is the Prayer and according to his power shall be the Endeavour of him Who desires to devote himself first to God and then to your service THO. JACOMB To the Afflicted Citizens OF LONDON And to every READER THe marvellous industry of the Devil and his Angels in all generations in hindring the preaching and knowledge of that sacred truth which God hath sealed for the sanctifying and saving of mens souls would rise up in judgment against the Ministers of Christ to their condemnation if they should not with resolution and unwearied industry subserve the lover of truth and souls in so happy a work which none but the fiends and friends of darkness do malign Therefore allow me to contribute this poor assistance for thy good by putting into thy hand this paper-Lanthorn in which the Reverend Author hath set up so seasonable a light for the use of the reedified houses of this City The very great number of excellent Books which perished in the flames doth now make some of us retract our repentance for scribling so much and may convince the censurer that it should not be taken as a needless work to endeavour something towards the reparation of so unvaluable a loss The subject of this Treatise is nothing Novel indifferent dark or doubtful but the compendium or summe of all Religion the same thing which is proclaimed as necessary to salvation under various names and titles in the sacred Scripture the very title of Dedication to God methinks should command attention from the Reader and strike his heart with an holy awe as speaking a thing so high and holy what is it but that reverend title which is the mark of God on all that he will own and which he hath commanded his servants to assume Holiness to the Lord. The first part is of Self-Dedication the second of House-Dedication in which is comprehended the Dedicating of All that we have to God of which I may say alluding to Christs words the One is the first and great Commandment and the second is like to it And it is all neither more nor less than the exposition of our Baptismal Covenant that is of our Christianity it self in which we did all by a solemn Vow Dedicate and give up our selves and all that we should have to God I will not so far digress as to give you the reasons of all the other appellations of this same act or state it is called by the name of Vocation Repentance Regeneration the new birth renewing quickening conversion or turning unto God the new creature putting off the old man and putting on the new sanctification grace the spirit translation from death to life the Divine nature life eternal religion godliness the reconciling of man to God righteousness and under most of these names it is ordinarily treated of by Divines but there is no name which more clearly informeth man of the true nature of this work as on his part than these three remaining which all are of the like importance that is Dedicating our selves Devoting our selves and Covenanting with God And therefore I wish that hereafter Divines will more frequently handle it under these most plain and explicit notions which will need least exposition to the more ignorant sort and contain in them their proper perswasives to the work To Sanctifie or Consecrate or Dedicate a person unto God is to separate him from all other common inconsistent uses to the service of his Maker and Redeemer And as Gods service is either that which is common to all Christians or that which is proper to some office of Ministry so there is a double dedication and sanctification one is our separation to God in a holy Christian state of life and the other is a separation to the sacred office of the Gospel-ministery which ought to presuppose the former for none should be more personally holy than those that have a holy office but yet they are too often separated for he may have all that is essential to that office which is to promote the salvation of others who yet shall never be saved himself Holiness to the Lord was the mark of God which Aaron was to wear on his forehead on the fore-front of his Mitre engraven on a plate of pure gold like the engravings of a Signet Exod. 28.36 Holiness to the Lord was Gods mark upon Israel as his sanctified separated people Jer. 2.3 Holiness to the Lord was the title of those things which were dedicated to his Temple-service Isa 23.18 which signifieth no more than Holy to the Lord And Holiness to the Lord is the mark of God on all the possessions and utensils of his servants in the Kingdom of the Mediator as is foretold in Zech. 14.20 21. In that day shall there be upon the bells or bridles of the horses Holiness to the Lord Yea every Pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be Holiness to the Lord and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them and seeth therein All which is but the same in sense with that which is said of true Believers in the Gospel As he which hath called you is Holy so be ye Holy in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 16. An holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ Ye are a chosen generation a royal priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you 2 Pet 2.5 9. To the pure all things are pure Tit. 1.15 It is sanctified by the word of God and prayer 1 Tim. 4.5 It is a sad case and the greatest scandal to the Anabaptists that twenty or thirty or forty years after persons are Baptized and solemnly dedicated to God in the holy Covenant we must be fain to preach to them as the Ancients were wont to do to the Catechumens and must spend most of our time and labour in teaching them what this Covenant-dedication is and in perswading them to a true consent and confuting their prejudice and driving them from the entanglements and security which cause their unwillingness and delays as if we were but preparing them for Baptism And O how happy should we think our selves if after all this we could but find them in that case as all the adult-expectants of baptism should be in even truly penitent believing-consenters to the covenant of God that is true Christians If we lived in a land where the greater part were Heathens and should be so long in preaching our preparatory Lectures to make them Christians and when we had all done could prevail but with a few to be baptized how compassionately or contemptuously would you speak of such wretched obdurate men But sirs would you not thereby condemn your selves Nay are you not under an aggravated condemnation who after you are solemnly listed to Christ in the sacred Vow and Covenant are yet no more perswaded to the thing it self which you have vowed than those Heathens and
