of a Prophet coming to the Captains of the Host and he said I have an errand to thee O Captain And Jehu said unto which of all us And he said to thee O Captain I a poor Minister bring a message from the Lord to sinners namely that God would have them to enter into Covenant with him Now will these ask me To which of them I bring this message I answer To thee O sinner whoever thou art that hast not yet engaged thy self to God This is every mans duty and let men think what they please till they have done this they have done just nothing in religion The Scripture speaking of the conversion of the Gentiles sets it forth by this Psal 68.31 Princes shall come out of Egypt Aethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God h. e. they shall enter into Covenant with God Isa 44.5 One shall say I am the Lords and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord. Zech. 2.11 Many Nations shall be joyned to the Lord in that day and shall be my people O that in these days we might see more of the accomplishment of these Prophesies that the poor Heathens might be brought to joyn themselves to the Lord and that Christians living under the Gospel they also might subscribe with hand and heart to God and enter into the obligation of the Covenant 'T was prophesied of the Jews upon their coming out of Babylon they should be so affected with this great mercy that they would renew and heighten their Covenant obligations Jer. 50.5 They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward saying Come and let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that shall not be forgotten Sinners will you speak this as to your selves and make it good will you joyn your selves to the Lord in an everlasting Covenant God incline your hearts thus to dedicate your selves to him I will press this upon you by a few Arguments 1. 'T is an unspeakable mercy that God will deal with the Creature in the way of a Covenant As he is our Soveraign he might have imposed a Law upon us and dealt with us only in that way But such is his mercy and condescension he will deal with us also by a covenant A Law obliges the creature whether he consent to it or not but now a covenant presupposes consent Man being a free and rational agent God deals accordingly with him and sets a covenant before him which if he will consent to he shall be happy for ever Doth not this hold forth infinite goodness in the great God that he will thus treat with us And after all this shall not we be willing to enter into covenant with him Besides this consider the Nature of a Covenant 'T is as the * Pactum est duorum pluriumve consensus in idem placitum Civilians define it the consent of two or more to something that is agreed upon but this is a very imperfect description More fully therefore A * Vide Zanch. in Hos 2.21 Cloppenb in Syntag. Disput Selec de Foedere Coccei de Foedere Camer de Tripl Foedere Wendelin Theolog Christ l. 1. c. 19. Tilenum p. 2. Disput 54. Ames Med. l. 1. câ— 38. 39. quamplures alios de Foedere inter Deum Creaturain tâ— actantes Covenant is a mutual stipulation or compact between two parties as to something wherein they do agree upon which they are mutually obliged each to the other Such a Covenant there is betwixt God and the Creature these two do interchangeably indent and stipulate each to the other the one for mercy the other for duty and so there a mutual obligation passes upon both Says God here is pardon reconciliation eternal life which I offer upon such and such terms and I am willing upon those terms to engage to give out these mercies Says the Creature I accept of those terms and I solemnly bind my self to make them good according to the utmost of my strength Then says God 't is a Covenant betwixt us I bind my self to thee and thou bindest thy self to me be thou faithful to me I will be faithful to thee What an Ocean or Treasury of love and goodness doth God manifest in this federal transacting of things that he should be willing to stipulate with us and to enter into an obligation to us O the heights bredths depths lengths of this love Here 's another difference betwixt a Law and a Covenant a Law binds the subject but it doth not bind the Lawgiver quatenus Lawgiver the obligation there is but to one party but now a Covenant binds both there the * Mutua foederatarum partium obligatio est forma foederis so all express it Foedus propriâ— obligationem duarum partium certis utrinque conditionibus complecti certum est Gomar Haec est mutua reciproca conventio foederis ut homo intuitu promissae mercedis alacrius operetur Deus intuitu operis det mercedem Cloppenb Disp 1. Th. 7. obligation is reciprocal It hath pleased God to deal with man this way and so he binds himself As to his Law we only are bound but as to the Covenant he out of the riches of his grace is willing to be bound as well as we How should the consideration of this immense love of God engage the Creature to Covenant with him 2. The matter of the Covenant on Gods part is very high the terms or conditions on our part are very just and equitable If this be so surely then men will be willing to enter into Covenant with God one would think this should carry it against all opposition and frivolous objections In every Covenant there is something promised and something demanded