The Wilmingtonian., 1823-10-02
ELEGANT EXTRACTS.
FIRST PRINCIPLES OF RELIGION.


FIRST PRINCIPLES OF RELIGION.
Hitherto you have thought as child,
and understood as a child but it is time
to put away childish things" and store
your mind with those principles which
must direct your conduct and fix your
character. Virtue and happiness are not
attained by chance, or by a cold and Ian
guild appreciation; they must be sought
with ardour, attended to with diligence,
and every assistance must be eagerly en-
braced that may enable you to obtain
them. Consider, that good and evil are
now before you; that, if you do not hear
tily choose and love the one, you must un-
doubtedly be the wretched victim Of the
other.
The first step must be to awaken your
mind to sense of the Importance of the
task before you. This is no less than to
bring your lrai nature to that degree of
christian perfection, which is to qualify it
for immortality, and without which it is
necessarily incapable of happiness; for it
is truth never to be forgotten, that God
has annexed happiness to virtue, and mis-
cry to vice, by the Interchangeable nature Of
things; and that wicked being, while he
continues such, is under natural incapa-
city of enjoying happiness. even with the
concurrence of all those outward circum-
stances which in virtuous mind would
produce it.
The only sure foundation of human vir-
tue is religion, and the foundation and first
principle of religion is the belief of the
one only God, and just sense of his at.
tributes. To form worthy notions of the
Supreme Being, as far as we are capable
is essential to true religion and morality
for, as it is our duty to initiate those quai.
tiles of the Divinity which are imilable by
US, so is it necessary we should know what
they are, ard fatal to mistake them.
How lamentable it is, that so few hearts
should feel the pleasures of real piety
that prayer and thanksgiving should be
performed, as they too often are, not with
joy, and love, and gratitude; but with COLI
indifference, melancholy detection, or Sc
cret horror Let your devotion be IN,
language of fiial love and gratitude con
fide to this kindest of fathers every wan
and every wish of your heart t:-but sub
init them all to his will, aud freely OH
him the disposal of yourself, and Of al
your affairs. Thank him for his benefits
and even for his punishments; convince,
that these also are benefits, and mercitui,
designed for your good. Implore his di
rection in all difficulties; his assistance il
all trials his comfort and support in sick
ness or afflicticn; his restraining grace
IN time of prosperity and Joy.
Forget not to dedicate yourself to hi
service every day; to impIore his forgive
ness of your faults, and his protectio,
from evil, every night: and this not mere
ly III formal words, ,unaccompanied by an,
act of the mind, but Gin spirit and il
truth y in grateful love and humble ado
ration. Nor let these stated periods o
worship be your only communication wit
him; accustom yourself to think often .
him, in all your waking hours; to contem
plate his wisdom and power, in the work
OF his hands; to acknowledge his goodnes
in every object Of use or of pleasure; t
delight in giving him praise in your limos
heart in the midst of every innocent graf
iiication, in the liveliest hour of social er
.joyment.
True devotion is not melancholy sci
timent, that depresses the spirits, and e,
cudes the ideas of pleasure, in whic
youthdelights: on the contrary, there
nothing SO friendly toioy, so productive
true pleasure, so peculiarly suited to tn
warmth and innocence Of a youthful hear
DO not, therefore, think it too soon to tur
your mind to God but offer him the frs
fruits of yov understanding and affection