Worship of God so as that things of a worldly nature may not there be managed 'T is the first thing only that I design Thirdly In the handling of House-dedication I do not in the least mean such a dedication as is attended with the alienation of the civil property As the civil use so the civil property is not struck at by me Pray keep your Right and Title to your Houses and take the comfort of them let them be yours still only let God be acknowledged served exalted in them 'T is true in some Dedications the Proprietary lost his Right after he made them he had nothing further to do with what he had dedicated for by this act he passed over his Right to God As in this particular case of Houses you read Levit. 27.14 If a man did sanctifie or dedicate by a vow or gift his House to be holy to the Lord he had then no right to it till he had redeemed it by paying the price or rate which the Priest did set upon it and then it was to be his own again I do not urge the dedication of your Houses in this sense or notion so as that the civil property should be alienated only let it be improved for God Nor fourthly Do I put you upon House-dedication in the setting up of Family-worship so as to take you off from Publick-worship and from God's Ordinances in the publick Administration of them Both have their proper use and worth and neither of them are to be omitted God forbid that the one should jostle out the other David here dedicates his House to God but yet withall he was for Sanctuary-worship and when he was deprived of this how passionately did he desire it You may see this in Psal 63.1 2 3. and in several other places 'T is said Psal 87.2 The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. In the dwellings of Jacob the worship of God was more confined it was shut up in his Family but in Zion there the worship of God was more open and publick and therefore God loved the gates of Zion more than the dwellings of Jacob O there are signal and extraordinary Blessings attending Publick Ordinances and therefore when the people of God have been deprived of these it hath been a great affliction to them notwithstanding their Family-enjoyments you read of them that were sorrowful for the solemn Assembly Zeph. 3.18 The more there are in the Consort the sweeter is the Musick the Application is obvious So that when your Houses are dedicated as to the setting up of Religion in them I would not have them to say to the places of Publick-worship what once they said to Moses and Aaron Ye take too much upon you seeing all the Congregation are Holy wherefore then lift you up your selves above the Congregation of the Lord Numb 16.3 So here I would not have private Houses to say to places where the Worship of God is publickly and duely administred We have Prayer as well as you and the Scriptures read as well as you and therefore why do you take so much upon you O though I would be earnest with you for Family-Religion yet I desire you to keep up high esteems of the Publick-Worship and Ordinances of God Fifthly In the present discourse I do not only aime at the bare walls the external structure the material building as though Dedication-work did only refer to this but under the dedicating of the House I take-in all the Persons there inhabiting the whole Family Domestick mercies Creature-accommodations all are to be dedicated to God Sixthly The Persons upon whom the duty is incumbent are those who stand in the relation and capacity of Superiors Masters Parents Housholders Governors or call them what you please where Power and Authority is there House-Dedication-work lies 'T is true such as are Inferiors they must dedicate themselves to the Lord but as to the dedication of the House that 's the duty of Superiors And therefore my business in this discourse is mainly with such Seventhly In speaking to these I will not so far enlarge as to set before them all the Relative duties that lie upon them that I leave to those who have gone thorough the body of Relative duties I will limit my self to those only which have an immediate reference to the dedication of the House to God These things being premised for the ends fore mentioned I come now to show you What this House-Dedication is A little will be sufficient for the opening of the nature of it but the applying of it will call for a more full Discourse CHAP. II. The Nature of Domestick Dedication opened THe great Question to be resolved is this What is it to dedicate the House or How are men now under the Gospel to dedicate their Houses I will answer this in a few particulars I make this House-dedication to consist in four things 1. In a religious entrance upon Houses by solemn Prayer and Praise 2. In an humble and fiducial commitment of them to God's Protection 3. In the setting up and promoting of Religion in them 4. In the devoting and improving of Domestick Mercies to and for God To some possibly the duty as generally propounded may seem novel and strange and not at all belonging now to Christians under the Gospel but surely as 't is reduc'd to these Heads it will appear to be a standing and constant Duty and that which in all Ages ever hath and ever will be a duty incumbent upon men A word and but a word to each of these Particulars First To dedicate the House it is to enter upon it by solemn Prayer and Praise I spoke to this in the explication of the words showing that Dedication is the entring upon a place or taking possession of it by solemn religious rites or acts 't is a Religious entrance upon possession Now what are these religious rites or acts They are Prayer and Praise And I call it solemn Prayer because in House-dedication there must be something more than usual and ordinary Prayer such as is performed in the Family every day there must be solemn and extraordinary prayer suited in special to this occasion But I say Prayer and Praise are those religious acts which are to be performed by persons when they enter into their Houses in order to the dedicating of them to God That House-dedication was used amongst the Jews none doth question but what their particular * V. Sed quibus Ceremomis dedioatio illa fuerit peracta nus quam traditur Piscator Tum Homines initiare Domus dicuntur cum primùm in eis edere bibere habitare incipiunt Quod pii citra preces gratiarum actiones minimè faciunt Hospin de Orig. Templ f. 114. Hoc genus exercitii veteri populo mandatum fuit at agnoscerent nullius rei usum sine gratiarum actione purum legitimum esse Calv. Nunt quamvis cessaverint Legis
