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Dr. Colman's SERMON BEFORE THE GENERAL COURT, August 27. 1741.

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The LORD shall rejoice in his Works.

A SERMON Preach'd at the LECTURE in BOSTON, August 27. 1741. BEFORE His EXCELLENCY William Shirley, Esq Captain-General and Commander in Chief, And in the Audience OF THE General Court.

By Benjamin Colman, D.D

PSAL. cxi. 3. His Work is honourable and glorious, and his Righ­teousness endureth for ever.

BOSTON: Printed by J. DRAPER, Printer to His Excellency the GOVERNOUR and COUNCIL. MDCCXLI.

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At a Council held at the Council Cham­ber in Boston, upon Thursday the 27th of August 1741.

Voted,

THAT Jacob Wendell, Richard Bill and John Read, Esqrs be desired to give the Reverend Dr. Benjamin Colman the Thanks of this Board for his Sermon preached this Day at the publick Lecture in Boston, and to request of him a Copy thereof for the Press.

J. Willard, Secr.
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THE LORD shall rejoyce IN HIS WORKS

PSALM CIV. 31.

THE Glory of the LORD shall endure forever, the LORD shall rejoice in his Works.

THE Glory of the LORD in his Works of Creation and Provi­dence, but more especially the latter, is the Subject of this high and lofty Psalm. The Style and Strain of it perfectly agrees to the stately Subject. "It is a noble Poem, esteem'd by very competent Judges, far to excel all that the Wit and Devotion of Man has ever wrote upon the Dominion of GOD manifest in the Works of Nature; [Page 6] if we only consider it in the Brightness of Ideas and Ornaments of Diction." * It begins with giving Glory in the highest; O LORD my GOD, thou art very Great, thou art clothed with Honour and Majesty; who coverest thy self with Light as with a Garment! And it draws to a close with my Text, "The Glory of the LORD shall endure forever, the LORD shall rejoice in his Works.

Or it may be read as a Prayer, the Hebrew being in the Imperative Mood, Let the Glory of the LORD endure forever; Let the Lord rejoice in his Works. q. d. "Amen, O LORD most great and gracious! It is so, it will be so, and ever may it be! Let the whole Earth ever give thee Glory.

Every way the Words breathe a most fervent Dox­ology, upon the Contemplation and Recitation of the glorious Work of GOD thro' the Universe, and express a raptrous Thanksgiving to Him thereon; "O may the LORD have Glory from us, and Joy in all his Creatures; and never more be grieved, as He once was, that he had made Man upon the Earth.

But the Words are more than a Prayer: They are an Affirmation of what ever was, is and shall be: "Thy Glory shall endure to Eternity, and thy Joy in all thy Works, in thy own unchangeable Complacency in them, which is infinitely more than all the Ado­rations of Angels and Saints on the Account of 'em, for ever and ever.

It is only the latter Part of the Text I shall dis­course of, and to be sure in a poor and low manner, on so high a Subject, The LORD shall rejoice in his Works.

The Blessedness and Glory here ascrib'd to GOD, is Joy. Glory and Blessedness, cannot be without Joy. They are essential to and inseparable from each other: [Page 7]And GOD is the blessed and only Potentate in this, be­cause his Joy is perfect in all his Works. Never did King or Saint come near to this, no not Solomon in all his Glory. He wrote Vanity of Vanities on his great Works, for he err'd and sinn'd in his doing and using them. GOD's Works are all perfect; "They are Verity and Judgment, and are done in Truth and Uprightness"; and the King of Glory has a perfect Joy in the Perfection of them all; his Works of Creation, Providence and Grace. A perfect Wisdom, Holiness, Goodness, Munificence, Benediction shines forth in them; so that ineffable, perfect, infinite Joy must be the constant Result. It can be no otherwise for ever and ever. It must be without Variableness or Shadow of Change. The invariable Cause and Reason must have an invariable Effect. Perfectness is the Cause, Blessedness and Fulness of Joy is the Re­sult. There can be neither Addition or Diminution.

Altho' my Text leads me more particularly to the Consideration of GOD's Works of Providence, yet I will say something also of the Work of Creation and Redemption.

I. GOD ever had, hath and will have a Divine ineffable Joy in his Work of Creation; in all and every Part of it.

How manifold these are, we may see thro' the Psalm, which instances in GOD's making the Angels, stretching forth the Heavens, laying the Foundation of the Earth, covering it with the Deep, filling it with Springs of Water, clothing it with Grass and Trees, the Food of the Cattle, and the Dwelling of the Fowl.

At the Creation of all these, Moses tells us how GOD expressed his divine Joyes; He saw 'em all to be very good, perfect in their Kind, and he blessed them, rested and instituted the weekly Sabbath; a holy perpetual Rest to Man: —How could Compla­cency [Page 8]and Joy be more expressed? No wonder that all his Angels sang together, and all the Sons of GOD in one World and other shouted for Joy. Job. xxxviii. 7. They saw the Joy of GOD in every Thing that was made, and far into the Reasons of it. But GOD only comprehends his own Work, and his Joy transcends theirs infinitely, as does his Knowledge and Goodness.