in order to the making good of what is promised In this Covenant that which is promised is on Gods part and this is the matter of it what is that No less than that God will be your God O admirable transcendent mercy what can be higher than this I will open it under the next particular The terms or conditions are on the Creatures part what are they That the sinner will break off all his leagues covenants with sin and Satan and the world and that he will enter into a league of friendship with and subjection to the blessed God Surely these are very fair and reasonable terms the sinner cannot well object against them God offers very high he goes no lower than the making over of himself whatever I am saith God it shall be all yours but the terms spoil all God stands upon too high conditions and that keeps us of doth he so that would be something indeed for he that promises something upon impossible and unreasonable conditions promises nothing But can you make good what you say Take heed of belying God what doth he require of you Is it to burn in Hell a
dedication make it the term and object of your dedication instead of the dedicating of it to God you dedicate all to it Have you dedicated your selves to God To you that readily prostitute your selves to a course of sin to all vicious and unholy practices 1 King 21.20 you that sell your selves to wickedness Eph. 4.19 that give your selves over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness you that do in effect say to sin we are thine you that are drunkards swearers cursers Adulterers Sabbath-profaners c. Have you dedicated your selves to God To you who are immers'd in the world you that steep your selves in pleasures and sensual delights who mind nothing but eating drinking gaming c. and with-hold not your heart from any joy let it be what it will Eccles 2.10 you that mind earthly things Phil. 3.19 that let the fervor of your spirits the torrent of your desires the strength of your endeavours run out after riches profits honors preferments worldly accomodations you that instead of forsaking the world for God can forsake God for the world as Demas did 2 Tim. 4.10 you that place your happiness in these sublunary things Have you dedicated your selves to God To you who give up your selves to Satan may be you are not by the Church given up to Satan which is usually interpreted of excommunication 1 Cor. 5.5 1 Tim. 1. ult But which is much worse as the disease is worse than the remedy you give up your selves to him you readily obey this Prince of the power of the air Ephes 2.2 that ruleth in the chidren of disobedience 2 Tim. 2.26 you are taken captive by him at his will he bids you go and you go come and you come no sooner doth he tempt but you fall in with the temptation all the day long you are doing his work and promoting his interest in the world Have you dedicated your selves to God To you who go to the Church on the Lords day and attend upon the worship of God on the Lords day Non est vera Religio quae cum Templo relinquitur Lactant. and all the week after neglect God scarce a word of God unless it be in taking his name in vain scarce a secret prayer scarce the reading of one Chapter in the Bible all the week after Have you dedicated your selves to God Away away for shame do not pretend to this high and holy Dedication your case is so evident that you scarce are within the verge or compass of self-examination 't is notorious you have not dedicated your selves pray never pretend to it But there are others who are spun of a finer thread who bid fairer for Heaven they are free from those works of the flesh which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manifest Gal. 5.19 and which proclaim to all the world Non-dedication they make a fair profession are unblamable in their conversation make Conscience of performing holy duties and many good things are done by them surely these have dedicated themselves to God O that it was so indeed O that all who carry it fairly in the sight of men were sincere in their self-dedication to God! But are there not thousands that come up to this and are professors and live under Church-priviledges and are well thought of by the people of God and yet for all this their dedication is not hearty and thorough and upon this defect they shall miscarry to all eternity How should this awaken all plausible out-side-Christians with the utmost diligence to search how things stand betwixt God and them as to this matter As to evidences for the help of such as shall desire to fall upon examination I shall not need to expatiate upon that Argument having shown what self-dedication is by that every man may know whether he be come up to it yea or no. Read over the particulars in which it lies and as you go along make such reflexions as these are O my soul tell me have I given my self to God Have I ever by a deed of gift signed and sealed made over my self to God Have I given him my heart my love joy delight desires ah and my life too Is my will melted into his will Is there an obediential submissive frame of spirit in me Am I upon serious deliberation come to an issue to resolve for God Is my resolution like the Laws of the Medes and Persians Esth 1.19 never to be altered Do I carry it as a person who is impropriated set apart for God