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SERMON I.

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God glorified in Heaven for his Works of Creation and Providence.

REVELATION iv. 11.

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

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T. John, in this chapter, describes a vision which he had of the heavenly worship. He saw a throne placed in heaven, with the appearance of divine glory upon it; and seats disposed around, on which sat the elders, clothed in white raiment, with golden crowns on their heads; and in the midst, and round about the throne, were the principal angels. These began the worship with celebrating the infinite purity of the divine ature, and ascribing all glory to him, who sat on the throne; and then the elders joined their voices, falling before the throne, casting down their crowns, and saying, Thou art worthy to receive glory, and honour, and power; for VOL. I.

B

thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

In these words we may observe,

I. That all things were created by God.

II. That they were created, and are upheld for his pleasure.

III. That all rational beings are to glorify him for his creation and providence.

I. The heavenly church acknowledge that God created all things.

If the world was created, there was a time when it did not exist. Though it received its present form from preexisting matter, yet this matter must, at some time or other, have received its existence from the same hand which moulded it into its wondrous form. The worlds were framed by the word of God; so that things which are seen, were not made of things which do appear. If the world were eternal and self existent, it would be immutable; for that which exists necessarily, is necessarily what it is, and not liable to change or dissolution. But we see these material things continually subject to alteration and decay; we may therefore conclude that they are the creatures of time.

The

As all creation had a beginning, so this part of it had a late beginning. The scriptural account, which dates it but a few thousand years back, is in some measure confirmed by observation. lateness of our most ancient histories, the imperfection of arts and sciences, and even of the geography of the world, and the vast tracts, which still remain unpopulated, or but sparsely inhabited, though mankind have, in general, been in a state of increase, make it credible, that the world cannot have existed much longer than the Mosaic account represents.

"But, Can we suppose, that the Deity, who is eternal, would suffer such a long duration to pass

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