Man was the Joy of his GOD, in the Day of his Creation: Let us make Man in our Image, after our Likeness, and let him have Dominion. GOD made an Eden for him, put him into the Garden of Pleasure, and fill'd him with Joys in his holy and happy State. To give such a Being, must be an unknown Joy to to him that gave it.

When we see but a little into the Works of GOD, O what a Joy does it give us? When we consider his Heavens, the Work of his Fingers, the Moon and Stars which He has created! When we look down on the springing Wegetables in our Fields and Gardens, — "If GOD so clothe the Grass! When we soar after the Fowl of Heaven, as on the strong Wings of Eagles, or view the goodly Wings of the Peacock at our Door! When we go down to the Sea in Ships, and the Dol­phin or the Whale play about us; — There is that Leviathan! Or be it the more terrible Crocodile near the Shore, with the Things creeping innumerable both small and great Beasts, whereof our Context sings: How do the Silver Shoals glitter on the Hook or in the Net as we draw them up!

When we survey the Animals upon the dry Land, both tame and wild, meek and fierce, from the Horse and Elephant, to the Mouse and Worm; what surprising Pleasures do the Varieties of wondrous Use and Beauty give to our Contemplative and devout Minds!—But yet when we raise our Eye upon our selves, and look in one another's Faces, and see each others Souls in our Eyes and Speech; how GOD has made the Dust into Organs of Sight and Hearing, our Hands to work, [Page 9]and Tongues our Glory! How he has made our Minds and Souls to think and know, to admire, love and joy! to pray and praise and serve and be happy! to give Glory and Honour and Thanks to the Fountain of [...], Perfection and Blessedness! — Above all, when we find our Selves capable of a Spiritual and Divine Joy, in casting our selves before the Throne, and uttering the Songs of Heaven, from which the Coelestial Spirits never rest; Revel. iv. 8, 9. ‘Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, which was and is and is to come! — Thou art worthy, to receive Glory and Honour and Power; for Thou hast created all Things, and for thy Pleasure they are and were created.’

I say, when we may at any time feel within our selves, any part of their Pleasure and Delight, in our Meditations on, and searching into the Things that GOD has made; what must we then conceive of the Joy of GOD in his creating them?

II. I proceed to contemplate, in a like, low and brief manner, the infinite and incessant Joy of GOD in his upholding, preserving, supplying and governing all his Creatures. The Joy must be the same in GOD's Work of Providence, as of Creation; for the same Wisdom, Power and Goodness is glorious for ever in the one and other; and therefore the like Blessedness and Joy results from both.

Has a Father Joy (O low Comparison) in feeding, instructing, cloathing and ruling his Family, with Prudence and Tenderness? Or to rise higher, Has a a good King Joy in blessing, and protecting his King­dom? in being as the Light and Rain to them, and as the Breath of their Nostrils: which are the high and most elegant Representation of the Oracles of GOD to us! Yea, has every earthly Benefactor, even in the lowest Rank of Life, a superiour Joy, akin to that of benevolent Angels, in shewing the Kindnesses of GOD to their Fellow Worms; in distributing to their Wants and Needs, and making their Hearts to [Page 10]sing? — Then think of the Immense Joyes of GOD in his vast Benefits to all his Creatures thro' every Moment of their Existance! To fill them with Good and Happiness, according to their various Capacities of receiving from Him! As the Psalmist sings of the Blessedness of GOD a few Verses before my Text; 'These all wait upon Thee, that thou mayest give them their Meat in due Season; that thou givest them they gather; thou openest thy Hand, they are filled with Good.

I might go into particulars, if there were any End of them, and speak of the perpetual Joyes which the LORD most High must necessarily have in the daily and annual Course of the Sun, or of the Planets in their Revolutions and Circles about it; whereby Heat and Life, Light, Food and Joy, is preserved in them all; and all our precious Things are put forth, Grass for the Cattel, and Herbs for the service of Man, and Corn and Wine and Oil to make glad his Heart and his Face to shine. Nor does the LORD of all overlook the Life that is most below ours: "He knows all the Beasts of the Mountains, and the Cattel upon a thousand Hills, are His! and almost all for Us, O we of little Observation and Gratitude! — But how vast must His Satisfaction be, in his vast Provisions for us Daily? "His Thoughts are very deep, while the brutish Man knows not, nor the Fool understands any of them. It's very well there is here and there found a Soul of high Devotion, "made glad thro' His Work, and tri­umphing in them; as in Psalm xcii; "Upon an In­strument of ten Strings, upon the Harp with a solemn Sound; to shew forth his Loving-kindness in the Morn­ing, and his Faithfulness every Night. — But whether we will call on our Souls or no, or awake up our Glory to sing and give Praise; yet GOD has his Joyes every Moment of Time, as our Context teaches us, ‘while He makes the Clouds his Chariot and walks upon the Wings of the Wind! while He appoints the Moon for Seasons, and the Sun knows its going down; while He sets a Bound to the Deep, and sends his Springs into the Valleys, to give Drink [Page 11]to every Beast; — He sees 'em quench their Thirst with the Pleasure of a common Owner of 'em all! He feeds alike the mute Fish of the Sea, and the Birds that sing among the Branches, as joyful as Creatures of the Air can be.—If we have no religious Joy in con­templating these common Works of Providence; yet GOD has a Fulness of Joyes for ever in them. Earth and Sea are full of his Riches *.

