Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-10-14

Va ttiC bb1ySls 10 d'DSuT1ttIcS OF
hcatlcn worship. The Priests of Rqai wound
themselves, and the Chinese penitcnts exposc
themselves, half naked to the inclemency Of
the weather. But the Christian is Simply
required to approach the altar Of the ever
living COP, zvith an humble and coafrne
hea'f; TO tove TIE Lord rpEo created him sJ
his ncighbor as himself
We are taught in the gospel the nece ssity
OF living gcdly and holy life, that VIC
may be acceptable in the sight of the Al
mighty. We are to cleanse ourselves from
all polluticns of fesh and spirit, and to be ho-
ly III all manner of conversation--to be holy
as He who hath called us is holy. By the
Covenant ofthe gospel we are made the chill
dren OF the Most High, and, in this endear-
ing relationship, we are bound by the suffer-
ings of our Lord, to obey mis- commands and
70 initiate his goodness, that we may have
the seal OF the Lamb upon us for ever
WhosoeUer, says the Apostle, is born ofGod
doth nor commit sin. Even the omission of
doing good is inconsistent with our relation
ship TO the Father as the commission ofactu-r
al evil. a true Christian should adorn his
character with the spirit and practice Of holi-
ness, that the virtue of the Heathens NAV
not put him to shame. Our blessed Redeem
er, by his cross and passion, proved his right
to give laws to a sinful world, and he has
commanded us to zvak as he 7,uLked. and
to be as he suas in The zvorld. Those who
rest the hope IF their salvation on his suffer-
ing, need no other incentive TO a life of piety
& holiness, than that it is commanded by their
Redeemer. They will not name tie name Of
CHRIST, and live life of impiety. For an
unholy Christians an apostate from CHRIST,
and lives in direct contradiction to his profess
sion. Although he may not allure him in
words hf. den,ac hin, A
proud person renouncing his humility the
| revengeful his mercy ;the lukewarm his zeal !;
the unclean his purity; the covetous his
bounty and compassion, and the hypocrite his
sincerity. Can there be any thing more in
decent and absurd, than to pretend to be the
| disciple of such an excellent and holy mas
| ter, and yet thy disobedience to deny him
The mere name of Christian will not sancti-
| fly those who pollute and defame it. It is not
the mere wearing of the livery of CHRIST
| that will honor those who stain it by vice,
| but is an aggravation of their guilt, & proves
! to the world their desertion from the cause
| of their master.
Those who profess Christianity and vet
| live in unchristian practices, may deceive
| themselves with the pretence that they be-
| lieve in CHRIST, but this pretence will be rs
Improbable as vain. 1t is not the calling
him Lord, that will give them admission in
to the kingdom of Heaven.
| As JEsUs CHRIsT, both by his doctrine
and his life, clearly showed to us our du1y,
SO he has kindly offered to us the aid of his
| spirit for cur assistance, by which the com
| mands of the Gospel are made easy and
light. TO enforce our obligations he has
threatened such vengeance to The rebellious
| and promised such reward TO the righte-
Gus, that tits impossible that we should not be
deeply affected with them, if we seriously
believe them and he has given such evidence
of this truth, that it is impossible we should
not believe them, unieSS The God ofth@
zyoyid hath blinded orr minds. How can a
reasonable creature believe that eternal
punishment is the certain consequence OF
sin, and yet live in the wilful practice Of
it,
AS an encouragement to our duty we are
promised a reward in the life which is to
come, the very expectation of which is a
source of real happiness to this. Ii the re-
ward was small or the promise uncertain
there might be some pretence for not per-
forming the conditions to obtain It. But when
the one is infinitely great and the other as
true as the God of Truth, what more pow
erful motive can be conceived to make Us he
| lys