I have respect to all thy Commandments But that I may be more particular in this Head let me say two things to you and I pray that God will make them effectual Cherish no sin Baulk no duty Do nothing I mean willingly allowedly designedly that God forbids Do every thing to the utmost of your strength that God enjoyns 1. Let no sin be cherished by you 2 Tim. 2.19 Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity The indefinite is equipollent to the universal he that names the name of Christ and says he hath dedicated himself to Christ he must not allow himself in any one sin he must depart from all iniquity The word is full of prohibitions against every sin and of commands to part with every sin but I need not quote them in so known a thing O if you would indeed dedicate your selves mortifie every corruption put away every sin let not one Agag live not one Dalilah or Herodias lie in your bosoms especially let the right eye be pulled out and the right hand be cut off Matth. 5 29. the Delictum dilectum as Aug. calls it let that go Thou hast not given thy self to God so long as thou hast a Peccatum in deliciis entertained and cherished by thee O what subtile insinuations and pleadings are there in our hearts for sin pray answer them with abhorrence and detestation Their great plea is the smalness of the sin Gen. 19 20. they say as Lot of Zoar Is it not a little one O beloved do not hearken to your naughty hearts can any sin be little that is the violation of an holy Law and committed against a great God Though it be but petty Treason will you make nothing of it will not little sins leave much guilt and so do you much mischief Many little sums make the account swell to a great sum little sands make the great mountains and little drops make the great Ocean Do not little sins make way for great sins Si curare parva negligimus insensibiliter seducti audenter etiam major a perpetramur Gregor Mor. l. 10. c. 14. He that allows himself in a little sin will not long stay there he 'l go on to greater sins If the little Thief get into the house the great ones will not be out long Little sippings end in drunkenness if they be often reiterated as well as full draughts the cloud that is very small at the first in a little time over-spreads the whole Heaven The * See Dr. Taylor of Repent p. 127. less the sin the higher the contempt for this shews that the soul can break with God for a very trifle O do not stand mincing of the matter if it be a sin have nothing to do with it 2. Let no duty be baulked To do all that God commands and therefore because God commands it this is a most certain evidence of a gracious heart And shall it be so with you O the time is hastening when one good evidence of sincerity will be more to you than all your Writings Deeds Evidences for your worldly possessions you cannot have a better than this to conform to the whole will of God in doing all that he requires and therefore labour after it Saul did something but he did not all that was commanded and that lost him his Kingdom How many lose Heaven by their being partial in the law of God As for duties that are easie and safe they can submit to them but as to those that have much of difficulty and danger in them here they shrink and beg Gods excuse As you love your souls take heed of this let the duty be never so painful let flesh and blood never so much oppose it be it never so contrary to your carnal interests and inclinations doth it expose you to never so many hazards losses crosses in the world yet if it hath Gods stamp and impress upon it yield obedience to it O this is dedication indeed Suppose it should be the offering up of an only son suppose it should be pray and die or own a reproached scorned persecuted Christ or taking up the cross of Christ and forsaking all for him I say suppose it should be this or that will you say Lord let it be what it will I will do it according to my strength this is to be a Christian O consider there 's the same authority for all duties that God who enjoyns the one enjoyns the other also There is such a connexion betwixt them that if you leave out one you leave out all * He that customarily c. breaks any one Commandment ventures to violate that Authority which by one and the same ordination made the whole Law equally binding and by consequence is habitually and in praeparatione Animi a transgressâ—r of the whole Law Reyn. Life of Christ p. 507. one allowed omission or commission is a violation of the whole law so you have it expresly Jam. 2.10 11. 'T is a good speech of * De Provid L. 3. Salvian Non est justa causatio cur praeferantur aliqua ubi facienda sunt omnia There can be no just reason of preferring some duties before others when all is to be done And again Quando servus ex Domini sui jussis ea facit tantummodo quae velit jam non Dominicam implet voluntatem sed suam When the servant picks and chuses in his masters commands and only doth what he himself hath a mind to he doth not do his masters will but his own Many such considerations might be alledged but I must contract O fulfil after God let the duty be what it will 't is good the assistance of God shall make it easie and the recompence of God shall make it gainful This is the first thing your dedication must be entire and I have shewn wherein the entireness of it consists 2. Secondly Let your dedication be constant and perpetual or let it be for constancy and perpetuity As it must be entire without reserves so it must be constant or for constancy without limitation of time This is further requisite to the truth and reality of Personal Dedication * Perpetua ac solida sunt quae vera sunt simulata non perseverant Ambros Officior l. 2. c. 22. what is true is lasting what is feigned is not so Paint soon washes off but the colour that is natural abides and is permanent 'T is perseverance and constancy which makes the difference betwixt professor and professor and so betwixt Dedication and Dedication Do you desire to dedicate your selves to the blessed God and to do this to purpose Then do it for for ever let it be for all the days of your life Luke 1.75 Thus David did Psal 119.112 I have enclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway even unto the end And verse 117. I will have respect unto thy statutes continually O blessed David not so much because a