But what then in the Joy of GOD in the Nations of Men! ver. 23. "Man goeth forth to his Work, and to his Labour until the Evening.

Man is his great Family, whom the LORD daily feeds; and the Nations and their Food is but as the Drop of a Bucket, and the small Dust of the Ballance.

His Delights were from everlasting in the Sons of Men; and he makes his Sun to shine and his Rain to fall upon the Just and Unjust; and under such Feet he yet puts "all Sheep and Oxen, the Beasts of the "Field, the Fowl of the Air, and the Fish of the Sea. For out of the Inhabitants of this our Globe He has an Election of his Grace, foreknown and predestinated to be His Joy to eternal Ages. These HE has given to his only-begotten and eternal SON, before all Worlds, to be by Him brought out of a State of Sin and Misery, the woful Fruit of their wicked Fall from Him, to hea­venly Holiness and everlasting Blessedness. — These therefore He seeds and keeps on Earth, with a peculiar Love and Delight, as he did his Enoch, Noah, Abra­ham, Isaac, Jacob, Job and others, preserving them to his heavenly Kingdom.

[Page 12] These are his chosen and called, adopted and sanctified, his Children §, his Jewels and Treasure; and all this of his own Heart only and freest Grace; for before he formed them in the Belly, he knew them, and had writ their Names in the Book of Life, having loved them with an Everlasting Love: They are even as the Espoused of his Soul, and as the Bridegroom rejoi­ceth over his Bride, so the LORD their GOD over them! — This is his own Word , and what can be more expressive of his Joy in them?

He feeds them with a Fathers Heart and Hand, with a Covenant Love and Care: "He giveth Meat to them that fear him, ever mindful of his Covenant. They are his Portion and Inheritance, and the LORD is theirs. They have Bread to eat, which others know not of, they taste and see that the LORD is good; and the Joy of the LORD is their strength: His secret is with them, and he shews them his Covenant. He takes them into a blessed and high Fellowship and Communion, and manifests himself so to them as not to the World: He makes a Hedge about them, and neither Satan nor Sabean can break in upon them: He speaks of 'em with Joy, as he did of Job to his Adversary the Devil; "Hast thou consider'd my Servant? And if he break the Hedge, and suffer Men or Devils to break in with Rage and Fury, yet in the End the LORD and his Servant have Joy; and indeed he enters into the Joy of his LORD; he does so here in this Life by Faith and Love, he shall do so in Vision and Fruition to all Eternity. —The Psalm ends with this Distinction between the Godly and the Wicked; the Pleasure of GOD in the one, and their Triumph in Him; while the others perish by the Fire of his Wrath: ‘Let the Sinners be consumed out of the Earth, and let the Wicked be no more; but bless thou the LORD O my Soul, praise ye the LORD.’

[Page 13] But this special Joy of the LORD in some of His Works above others, and in some of the Children of Men above others, naturally leads me into the Con­templation of the LORDs rejoicing in his Work of Re­demption. I come therefore

III. To speak of GOD's Joy in our Redemption, his wondrous Work of Grace and Mercy, relating to our precious and immortal Souls, their present Sanctifica­tion and eternal Glorification. The most distinguish­ing Blessings of Providence do only minister unto [...] of Grace, and hereby become spiritual and sav­ing to us.

The Joy of GOD is in recovering sinful Man to his original Holiness and Blessedness: "Have I any Plea­sure at all that the Sinner should die? saith the Lord GOD: And not that be turn and live. GOD and his Angels rejoice in this; for there is Joy among the Angels over one Sinner that repenteth: But the Joy of the immense Father of Spirits must of necessity excel in­finitely the Joys of all his holy Angels on this Ac­count: Even to them also it might be said, altho' these elder Brethren know no Displicency and Envy, as we read in the Parable, Luke xv. Son thou art ever with me, and all I have is thine; but this thy Brother was dead and is alive again, he was lost and is found: It is meet that we make merry and be glad.

Known unto GOD are all his Works from Eternity, before the Being of any Angel or Spirit! Conscious to his own everlasting Love to some who should never Sin, and to others whom He would bring to Repen­tance, he had the Joy of it before all Worlds. This his ineffable incomprehensible Joy in his eternal Pur­pose of Mercy to an elect Number of the Race of sallen Adam, is represented to us thro' the lively Ora­cles; from the first Promise of a SAVIOUR, Gen. iii. to the Transports of Heaven on the Consummation of the Marriage of the Lamb, Rev. xix. 7. Let us be glad and rejoice and give Honour to Him.

