The Lord Shall Rejoice in His Works, Sermon

The Lord Shall Rejoice in His Works · Sermon

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

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.

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.

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; p. 6if we only conſider it in the Brightneſs of Ideas and Ornaments of Diction." **HENRY's Expoſ.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: p. 7And 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 p. 8and 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, p. 9and 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 p. 10ſing? — 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 p. 11to 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 **Neque enim hic vulgaris eſt Honor, quod DEUS Mundum tam ſplendido Ornatu in Gratiam noſtram inſtruxit; ut non ſolum pulchri hujus Theatri ſimus Spectatores, ſed multiplici Bonorum Copia et Varietate, quae in co nobis ſunt expoſita, fruamur. Cal. in loc..

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.

p. 12Theſe are his choſen and called, adopted and ſanctified, his Children §§Perſonam optimi patris induit, qui filiis blande fovendis, et liberaliter alendis ſe oblectat., 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 ††Jer. i. 5. Rev. xiii. 8. xvii. 8. Jer. xxxi. 3. ii. 2. Iſai. lxii. 5. Rev. xxi. 2.Jer 1:5Rev 13:8Jer 31:3Isa 62:5Rev 21:2, 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.

p. 13But 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.

p. 14All 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.

p. 15Look 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 p. 16Shout, 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 p. 17his 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, p. 18and 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 p. 19of him ſhall be ſweet; I will be glad in the LORD ††Haec Gratitudo unicae Compenſationis loco eſt apud Deum, ubi debita cum laude perſequimur: Cupit enim Ordinem, quem ab initio Deus inſtituit, fluere in legitimo Donorum …us uſu..

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 p. 20Father! 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, p. 21and 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**Oſtendit ſtatum Mundi in illu DEI Laetitia fundatum eſſe, quia niſi Terram vegetet ſereno paterno que affectu, ſimul ac eam ſevero oculo adſpexerit, tremefaciet, Monteſ que ipſos ex uret.

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.

p. 22Then 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 p. 23call 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 p. 24to 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.

p. 25May 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.

p. 26Which 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.