Our Fathers' God, the Hope of Posterity. Some Serious Thoughts on the Foundation, Rise and Growth of the Settlements in New England, with a view to the edification of the Present, and the instruction and admonition of Future Generations. A Discourse delivered at Dedham, on the day of Public Thanksgiving, Nov. 23, 1738, upon the conclusion of the first Century since a Church of Christ was gathered in that plaee. By SAMUEL DEXTER, V. D. M. The duty of thanksgiving to God for favors received, explained and urged. A Discourse deliv- A Sermon preached to the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company in Boston, New England, A Sermon delivered at a Private Meeting in Framingham, on Thursday, October 8, 1761. By Page. 245 281 299 315 A Sermon preached July 4, 1764, at the ordination of the Rev. Mr. Edward Brooks, to the pastoral care of the Church in North Yarmouth. By JASON HAVEN, A. M. A Sermon preached before His Exc. Sir Francis Bernard, Baronet, Governor; His Honor 329 A Discourse occasioned by the death of Mrs. Hannah Richards, of Dedham, who departed this life on the 8th of February, 1770, in the 83d year of her age. Delivered the Lord's Day after her interment. By JASON HAVEN, A. M. A Sermon preached at the ordination of the Rev. Mr. the First Church in Brookfield, October 23, 1771. A Sermon preached at the ordination of the Rev. Mr. Moses Everett, to the pastoral care of the Church in Dorchester, September 28, 1774. By JASON HAVEN, A. M. A Sermon preached at Stoughton, on Wednesday, the 18th of June, 1783, at the Funeral of the Rev. Mr. Samuel Dunbar, late Pastor of the First Church and Society in that town. By JASON HAVEN, A. M. A Sermon preached at Needham, November 7, 1792, when the ordained Pastor of the Church and First Society in said town. Rev. Stephen Palmer was A Sermon preached in the First Society in Dedham, on the 7th day of February, 1796, forty years after the Author's induction into the work of the Gospel Ministry. By JASON HAVEN, A. M. Our Fathers honorable and useful to their Posterity. A Centennial Discourse, delivered in the New Meeting House of the First Church in Dedham, November 8, 1838, two hundred years after its organization. By EBENEZER BURGESS, D. D. Statistical Table of Churches and Ministers in the Territory of Ancient Dedham, 353 375 395 415 435 453 TWO SERMONS: THE SPOUSE OF CHRIST, COMING OUT OF AFFLICTION, LEANING UPON HER BELOVED; AND THE LORD JESUS, HIS LEGACY OF PEACE, TO ARM HIS DISCIPLES AGAINST TROUBLE AND FEAR. BY MR. JOHN ALLIN, The late Reverend Pastor of the Church of Christ in Dedham. THE FORMER DELIVERED AT THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE LORD'S SUPPER, AUGL 6TH, 1671, AND THE LATTER AUG 13TH, BEING THE LAST THAT HE PREACHED BEFORE HIS DEATH, WHICH WAS AUG. 26TH, 1671. 1 SAM. XXX. 6." And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters; but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God." LUKE ii. 14.-"Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, towards men good will." CAMBRIDGE: PRINTED BY SAMUEL GREEN, AND ARE TO BE SOLD BY JOHN TAPPIN OF BOSTON. TO THE READER. COURTEOUS READER: The great God, whose all creatures are, and in whose counsels all their changes in all their generations are formed, hath, according to the good pleasure of his own will, reserved us to this our generation, to an acceptable year, to a day of salvation, and assigned to us this place, of which we may say, the lines are fallen to us in pleasant places, we have a goodly heritage, even in the clear sunlight of gospel truths. He hath planted in New England, a vineyard in a very fruitful hill, which he has fenced about with a Christian and godly government, and gathered out the stones, and built a tower in the midst of it, and made a wine-press, and he did plant it with the choicest plants, and did send forth many faithful and skilful laborers thereunto, so to dress the vine that it might want nothing that might make it fruitful and oh, that it could be said that it brought forth no wild grapes. But of late times the great Lord of the vineyard hath called home so many of those his laborers, that it makes many observant hearts trembling to say, what is God about to do with this vineyard? And amongst others of those his choice ones, he hath lately called home the Revd. Author of these two ensuing Sermons, and ordered him to enter into his Master's joy; who was a man that needs not our testimony for his commendation, his work shall praise him in the gate: a man so well approved in the churches of Christ, that he was known to be a faithful laborer in the house of the Lord, a wise builder in his house; he was a burning and a shining light, and we that were of his flock a long season rejoiced in his light, even from the first gathering of the church of Christ in Dedham, which was anno. 1638, until this present year, 1671, wherein August 26, after about ten days' moderate sickness, he entered into rest, in the seventy-fifth year of his age: in all which time he was a very constant, faithful and diligent steward in the house of God; a man of peace and truth; we were led forth by the still waters in green pastures, our table was fully furnished, and our cup did flow over, and sometimes drop upon others. Some he did plant, and some he did water, and some increase God did give, so that he in some measure had wherein to rejoice amongst us. But now alas, alas! we that were full are become empty, and even as sheep without a shepherd, are left to beg our bread. The ways of our little Zion mourn because we want our solemn feasts; the joy of our heart is ceased, our dance is turned into mourning; the crown is fallen from our head; wo unto us that we have sinned. We cannot but say, oh that it were with us as in times past, as in the days wherein God preserved us, when his candle shined upon our head, and when by his light we walked through darkness. The memory of those sweet distilling dews, that did formerly drop upon us, are not yet so forgotten but we desire to recall some of them, and most especially the two last sermons our dear and reverend pastor did preach amongst us: being texts that he came to in his ordinary course, and not chosen purposely; yet being by Providence fitted as for his farewell, and for our present state of affliction and emptiness, though then unseen both to himself and us; the consideration whereof hath moved the church here by vote, to order the endeavoring of the re-collecting of these sermons, and the fitting them for public use, and to be kept amongst them for the edification of themselves and others, and for the better keeping alive the memory of him whom we so much loved and honored, and have committed the care of effecting the same to some few of the Brethren. But alas, we that are so entrusted know ourselves altogether below such a work, and after some time travailing betwixt a sense of our own unworthiness and desire the work might be accomplished, we at length by perusing our Pastor's own Notes found in his Study, and comparing the notes of several hearers taken in public, according to our weakness have collected the ensuing lines, knowing that if it had been done by the author himself, they were like to be incomparably better; yet we have endeavored to keep to his own words, matter and method; and we know our God requires not of us according to what we have not, but according to what we have; and we hope and beg that all such as may have the perusal of the following lines, to pass by such our weaknesses as they may there find, and cover them with the garment of love. We hope we have in no sort wronged the author whom we so much loved and reverenced, but have as truly and candidly as we are able, rendered his own, and presented the truth. And so we commit the whole to that God that is able to give a blessing, and to make his strength known in weakness. By some of the hearers of the ensuing sermons. |