[Page 14] All Things [...] existed in the Eternal Mind, and were seen and enjoyed by Him in his perfect Idea. The Eternal FATHER possessed all Things in his Eter­nal SON; the Heir of all, by whom He made the Worlds: ‘was, says he (Prov. viii. 1.) set up from everlasting, from the Beginning, or ever the Earth was; I was daily his Delight, rejoycing always before Him; re­joicing in the habitable Parts of the Earth, and my Delights were with the Sons of Men.’ Whom the FATHER then foresaw, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his SON, that he might be the Firstborn among many Brethren, Rom viii. 29. And surely as He had tho't so it has and shall come to pass, and as he purposed so it shall stand. Read the whole Joy of the FATHER and CHRIST, and of all the Elect and saved, thro' the first and third Chapters of the Epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians.

The Joy of GOD is first in the Person of the RE­DEEMER, and for his sake in his redeemed saved Ones,

1. In the Person of the Redeemer, the Divine Joy is from everlasting, ineffable, infinite, Heb. i. 3. Who being the brightness of his Glory, and the express Image of his Person, and upholding all Things by the Word of his Power; when he had by Himself purged our Sins, sat down on the right Hand of the Majesty on High.

It is in his Office of a Redeemer to us, that the Father teaches us to behold the Glory of the Son, and speaks his Joy in Him, Psal. ii. 6. ‘I have set my King upon my holy Hill of Sion; I will declare the Decree, the LORD said unto Me, thou art my Son, this Day have I be­gotten thee: Ask of me and I will give the Heathen for thy Inheritance; and the uttermost Parts of the Earth for thy Possession.’ Isa. xlii. 1, ‘Behold my Servant whom I uphold, mine Elect in whom my Heart delighteth; I have put my Spirit upon Him, he shall bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles.’ Matth. iii. 17. And lo a Voice from Heaven, saying, This is my be­loved SON in whom I am well-pleased.

[Page 15] Look thro' the whole Revelation of JESUS to us, from the Beginning of the Bible to the End of it, and see if the Joy of GOD in the REDEEMER be not the Harmony of Scripture. So the Revelation begins to Adam after his Sin and Condemnation: A blessed Seed of the Woman to break the Serpent's Head. A SEED the Joy of GOD and of Souls, the Terror and Judge of Devils. Enoch prophesied of Him with Joy and Terror; Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints to execute Judgment upon all; first in a Flood of Water and then of Fire. Abraham heard of his Day with Joy, and great Reason had he for it in the Promise made to him, "In thy Seed shall all the Na­tions of the Earth be blessed. In the Blessing of Ju­dah, CHRIST is declared to be the Joy of GOD and of his Israel; "Judah, Thou art he whom thy Bre­thren shall praise. So the GOD of Israel spake of his CHRIST to Moses as his highest Joy, "A Prophet will I raise up like unto thee, unto HIM they shall hearken. And so to David at large, in the lxxxix Psalm, "I have laid Help upon One that is Mighty, with my holy Oyl have I anointed Him.

In his Incarnation he was the Joy of Heaven and Earth: Isai. ix. 6. ‘Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the Government shall be upon his Shoulder; and his Name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, the mighty God, the ever­lasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Luke ii. 10. I bring you good Tydings of great Joy, which shall be to all People; for unto you is born this Day a SAVIOUR which is CHRIST the Lord.’

The REDEEMER in all his Offices is the Joy of GOD and Man; "Thou art a PRIEST forever, after the Order of Melchisedec: In his Ministry, "He shall bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles: In his Miracles, "The Lame shall leap as a Hart, and the Tongue of the Dumb shall sing: In his Sufferings, "I have glori­fied thee; and will glorify: In his Resurrection, "O Death I will be thy Plague, O Grave I will be thy De­struction! In his Ascension, "GOD is gone up with a [Page 16]Shout, the LORD with the Voice of a Trumpet; sing Praises to our King, sing Praises: In his Exaltation, "Sit thou at my right Hand until I make thy Ene­mies thy Footstool: In his Intercession, "I know that thou hearest me always: And finally, GOD's Joy in CHRIST is at his Second Coming in Glory; "For the Father loveth the Son, and hath committed all Judgment to Him; that all Men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father.—Such is the Joy of GOD in the Person of the REDEEMER, thro' his Accomplishment of the whole and every Part of our Redemption and Salvation.

