Discourse in College-Hall 27 March 1722, Title page 1 – Preface 1
A Diſcourſe Had in the College-Hall At Cambridge, March 27. 1722. Before the Baptiſm of R. Judah Monis. By Benj. Colman, V.D.M. To which are added Three DISCOURSES Written by Mr. Monis himſelf, The Truth, The whole Truth, and, Nothing but the Truth. One of which was deliver'd by him at his BAPTISM.
BOSTON: Printed for Daniel Henchman, and ſold at his Shop over againſt the old Brick Church in Cornhill. 1722.
Moſes a Witneſs to our LORD and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.
A DISCOURSE Had in the College Hall at Cambridge, March 27. 1722. Before the Baptiſm of R. Judah Monis.
By Benjamin Colman, M.A. and Paſtor of a Church in Boſton.
Rom. 11.15.
For if the caſting away of them be the reconciling of the World; what ſhall the receiving of them be but life from the dead?
BOSTON: Printed by S. Kneeland, for D. Henchman, and Sold at his Shop. 1722.
PREFACE.
THE following Diſcourſe, humble & plain as it is, and on an Occaſion ſo rare & ſingular, needs no more to be ſaid in Excuſe of it, than theſe two things: firſt that it was prepar'd in obedience to the Deſire of the very Reverend Mr. Leverett, the preſent Learned Head and Preſident of the Houſe where it was deliver'd, in caſe of the Abſence of the Aged and Venerable Dr. Increaſe Mather, who if his Years had permitted him would have preſided and ſerved on ſo great a Solemnity: And ſecondly, that the Author pretends to little more in this poor Performance than to give a ſmall Collection of the Thoughts of a few Select Authors, that ſtood by him on his Shelf, upon the Inſtances which he has here choſen; the Propriety whereof is ſubmitted to the Cenſure of the Candid and Judicious Reader.
AS to Mr. Monis himſelf, it muſt be confeſſed that he ſeems a very Valuable Proſelyte; (as a Learned Perſon has ſaid to me of him) and would be ſo eſteemed by the learned & pious in one Profeſſion or other of Chriſtianity. He is truly read and learned in the Jewiſh Cabbala and Rabbins, a Maſter and Critic in the Hebrew: He reads, ſpeaks, writes and interprets it with great readineſs and accuracy, and is truly …, apt t… teach. His Diligence and Induſtry together with his Ability is manifeſt unto mens who have ſeen his Grammar and Nomenclator, Hebrew and Engliſh; as alſo his Tranſlation of the Creed and Lord's Prayer, the thirty-nine Articles of the Church of England, and the Aſſembly's Sho…er Catechiſm into Hebrew. And he is … tranſlating the Larger Catechiſm; a Work I ſuppoſe never before attempted. To crown all, His knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, both the Old and New Testament is very happy and extraordinary, which he adorns with a laudable Converſation. Upon all which I may well aid the Words that a Reverend Miniſter lately had to me; Who knows what great deſigns of Providence may be hereby ſerv'd, reſpecting that People of Promiſe, whoſe Inlightning is ſo often the Subject of our Prayers.
GOD grant that (as our SAVIOUR ſaid to Peter) being Converted himſelf, be may minister unto the Converſion of his Brethren; who were once the peculiar People of GOD, and are ſtill beloved for the Fathers ſake. At leaſt I truſt the Gracious GOD may mean Us (I mean the College and theſe Churches of CHRIST) great Benefit from Mr. Monis his Services, if the Honourable and Reverend the Overſeers of the College ſhall think good to confirm the Choice which the Reverend Preſident and Fellows, the preſent Corporation, have lately made of Mr. Monis to teach the Hebrew Tongue unto the Students; or rather if in their Wiſdom they ſhall ſee meet to Appoint Him Hebrew Profeſſor: for which good and great Work we have no Man likeminded, as well as Capable.