name of a Christian whose soul is not set upon this O friends doth God set himself to further your good and will not you set your selves to further his glory Shall so much mercy be received from him and shall no glory be returned to him When Ahasuerus read in the Books how instrumental Mordecai had been to preserve his life he asks what honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this Esth 6.3 Pray do you call for the Book of mercies 't is a vast volume in every page and line 't is filled up with mercy read it a little there you 'l find creating mercy preserving mercy redeeming mercy and the many great things which God hath done for you Now ask what glory hath God had for all this I fear but very little how should this fill us with shame and grief O shall we not pay God his Quit-rent or his Rent-charge Doth he protect our persons estates houses c. shall we withhold his Tribute and Customs You know what I mean by this What a condescension is it that the great God will receive any honour from such poor worms as we are How should this raise and heighten our zeal Do any lose by promoting his glory In advancing God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhetor. we advance our selves by this we gain honour to our selves this is a thing that we are very ambitious of 't is a sweet morsel that we are very greedy of Now the best the surest way to attain this is for us to endeavour by all means to honour God for he tells us He will honour them that honour him 1 Sam. 2.30 The Romans so placed the Temple of honour that there was no coming at it but through the Temple of vertue Would you arrive at honour indeed never think to come to it but by your endeavours to exalt God To conclude this Do you expect to be glorifi'd with God in Heaven and shall not he be glorified by you on earth Doth not that deserve all you are or can do in order to the glorifying of God O set your selves therefore to further this glory of God If you may do it any way whether by doing or suffering Philip. 1.20 whether by life or death if Christ may be but magnified 't is no matter what it costs you and though you decrease and go down in the world if Christ may increase Joh. 3.30 and God may be honoured do you rejoyce How should we carry it like Persons indeed dedicated to God if we were thus zealous for Gods glory 't is not enough to talk of this or to do something in a slighty careless perfunctory manner in order to it but we must study plot contrive act to our utmost devote our selves to the glory of God More particularly I will leave two things with you 1. Let your deportment and conversation be such that God may be glorified Let your light so shine before men Matth. 5.16 that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven so Christ exhorts you The matter of our lives should be such or our lives materially considered should be such as that glory to God might result from them This glory of God lies in the displaying and manifesting of his glorious Attributes and excellencies to and before the world I speak of Gods manifestative glory Joh. 17.4 compar with verse 6. Numb 14.21 Levit. 10.3 Psal 72.19 You that profess your selves a dedicated people do you so live that you may display and manifest Gods infinite perfections that you may make them visible and conspicuous to the world live out the holiness wisdom mercy goodness of God that those that see your conversations may see much of God in them The Apostle speaks of holding forth the word of life Phil. 2.16 There is an holding forth of the God of life as well as of the word of life And the Saints are said to be a chosen generation a royal Priesthood a peculiar people that they should shew forth the vertues of him who hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 Dedicated persons must shew forth the excellencies of the blessed God in their deportment 't is not enough for them in their own thoughts to acknowledge and admire them but they must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shew them forth to others O let us often put this enquiry to our selves Do we so live as that the Attributes of God are made visible and conspicuous in our conversations 2. Let the glory of God be your supream and main end both in the whole life and also in particular actions 1. As to the whole life take it in the lump and mass this should be every mans end in life to exalt God O Lord thou art my God I will exalt thee Isa 25.1 We live but what is the end which we propound to our selves in living Many carry it as though they propounded no end at all to themselves they come into the world and know not wherefore and then go out of the world they know not whither O that any should be so brutish what a sad thing is it when there shall be an end to terminate life that there is no end to raise and elevate life The most have an end but 't is not this end That which they aim at is to get wealth to be great in the world to please the flesh to pamper the sensual part to make provision for posterity c. But as to the glorifying of their Creator and Maker that they never intend This is sad are these ends fit for a man Much more are they fit for a Christian O that mens profession should be so high and their ends so low Let it be otherwise with you let the end of your life be Gods glory An end makes the man this end makes the Saint Here lies the excellency of a man above a beast he propounds an end to himself and acts accordingly Here lies the excellency of the Saint above a man his end is the glorifying of God this is a blessed end indeed let it be yours If you live live to God Rom 14.7 if you dye dye to God in both eye God as your principal end The person and the life are to be judged by the end when the glory of God is the end then person and life are truly excellent God judges not of men by particular acts but by their fixed and ultimate end O as life is derived from God let it be devoted to God As his mercy is the spring of life let his glory be the end of life What unspeakable comfort and holy confidence will this give you when you come to die if you be sincere in this At the ending of life 't is the end of life that is sweet 'T was so to Christ I have glorified thee on the earth c. And now O Father glorifie thou me c. Joh. 17.4 5. To
