cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. And those who have not received the grace of God in truth, it may be rationally expected, will no more make such objections to the great and essential doctrines of the gospel, as they have so often heard completely refuted. God can easily cause the good seed which has been sown in their understandings, to spring up in their hearts, and bring forth abundantly the fruits of holiness. The field here has been excellently cultivated and prepared, and he who is to enter into another man's labors, will have the fairest opportunity and encouragement to reap a plentiful harvest, and gather fruit unto life eternal; that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. I am well persuaded that the pastor elect is established in the great, distinguishing and precious truths of the gospel. He is no novice, but has for years labored industriously and successfully in the vineyard of Christ. But considering the corruption of the human heart, he will feel the importance of taking heed how he preaches. Like the royal preacher, let him seek to find out acceptable words, and speak the truth in love. And may He, who has greatly blessed his ministerial labors, continue to smile upon him, and crown his labors among this people with abundant success.

SERMON XVI.

BOLDNESS OF FAITHFUL PREACHERS.

INSTALLATION OF REV. THOMAS WILLIAMS, FOXBOROUGH, NOVEMBER 6, 1816.

AND for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am

an ambassador in bonds; that therein I may speak

boldly as I ought to speak.-EPE. vi. 19, 20.

THOUGH Paul was a man of genius, of learning, and of eloquence, yet, with all these accomplishments, he felt himself unequal to the arduous and sacred work in which he had been engaged. He had met with great opposition from the Jew and from the Greek, from the learned and the unlearned, while preaching the gospel as he verily thought he ought to preach it. He therefore desires the saints at Ephesus, that, while praying for themselves and other christians, they would also pray for him, that he might be enabled and disposed to preach the gos. pel with proper freedom, plainness and boldness. Such feelings and desires were not peculiar to the apostle, but are com mon to all who mean to preach the gospel faithfully. This warrants us to say,

That faithful ministers, who feel that they ought to preach the gospel boldly, desire christians to pray for them. It is proposed to show,

I. That faithful ministers feel that they ought to preach the gospel boldly. And,

II. Why they desire christians to pray for them.

I. That faithful ministers feel that they ought to preach the

gospel boldly, will appear, in the first place, if we consider that they really believe the gospel is true.

The apostles and primitive preachers of the gospel had both a speculative and experimental belief of its truth and divinity. Paul says to the Corinthians, " Brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand." "For I delivered unto you first of all, that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures; and that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all, he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time." To the Galatians he says, "I certify you, brethren, that the gospel that was preached of me, is not after man. For I neither received it of man; neither was I taught it; but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it; and profited in the Jews' religion above many, my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions. of my fathers. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood." And to Timothy he says, "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day." When Christ put this question to his disciples, "Whom say ye that I am? Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona; for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." When some of his disciples went back and walked no more with him, "Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe, and are sure, that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God." Peter, and Paul, and all the apostles had a firm and unwavering faith in the truth and divinity of the gospel; and under the impression of such a faith, they felt that they ought to preach it boldly. This they declare was the motive which morally obliged them, not only to preach, but to preach with confidence. "We, having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believe, and

therefore have I spoken, we also believe and therefore speak." And those who heard them preach after the day of Pentecost, ascribed their zeal, animation and intrepidity, to their belief of the gospel and warm attachment to Christ. "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus." all faithful ministers have been with Jesus, imbibed his spirit, and felt the transforming influence of his gospel upon their hearts, so they believe, and are sure, that it is divinely true. They believe it, not only on the ground of miracles, and prophecies, and other external evidence; but upon internal evidence, or the saving effects which it has produced in their minds. And while they have the witness in themselves of the truth and divine glory of the gospel, they are constrained to feel that they ought to preach it, and to preach boldly. Men are apt to speak with confidence what they confidently believe to be true. And as faithful ministers confidently believe the gospel to be a system of divine truth, so they feel divinely authorized to preach it with great freedom and boldness.

2. Their knowledge, as well as belief of the gospel, carries conviction to their minds that they ought to preach it boldly.

While Paul was under the dominion of an evil heart of unbelief, his understanding was darkened, and he continued grossly ignorant of the great and benevolent design of the gospel. But after his heart was renewed, and the eyes of his understanding were opened, he was prepared for those clear and extensive views of the whole plan of salvation which God designed to give him, and which qualified him to do more signal services in the church than any other of the apostles. This he gratefully acknowledged as a peculiar favor to him, as well as to the church of Christ. "For this cause, I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles; if ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God, which is given to you-ward, how that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; as I wrote afore in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ." "Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to make all men see, what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord." Here the apostle declares that he had a full

and distinct knowledge of the whole scheme of salvation, as it originally lay in the divine mind from eternity, and as it was clearly revealed in the gospel. This plan of salvation he calls a mystery; because, from the beginning of the world to this day, it was obscured and wrapt up in darkness by the rites and ceremonies of former dispensations, which it was his appropriate business to unfold, explain and inculcate. Favored with such clear and extensive views of the great and glorious design of the gospel, he considered it as a privilege, as well as duty, to preach it boldly. He entreats christians, therefore, that they would pray for him, that utterance might be given him, that he might open his mouth boldly, in making known the mystery of the gospel, and preach it as he ought to preach it. He saw so much of the wisdom, and grace, and glory of the gospel, that he ardently desired to make all men see the same great and glorious truths which he saw, loved and admired in the astonishing plan of salvation. And all faithful ministers, in whose hearts God has shone, to give them the light of the knowledge of his glory in the face of Jesus Christ, feel obliged and disposed to preach the gospel boldly. They have not only an experimental, but in some measure, a theological and systematical knowledge of the way of salvation. They are able to explain the nature and design of the gospel, and the various doctrines which compose it, and the various duties which flow from its doctrines, and the mutual harmony and connection which runs through the whole scheme of redemption. And the more clearly and fully they understand the gospel, the more forcibly they feel their indispensable obligation to preach it boldly. Men are never afraid to speak boldly upon subjects which they are conscious that they thoroughly understand. Those ministers, therefore, who are conscious that they clearly understand and love the design, the doctrines and the duties of the gospel, will never be afraid, nor ashamed to declare the whole counsel of God, nor to preach any doctrine or duty of Christianity boldly as they ought to preach it.

3. Faithful ministers feel the sacred obligation of their sacred office, to preach the gospel boldly.

They are the appointed stewards of the mysteries of God; and it is always required of stewards, that a man be found faithful. But how can they be faithful stewards of the mysteries of God, unless they plainly and boldly unfold and make known these mysteries? They are ambassadors of Christ, and are bound to be faithful to him who appointed them. But how can they faithfully discharge this solemn and important trust, unless they boldly preach Jesus Christ and him crucified, and all the doctrines and duties which he has commanded them to