cribe this great difference between the past and present effects of preaching the gospel? Must we not ascribe it partly to the peculiar mode of the apostles' preaching? They always preached boldly, though not always successfully; but yet their success is not unfrequently ascribed to their boldness. As soon as Paul was converted, we read that "he preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus." When he first went to Jerusalem, after his conversion, we are told, "he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus." It seems that his bold preaching produced great and saving effects in Judea, Galilee and Samaria. When he and Barnabas came to Iconium, "they both went together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed." It is added, "Long time, therefore, abode they, speaking boldly in the Lord." At Ephesus, "Paul went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months." Though the success of the apostles was partly owing to their preaching boldly, yet their preaching boldly must be ascribed partly to the christians who perpetually prayed for them, that a divine blessing might accompany their bold and faithful exertions. After the council at Jerusalem had reprimanded Peter and John for preaching the gospel, and forbidden them to speak any more in the name of Jesus, they went and told their own company of believers what the chief priests and elders had said to them. And when their Christian friends heard how they had been treated, "They lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, behold their threatenings, and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word." Their prayers were effectual; for it is immediately added, "they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness." The boldness of the apostles, and the prayers of christians for them, contributed more to their success than all the miracles wrought in their favor. But preachers are not generally so bold, nor christians so prayerful, at this day, as they were in the primitive days of Christianity. This will sufficiently account for the want of those great and good effects, which were once produced by the bold and faithful preaching of the gospel.

Secondly: This subject teaches christians that they may do a great deal to assist their ministers in their laborious and arduous work. The primitive preachers of the gospel gratefully acknowledged that they received peculiar benefit from the aid and coöperation of their fellow christians. Paul, in his epistle to the Romans, calls upon the whole church to "greet Priscilla and Aquila, my helpers in Christ Jesus." They assisted him in various ways, by attending upon his preaching and by

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inviting others to attend upon it; by risking their own lives in defence of his; and principally by praying for him, that he might be enabled to preach both boldly and successfully. In this last way, christians at this day may greatly assist their ministers in discharging the duties of their office. They are more dependent for success in their work than other men are for success in their secular concerns. Men in their common affairs can obtain the objects of their pursuits with common assistance; but ministers cannot obtain their supreme object in preaching, without the special influence of the Divine Spirit. And there is good reason to believe that the effectual, fervent prayers of their fellow christians will avail as much to procure this assistance, and to promote their success, as their own prayers and exertions. It is generally in answer to the prayers of his people that God strengthens, emboldens, encourages, and succeeds his faithful ministers in their great and good work. We know that it was in answer to the prayers of the church that the apostles were so remarkably assisted and succeeded in preaching the gospel on the day of Pentecost. Christians, therefore, must certainly know that they can greatly assist their ministers by praying for them, that they may preach boldly as they ought to preach, and successfully as they desire to preach. And they have no more right to neglect to pray for their ministers, than their ministers have to neglect to preach

to them.

Thirdly Since faithful ministers need as well as desire the prayers of their fellow christians, it is their privilege as well as duty to pray for them. They view it a privilege to pray for their own lives, and health, and peace, and prosperity; and why should they not view it a greater privilege to pray for their own spiritual nourishment and growth in grace? This they know depends upon their praying for their ministers, who are the stewards of the mysteries of God, and whose proper business it is to feed them with knowledge and understanding. If they desire to grow in grace and in the knowledge of their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, then they will virtually pray for themselves, in praying for their ministers. This Christ taught his apostles and followers. "He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, shall receive a righteous man's reward." Christians have reason to expect that the more sincerely and constantly they pray for their ministers, the more instructive edification and comfort they shall derive from their preaching. But if they forget, or neglect, or

refuse to pray for their ministers, they abuse a precious privilege, and injure both themselves, and those who watch for their souls.

Fourthly: Since faithful ministers desire and request the professors of religion to pray for them, they must be extremely ungrateful and inconsistent, if, instead of complying with such a reasonable desire and request, they complain of them for preaching boldly as they ought to preach. Those who profess religion are generally the first and loudest in complaining of bold and faithful preaching. The Scribes and Pharisees made the first and most bitter complaints against the plain and faithful preaching of Christ, and found much more fault with him. than even publicans and sinners. When the apostles plainly and boldly preached the gospel in various parts of the world, they met with more opposition from Jews than from Gentiles. And after they had gathered large and flourishing churches, the opposition and defection of professing christians did more to obstruct the spread and success of the gospel, than the opposition and prejudices of Pagan idolaters. This was a sore trial to Paul, who laments the inconsistent conduct of the Galatians, who had once professed to love his person and preaching. He asks them, "Where is, then, the blessedness ye spoke of? for I bear you record that if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me. Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?" Speaking of his preaching on another occasion, he says, "At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me; I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding, the Lord stood with me and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion." Professing christians, at this day, are often the first and fiercest to object against those who preach the gospel most plainly and boldly. Though the men of the world do really dislike such preaching, yet they are generally afraid to complain of it, until they hear and see professors of religion complain, object and oppose. But is it not extremely inconsistent and absurd for professing christians to complain of ministers for preaching the same doctrines which Christ and the apostles preached, and which they have professed to believe and love? This looks like gross hypocrisy; but there is reason to fear that real christians do sometimes fall into such inconsistency, and greatly injure the cause which they profess to promote. There is scarcely any thing more embarrassing and discouraging to faithful ministers, at the present day, than the feelings and conduct of professing christians, in respect to their