their being corrupted in the Enemy's Camp When Antipater sent to them demanding fifty Children for Hostages they repli'd They had rather give him twice as many men at their ripest years Charron of Wisdom l. 3. p. 441. How receptive is Youth of evil impressions from evil company how soon are they cast into the mould and likeness of those with whom they converse how quickly do they learn their ways and so get a snare to their souls as 't is Prov. 22.25 Let your Education be never so good at home if you let yours converse with idle vain dissolute debaucht persons abroad all your care and pains will be lost The meat that is fly-blown taints presently bad company hath this effect upon them that are young Would you be faithful to your own Children and to the Children of others whom you have taken into your Families and in a manner adopted them for your own take a special care of the Company they keep Bad Company may do more mischief in an hour than you can do good in a week all that you have laboured to imprint and fasten upon them in a week will be obliterated and defaced in one hours converse with vain persons We have a sort of men up and down in this Nation who are the Devils factors and they do him eminent service such I mean who make it their business to corrupt and debauch youth by their infusing of cursed Principles of Atheism and Libertinism into them Are not our Noblemen's and Gentlemen's Houses haunted with these vermine these Setters for Hell No wonder that so many of their Sons prove as they do Heroum filii Noxae is now as true as ever it was when they have such admitted into their society whose trade it is to be drunk themselves and to teach and egg on others to be drunk too Do not these Preachers of the Devil do that in a Cellar over their Bottles which God's Ministers cannot undo again in the Pulpit with the Book of God O how bitterly doth Plutarch in the forecited Treatise inveigh against these Pests and Plagues of Mankind And are these confin'd only to the Country and to great mens Houses have not we these miscreants swarming even in this City Are not these the worst of Spirits amongst us who would steal away our Children from us and carry them to Hell These I say who make it their trade to seduce and corrupt Youth How doth it concern all of you O Parents and Masters Nil dictu foedum visuque haec limina taugat Intra quae puer est Juven Sat. 14. with the greatest care and vigilance to watch over all that belong to you least they should be drawn aside by these persons or by any others who may do the work as successfully though perchance they do not do it so wickedly This for the First thing laid down in this Direction wherein I have exhorted you to keep a watchful eye over those under your charge Before I go off from it I will offer one thing to your serious consideration 'T is this Whether your Country Houses be so well consistent with this so necessary duty of your constant and vigilant inspection over Children and Servants I dare not censure you for the keeping of them or charge sin upon you for so doing I know the health of many necessitates them to this and there may be other causes which may very well be allowed of But I desire you to consider whether your Families be not much prejudic'd by this by this means you are absent from them a great part of your time and where then is your constant watching over them Is not your flock endanger'd by your though but little Non-residency But I will not press this too far only I present this to such as are serious and conscientious as a thing worthy of Consideration I shall only add this where this is done upon slighty grounds as meerly the pleasure and delight which a Country-House affords there to divide the Family and always to be absent from some part of it I think cannot well be justifi'd but where there are weighty Reasons and grounds for this I submit to it provided that persons herein concerned go as far as ever they may in the acting of their utmost care for the preventing of those inconvenien-which Servants left behind are exposed to upon their Misters absence from them The Counsel that Hierome gave to Laeta was this Si quando ad suburbanna pergis domi filiam non relinquas When thou goest into the Country do not leave thy daughter at home behind thee By a little abscence and the want of the Parents and Masters eye Children and Servants are much endangered I added further in the Direction Keep a steddy hand over those who are committed to you I am not for rigors and austerities or any such things but I am for a prudent strict Education Remisness in Government is of very bad consequence to Youth A steddy rein secures the rider a steddy Education secures the child Here also respect must be had to the different Tempers of Children and Servants Where the Horse is tender-mouth'd a looser rein is sufficient but where he is resty and not so easily check'd the rider cannot hold him in too much I need not apply it This respect being had to the difference of their Dispositions doubtless a strict Education is the best I know some through the strength of corruption are the worse for this but that 's the fault of the person not of the Education and Bottles must be closely stopt though they are upon this the more apt to fly when ever they are opened But I will not further enlarge upon this Fifthly If you would give your Children Religious Education see that you breed them up to some Calling A Calling in the common notion of it is a civil thing we usually take it in contradistinction to the Ministry that Sacred Office yet care about this is a piece of Religious Education Religion being so much concerned in it And so it is partly because a Calling is Gods institution 1 Cor. 7.17.20 and partly because it is a great fence and antidote against sin and wickedness Now therefore I say in order to this Education train up your Children to some Calling I speak indefinitely for you your selves know what calling is most proper and suitable according to the particular Circumstances under which you and yours do stand If you be persons of that rank and quality that you think 't is below you to bring up your Children to common and ordinary Trades then there are other employments which will better suit with your rank for which they may be fitted If the Ministry if the Law and Physick in the ordinary Practice of them be not high enough for you yet surely Learning is and Magistracy is and some Publick Employment is wherein they may eminently serve God and their Country You then who are such persons as