own nature, produce the Heaven, ora
state of happiness, in him who shall here
after practice it: as on the contrary, how
every custom or habit Of vice will be the
natural He'll Of him in whom it subsists.
i:.., p ->'''t