ently extend their charity to those who deny them. And if those who call themselves catholic, were really so, they would. approve and applaud the orthodox for their consistent, though not universal catholicism.

4. If ministers of the gospel are established in the great and fundamental doctrines of it; they will not fail to preach those doctrines to their people. They will not be wavering and unsettled in their religious sentiments. They will not think the doctrines upon which they build their own hopes of salvation, are unprofitable to their hearers. They will love to preach the most important truths, rather than any others; and desire to make their people understand them, and feel the weight and importance of them. For this purpose, they will preach them plainly. If they preach upon moral depravity, they will explain it. If they preach upon regeneration, they will explain it. If they preach upon the divine decrees, they will tell what they mean. If they preach upon the great and essential doctrine of the ever blessed Trinity, they will explain what can be explained, and place the mystery where it ought to be placed, not in respect to the three divine Persons, but in respect to the unity of these in the Godhead. If they preach upon the operations of the Holy Spirit upon the hearts of men, they will explain these operations, and the effects which flow from them. Indeed, whatever essential doctrine they preach, they will explain. It is one thing to preach about a doctrine, and another thing to explain it. But the plainness of preaching principally consists in explaining divine truths, in language easy to be understood by every hearer. It is, therefore, by a clear manifestation of the truth, that ministers must effectually commend themselves. to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

Again: If ministers are established in the essential doctrines of the gospel, they will preach them fully as well as plainly. They will not shun to declare all the counsel of God, but unfold all the first principles of the gospel. They will aim to exhibit the harmony, connection and consistency of the various parts of the great plan of redemption, as it was concerted, adjusted and established in the Divine Mind from eternity. They will endeavor to make their people know as much about all the doctrines which God has revealed, as they are able to teach them.

And farthermore: They will preach the fundamental doctrines of the gospel not only plainly and fully, but constantly. Gospel duties cannot be separated from gospel doctrines. Practical preaching is founded upon sentimental. Christian duties must be traced to Christian principles; and therefore these must always be brought into view, in treating upon

every subject. In a word, if ministers of the gospel know the grace of God in truth, they will preach the great and essential truths of the gospel plainly, fully, constantly and practically; which will directly tend to quicken, comfort and edify Christians, and to awaken, convince, and convert sinners.

5. If the doctrines which have been mentioned are essential and important, then a people have no reason to complain of their minister for preaching them, as plainly and fully as he can. If he finds them revealed in the gospel, and feels the importance of them in respect both to himself and his hearers, he is morally obliged to exhibit them, without the least ambiguity or disguise. If he seeks to please man, rather than God, he will certainly displease both God and the friends of God. It is extremely unkind and unreasonable for his people to become his enemies, because he tells them the truth. But so unkind and unreasonable have sinners always been, under the plain and faithful preaching of the peculiar and essential doctrines of the gospel. This was the case in the days of Christ. His plain and pungent preaching excited the bitter and mortal enmity of the enemies of all righteousness. Only for preaching the doctrine of divine sovereignty in saving one sinner, and leaving another to perish, the exasperated hearers attempted to push him headlong down an awful precipice. While the apostles preached the same important truths which he preached, they met with the same opposition from an unbelieving and frowning world. And this was what Christ forewarned them, and all his faithful ministers in time to come, to expect, from a faithful discharge of their sacred office. Nor have they been often agreeably disappointed. The offence of the cross has not yet ceased. The fundamental doctrines of the gospel are still offensive to the depraved heart; and much oftener produce hatred, than love, to those who preach the preaching which God bids them.

But we hope better things of the people in this place, who have long been taught the great and precious doctrines of grace, by their late deceased and beloved Pastor; who was one of the most luminous, the most penetrating, the most instructive, the most energetic, the most fervent and successful preachers of the present day. Many, I trust, have been taught of God, and are become established in the essential doctrines of the gospel, and desire the sincere milk of the word, that they may grow in knowledge and in holiness, until they come to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, and will be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and

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 gospel with proper freedom, plainness and boldness. Such feelings and desires were not peculiar to the apostle, but are common 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.

For

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. 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