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CONTRIBUTORS.

Upwards of fifty Clergymen, of five Christian denominations, and belonging to sixteen different states, most of whom are well known to the public as authors, have allowed the Editor to expect from them Sermons for this work; among whom are the following:

Rev. Dr. Richards, Professor in the Theological Seminary at Auburn; Rev. Dr. Proudfit, Salem; Rev. Drs. Tucker and Beman, Troy; Rev. Dr. Sprague, Albany; Rev. Drs. Milnor, Mathews, Spring, Woodbridge, and De Witt, New-York City; Rev. Drs. Alexander and Miller, Professors in Princeton Theological Seminary; Rev. Professor M'Clelland, Rutgers College, New-Jersey; Rev. Drs. Green, M'Dowell, and Cuyler, Philadelphia; Rev. Dr. Bishop, President of Miami University, Ohio; Rev. Dr. Fitch, Professor of Divinity, Yale College; Rev. Asahel Nettleton, Killingworth, Con.; Rev. Dr. Wayland, President of Brown University; Right Rev. Bp. Griswold, Salem, Mass.; Rev. Dr. Griffin, President of Williams College; Rev. Dr. Humphrey, President of Amherst College, Mass.; Rev. Dr. Beecher, President of Lane Seminary, Cincinnati; Rev. Professors Woods, Stuart, Skinner, and Emerson, of Andover Theological Seminary; Rev. Dr. Fisk, President of the Wesleyan University, Middletown, Ct.; Rev. Daniel A. Clark, Bennington, Vt.; Rev. Dr. Bates, President of Middlebury College; Rev. Dr. Mathews, Hanover Theological Seminary, Indiana; Rev. Dr. Baxter, Union Theological Seminary, Va.; Rev. Dr. Tyler, Portland, Me.; Rev. Dr. Lord, President of Dartmouth College; Rev. Dr. Church, Pelham, N. H.; Rev. Dr. Leland, Charleston, S. C.; Rev. Dr. Coffin, Greenville, Tennessee; Rev. Professor Halsey, Western Theological Seminary; Rev. Drs. Perkins and Hawes, Hartford, Conn.; Rev. President Wheeler, Vermont University; Rev. Professor Howe, Columbia, S. C.; Rev. Dr. Chapin, President of Columbian College, D. C.

BY REV. JOB F. HALSEY AND AUSTIN DICKINSON.

THE REAL CHRISTIAN.

ROM. viii. 9. If any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Ir is a question of infinite moment-How may professing Christians exhibit the spirit of Christ, and thus evince that they are really His? A summary answer to this inquiry is, By cordially imitating his example in efforts to save men and glorify God. "He that saith, I know him;" that is, he who makes profession of the knowledge of Christ, "ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." Indeed, his spirit cannot reign within us, without so assimilating our whole character and life to his, that it shall be clearly manifest whose children we are, and under whose authority we act. Let us then solemnly and faithfully examine ourselves in the light of Christ's example-remembering that "if our own hearts condemn us, God is greater, and knoweth all things;" and remembering, too, that if we are deceived, it is infinitely better to know it now, and repent, than to wake hereafter "to shame and everlasting contempt." Have you, then, the spirit of Christ? If you have,

I. Your whole mind will, like his, be absorbed in doing the will of your heavenly Father. "Wist ye not (said he) that I must be about my Father's business?" "I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." "My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work." Of course he had nothing to do with merely consulting his own ease, pleasure, comfort, or honor. VOL. XI. No. 9.

"Christ pleased not himself;" but submitted to the heaviest self-denial and untiring effort, that the Father might be glorified and his law honored. To obey him and finish his work, he made every thing, even his life, bow. He "became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." But suppose he had, like multitudes of his professed disciples, made his Father's will a secondary, and his own pleasure and temporal interest a primary object; when, O, when could he have said, "I have glorified thee on the earth, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do?"

This work he well knew would cost him continued labor, deep humiliation, and even the sacrifice of life. But to all this he submitted voluntarily. Yea, it was his "delight" thus to do "the will of him that sent him."

Now, how seldom is it imagined, that to be a follower of Christ involves the same spirit of self-denial and devotedness to the interests of another? Yet thus it is written-" Whosoever he be, that forsaketh not all that he hath, cannot be my disciple." The moment one becomes a true disciple of Christ, he resigns his selfish spirit, and the will and work of God are first and habitually in his thoughts and aims. His anxious inquiry now is, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" and he daily and hourly consults the honor of his divine Master.

True, he will often find his present interest and comfort identified with his work; but very often his faithful discharge of duty will involve great sacrifice, and much self-denying labor. All of which, however, can be endured even "joyfully," through that faith which sustained prophets, apostles, martyrs, and millions now in glory, of whom the world was not worthy.

