Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-03-21

lie hears, unmov'd, the fury of the storm;
Taught by these glowing precepts from on high,
Learns hoy to live, and having liv'd, 10 die
FoR THE SERIOUS READERS OF TIE
VIRGINIA ARGUS.
Letter 10 G yOusg .1T,erd rpto Rad lately made a
ssttic profession ef religion.
q Tconciadei
MT DEAR YOUNG FRIEND,
Cultivate the habit of reading the
word of God. Let it be lamp TO
your feet, and a light to your path, 10
guide you through the darkness of this
world. You will end it treasure of
life to your soul. 1t will teach YOU
the duties which you owe TO God and
to man, and animate you to perform
them with zeal and delight. 1t is the
great instrument by which the Holy
Spirit will conduct you through the
temptations OF this probationary state
to complete sancti6cation, and to all
the felIcities of immortal glory. The
Bible has this Distinguishing excel.
lence above all other writings. that
the oitener and the more carefully we
read 1T, the more are we delighted
with ii, and the more do we in,bibe
OF its sacred spirit. You will also do
we'll to read, as opportunity may be
afforded, such other books as give the
best assistance for understanding the
scriptures, and excite the affections
of your heart most efTe ctuaiIy towards
God, and towards the duties by which
he calls you to glorify his name.
Learn to live constantly by faith in
Jesus Christ, relying upon him as
your prevailing advocate in the court
of Heaven, building up your soul upon
him as the firm and only rock of your
salvation. In other words, j. ne.
cessary that YOU go always TO God
upon the very same principles with
which, | take it for granted, YOU went
last Sabbath to his holy table, ackuow-
lodging yourself to be in your own
person no other than guilty, perish
ing sinner, incapable of delivering
yourselfin whole or IN part, and found
ing all your hopes of pardon, sanc;ih.
cation and eternal life upon the SOW
ereign mercy of God through tie o.
'bedience and death of his beloved
Son. L. would be great mistake to
imagine that we are only 10 commit
ourselves to Christ by faith once for
all at the commencement of our rel.
.g:ous course. Faith in a cruci6cd Re.
deemer, including the penilential con.
fession of our sinfulness and misery.
is in fact the main spring ofthe c hris.
tian life. Dor Saviour calls himself
the bread of life which came down
from Heaven. And we might AZ vel,
expect that our bodies should be pre-
served by taking food only once in a
year, as that our souls should DC nou-
rished without the daily appropriation
of Christ and his rich bene fits. II
may be confidently affirmed that in
exact proportion as Christ becomes
precious to you by faith, you will adj.
vance in conformity to his example. in
every holy affection towards God and
your fellow creatures.
Be punctuzl and diIigent in secret
prayer. You reed not be informed
that you have every day much to con.
fess, much to be thankful for. and
much 10 ask Of God for your welfare.
He is always ready to hear your hum
Bile addresses. And the more fire.
quentlv you retireto seek communion
with him, provided you neglect no
other duty in doing IL, the more rca
Oily will he meet you with his qraci.
Gus presence. The more earn sstlv
you desire TO draw near to your Hea.
venly Father, the more a;undaailv
viii he bestow upon you the blessings
OF his love. If at any time YOU ex.
perieuce dulness & wandering thoughts
IN prayer, he warned above all things
not to lay aside the duty on chat ae-
count. Continue your attempts not
with standing every disbursement.
and cry to God for deliverance from
the Perverseness of your own heart.
Wait upon him in the hope that his
i