all the motives of three worlds thus far resisted-will these, so powerless hitherto, will these hereafter soften your heart into penitence? I know you hope for heaven; but whence that hope? From the word of God? Encouragement enough does it give to the believer, but not a solitary promise to the delaying sinner. Gladly would I speak some peace to your soul; but how can 1 cry, Peace, peace, when God hath said, There is no peace to the wicked? Gladly would I promise you a more convenient season for repentance; but did Felix find such a season? Did Esau? Will you? Alas! the Bible assures you, "Now is the accepted time, now is the day of saltation," and solemnly forewarns you, "He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy." Which leads me to observe, 6. By delay you may grieve the Holy Spirit to depart from you. He will not always strive with the delaying sinner; and you may provoke God to withdraw his influences entirely, and leave you to take your chosen course. Then may you embrace such errorsthere are such errors-as will ruin your soul. You may even deny the existence of God, and spurn all his offers of mercy, and laugh at his direst threatenings, and shut your eyes against all the realities of a future state, and sin without remorse or fear, and lull your conscience into slumbers so deep, so deathlike, that eternity alone can break them. Is all this fiction? No; I have been describing the actual history of a man who once became almost a Christian. The Spirit of God strove with him powerfully; he was deeply convicted of siu; his conscience smote him till he thought its stings too terrible to be borne; and in a paroxysm of anguish, in a delirium of agony, he prayed the Spirit to depart, and leave his troubled bosom at rest. That prayer was heard; and when he rose from his knees, the Spirit had fled forever, conscience ceased to sting, and the man went down to death, apparently with no remorse for the past, and with scarce a fear for the future. But you hope to recall the aggrieved Spirit of God, whenever you please! So thought this very man, and so hoped a youth who in time of a revival appeased his conscience and fears by resolving to repent at a future time. He went so far as even to write his resolution, and fix the time. That time began to draw near, but disease came a little before it, and death stared him in the face. Now he thought of his resolution, read it with solemn interest, bathed it in tears, longed for the feelings he once had, and prayed for the Spirit to return; but the insulted Spirit came not at his call, and that youth died in utter despair! Delaying sinner! are you not taking the same course? Should you come to such a death-bed, you may call in vain for the Spirit so often grieved. You may call too late. The Spirit may have himself may then say, taken his everlasting flight; and the Savior "Because I called and ye refused, and set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof, therefore will I laugh at your cala. mity, I will mock when your fear cometh as desolation, and your de struction as a whirlwind." 7. Let all these considerations be riveted more deeply on your mind by the shortness and uncertainty of life. Your life is at best but "a vapor, which appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." Hold your breath twenty minutes, and your soul is in hell! Your whole eternity is suspended on the thread which any one of a thousand accidents may cut in a moment, and let you sink into the abyss! Can you still be at ease? Can you swing securely over eternal burnings? Can you will you-DARE you cling to the hope of a more convenient season? Has God promised such a season? You hope for it! So have millions, and perished by the delusion. You hope to live! So do many on the bed of death. Are you young and vigorous? Be it so; but may not death still be aiming at your vi tals? Do you purpose to repent next year, next month, next week, or even to-morrow? This very night you may be in eternity; and of what use will be your purpose to repent, when you may be lifting up your eyes in torment? Will you then stake your immortal interests on a delusion so fatal as the hope of a more convenient season? Shall no considerations arrest you? Will you still sleep in sin, on the brink of hell? While God is warning you, and the Savior inviting you, and the Spirit perhaps moving on your heart, and angels waiting to rejoice at your repentance, and dangers thickening around you, will you still persist in rebellion, and harden your heart against every motive to repentance? Will you, can you shut your ears against the wailings of the pit, the songs of heaven, and the sweet voice of redeeming love? "If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself; but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it." 1 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 OF 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 denomina. tions of Christians in the United States, is one, which, in our opinion, may be ren. dered highly interesting, and extensively useful. We do therefore willingly recommend the undertaking to the patronage of the Christian community.' FROM THE QUARTERLY CHRISTIAN SPECTATOR. "We do not hesitate to say, that Mr. Dickinson has adopted one of the hap. piest 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." NEW AGENTS.-Providence, R. I., Isaac Wilcox; Pawtucket, R. I., Charles Simmons; Laurel Hill, N. C., Francis Hawley; |