and his service Have I entred into covenant with God and bound my self to the performance of all the conditions thereof Is the glory of God dear to me â—s this the great end of my life that the great God may be honoured by such a worm as I am O my soul farther I ask thee do I value God more than all and set an higher rate upon him than upon all the world besides Is his favour more to me than life do I dread his anger more than death Is this my greatest ambition to live in the fruition of God and in constant communion with him And for other things can I be content to have them or to want them as God shall see best Do I fear every sin be it never so little Do I baulk no duty be it never so hard Do I shun no cross be it never so heavy when God calls me to it Is it the will of God that hath the regency and superiority in me Will I suffer nothing to stand in competition with my Lord and Master Have I got victory over all my spiritual enemies Is sin mortified self dethroned the world laid low in my heart Can I be do suffer any thing for God and my dear Redeemer Do I like salvation in Gods way and upon his terms Do I cleave to God with full purpose of heart Do I love whatever I see of God and all that belong to God Have I been savingly convinced of the excellency of God and of his ways Have I made over my self to him personally considered to the Father to be commanded governed by him to the Son to be redeemed justified saved by him in the way of faith and obedience to the Holy Ghost to be renewed sanctified guided led acted by him I say thus deal with your souls upon these interrogatories and by the answer of Conscience you will be able to say something 1 Pet. 3.21 as to the thing enquired after whether you have indeed dedicated your selves to God I beg pardon that I pass over these things thus briefly and may be too I have not spoke so distinctly to them as I should have done as to the first I would fain shorten this works as much as I can and I shall have occasion more to enlarge in some other Heads as to the second the enquiring serious awakened Christian minds matter more than Method CHAP. 4. Personal Dedication pressed first
fickleness levity fear cowardise let the external dangers or discouragements be what they will The difference betwixt these two is plain enough I will speak something yet very briefly to each of them 1. Resolve for God Let me suppose this to be your case which is very frequent and common you have been long parlying and debating within your selves whether you should be the Lords yea or no whether you should close with holiness or not you have traversed and argued things pro con such and such considerations have been weighed by you very seriously the ballances seem to go down on Gods side Scripture reasons preponderate the will is in a great measure inclined to close with God to embrace his ways but it is not yet come up to a full resolution yet there is some hanging off some suspence and doubting in the matter 't is * Acts 26.28 almost perswaded but 't is not altogether perswaded O now that you would fully resolve that you would bring things to a point to an issue and positively determine for God against all opposers That the almost might be turned into altogether shall there be such throws and strivings in the soul and nothing come of it Shall the * Isa 66.9 child be brought to the birth and shall there not be a bringing forth Shall any come so near the Kingdom of Heaven yet come short of the Kingdom of Heaven at last After debates come resolves you have been debating thus and thus a long time now resolve that God shall have your heart and life 't is good to deliberate they always prove the best Christians that enter upon Gods ways with the most deliberation but 't is not good to continue under uncertainties and irresolvedness O do not fluctuate or hang in suspence any longer but pass a final peremptory decree for God As the Prophet argued with the people of Israel How long halt ye betwixt two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal then follow him 1 Kings 18.21 so I would with you why are you so undetermined and unresolved If God be better than sin then fall in with him if sin be better than God but can the heart of man imagine such a thing then take your course The Prodigal 't is very likely in his great straits had some debates in himself what he should do whether it was not best for him to return to his Father again when he had been sufficiently pinched with his wants then he resolves I will arise and go unto my Father c. Luke 15.18 O that sinners might have such a sight and sense of sin and the sad effects of it that they might immediately resolve to return to God! That the spirit of God would come in with such a light so illuminate the understanding that the will might be drawn to a peremptory resolution for God Here lies the work of grace and the sincerity of self-dedication we do but deceive our selves if we fancy that we have dedicated our selves to God if our wills be not fully fixedly resolved for him 2. Be resolute for God Having given up your selves to him and engaged in a good way now be resolute stedfast and unmovable 1 Cor. 15.58 Stand fast in the Lord Phil. 4.1 many such exhortations you meet with in the Scripture Esther was resolute she would venture into the Kings presence though she perished Esth 4.16 'T is the duty of such as profess God to hold on in the way of duty resolving if they perish to perish in that way Job says of himself he held fast his righteousness and he would not let it go Job 27.6 Pauls afflictions were nothing to him he was resolved for God and Christ Acts 20.24 Acts 21. 