2. I have only to add, the Joy of GOD in his Re­deemed and saved, for CHRIST's sake.

They are his Elect and therefore his Joy: He chose 'em before the Foundation of the World, to be made holy, having loved them with an everlasting Love, and he draws them with Loving-Kindness. He has espoused them, and joyes over them as a Bridegroom. GOD has adopted them in CHRIST, put his Spirit into them, his Image on 'em.— He joyes in his Grace in them; in all the Exercise and Fruit of it to his own Glory. His Gifts and Calling are without Repentance.— He joyes in their Prayers and Praises, their spiritual Sacrifices, they are a sweet Savour of Rest to him. He joyes in their Pardon and Justification; "I —, even I am He, that blotteth out thy Sins for my own sake. He joyes in their Access to Him, Communion with him, and Joy in him, "Let me hear thy Voice, for sweet is thy Voice and thy Countenance is comely. He joyes in their Obedience to Him, of every kind, active and passive, as in Abel and Job, the First-Fruit and the none-such from the Earth. He joyes in all his Dispensations to his san­ctified, in all their Comforts and Crosses, when they re­ceive Good, and when Evil; his Love and Joy is the same in all, and theirs ought to be so; "I will chasten him, with the Rod of Men, but my Loving-kindness will I not take away, nor suffer my Faithfulness to fail —. He sends out his black Horses, his dark Dispensations, and they quiet his Spirit, Zech, vi. 8. He purifies [Page 17]his People in the Furnace, and sees 'em with Joy come forth as Gold: He burns up the Wicked as Dross, "Ah! I will ease me of my Enemies! Pharaoh and Antichrist are alike rais'd up for his own and his Churches Triumph. The Song of Moses and the Lamb are one: "Great and marvellous are thy Works, Lord God Almighty! just and true thy Wayes, O King of Saints! who shall not glorify Thee! — And to con­clude, The Consummation of all Things, when the Mystery of GOD is finished, will be consummate Joy. both on the part of the FATHER and of CHRIST and of the Church: Revel. xvi. 2. And I saw the New Jerusalem coming down from GOD out of Heaven, as a Bride adorned for her Husband.

So I have meditated in the easiest, plainest, most Scriptural and Evangelical manner, and in the most general and comprehensive I could, "The LORD's rejoicing in his Works.

The Use remains, and first, See the Blessedness, Per­fection, and Glory of the LORD OUR GOD, and how He is to be admir'd, blessed and magnified by us, for what He is in Himself. He is the Blessed GOD! how Grand and glorious is this Ascription! His JOY in all his Works is infinite. This is worthy of the CREATOR and Governour of all Worlds, and the Re­deemer and Sanctifier of the Saved out of ours. How happy must HE be, who is the Fountain of Be­ing and Felicity in all Worlds! Psal. lxxii. 19. And blessed be his glorious Name for ever, and let the whole Earth be filled with his Glory! Amen and Amen.

2. The Perfection of all the Works of GOD is a necessary Inference from his rejoicing in them. If his whole Work were not perfect, how should HE that is perfect rejoice in it? They must be all done in perfect Truth, Wisdom, Goodness, Holiness. They must be as He Himself is. If He were not absolutely perfect, he could have no Joy in Himself; if his Works were not all so, he could have none in them. "He covers himself with Light as with a Garment, [Page 18]and layes the Beams of his mighty Building,—and a Universe appears. "His Work is honourable and glo­rious, and his Righteousness endureth for ever. They are Verity and Judgment and stand fast for ever and ever. He has made 'em to be remember'd, he has ordained e­verlasting Memorials of them to us, in his Sabbath and the Holy Supper. He sent Redemption to his Peo­ple, he has commanded his Covenant for ever; holy and reverend is his Name.

3. Let us learn our Duty, in Conformity to the Blessed GOD, and for his Glory from us, and for our own Joy and Blessedness here and for ever; to rejoice in GOD and in the Knowledge we have of his Works of Nature, Providence and Grace.

We have Minds and Eyes to observe 'em, and Memories to retain 'em. "Sought out they are by all that have Pleasure in them; and he that has it not, is worse than blind and brutish "Understand ye brutish among the People, and ye Fools when will ye be wise? To whom shall I send them for Instruction and Cor­rection! let it be to a holy Woman, an inspired Mo­ther in Israel, to Hannah the Mother of Samuel, 1. Sam. ii, r. And Hannah prayed and said, "My Heart rejoiceth in the LORD, my Horn is exalted in the LORD. I rejoice in his Salvation; there is none holy as the LORD, there is none beside him.

A religious Joy in GOD is a most high and important Thing in his holy Law to us, but how hard is it to attain this Divine Life. Phil. iv. 4. Rejoice in the LORD always, and again I say rejoice. Man was made for this Joy and in it, and had he preserv'd his Innocence and Holiness, this had been the Light and Life of his Spirit: As it is the Image of GOD on the Spirits in Glory, that they are holy and joyful like him. It is the most natural Resolve in the World, that the Psalmist comes into, upon uttering the Words of my Text; "The LORD shall rejoice in his Works; and ‘I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live; I will sing Praise unto my GOD while I have my Being; my Me­ditation [Page 19]of him shall be sweet;’ I will be glad in the LORD .