preaching plainly and boldly the first principles of the oracles of God. Though they believe the doctrine of the sacred Trinity, the doctrine of divine decrees, the doctrine of divine agency, the doctrine of moral depravity, the doctrine of regeneration, the doctrine of disinterested benevolence, the doctrine of unreserved submission, the doctrine of justification by faith alone, and the doctrine of eternal rewards and punishments; yet they cannot plainly and boldly preach these great and solemn truths, without wounding the feelings and exciting the displeasure of those who call themselves christians. It must be very disheartening to faithful ministers of Christ, to be blamed, reproached and opposed, for preaching as they ought to preach; and as the good of souls requires them to preach; and as all professors of religion are bound to pray that they should preach. This spirit of opposition to divine truth, which is too visibly prevailing, not only among the men of the world, but among professing christians, bears a dark aspect upon true religion; and directly tends to stop the mouths, and weaken the hands, and discourage the hearts, of those who mean to preach the gospel boldly as they ought to preach it.

The truths which we have now exhibited will, we hope, be duly considered by those for whom this discourse is principally designed, and excite them to make some suitable reflections and resolutions on this serious occasion.

In the first place, the Pastor elect will spontaneously realize his own insufficiency for the laborious, difficult and important work, in which he has faithfully and successfully labored for a number of years, and in which he still resolves to spend his days. Though he has assiduously cultivated his superior mental powers; though he has collected a large fund of classical and theological knowledge; though he has experienced the power of religion on his own heart; though he has seen much of human nature, both in its rude and in its cultivated state; and though he has had peculiar experience in preaching the gospel; yet he is not sufficient of himself to discharge the weighty and solemn duties of the gospel ministry. This, we presume, he has most sensibly felt; and the more he realizes his constant need of divine assistance in every part of his pas toral office, the more he will sincerely desire the prayers of his people, that he may have strength, and courage, and utterance given him, to preach to them boldly and faithfully as he ought to preach. But whether the people of God remember, or forget him in their prayers, he will resolve to preach the truth and the whole truth with freedom and confidence. He will set his face as a flint, put away the fear of man which bringeth a snare, renounce self dependence, and trust in the Lord Jehovah,

in whom there is everlasting strength. He will humbly resolve to be valiant for the truth. He has come upon the stage at an awful crisis; and who knows but he is destined to do much for the propagation of the pure doctrines of the gospel, and for the refutation and suppression of enthusiasm, superstition and heresy. He has long been placed in a very instructive school; and it must be his own fault, if he have not learned wisdom, prudence, patience, humility, meekness, zeal, fortitude and fidelity, by the things which he has seen, and by the scenes through which he has been called to pass. A new field is now opening before him. Let him take courage, and renewedly devote himself to the service of God, and sincerely determine to be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that his faithful labors shall not be in vain in the Lord.

The people, in this place, will now please to reflect that it is their part to pray for their minister, that his mouth may be opened, his understanding enlightened, and his holy zeal enlivened, to preach to them boldly as he ought to preach. God is about to try you again in regard to the important duty of praying for your pastor. If you have been negligent in the discharge of this duty in times past, you will resolve to be more faithful in time to come. You have good reason to believe that your chosen minister will sincerely desire your prayers for him, that he may be both faithful and successful in laboring for your good; and we charitably hope that it is your present intention and resolution to comply with his reasonable desire and just expectation. Let me, however, entreat you, as Paul did the Ephesians, to "watch thereunto with all perseverance." In this point you will be extremely apt to fail. Upon your first receiving a pastor whom you highly esteem and love, you will not forget him at the throne of grace. But there is danger of your growing gradually remiss in praying for that divine assistance to be given him, which, the longer and the more faithfully he preaches to you, he will the more ardently desire and the more sensibly need. While, therefore, the man you have chosen to watch for your souls, is now standing before you, and implicitly saying, Brethren, pray for me, that utterance may be given me, that I may preach boldly, as I ought to preach, the important and precious truths of the gospel; will you not reply from the heart, God forbid that we should cease to pray for you? Amen.