which the Apostle speaks of in the forenamed place Ephes 6.4 if you take the word in the active sense for it may be taken passively In the further prosecution of this Direction I might much enlarge upon such Heads as these 1. Be sure your admonition be holy and good Take heed of giving bad advice of counselling Children to do what is evil this is dreadful Yet I wish that some Parents were not guilty of it they put their Children upon wicked acts and courses Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah is branded for this 2 Chron. 22.3 His mother was his Counseller to do wickedly Have we not some such amongst us Surely this is the very heighth of wickedness and God will sooner or later find out such Parents and severely punish them Epiphanius hath a pretty observation upon Terah the Father of Abraham For 3332. years Epiphan in Panar Sect. 6. cited in Bish Taylor 's Rule c. of dying p. 32. there was not saith he one example of a Son that died before his Father but the course of Nature was kept that he who was first born did first die you are to understand it of Natural death and therefore Abel cannot be opposed to this observation till that Terah taught the people and his Relations a new Religion to make Images and worship them and concerning him it was first remarked that Haran died before his Father Terah in the land of his Nativity and so God punished him for his sinful counsel by the untimely death of his Son Let Parents look for some unusual remarkable judgment either upon themselves or upon theirs who counsel to sin 2ly Your Admonition being good for the matter of it see that you back it with Scripture and with the most convincing Arguments you can think of for you will find all little enough and good advice without these is but like a bullet without powder 3ly Act Prudence as to the best timing of good counsel If it be given unseasonably it will be taken unsuccessfully 4ly For the manner of it let it be 1. hearty 2. serious 3. affectionate for Love is like the oyling of the key which makes it to open the lock more easily or like the greasing of the nail which makes it to enter with more facility 4. frequent Good counsel must be often inculcated if it prevails not at the first or a second time it must be set on again and again The Iron by often filing grows smooth and bright at last The nail that doth not enter by one or two blows by the reiteration of them is driven to the very head And thus it is in the case I am upon Deut. 6.7 Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children Metaphora ducta à gladio qui dum acuitur saepiùs impellitur ad co tem Innuit studium diligentiam quâ pueris praecepta Dei inculcari debent Vatabl. in Deut. 6.7 Innuitstudium diligentiam quâ pueris praecepta Dei inculcari debent P. Fagius in loc c. In the Hebrew 't is Thou shalt whet them diligently c. Counsel is blunt and ineffective if by frequent repetition it be not whetted and sharpened These are Things that admit of much enlargement if I could dwell upon them but Travellers are loth to make any long stay when they are almost at the end of their journey and so I hope I am Thirdly Back Instruction and Admonition with the putting forth and due improvement of your Paternal Authority This religious Education calls for as well as for the former you have not done all that lies upon you when you have instructed and exhorted God hath put Authority into your hands and that must be imployed and improved to back and second Instruction and Exhortation 'T is not more commonly than truly said by those who write of Oeconomical Duties that a Master of a Family in his House is King Priest and Prophet he hath power and authority there so he is King he is to pray with and for his Family so he is Priest he is to teach and instruct his Family so he is Prophet Now if you would religiously educate those under you you must exert your Authority for religious ends and purposes If you would know how or wherein I will briefly open that to you 1. You must lay your charge upon them that are subject to you that they do what is good David did not only advise but he charged his Son Solomon saying c. 1 King 2.1 Prov. 4.4 Keep my Commandments and live 'T was not bare counsel that he gave but he laid his commandments upon his Son Gen. 18.19 I know him that he will * Vtitur verho praecipiet ut Parentes Superiores intelligant non segniter obiter sed sedulò cum Authoritate inferiores ad Dei timorem obedientiam adducendo faciendum esse officium Pareus in Gen. 18.19 command his Children c. Observe it Abraham would not only perswade and exhort but he would command his Childrens and his Houshold after him c 2ly You must authoritatively restrain them from sin But of this restraining from sin I will speak more under the fourth Head in the next Chapter 3ly You must act your Authority to see that they duly sanctifie the Sabbath This is expressly laid upon you in the fourth Commandment Exod. 20.10 You are to answer for Childrens and Servants spending the Lord's day If they be idle frequent vain Houses spend their time or rather Gods time in playing gaming 's walking in the fields recreations all of which are forbidden on that day you partake of their guilt and must be accountable for it O that Masters in this City would better improve their Authority over their Servants in order to the better sanctification of the Sabbath upon this neglect the Sabbath is greatly profaned and that is no small sin 4ly Your power must be imployed to bring them to the means of Grace to the Ordinances You attend upon them your selves O look to this that yours also attend upon them Possibly some of them may be backward enough to this carnal hearts do not delight in spiritual duties Youth is more for Pleasure than for religious attendance upon holy Ordinances they like playing better than praying their foolish sports better than the serious exercises of Religion Time was when it was just so with some of the best of your selves but 't was God's infinite mercy to you you had Parents who looked after you who would have you to be present at holy Ordinances Do you not bless God for such Parents when ever you think of them And will not you do to yours according to what was done with so much advantage to your selvs Odonot go alone to the means but take your Families your Relations along with you 'T is said of Elkanah that he and all his House went to offer to the Lord the yearly Sacrifice 1 Sam. 1.12 Jess and all his Sons must be