But as the Joy of GOD is more especially in the great Work of our Redemption and in his Redeemed; so let our Joy be in CHRIST JESUS, the Joy of his Redee­med; and in them that are so, the excellent Ones of the Earth, in whom should be all our Delight. Let us rejoice in his holy Law and holy Worship and Worshippers; in holy Devotedness and Obedience to Him who has died for us and rose again; in the Exercise of Faith and Love, Repentance, Prayer and Praise. Let CHRIST be our Glory and Joy; He and his Righteousness, He and his People, He and his Cross, He and his Salvation.

4. Let the Use be of Shame and Confusion to us, of Humiliation, Repentance and holy Mourning, that we know no more of this sacred Pleasure, a holy Joy in GOD and his Works; that we have no more contem­plated and seen GOD in 'em! that GOD and his Works are not in all our Thoughts! that we are so lost in Sense, and tho'tless of GOD in every Thing we see and feel and hear and taste! that our Phyloso­phy and Theology are so poor and low! that we are sunk so much below Men as well as Christians! stupid and mindless of these Works of Providence and Grace, which should exceedingly affect us and excite our Gratitude and Praise! and again at times (it may be) grieved at his Works, discontented, offended and fretful at them, like Jonah! or envious as Asaph, "I was as a Beast before Thee! and worse, for the Beasts envy not.

Let us remember our Faults this Day;—that un­der some of GOD's holy and righteous Works Us­ward we have been dejected, cast down and ready to despond! that we have been unresigned and impatient, or no more submissive to the Will of our Heavenly [Page 20]Father! or that we have been no more obedient and fruitful under Divine Corrections and Rebukes! that we have despised the LORD's Chastning, or fainted! that we have been no more humbled, purged, purified and refined by them! — So GOD has not the Joy of his Work, but has been grieved and justly pro­voked by us! as he was by the Sinners of the old World, and it repented him that he had made Man upon the Earth, and it grieved him at the Heart, and he destroyed the Work of his Hand. Gen. vi. 6.

But to close with a more pleasurable Direction and Exhortation, which yet may seem somewhat strange too; that we should need to be so exhorted.

5. Let GOD have Joy in Us among his other Works. He will have none in us without our own Consent and Will, he will joy in the Triumphs of his Justice on us, if we will not be to the Triumph of his Grace and Mercy. If thou be righteous what givest thou to Him? And if thou sinnest what dost thou against him? — We are a Part of the Work of his Hands, and he expects Joy from us, and has made us for a voluntary yielding it to him. This is the Prerogative of Man above the inseriour Creatures; He must joy in GOD, that GOD may joy in Him.— With Joy also has GOD redeemed us, that he might rejoice in us, as renewed, sanctified, justified and glorified. O let him have this Joy in our Rege­neration, Adoption, Justification and eternal Salvati­on. Let Him have Joy in our Love, Adoration, Ser­vice and Obedience; in our Submissions, Prayers and Thanksgivings for ever and ever. — Let us devote our selves to Him as living Sacrifices, holy and accep­table thro' JESUS CHRIST our LORD. Let us walk be­fore Him in all holy Obedience, that He may dwell with us and in us, and be our GOD. Let his Name be hallow'd by us, and his Kingdom come in us, and his Will be done by us, as it is done in Heaven. Why should not GOD have Joy in Us, as he has in his holy Ones above, thro' the Ages of Eternity! Let us yield Him the Obedience of Faith here, and of Love and Joy for ever. The Kingdom of GOD here in us, [Page 21]and that to come hereafter, is Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the HOLY GHOST. This is approved of GOD and accepted by him; this is the Joy of the LORD — But then we must deprecate Sinners and their Ways, and imprecate against them, for GOD can have no Joy in them, nor in his Earth because of them. So there­fore the Psalm concludes; "Let the Sinners be con­sumed out of the Earth, and let the Wicked be no more; bless thou the LORD O my Soul, praise ye the LORD. The Meaning is, The holy GOD can never rejoice in Us, nor in his Works on Earth, while we and they are involv'd in Sin; but were Sin once consumed out of the Earth which is the very End and Effect of our Re­demption by CHRIST; then GOD has Pleasure in be­holding this his Earth and dwelling in it, and then we with holy Joyes and Exultation can laud and praise and bless him. Else "He looks on the Earth, and it trembles, he touches the Hills and they smoke: His fiery Presence sets it in a Flame; which are the very Words following my Text *

Let this therefore be our holy Ambition, our humble Prayer and sollicitous Care, that GOD and his Earth may have Joy in us and from us in our respective Places.

Let MAGISTRATES therefore rule for GOD, as they do by Him and under Him; and say unto the Fools, deal not so foolishly, and unto the Wicked, lift not up the Horn on high, speak not with a stiff Neck. Let 'em resolve by the Grace of GOD and say with David, ‘I will behave my self wisely in a perfect Way, I will walk in my House with a perfect Heart; I will set no evil Thing before my Eyes, a froward Heart shall depart from me, I will not know a wicked Per­son; my Eyes shall be upon the Faithful in the Land, that they may serve me.’