13. The three children could burn in the fiery furnacè but they would not bow to the golden image Dan. 3.18 Though all should forsake Christ Peter would never forsake him Matth. 26. 33. his resolution was good but his self-confidence spoiled all O that we were thus resolute for God his ways his truths his ordinances his glory we should be so set for him that nothing should be able to make us quit our profession or an holy course we should let men see we are not to be moved or altered we are so fixed and resolute This is an excellent frame of spirit very well becoming such as have dedicated themselves to God Let the truth of your dedication appear in the firmness of your resolution Doth the world smile Mind it not let all its honours pleasures possessions be nothing when they would draw you off from God Doth the world frown fear it not it s good is not much to be desired its evil is not much to be feared Ther 's no evil like to the evil of sin and of Apostacy from God Do the generality of men go another way 'T is no matter for that 't is for the dead fish to swim down the stream 't is better to go to Heaven with a few Matth. 7.14 than to Hell with the croud Doth the flesh interpose say Matth. 16.23 flesh get thee behind me thou art an offence to me Doth the cross lie before you Luke 9.23 take it up and still follow Christ say you can take up the cross but you cannot lay down duty you can suffer but you cannot leave God Are the times had let them not make you bad do you make them better let not them make you worse Doth Satan assault say Satan let me alone thou mistakest thy mark I am fixed for God thou canst not alter me Do you meet with scorn and derision from men 2 Sam. 6.22 tell them If this be to be vile you will be more vile still Is your work difficult yet keep to it God will help you in it and reward you for it Are you set in dangerous places where bullets fly about your ears continually yet keep your ground God hath ordered your station you are his souldiers and therefore you must be men of courage and resolution O that you would with full purpose of heart cleave unto the Lord This Barnabas exhorted the Christians of Antioch to Acts 11.23 How resolute are sinners against God will not you be as resolute for God He may say do what he pleases yet they will sin let the law judgment to come Hell be set before them 't is all one they are set upon their course Jer. 8. 5. They hold fast deceit they refuse to return Jer. 2.25 I have loved strangers and after them I will go Jer. 44. 16. As for the word that thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord we will not hearken to thee But we will certainly c. Now I say are they so resolved in their way to Hell and will not you be as resolved in your way to Heaven And pray consider can you mend your selves by leaving God will it turn to a good account to exchange God for the
thousand years or some such conditions as this O there 's no such thing All that God requires is but this that you will be his as he is willing to be yours that you will own him for your God that you will be subject to his laws and government that you will break off all your confederacies with his and your own enemies is not all this most reasonable Are you not bound to this whether you enter into Covenant or not what more high than this that God will be ours what more equitable than this that we should be his The Covenant holds forth the highest of mercies on Gods part and lays them upon the fairest conditions on our part O therefore shall we not enter into it 3. Upon your entring into Covenant with God he enters into Covenant with you At the same moment of time in which we cordially engage to him he doth graciously engage to us What is Gods covenanting with the Creature 'T is this he makes over his self his whole self to the Creature gives him a special interest and propriety in himself God is as much and as truly the faithful Covenanters as any thing is his that he hath in the world He hath no sooner entred into Covenant but he hath a real claim and title to God Jer. 30.21 Who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me saith the Lord There 's entring into Covenant and then immediately it follows verse 22. And ye shall be my people and I will be your God Deut. 26.17 c. Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God and to walk in his ways c. And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people c. The Covenant makes the interest reciprocal Zech. 13.9 I will say It is my people and they shall say The Lord is my God So also in Ezek. 11.20 Jer. 31.30 And this interest in God is the very * Anima foederis Paraeus in Gen 17. Substantia foederis Jun. Caput foederis Musc soul and spirit of the Covenant of all blessings 't is the highest 't is indeed the radical fundamental blessing for all other grow upon this and are built upon this I will be thy God O who can express the greatness of this mercy when God makes over himself to a poor Creature To have all God to be mine 'T is mercy too big to be set forth by the tongue or pen of man Psal 50.7 I am God even thy God God cannot go higher than this What an inducement then is this to you to enter into Covenant with God As soon as you have done this God is yours His All-sufficiency wisdom power truth holiness mercy all is yours Whatever God is 't is all yours Deus quantus quantus est totus noster est saith Luther O if I could open this to you in the fulness comprehensiveness glory of this priviledge it would make you to stand and wonder at the infinite grace of God Well 't is very great but 't is yours if you will but in this Covenant-way dedicate your selves and bind your selves to God The wife upon the conjugal covenant hath an interest in the person estate goods of her Husband all is hers This Covenant betwixt God and believers is a Conjugal Covenant Hos 2.20 and therefore upon this they have a right to all that God is or hath or doth O blessed are the people that have the Lord for their God Psal 144 ult When they cannot say Perdider at omnia illa quae dederat Deus sed habebat ipsum qui omnia dederat Deum Aug. of Job 1. Serm. de Temp. 105. this or that is mine all is made up in this God is mine Do they want the Creature they have all in God Do they lose the Creature their God they shall never lose Are they brought into great straits they have their God to go to David encouraged himself in the Lord his God 1 Sam. 30.6 Might you have the whole world 't is all nothing in comparison of my God May you have this upon engaging with God and will you not do it There 's little sweetness in a God but my God is inexpressibly sweet The highest word that a Creature can speak is my God 4. God deals with men according to their Covenant-state or according to the Covenant under which they stand The rule that he goes by is not particular acts but the Covenant-state you may do many good things but if you be not in Covenant with God they will not profit you Would you be accepted by him or blessed by him Then be a Covenant-people for God judges of men and gives out his blessings to men according to this O saith God have they struck up a Covenant with me then here 's my self pardon Heaven all they can desire but without this I have nothing for them Here lies the misery of unbelievers they are strangers from the covenants of promise and so they have no hope and are without God in the world as 't is set forth Eph. 2.12 They have no plea for mercy in their non-covenanting condition they are excluded from all happiness He that will not consent to the covenant-relation or obligation cannot expect the covenant-advantages God dispensing his blessings by his Covenant till men enter into it they cannot expect them at Gods hand All depends upon this and therefore look that you do it 5. Every man as he comes into the world is under the covenant of works as to the condemnation or penalty of it though his case by Christ is made remediable and grace is offered in a better covenant The Covenant of works and the Covenant of grace divide all mankind every man is under one of these covenants We are born under the first and that 's a dreadful covenant for it makes the condition of the Creature desperate it lays mercy upon those terms viz. personal perfect universal obedience which are now impossible He that is under this covenant if he fail never so little as to what the law requires he 's undone 'T is here Do or Dye there 's no mercy upon the least failure not a dram of mercy can be found in that covenant Who would live a moment under this covenant But let me tell you * Ita antiquatum est vetus legale soedus operum cum restipulatione vitae aeternae sancitum ut solutâ cum Deo spirituali agglutinatione extinctâ spe vitae aeternae ex illo foe dere acquirendae maneat tamen sub lege obligatio nexus damnationem trahens donec Deo per Christum agglutinemur novo foedere Cocceius de Foed Disp 7. Th. 71. till you enter into covenant with God that new covenant of grace which succeeds in the room of the covenant of works you are yet under that covenant till a new bond be made and new conditions put in the old remains in force I might set several other motives
in Marc. 12.33 de Holocaustis burnt-offering was to be offered up wholly Head and Body and Legs and Entrals all were to be burnt on the Altar therefore it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in this it differed from the peace-offering and thank-offering where part was Gods and part the Priests and part the offerers We must be as the burnt-offering all without us within us all that we are or have must be dedicated to God nothing must be kept for our selves but only in subordination to God The Apostle in that Scripture so often cited bids us to present our selves a living sacrifice Now as Grotius observes this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the general word sacrifice per excellentiam dicitur de Holocausto so 't is often taken so that we must not only offer up our selves to God but we must offer our selves as an Holocaust And this is that which I am driving at our giving of our selves to God must be entire As for example we are made up of body and spirit both are Gods and both must be given to him 1 Cor. 6.20 We have an heart that must be