The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-03-12

Once admit WeakUf@a " an W \ 'tH'Aft ~ :
aud u results 80 ats''n'' '
II Is also very 'ineonehsh'
.a.n,,ina to ,nfer thai hecaase perfection {
:. mot al .Hniely 10 lee oblaintd. II - there. :
i,,f.. no, IL l,,, s.,a. ut. Human excellence
e.i,,,sIs IN the approximate. unto perfection
and thu .only means of approaching 10
any ,rrm.is by endessorlug In obtain tir
tam itself With fhrsr convictions upon
HE mind, aud With slncrre, honest 'h"il
10 or;,rt:s,~nton them. aud Win Tie aid Oh
Divine blessing. which - Promised !" u,
tltanitpt oarh.s To Il may 81 lead lac sa great
A. ncaily IL 0nswef ali lbr ends thai ALSO
lulr l1ellrctidn itself could attain
a1n nlder to preserve ihn domilnn "
our own Iasstons, il beho0fesns To b" f"h
s'anily and strictly upon your enard against
the iafaence aud infection of the passions
of otl,crs H'hls caution isals necessary ia
youth. aud deem II the m0rc indispensable
To cnjoin.it Upon you, beca,se rs kindness
aud bcnevalrnce comprise lie whole sys-
TEN Of Christian dalcs, there may be, and |
often il, great dansero Of falling into error |
aud vice, merely Ivy the want of energyfo |
resist the example or the enliesrnent oil
others. On this point, The true character
of Christian morality appears to have been
misunderstood, by some Of lis abl"st and
warmra defenders. In Paley's View OH
the Evidences of Christianity" there's n
~hant,.f unnn the niqrnlitv of The Gospel
i'm which there a. the following phssdse.
The truth Is, there are two Opposite de
sciiplions Of characters under which, man
kind may generally be classcd. The on"
possesses yigor, frrncss, resolution is
daring and active, quick IN is senslbllimS,
Jealous ofits fame, eager ia IFS attachments,
iuflexible in lts purposes, violent IN us re-
sentiments. The othrr, merk yielding,
complying, fofglfyng, not prompt 10 aei,
bat willing IT, suffer, Silent aud gentle under
rudencss aud insult ,soing for reconciliation,
whore othrrs would demand satisfaction ;
giving way.to The pushes Of nnpudence,
euncedirg and iudulgcnt IL the prcludiccs,
i The int1~ctbiIiiy Of thos" IL has to deal
with the former of these characters ~,
] 4 ever hath been, the Iasourite Of the world
! II is the character OF gIcm men. There
Is u dignity IN IT, which universally com
maud resprs,. The latter is poor spirited,
tame and ahlect. Yet soit happened with
the foun2ie1 of Christianity, the latter is the
suhlrci of his COMMUNICATION, his precrpts,
! his example; and that the former is no
! part Of decomposition" DIR. Paley IS in
this place adopting the opinion of Sname
] Nll''7' '90h1 il'pfi Ai' 'lh'if'i
evidence of Christianity, lac very strongly
! commeuds, hut cannot consider il as an
accurate aud discerning delmcatton or
character, or az exhibiting u correct repre-
scnlaiiun or Christian principles. The
founder of { hrisiianlly, did indeed pro
nounce distinct aud positive blessings upon
the poor IN sIIrt (which is by no means
synon1 nous with the poor spirited and
he meek. But IN What part Of the gospel
did DR. Paley find him countcnancng by
commentator, prrcept or example, the
tame and alleei. The character which
Christ assumed upon earth, was thai 81
, Lord aud Master. Ii was IN this character
that his disciples received and atJ,now lcdg
ed him. The obedience that he required
was unbonndrd infinitely beyond tha,
which WIS claimed 10y the most absolute
earthly sovereign over his subject Never
for one momeut, did he reccde from tn,
authoritative system. lie preserved il II
sEfS4h'Yt his answer to the high prrst
He preserved it in the very agony Of hi,
reclamation upon the cross, "Fathei
forgive them, they know not wharthey do
lie expressly declared himself 10 he the
prince of this world, aud the son of God
lie spoke, as one having authority, mol
ooly To his Disciples, hu, 90 his mother
his Judges to PIIate the Roman Cover.
nor, to John The Barli-t, hrs precursor
And there is not IN the four Gosptls, ont
act, nor one word recorded Of him [,'xcrp-
ting IN his communion with Ged) that was
not direct or implied assertion Of authoii-
ty lie said to his disciples Matthew, vi.
29,) learn of me, for am meek and lowly
IN heart, and W. shall find rest To Xnnr
souls But where did he ever say, learn
Of me, for | am tame ard ahrct. There
IS certainly, nothing more strongly marked
III the prcccpt and example of ChtSt, than
tn. principle of stubborn aud inhcXble re.
sltttnce against the impulses Of others to
cell. ilc'riuSht his Disciples, 10 renounce
every thing that Is counted enjoyment up
on earth to take up their cross and suffer
all ili-trcatmcnt, persecution and death for
his sake. What else is the Book of acts,
than record ufthe iaithlulncss with which
those chosen ministers of the gospel carried
these nluuctions Of the Gospel intb exccl,.
tion. In the conduct and speeches of
Stephen, aud Peter, of .lohn, or of Paul.
ls there any liking indicating a re semblancc
To the second class of characters. into
which Dir. TaI..y divides all mankind , If
there is character upon historical record.
distinguished by bold, intrepid tenacious
and nnexibe spiIi;, it is that of St. Paul
1t was to such characters only, that the
commission of teaching I'll nations, could
be committed, with certainty OF success.
Observe the expression Of Christ To Peter.
! Matt. \. 13) y" and sby unto thee, ;har
thou art Peter, "a rock and upon this rock
VIII build my church, and the gates of
! he'll shall not prevail against it," DIR.
Paley's Christian is one of those driyellrrs,
L
No, 10 any body.-The true Christian is
the Jastum Il tenacem proposiH riyuuns |
of Horace. The combination ofthosc qua |
lltlcs SO essential To the heroic character. |
with These of mcchness, loulinrss of heart
and brotherly love, is what constitutes tina,
moral perfection, of which Christ gave an
example in his own life, and to which n,