is the best attractive to win others to the love of religion. Had Clirist's doves more sweet spices of luunility, charity, patience, and other heavenly graces in their wings, as they fly about in the world, they would soon bring more com- pany home with them. This is the gold that should over-lay the temple of Christ's church, and would make others in love with its beauty ; this was one happy means for the incredible increase of converts in the primitive times. Then the mystery of the gospel was made known, not only by the apostles' powerful preaching, but by Christians' holy li\-ing. See how they walked, Acts ii. 46, and what was the blessed fruit of it, ver. 47 : ' They had favour with all the people, and the Lord added daily to the church such as should be saved.' It would tempt any almost but a devil to have entered their names into such a heavenly society ; but when this gold grew dim, then the gospel began to lose its credit in the world : converts came in slower, when those that professed the gospel began to cool in their zeal, and slacken in the strictness of their lives.
CHAPTER X.
BOLDNESS A DUTY IN A MINISTER.
The third branch is how the minister is to make known this mystery of the gospel, — ' That I may open my mouth boldly.'
Section I. — What is meant by opening his mouth boldly? The words im- port two things. First, To speak all that he hath in command from God to deliver; that is the full meaning of these words. Thus Paul kept nothing back of God's counsel. Acts xx. 27. ' He concealed not the words of the Holy One,' as Job's phrase is. Secondly, To speak with liberty and freedom of spirit, without fear of any, be they many or mighty. Now this is seen, first, by speaking openly and not in corners ; the tricks of heretics and false teachers, who privily bring in their damnable doctrines. It is said, Christ ' spake that saying openly,' Mark viii. 32. Secondly, by speaking plainly. It shews some fear in the heart, when the preacher's words are so dark that his judgment or opinion cannot easily be gathered from his words, he lays them so close and ambiguous. The minister is to speak truth freely and plainly ; this was the apostle's boldness, 2 Cor. iii. 12, ' Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech.'
Section II. — Wherein the minister is to shew this boldness in preaching the gospel. First, In asserting the truths of the gospel. He is not to smother truth for the fear of any. Ministers are called witnesses ; a witness is to speak what he knows, though it be in open court before the greatest of men. Paul Ijad a free tongue to speak the tnith, even in prison, though he was in bonds ; yet he tells us, 'The word of God is not bound,' 2 Tim. ii. 9. Some truths will go down easily, to preach these requires no boldness ; the worst in the con- gregation will give the preacher thanks upon some subjects; but there are dis- pleasing truths, truths that cross the opinion of some in the assembly ; to preach these, requii'es a free and bold spirit. When Christ was to preach before the Pharisees, he was not afraid to preach against their errors : had some wary preacher stood in his place, he would have selected such a subject as should not have offended their tender ears. There are truths that expose the preacher to scorn and derision ; yet they are not to be concealed. Paul preached the resur- rection, though some in the assembly mocked him for his pains. There arc truths that sometimes may expose the minister to danger, truths that carry the cross at their back ; such was that truth, that Isaiah delivered concerning the rejection of the Jews, Rom. x. 20, ' But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not.' This was likely to enrage his countrymen, and bring them about his ears. We read of a word of patience, which we arc to keep ; such a word the preacher had need have good store of that delivers it, and Christians that profess it, because it may bring them into trouble, and draw the persecutor's sword against them. This is not always the same ; the word of patience in the apostle's time, were truths levelled against Judaism and Heathenism ; under the Arian emperors, it was the Deity of Christ ; in Luther's time the doctrine of Justification, and others asserted by him against the Romish Church. Secondly, Boldness in reproving sin, and dcnouncingjudgmcnt against
g|2 BOLDLY.