Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1869-01-26
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You belong to God.

Les, Reader, whoever or whatever you be
God S property in you, and his power over vo,,
can never be alienated. He created You body
and soul, by his almighty power The same
power which bestowed upon you the faculties
peculiar to each, sustains these faculties, in ex
ercises. However learned or philosophical vcu
may be, their wonderful combination Won can
never understand Though He causes them
to be separated for season by that mvsterions
thing called death, yet He has decrced that
they shall be united again, and live forever
their everlasting existence perpetuated by His
will and power. :,
NOW, since you are created by God, and
therefore for Him, ask yourself How am
fulfilling my obligations to love, and serve
Him! 10 live to his glory? You have never
yet protessed, to do SO, therefore you take
credit to yourself for more honesty, than those
whose lives belle their profession. p
But whatever be the faults or sins of Others
the command Of God, which reaches to the
mlnutest matters, is rs binding upon you as
upon any w hatsoever ye do; whether We
eat or drink, do all to the glory Of God Do
you say, that you have, by nature such and
sucn lncllnatlonS. and must live as they dictate
\ 1ou cannot thus plead, when God shall call you
to Judgment.
God made man upright; but they have
sought out many inventions. "
ou cannot, indeed, perfectly keep the per-
feet requirements of Gods law, because of the
oepraVed state OF your will, and Affections
And nothing less than a perfect obedience
from the earliest dawn of your intelligence could
be acceptable to Him. Still, the obligation
rests upon you. You belong to God. And il
IS written, cursed Is every one that continueth
not In all things, written in the best book the
law, to do them" a i9 =
w mere, then, can you go for relief? How
the debt OF perfect love, and perfect obedience:
which you, as an intelligent. immortal creature
OF God, do owe to Him? The account has run
IRON the Beginning of your existence to the
present time. 1he best you could have to- offer
Is worthless because OF the amazing disconnt
that Is upon 1t, and yet You belong to God.
My fellow sinner, let me poiut Won to the
great substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ He
whose obedience and death, In the human
nature, united to his Godhead, is of unlimited
value; and Will wipe out all that is set against
your name If you will only beitere. in his abilitv
and Willingness to undertake your cause. For
lie Is the Advocate Of the sinner. as we'll 80 his
substitute. tie will plead his own righteousness.
suHerlDgs, ana death, IN your stead And thew
being OF Infinite value, cannot fail 10 be accent
ed by the Father, for His word is pledged. Per-
maps you say, that your heart is too hard the
influence OF SIN over you, is too strong. Won
cannot so to Him, notwithstanding his de-
ccaratlon.; Him that eometh unto me, will
In no wise cast out. . The man with the
wlthersd hand did notreasonas you He believ-
ed that tie who commanded him to stretch
forth his hand was able to give him power 10
do 1t, and, acting according to his belief. he was
healed Whatever your character may be.
whether you are a servant of God, or a servant
OF che Devil, for in this matter you cannot be
neutral. the truth is unchanged and urchaDgca
ble ou belong to God. May it echo in your
conscience wherever you are, whatever you do /:
Il belong TO God. | am not my own, belong
to God -