Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-01-01
FOR THE ARGUS.
SERIOUS REFLECTIONS.

"Whcrewilh shall come before the Lord %
The delusion which produces the
widest mischief to the souls of men is
the dependence which they place on a
future reformation. Many of those
who are called the gay and the happy
would frequently be inexpressibly mi.
SCRABBLE, did they not calculate on being
very A different characters when they
leave the word from what they are
now. They know that they are not
prepared to meet God. They are I'm
willing TO enter Immediately into the
work of preparation. But they hope
that more convenient season will
arrive, and that then they shall become
prepared.
Now is it not base and shameful
thing to persist in course Of conduct
which it is avowedly intended, at some
future time to haze and abhor? This
is precisely what every one does who
delays his repentance. Yea, he must
intend, if he has ideas at all correct,
to repent even of this intention of fu-
ture repentance for it is one of his
tgreatest sins to form the plan of any
other repentance than that which is
immediate, without the least delay
In other cases we make it point of
honour to maintain what we do, as
right and proper. He who owns the
NECESSITY of religion, and vet procras.
tinates it, does, according to his own
consciousness and pretensions, the We
I r~.y reu - IL. L
BILE.
Is itnot base ingraliude to insult the
forbearance of God by persistiug in
rebellion againsi him He who de-
ponds on future reformation acknow.
lodges that he is now in a course of
sin, which deserves the anger of the
AimiSh,y; and that he lives & breathes
by the mere patience of an offended
God. Yet he proceeds in his sins be-
cause that patience spares him and
most wickedly counts upon its sparing
him still longer, with the deliberate
purpose OF abusing il still in the same
way Call me ungrateful, said hea.
then, and you call me all that is vile.
Alas, why do we not look upon ingra-
tirude to the Father of all mercies with
the same detestation with which we
contempl<teit between man and man /?
In truth, the design of future repent
ance is utterly destitute of solicity,
and can only delude the sinner to his
ruin.
But farther: why will men forget
the obvious and universal laws of ha :
bit! Do you not see and feel that e..
very instance of Indulgence in sin
strengthens the propensity to sin, and
renders you less capable, because less
j disposed, to conquer it? Do 700 not
know that every repetition of the pur-
pose 10 delay your reformation, in
stead of rendering you more inclined
to reform, has the very contrary eff
feet? These DELAY confirm the habit
of sin, harden the heart against the
laws of God, diminish its powers of
srlf-command, and rapidly destroy e.
ven its sensibility to the interests of
eternity.
Perhaps it may be pleaded tn t the
grace OF God is omnipoteHt, and can
] transform the heart from sin to RICH.
teousness at any time-I grant that
this is true. But it is every way a
wre.ched plea for continuance in sin.
The influence of the HoIy Spirit of
God can indeed melt and change the
most obdura'e heart; and the blood
OF Jesus Christ is sufficient to cleanse
f'om all iniquity. We have on sac ed
record some instances of late and eff.
tectnal repentance, which illustrate
the wonderful mercy and power Of
God, and lay founds ton of hope for
the sincere penirent in every extremi-
ty. Blu. these instances are very rare.
! And we see in fact that few are bro't
to repentance after lg progress in
sin and representation. Men intend,
or imagine that they intend, to forsake
the road to destruction but they still
ADVANCE. 1t becomes at every step
more II fatuating, aod they have less
j Inclination TO iJrsake it. The spirit
OF God at length abandons them to
heir own devices; and they die the
same that they have lived, the enemies
OF God and religion. 1t has been said,
ard the observation contains, unds a
bold hgure, a sentiment of real and