Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1810-12-14
FOR TIE ARGUS.
SERIOUS REFLECTIONS.
No III

Wherewih shah come before the Lord i''
To me.I God unreconciied is a thing
tho DIRE adful'to be expel {, u with COM
posture of mind. Every man hopes
THAI, by some means or o.her, this fate
|shali not b. his own. Aud there are
MT a few who build their hope upon
the mercy OF God, in manner essen
TALLY defective. 4
Is this hope in divine mercy enter
tanned without any express reference
to Jesus Christ, and his redemption
apprehend that sometimes it is; not
only by those who openly reject the
bible, whom do not now addr SIS, but
| also BY those who acknowledge its au-
| 'hority. No heather, to whom n,
light o revelation has MT be.n given,
Hust do the best he en-, with such OBJ
1 scure and liant probabilities hat God
1 may pardon sin, as the light of nature
| affords. But 4rcase is very diferen,.
| God has gwen us sarancc III the gos-
pei that he can rlg-steously and will
| grscioesly forgive slnn-rs their iriqui-
tties, through The perfect satifsc len
I which his son has MS red TO lis law
and Justice. But the gospel as olcarl,
pastures us that this forgiveness is on
Fly bestow ed upon those who confess
their gully and los. condition, who ask
for mercy in the name Of the crucifis d
Redeemer made known I'm o them, and
no asc,ibe all the glory OF their sal
walton to his obedience, death and in
teicession. Without this, no man, I'M
der the dispensation of the gospel, is
warranted to hope that God will acc ept
hims To indulge such hope in hea-
verify mercy, protesting TO believe the
bible, and yet diaregardiag the Sa-
vior, is most absurd and inconsistent.
lndeed it is high presumption, and dar.
ing rebellion against God. Let those
who are conscious Of it beware of the
consequences Of their folly.
| but of those who hope in the mercy
OF God, while they are manifestly des-
titure of the spirit and practice Of reli-
gion, a large majority will deny thai
they are chargeable with the conduct
above described. However indispos-
ed to renounce their sins, they have no
objt ction to own that they are sinners.
eeligent of the laws OF Christ, they
proie SIS great regard to his atonement ;
aad claim to be true believers In him,
because they have formed the habit OF
conhding strongly in his meri s.
Through wilful ignorance of the truth,
hardy opposition 10 it, they call Je-
sus Christ their Lord & their Saviour,
while in reality they prefer this vain
world to him and his salvation. Let
such persons be seriously admonished
that they have nothing OF Christianity
but the name. The scriptures .pes
OF faith which is dead, being alone.
That faith which is conne ctcd with
pardon is a powerful, active principle.
1t works by love, puiiirs the heart,
and overcomes the world. An indo
leut redundancy upon the mercy OF
God, and the merits OF Christ, is no
more like this holy and precious faith,
than dead orpse is like living man.
In vain DO men trust in the mercy of
God, while they insult thatv very mercy
by their ingratItude and imprn,tencs.
In vain do they boast of their entire
depend upon Christ, while they
utterly refuse to have him TO reign as
the sovereign Of their affections and
Their bvcs. They may SO p,rvert the
gospel as to PJoclaIm themselves the
champions OF the doctrine OF gracs AID
free salvadou. BGt by their works
they disHonour the son Of God, apj re-
present him as the minister oi sin. II