given too that God in special calls for Prov. 23.26 My son give me thy * My God what is a Heart That thou shouldst it so eye and woo c. Herb. Poem p. 54. Heart All we give is nothing without this God values not your estates your external services if you withhold your heart from him where 's your love to God if you do not give him the heart As Dalilah said to her Husband Judg. 16.15 How canst thou say I love thee when thine heart is not with me Ah and God will have the whole heart too He loves a broken heart but not a divided heart 'T is said of Josiah He turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul 2 Kings 23.25 O if you dedicate your selves to God let him have all the heart and all the soul The heart is the seat of the affections to give the heart and all the heart to God it is to let all the affections in their greatest fervour run out after him How doth the Creature please God when his love delight joy desire fear are principally placed upon himself Again you have parts gifts abilities interests estates give all to God He gives to you that you may give to him whatever gifts or endowments you have you had them from God let them be imployed for God May be you are men of interest O that you would improve it for God or you have full estates honour God with your substance you shall not lose by it So shall thy barns be filled with plenty and thy presses shall burst out with new wine Prov. 3.9 10. you have them for this end God doth not give men riches that they may spend and gratifie their lusts that they may live high wear rich apparel build magnificent Houses but that they may do good and serve and honour the Donor with all they have Give back your estates to God that is resign them up to his will imploy them in his service improve them for his glory be ready to part with them for his sake O that where God hath given these things he would also give an heart thus to return them to himself I beseech you consider what you have within without and let God have it all This is to be entire in your giving and so consequently in your Dedication In the Covenant of Grace God intirely gives himself and his All to us in our Dedication we must do the same to him as upon that I can say Deus meus omnia God is mine and so all is mine so upon this I must say Ego fuus omnia I am bis and all that I have is His. 2. Secondly There is subjection in reference to this your dedication must be entire According to the entireness of a mans subjection so is the entireness of his dedication the entireness of the former lies in the universality of obedience to the whole will of God when the heart is brought obedientially to close with every command of the word then its subjection is entire and full Thus then you must dedicate your selves be willing to live in an universal subjection to Gods will As there must be no reserves in giving so there must be no reserves or partiality in doing Give all and do all then the dedication is right and genuine This is in the phrase of the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fulfil obedience 2 Cor. 10.6 to * Vajemalle Achari Perfecit post me Vers Syriaca fulfil after God so 't is in the Original 't is spoken of Caleb Numb 14.24 to be compleat in all the will of God Col. 4.12 to be righteous in all the commandments of God as 't is said of Zechary and Elizabeth Luke 1.6 O let it be thus with you whoever thou art that professest thy self to be a Christian and that thou hast dedicated thy self to God look to the extent of thy obedience that it be adequate and commensurate to the whole will of God where the heart is sincere it will be thus as lines that are streight put them together they will all along be contiguous so where the heart is right it suits and joyns with the whole law when you bring it thereunto Davids sincerity lay in this 't was a very high character that God gave of him when he stiled him A man after his own heart now what was this grounded upon upon his integrity in his obedience Acts 13.22 A man after my own heart which shall fulfil all my will He that is for a full compliance with Gods will he 's just such a person as God desires he hits exactly with his heart O sirs that you would come up to this be not partial in your obedience that 's to be as a cake bak'd on one-side Ephraims partiality is set forth by that allusion Hos 7.8 Let me assure you where your obedience is partial your dedication is but hypocritical Many go very far they do much and they seem to come very near the matter and yet they fall short Mr. Vines upon Numb 14.24 because here they are defective There 's a great difference betwixt obeying in part and being partial in obedience The first is from the imperfection of the state the other is from the hypocrisie of the heart He that obeys in part would do more and is troubled that he doth no more he that is partial in obedience thinks he doth enough and if he should do more he would do too much The best of Saints obey but in part but 't is your insincere professors that are partial in their obedience Take heed of this I beseech you do not pick and chuse to keep one command and to break another but carry an equal respect to all then you shall not be ashamed Psal 119.6 Then shall I not be ashamed when
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