table, while the former remain immutable. His wisdom, and goodness, and power, then, being infinite and immutably perfect, it follows that all his plans and purposes are unchangeable and eternal. God has no new thoughts. His knowledge can neither be increased nor diminished. There can never be any occasion for his adopting a new purpose, unless we may suppose the occurrence of events which were unexpected; which however is impossible, for he seeth the end from the beginning. The purposes of God, then, are as immutable and eternal as his own nature. If it is now his purpose to sanctify and save any soul in this house, such has been his purpose from eternity. To deny this, is most clearly to make God an imperfect being. If then you are ever saved, you will owe it to the unchangeable and eternal purpose of God. Consider the following plain declarations of the inspired volume. "Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." "Being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will." "Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified, and whom he justified, them he also glorified." "As many as were ordained to eternal life, believed." "God hath not appointed us to wrath; but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ; according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord." What can be plainer? Who, that believes the scriptures, can doubt, that every Christian is called, and sanctified and saved, according to the eternal purpose of God? This great doctrine which exhibits so clearly the astonishing riches of the divine goodness and grace, is inseparably connected with the immutability of Jehovah. If God is unchangeable, this doctrine is true; if he is not unchangeable, it is not true. The two things stand or fall together.

"Well then," says an objector, "If I am to be saved, I shall be saved, do what I will." Not exactly so. If God has purposed your salvation, you will indeed be saved; yet not without repentance, faith, and holiness. It was the purpose of God to save Paul and his companions in the ship, from a watery grave, and bring them all safe to land; and this purpose he had made known to the apostle. Yet when some of them were about to betake themselves to the boat, Paul said to the centurion, "Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved." In like manner it may be the purpose of God to save some hardhearted sinner now in this assembly; and yet I am authorized to say to him, that if he does not repent and believe the Gospel, he cannot be saved. The purpose of God, be it remembered, includes repentance, and faith, and holiness. It is a golden chain, every link of which is perfect. It is made fast in the unchangeableness of Jehovah, and extending down through the effectual calling, and the free justification, reaches to eternal glory.

6. If God is unchangeable, then the sinner "must make to himself a new heart and a right spirit," or perish without remedy. If rightly viewed, no attribute of the Godhead is more dreadful to the sinner, than the one which constitutes the theme of this discourse. Here he may

read his fearful, unchangeable doom, if he continues impenitent. It is God's unalterable determination to punish the unbelieving and unholy, with everlasting destruction from his presence, and from the glory of his power. We read this determination in all those thrilling denunciations which meet the eye on nearly every page of the inspired volume. The character of the sinner and the character of God are opposites. In order to a reconciliation, therefore, the one or the other must, experience a great change. God hath, in his possession, all the resources of infinite wisdom and almighty power. He will not, he cannot change; and he ought not to change, if he could. He is already perfect, and no change can be made in his character which would not be for the worse. "I am the Lord, I change not. My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure." "He is in one mind, and who can turn him?" "What then must become of the sinner, who will not make to himself a new heart? Can he escape? The threatenings, purposes, laws, attributes of the eternal God, are all leagued against the man that will not bow the knee and embrace the son of his love. That impassible gulph which lies between heaven and hell; what is it, but the immutability of God's purpose? It is certain, therefore, that, if the sinner continues to hold fast the weapons of his rebellion, his ruin must be complete, inevitable, eternal. Come then, my friends, let your decision now be made. Refuges of lies, vain excuses, idle dreams, put them all away; they cannot bear the light of eternity. Say with yourself, God is unchangeable; I must therefore be converted, or lie down in everlasting torments. And since life is but a vapor, I must be converted soon, or for ever bewail my fall. Eternity, oh, eternity! it is just at hand. Yet a little while and we shall all be in that mysterious, unknown country. What you do must be done quickly. Remember, there is but one channel through which the mercy of heaven flows down to this ruined world. Christ is that channel. He is the Mediator between God and rebel men. No man cometh unto the Father but by him. Approach in any other way, and the countenance of eternal Love will be darkened with a frown. But

From the cross uplifted high,
Where the Savior deigns to die,
What melodious sounds we hear,
Bursting on the ravished ear!-
"Love's redeeming work is done-
Come and welcome, sinner, come."

By the glories of heaven and the pains of hell, I entreat you, reject not this Savior. His love is wonderful, it passeth knowledge. To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart.

From the American Baptist.

"We esteem this Sermon (CCIX) one of the most valuable in the very valuable series of Sermons which that Work has presented to the reading public within the last ten years; a Work which deserves to receive a larger share of public patronage than it has yet secured."

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 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 standard 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.'

BACK VOLUMES.

A few entire sets remain, which can be obtained, by those who first apply, through booksellers, merchants, or others sending to N. Y