[Page 22] Then if the Vine be advanced to rule over the Trees, it shall be so far from losing it's Sweetness, that it will but the more abundantly diffuse it's generous Spirit, and chear the Heart both of GOD and Man: As Jotham spake in his Parable by the Wisdom of GOD. But wise was the Vine to refuse the Rule, if it must thereby lose it's Sweetness, turn sour and grieve both GOD and Man; as Saul did, and the LORD said to Samuel, "It repenteth me that I made him King.

But as this Matter pertaineth to Rulers, that the LORD may rejoice in his Work; so also does it to the whole Body of a People, Ministers and private Christians, in a reverend and delightful Concurrence with Them; as Aaron and Hur held up the Hands of Moses in the Mount; and as Shechaniah answer'd and said unto Ezra; — "We also will be with Thee; be of good Courage and do it.

How beauteous, healthy and Athletic then is the Body? the Head and all the Members together having the same Regard to GOD and Care one for another; that the LORD (whose we are, and whom we serve to­gether) may take Pleasure in us all and beautify the Meek with Salvation, his Israel rejoicing in Him that made him, and the Children of Zion being joyful in their King.

I will give you here an Instance, the most general and comprehensive, singular and proper, in the religious Ob­servation of the LORD's-DAY among a People; it being the One primitive and perpetual Memorial of the LORD's rejoicing in his whole Work of Creation, Providence and Redemption; and the weekly sacred Season of our joyful remembring GOD in his Works, to give Him the enduring Glory of them.

Let Rulers and People only unite in the Sanctifica­tion of the SABBATH, Ministers leading in the holy pub­lick Solemnities of Worship, and People assembling with Reverence and godly Fear; Parents and Heads of Families commanding their Children and Housholds to [Page 23]call it the Holy of the LORD and honourable, and to honour Him thereon, not finding their own Pleasure, nor taking their own Way and Walk, nor speaking their own Words on GOD's holy Day; (Isai. lviii. 13, 14.) — How would the Glory of the LORD endure forever a­mong us by this Means, and our GOD rejoice over us to bless us, as He has promis'd; Then shalt thou delight thy self in the LORD, and I will cause thee to ride upon the high Places of the Earth, and feed thee with the Heritage of Jacob thy Father; for the Mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Men, Brethren & Fathers hearken! If we in our re­spective Places religiously consult the Glory of GOD and it's enduring among us, there is no doubt at all to be made of GOD's rejoicing over us to do us good: ‘And they that be of Thee shall build the old waste Places; Thou shalt raise up the Foundations of past Generations; and be called the Repairer of the Breach, the Restorer of Paths to dwell in.’

But while we are zealous for the Ordinances of our GOD, relating to his Worship, shall we forget or neg­lect the Duties that respect our civil Life and moral Conduct one toward another; a sober, a righteous and peaceable Life, in all Godliness and Honesty? GOD for­bid! — Shall we not willingly and gladly submit to every Ordinance of Man for the LORD's sake? whether it be to the KING in supreme, or unto GOVERNOURS as sent by Him, for the Punishment of Evil-doers, and for the Praise of them that do well? — For so it is the Will of GOD that with well-doing you put to silence the Ignorance of foolish Men; as free and not using your Liberty as a Cloke of Maliciousness, but as the Servants of GOD: Ho­nour all Men, love the Brotherhood, fear GOD, honour the KING,’

So we are taught of GOD, and commanded by Him to teach you, ‘To be subject to Principalities and Powers, to obey Magistrates and to be ready unto every good Work.— Let every Soul therefore be [Page 24]to the HIGHER POWERS; for there is no Power but of GOD: the POWERS that be are ordained of Him; whosoever therefore resisteth the Power (in it's law­ful Commands) resisteth the Ordinance of GOD, and they that resist shall receive to themselves Damna­tion: But be not terrified by this Word, as if on Pain of Damnation you were obliged to obey evil and unlawful Commands; No; the righteous and holy GOD can never require this of us, nor may his VICEGE­RENTS on Earth demand it: ‘For Rulers are not a Terror to good Works, but to the evil: Wilt thou then be afraid of the Power? Do that which is good and thou shalt have Praise of the same;’ (you may most justly expect and demand it.) ‘For He is the Minister of GOD to thee for Good: But if thou do that which is evil be afraid; for He beareth not the Sword in vain; He is the Minister of GOD, a Revenger, to execute Wrath upon him that doeth Evil; (and upon no other) wherefore you must needs be subject, not only for Wrath but for Conscience-sake. For, for this Cause pay you Tribute also; for They are GOD's Ministers, attending continually upon this very Thing: Render therefore unto all their Dues, Tribute to whom Tribute is due; Custom to whom Custom, Fear to whom Fear, Honour to whom Honour: Owe no Man any Thing but to love one another; for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law; scil. of the second Table, in all that it pre­scribes to us in our various Relations, in Family, School, Church and State.

