bellion, and submit to the rightful authority of their Creator and Sovereign. But the question is, how do the Scriptures represent redeemed sinners as laying aside the weapons of their rebellion, and returning to the allegiance of their rightful Sovereign? Is it not always through a Mediator? Can sinful beings come, or really submit, in any other way? The Gospel knows of no other. To submit to God, then, according to the Bible account of this great matter, is to return to him in the humbling and self-denying way proclaimed in his method of reconciliation. It implies not only yielding our hearts and lives to Christ as our King; but also submitting our entire confidence to his righteousness, as our great High Priest; and giving up every power of the soul to him as our Prophet and Teacher. This seems to have been the Apostle's estimate. "For they," says he, "being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth."-Rom. x, 3-4.

4. It is evident from the spirit of our text, that all reliance on our own righteousness for acceptance with God, is direct opposition to the spirit and glory of the Gospel. If the doctrine which has been deliv. ered be just, then a spirit of self-righteousness is as directly hostile to the whole genius and economy of the plan of salvation by grace, as a course of the most enormous crimes can be. Yes, the proud self-justifier, who goes about to establish a righteousness of his own, cherishes a spirit, and acts a part as directly anti-christian as the thief or the murderer. He is rot, indeed, so offensive to his fellow men, or so mischievous a member of society; but his real enmity to the gospel is quite as essential and irreconcilable. He frustrates the grace of God. He sets at naught atoning blood. He makes God a liar. He attacks Christianity, if I may so express it, in its most vital part. He rejects its most precious character. Yes, brethren, whether you are aware of it, or not; whether you think of it, or not, all self-righteousness really speaks this horrid language; betrays this anti-christian spirit. It is practically saying, that the mission of the Saviour was unnecessary; and that his atoning blood is of no value. Nay, if a man hold that we are justified partly by the righteousness of Christ, and partly by our own obedience—he virtually denies Christ. He "is fallen from grace." Dear fellow-sinner! are you willing to do this? Are you willing to be found resting on such a foundation? Have you not sinned against God in ten thousand aggravated instances? Is not your best righteousness so miserably defective and mingled with corruption, as to need pardon, instead of meriting reward? How, then, will you appear hefore a holy God without some better ground of hope than your own merit? You cannot safely appear with any other covering than the Saviour's righteousness. If you make the attempt, you die. No other covering can hide and cancel all your sins. It is freely offered. If you reject it, you are undone. If you are willing humbly and gratefully to accept it, it is yours for

ever.

5. Finally, if the doctrine of our text be admitted, it is evident that a consciousness of the deepest unworthiness, is consistent with the most confident and joyful hope toward God. If our hope of divine acceptance were founded, either in whole or in part, on the merit of our own obedience, how could any

reflecting mind, conscious of so much imperfection as attends our best services, cherish any thing approaching to a joyful assurance of the favor of God! Especially, if we were called to the dying bed of a penitent sinner, who had devoted his whole life to folly and sin, and was made willing to take refuge in the mercy of the Gospel at the last hour; what consolation could we adminis ter to him, what hope could we encourage him to cherish, when he looked back on a life marked with so much defect and disobedience? Truly none. Doubt, anxiety, and fearful apprehension must reign in the purest minds. The most deeply spiritual minds would be most distressingly conscious of delinquency and corruption. But open to an awakened and anxious sinner the plan of mercy through a Redeemer. Unfold to his view the wonderful method by which righteousness and peace meet together, and justice and mercy embrace each other. Proclaim to him, that Jesus is a present and almighty Saviour, from the guilt of sin, by his most precious atoning blood; and from the power of sin, by his Holy Spirit. Show him that, although his own righteousness is but as "filthy rags," the Divine Mediator has finished transgression, made an end of sin, made reconciliation for iniquity, and brought in everlasting righteousness; so that God can now be rigorously just, and yet save sinners; that in his infinite wisdom and love, he has devised a plan by which, while the mightiest testimony of Jehovah's throne is borne against sin, the sinner is pardoned; by which justice is perfectly satisfied, while mercy is extended to the most guilty and polluted :—in a word, show him how all the rights of God's government are fully maintained, and even gloriously magnified, and yet a method devised of securing pardoning mercy and sanctifying grace, even to the chief of sinners; of providing a righteousness "perfect and entire, wanting nothing," to justify us before the face of our Heavenly Father, and to secure a title to eternal blessedness at his right hand;-tell the convinced sinner of all this, and light breaks in upon his mind. His drooping head is lifted up. His heart is filled with confidence and joy. He sees the darkness all cleared away, and an eternal Rock on which he can rest his soul. The way of acceptance appears adequate to all his wants and desires, and worthy of the infinite wisdom and love which devised it. From the fullness of a believing and grateful heart, he can say "This is all my salvation, and all my desire. My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit doth rejoice in God my Saviour. Surely in the Lord Jesus have I righteousness and strength. Thanks be unto God who giveth me the victory through my Lord Jesus Christ!" Amen.

