THE REPORTER.
"'TIS PLEASANT, THROUGH THE LOOP-HOLES OF RETREAT, TO PEEP AT SUCH A WORLD-- TO SEE THE STIR OF THE GREAT BABEL, AND NOT FEEL THE CROWD."
[NEW SERIES----VOL. I.]	WASHINGTON, (PA.) MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26th, 1821.	[NO. 27.

      Although the laws of a well regulated state may swell up to many volumes and require close reflexion and long perseverance to acquire a knowledge of them, yet the Constitution which forms the national compact, and authorizes all the laws is a brief instrument of a few pages, embracing but a few articles. This is the case in the great moral empire of God. Although the laws and institutes of religion and morality are numerous, forming two respectable volumes, digested with heavenly skill, and expressed with supernatural grace, perspicuity and brevity, arranged in all the majesty of Divine eloquence; yet the grand constitutional principles are expressed in one period. Indeed in the moral, as well as in the physical empire of God, the grand laws are very few and vastly comprehensive. The many efforts produced by the operation of one of the august laws of nature, will forever surpass the utmost stretch of the most comprehensive mind, to enumerate, much less to comprehend.¹ The Savior of the world when he asked, what was the greatest command of the law was answered, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind and with all thy strength," and the second great commandment was like unto it, "thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. "On these two commandments said he hang all the law and all the prophets." These two commandments are the sublime constitution of all the rational, moral and religious empire of the universe. The first of them is the constitution of all religion, that is, all the principles and laws of religion emanate from it, and the second is the constitution of all morality, all moral laws originating in and proceeding from it. These are the very law of all rational nature, God as a good, wise, just and benevolent Creator, could require no more nor no less; and man or angel as a wise, good, just and loyal subjects, could think of, could propose no less. The law of our nature or this grand constitution of religion and morality has but two vast objects in view, viz: The glory of God and the happiness of man, or of his rational offspring. These two commands were printed by the finger of God on the angelic nature when first it came into existence, also the human soul was imparted to Adam with these two great principles engraven on it. Never can any rational being exist in any circumstances, free from this obligation. The angel Gabriel, with the meanest of the human race, is equally bound to love his Maker with all his powers, and his fellow angel as himself. One thing is observable in this sublime constitution, that evinces its Divine authenticity, that it calls for but one exercise of mind and that noblest, the happiest and the most Divine--the exercise of LOVE. It places the life, the perfection and the full felicity of rational nature, in the fruition and exhibition of love. Thus it commends itself to every man's conscince. The objects and the measure of this love are different. God, who is love, is one object and our fellow creatures constitute the other objects; but it recognizes in ourselves a suitable object if we may call it such, and this is ourselves. The measure of our love is clearly pointed out; our love to God must know no measure but that of all our faculties to their utmost extent; but our love to our fellow creatures is to be measured and bounded by our love to ourselves. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Self-love then is the standard of our love to our neighbour. But our love to our Maker must be superior to that of ourselves, and consequently to that of our neighbour. The constitution of our nature is such, that we can be happy in no other way than in a perfect and undeviating conformity to this principle of love. The misery, guilt and wretchedness of man in his present condition, flow from the love of this as an innate principle; and from his leading a course of life diametrically opposite thereunto. His restoration to happiness is only effected by his restoration to love. The whole scheme of redemption has no other object in view than to provide efficient means to bring man back to a state of perfect love. But of this hereafter.

      As Jesus Christ testified that all the law and all the prophets were suspended on these two commandments, we are authorised to call them the Constitution of the moral empire of God. The one the standard of religion, the other the standard of morality. "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself," is the only standard of the morality of the gospel. The Savior has expressed it thus on one occasion, "And all things that ye would that men should do unto you do you even so unto them." For this is the law and the prophets. This still places the measure or rule of reference in ourselves. From these general principles we descend to more particular, or in other words we attempt to develope the leading items comprehended in, and deducible from this great rule of moral excellence and moral righteousness. For this thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour, thou shalt not covet, and if there be any other commandment, says Paul, it is briefly comprehended in this saying." "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Love is the fulfilling of the law. When we think of the inculcating of the morality of the gospel we are frequently reminded of the saying of a great poet, who was sometimes very orthodox, at other times very heterodox, viz:

[The Reporter, 26 November 1821, p. 4.]