It is a most fatal mistake in multitudes professing piety,—that they think so much of present ease and mere worldly enjoyment-forgetting that, with respect to these, "he that taketh not up his cross, daily, and followeth me, (a condescending, self-denying Savior,) he cannot be my disciple." "To him that overcometh, will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Fa ther in his throne." The joys of conquest, then, are the joys of Chris tians. And they are not to look for present ease, but for conflict, and victory, and triumphant joy. So it was with Christ: "He took upor him the form of a servant ;" and, not for worldly gratification, but “for the joy that was set before him, (in honoring God and saving souls,) he endured the cross, despising the shame"--till he could say, with respect

to the service he had undertaken, "It is finished." Oh, if ever a being had one ruling passion, that being was Jesus, and that passion, stronger than death, was the joy of doing the will of his Father in the salvation of men!

The sum and substance of true religion is supreme love to God and love to man. And if any soul love God supremely, will he not study to learn distinctly his will, with a view to habitual obedience? And if he love his perishing fellow man as himself, will he not do all in his power to save him? If millions are seen rising in rebellion against God, and trampling his law under foot, will he not be anxious for them, as well as for the honor of God? Can he be satisfied that they should insult that Being who is supremely excellent? Can he be indifferent to any means of reconciling them to their lawful Sovereign? If so, what is his profession of love to God and man but solemn mockery? What! see God insulted and rejected, and his favor lost by millions, and Christ leaving his throne to reconcile and save them, and yet a follower of Christ feel no deep sympathy, and manifest no burning zeal, and make no sacrifices for an object so dear to his Master! A follower of Christ! and yet, in the eye of all around, pursuing his own ends, his own will! No: the case is impossible. A real follower of Christ will be known as such, and "read of all men." His character can no more be concealed, or fail to be admired, than a splendid city upon a mountain top. For what says the Savior himself?" Ye are the light of the world:" "a city set on an hill cannot be hid:" "ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." Surely, then, if the spirit of Christ be in you, your whole soul, like his, will be absorbed in doing the will of your heavenly Father-all your plans and movements will of course be in harmony with his example, who came to bring honor to God in the salvation of sinners.

II. If you have the spirit of Christ, you will habitually feel and act out personal responsibility. "Lo, I come to do thy will," said Christ. With him, doing whatsoever was given him to do, not doing as others did, was the principle of action. So entirely was he bent upon fulfilling personal obligation, that he shrunk from no duty, whether difficult or easy. He had found it more pleasant, we might suppose, to have continued to bask for ever in the beams of his Father's countenance, robed in the uncreated splendors of Godhead, receiving the joyous homage of unfallen millions, than to have "made himself of no reputation"more convenient than to have worn a crown of thorns-much easier to

have let our world be lost forever, than to have hung upon the cross to save it. But no: while clad in the habiliments of shame, while wearing that thorny crown, and while agonizing in death on the cross, he could say, "I have finished the great redemption-it was my duty -the duty is done--and done by me. It is finished, and finished by me." What! Christ shrink from personal responsibility? No, verily; he came to do whatever he, not another, had to do. Hence we find him laboring while others were idle, just as readily as while others wrought; doing his Father's work, whether others did much, or little, or nothing, ridiculed or smiled, approved or disapproved, thanked or persecuted. While Satan buffeted, he wrought on; while angels strengthened him, he wrought on. When he had chosen, qualified, and sent into the field twelve laborers at one time, and at another seventy more, so far from resting because the work would now be done, or excusing himself because others were doing it, he travelled, he labored, he preached, he prayed unceasingly; as regardless of personal comfort or indulgence as ever. This, and only this, was the spirit he exhibited, until he could say, " Father, I have finished the work thou gavest me to do;" and died-doing, even in death, what he could not do while living. Thus, while he told others their duty, he did his own. While he reproved others for idleness, he omitted not a jot or tittle his Father had given him to do. He regarded this as his personal duty.

And the command of God has made our moral duty a personal concern. I am commanded to "love God with all my heart, and my neighbor as myself." If I do whatsoever Christ has commanded, I am his friend, though millions disobey him. But suppose the millions obey him; can I be his friend unless I obey him too? Or suppose my neighbor loves and obeys him with the devotion of Paul, or Brainerd, or Martyn; am I the less bound to love and obey him with all my strength?

When conscience can be loaned from breast to breast, then, and not till then, can my personal obligation, in reference to the conversion of the world, be discharged by another. When God's eye, which never slumbers, can be deceived, then, and not till then, can what I do for the glory of God be reckoned to you, and you stand applauded as the servant who has improved his talents.

But how many professors excuse themselves from giving, merely because some liberal spirit has given as he ought; and judge that he has given enough for himself and them too? How many say to themselves,