The Glory of God in the Firmament of His Power, Half title – Dedication
Dr. Colman's SERMON On the Glory of GOD In the Firmament.
The GLORY of GOD IN THE FIRMAMENT of his POWER. A SERMON Preach'd in Boſton to the Congregation in Brattle-Street, On the Lord's-Day, October 31ſt. 1742.
By Benjamin Colman, D.D. A Paſtor of ſaid CHURCH.
"Caeli enarrant Gloriam DEI et Opera Manuum annunciat Expanſio.
BOSTON: Printed and Sold by S. Kneeland T. Green Queen-Street, 1743.
TO JAMES BOWDOIN, Eſq Merchant in Boſton.
Honoured SIR,
AT your Deſire the following Sermon is ſent to the Preſs; to YOU therefore I in Form preſent it. You have alſo gratified the Deſires of others, who wiſh'd to read it after they had heard it. I pray GOD it may be of ſpiritual Profit to you and them.
GOD has made his wonderful Works to be remembred: His Work is honourable and glorious, ſought out by all them that have Pleaſure therein; which all ought to have. At Times therefore we ought to preach on this Subject, but always in an evangelical, ſcriptural and ſpiritual Manner. A Chriſtian Audience ſhould ever be ſo treated, edified and gratified. I pleaſe my ſelf with thinking, it was this that gave the Diſcourſe it's Force and Acceptance with ſo many. If now in reading it, they or others may find a like Pleaſure and Benefit, they will thank you, Sir, under GOD, as the Hand that conveys it to them.
GOD has ſet You near the Head of our Province for worldly Eſtate and Riches; but the true Honour which we wiſh You, and to all our Brethren of like ſuperior worldly Circumſtances, cometh from above the Firmament; even the Riches of Grace, the enduring Subſtance, a Treaſure in Heaven which faileth not. We are therefore commanded by our LORD and SAVIOUR, to charge them that are rich in this World, that they be not high-minded, nor truſt in uncertain Riches, but in the LIVING GOD, who gives us richly all Things to enjoy: That they do Good, be rich in good Works, ready to diſtribute, willing to communicate; laying up in Store for themſelves a good Foundation againſt the Time to come, that they may lay hold of eternal Life.
The weekly SABBATH is the ſpecial, reverend and perpetual Memorial to us of the Wiſdom, Power and Goodneſs of GOD in his Work of CREATION; and a more gracious and ſolemn Memorial thereof could not be given us, for the Honour of GOD from us, or for ſpiritual Good to us from GOD.
How neceſſary is it for us in our fallen State, to be call'd off every Week from our worldly Works, to a calm deliberate and rais'd Contemplation of GOD our MARKER, PRESERVER, REDEEMER and SANCTIFIER; in his whole Work of Nature, Providence & Grace! That every ſeventh Thought (as it were) thro' all our Time might be on GOD, and ſacred to his Praiſe.
Before there could be a Sabbath to Man on Earth, while the LORD was but laying the Foundation of it upon nothing, the Angels of GOD gave Praiſe and Glory; The Morning Stars ſang together, and all the Sons of GOD ſhouted for Joy. And this is our happy joyous Exerciſe, if GOD give a Heart for it, as our Sabbaths Return; as the PSALM for the Sabbath Day would inſpire us; Pſal. xcii. For thou LORD haſt made me glad thro' thy Work, and I will triumph in the Work of thy Hands.
If we are ever in the SPIRIT on our LORD's-DAYS, and favoured with any Viſions of the SON OF MAN in the midſt of his Golden Candleſticks, our thankful Praiſes will aſcend to HIM at the FATHER's right Hand, as enter'd into his Reſt upon his finiſhing the Work of our REDEMPTION, as GOD ceas'd from his when the Heavens and the Earth were finiſhed. But we muſt wait for the perfect Sabbath, and the perfect Praiſe, among the crowned Elders and adoring Angels before the THRONE, Rev. iv. Where they reſt not Day and Night from giving Glory and Honour and Thanks to HIM that is upon the Throne, and liveth for ever and ever; ſaying, — For THOU haſt CREATED all Things, and for thy Pleaſure they are and were CREATED.
Sir, My Heart's Deſire and Prayer to GOD is, that the SABBATH OF THE LORD may be ever thus holy to HIM in your Dwelling, and in all the Families of the Flock! That the Rich among us in particular may ever give a bright Example in this Reſpect; teſtifying hereby their Gratitude to GOD who gives 'em all Things richly to enjoy, pertaining both to Life and Godlineſs! That when the LORD comes to Judgment, and fills our Firmament with his dazzling tremendous Glory; and the Rich and Poor ſtand together before HIM, and the Books are open'd; it may be then read and ſaid— I know thy Works of Righteouſneſs and Charity! Come ye bleſſed of my FATHER, inherit the KINGDOM, prepared for you from the Foundation of the World; for I was hungry and ye gave me Meat, &c. For verily I ſay unto you, in as much as ye did it unto One of the leaſt of theſe my Brethren, ye did it unto ME.
That many, many of the High and Low together, from every worſhiping Aſſembly in this great Town; may then meet and ſhare in this BENEDICTION, and be unto each other, and to their faithful Miniſters for a Crown of Rejoycing, is the Prayer of him who is with great and ſincere Eſteem,
SIR, Your very humble Servant, Benjamin Colman. Boſton, January 10th, 1742, 3.