So let the Beauty of the LORD our GOD be upon us! So may He establish the Work of our Hands! So may He satisfy us early with his Mercy, that we may rejoice all our Days! So may He make us glad, ac­cording to the Days wherein He has afflicted us, and the Years wherein we have seen evil.

So may Your EXCELLENCY, and We together, have Reason to rejoice for ever in the particular Work of GOD, which has bro't you to worship with us at this Time; Your Accession to the GOVERNMENT over us.

[Page 25] May there be much Glory to GOD, and Joy to YOUR SELF and Us, in the Wisdom, Righteousness and Goodness of your Administration.

May your EXCELLENCY ever have Peace and Satis­faction in your Reflections thereon from Day to Day, and Joy in the Day of CHRIST.

May you daily prove your own Work (as the Apo­stle speaks) and have Rejoicing in your self alone! in the Conscience of your own Uprightness; for (as it fol­lows) Every Man shall bear his own Burden.

GOVERNMENT is in it self Burden eno' for any Shoul­der, and only a good Conscience before GOD can make it lightsome and easy to a good Christian. Some are filled with their own Ways, which are bitter enough; but as the wise King has taught us, "The good Man shall be satisfied from himself: In the Sincerity of his Heart, and Integrity of his Life, the Recompence of his Hands shall be render'd him.

May David's humble Resolution be this Day taken up by your EXCELLENCY, and strictly kept to; "When I receive the Congregation, I will judge uprightly. So "Wisdom and Knowledge shall be the Stability of your Times, and Strength of Salvation.

And so the Glory of the LORD shall endure with us, in the flourishing of pure Religion, and of a righte­ous Commerce, and of holy Sabbaths, under your wise Counsels and Influence.

Happy the RULER and People together in such a Case, for the LORD will be their GOD. And tho' the Ruler must die like other Men, accountable to his GOD and ours; yet will be living and dying be justly own'd an earthly kind of God in this, "That like the GREAT LORD his Righteous SOVEREIGN, he shall rejoice in hill own Works of Righteousness and Goodness, for ever and ever.

[Page 26] Which GOD of his infinite Mercy grant to YOUR EXCELLENCY, and to all our Honourable RULERS, both in the Legislative and Executive Trust; thro' JESUS CHRIST, to whom be Glory, for ever and ever. AMEN.

FINIS.
[Page]

APPENDIX. FROM THE New-England Weekly-Journal. BOSTON, August 17.

THIS Morning the associated Pasters of the Churches in this Town waited on His Excellency the Go­vernour, and the Rev. Dr. COLMAN presented to Him the following Address.

To His EXCELLENCY William Shirley, Esq Captain-General and Governour in Chief in and over His Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts-Bay in New-England.

SIR,

WE the associated Pastors in the Town of Boston, wait on your Excellency to congratulate You upon your Ad­vancement to the Chair over us, to acknowledge the sovereign governing Providence of GOD herein, and to assure your Excellency of our humble and earnest Prayers to GOD that the SPIRIT of Wisdom and Grace may rest upon You, for your discharging the Duties of so great a Trust, and the Improve­ment of your excellent Talents to the Glory of GOD, the Honour of the KING, the Weal of your People, and your own good Account in the Day of CHRIST.

Your Excellency well knows the Loyalty and zealous Affection of our Churches to the Protestant Succession in the Royal House of King GEORGE the Second, our rightful Sovereign; and you have also seen the dutiful Regards of our Ministers thro' [Page]the Province to His Majesty's Governour: Which give us an humble Confidence in recommending our Churches, and the College in Cambridge, with all their Rights and Priviledges, to your Excellency's Favour and Protection.

And, whereas these Churches have been happily distinguished from the Beginning, for their strict Observation of the Lord's-Day, on which the Reli­gion and good Order of a People so greatly depend; We humbly beseech your Excellency's tender Re­gard to us in this important Matter.

And we trust, Sir, by the Help of GOD, that neither we nor any of the Brethren of our Deno­mination, will ever be wanting in that Reverence and Duty to your Excellency which a righteous Administration must always command from us.

To which Address His Excellency was pleas'd to give the following Answer,

GENTLEMEN,

I AM well perswaded of your Loyalty and zealous Affection to the Protestant Succession in His Majesty's Royal House, and am oblig'd to you for this Mark of your Respect and Esteem for Me; and you may depend upon my best Endeavours for the Maintenance of all the Rights and Priviledges of the Churches of New-England within this Province, and of the Mini­sters of them, and to promote the Interest of the College in Cambridge, during my Administration of His Majesty's Government among you; and you may depend upon my peculiar Care for the Preservation and Advancement of Religion among the People in every Instance, and espe­cially by encouraging and enjoining a strict Observation of the Lord's-Day.

The Ministers then waited on Governour BELCHER, to thank Him for all his Goodness and Favour to the Churches thro' the Province, and to the Pastors of them, during the Course of his Administration, and to express their good Wishes of the gracious Presence of GOD with Him in his Recess.

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