FROM THE PRESIDENT OF YALE COLLEGE.

"Allow me to express my decided approbation of the object and plan of the National Preacher. It has opened a new channel for the religious influence of the press. It gives a durable form to a selection of able discourses; and probably gains for them a more attentive perusal, by distributing them, not in volumes, but in smaller portions, at regular intervals of time. The execution, so far as I have observed, is such as to satisfy the public expectation."

FROM THE REV. ASAHEL NETTLETON.

"I have read, as I have had opportunity, the Numbers of the National Preacher with great satisfaction. I regard it as a work peculiarly desirable to Clergymen, and, at the same time, as worthy of a place in every intelligent family."

FROM THE PRESIDENT AND PROFESSORS OF AMHERST COLLEGE.

"Mr. Dickinson has a clear and discriminating mind; and is himself at once an able writer and preacher. Having spent four years at the South and West, and become extensively acquainted with Ministers and Christians of different denominations; and having at the same time, an intimate knowledge of the religious state and wants of New-England; perhaps no man is better qualified to make a powerful and salutary impression on the public mind, by combining (and in a sense directing) the talents of our most eminent divines in his Monthly Preacher.

"Most sincerely do we wish him the co-operation of those whose name and influence may make the work a blessing to many thousands."

FROM PROFESSORS IN PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY.

"The plan proposed by the Rev. Austin Dickinson, of publishing a Monthly Series of Sermons, from the pens of respectable ministers of different denominations of Christians in the United States, is one which, in our opinion, may be rendered highly interesting, and extensively useful. We do, therefore, willingly recommend the undertaking to the patronage of the Christian community."

FROM THE QUARTERLY CHR. SPECTATOR.

"We do not hesitate to say, that Mr. Dickinson has adopted one of the happiest expedients hitherto devised, for eliciting that diversity of gifts,' in the Christian ministry, which infinite wisdom and benevolence have bestowed for the edification of the body of Christ, and for bringing sinners to the foot of the cross."

FROM THE NEW-YORK OBSERVER.

"This periodical has, from its commencement in 1826, been regarded as a stan dard work; and, afforded as it is at the low price of one dollar a year, and sustained by some of the ablest writers of our country, we should expect it would continue to have an extensive and increasing circulation."

FROM THE LADIES' MORNING STAR.

"The excellence and value of this work ought to commend it to the patronage and devout attention of every family."

It will be the habitual endeavor of the Editor, in this work, to present such Sermons, on all important subjects of Gospel doctrine and practice, as may tend to honor the great Redeemer and save immortal souls. We have been cheered with constant assurances of its usefulness, and if those who read and appreciate, will make it known to others, and encourage its circulation, its influence may widen and extend so long as the Gospel is preached.

From the Boston Recorder.

"PREACHER TO MANY NATIONS.

"The NATIONAL PREACHER, which has been published for ten years in New-York, besides being widely circulated in our own country, and to some extent in England, is also read with interest in China, in India, in South America, and in the far distant isles of the Pacific. The following extract of a letter from a Missionary at the Sandwich Islands shows in what light the work is regarded on the other side of the globe:

"This plan of calling forth the varied talents and united energies of cotemporaneous preachers, and bringing their happiest efforts before millions of our fellow-men, even while the authors, warmed by their own exertions, are still on their knees, imploring a blessing on the truths they have sent forth, appears admirably adapted to promote the strength and harmony of the churches, to facilitate their highest attainments in knowledge and piety, to excite them to that course of benevolent action which the present state of the world demands, and to supply, to some the extent, spiritual wants of multitudes who are not favored, statedly, with the pulpit and pastoral labors of any minister of Christ. The National Preacher deserves the confidence of the world. May this high-commissioned messenger of Christ be received with thankfulness and joy by tens of millions of our race. May the Divine Author of all the valuable gifts in the church copiously shed do the graces of his Spirit upon the contributors to this evangelical publication, tuat their writings may be worthy of the enlightened age in which we live, and such as hundreds of millions may be edified to read, when the pens of the writers are exchanged for harps of gold."

BACK VOLUMES.

A few entire sets remain, which can be obtained through booksellers et others sending to N. Y. at the subscription price.