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
will men say What need we to trouble our selves about Prayer in our Houses when such a neighbour or such a neighbour who go for Professors omit it as well as we And will not the sad effects of this reach to thyself too will not the fervor of thy affections towards God very much abate will not grace insensibly decline will not the power of Godliness languish wilt thou not be at a stand nay wilt thou not go backwards in Heavens way canst thou do any thing more to gratifie Satan Do but observe how it is with persons who cast off Family-prayer or perform it very seldom and in a careless negligent manner and tell me then whether I speak truth or not We read of one Baldwyn Archbishop of Canterbury Pope Vrban writing to him he stiles him Girald Itiner Camb. L. 2. C. 14. Monachum ferventissimum Abbatem calidum Episcopum tepidum Archiepiscopum remissum He was whilst a Monk very fervent when an Abbot then but hot when a Bishop then but lukewarm when an Archbishop then he was key-cold That effect which preferment had upon this person the neglect of secret and Family-prayer hath upon Christians it makes them by little and little to cool in their spiritual heat and in time to come to just nothing you that profess God do not you live what ever others do without this Heavenly duty This in General to urge Family-Prayer It will be asked How often are men to pray in their Families I answer Every day morning and evening The Jews they offered burnt-offerings unto the Lord according to the custom as the duty of every day required Ezra 3.4 that is they offered burnt-offerings morning and evening See v. 3. They had their morning and their evening Sacrifice every day that 's clear from 2 Chron. 31.3 and from several other Scriptures So here you that are Masters of Families * See Whole Duty of Man p. 110. morning and evening in your Houses there must be Prayer oftner if you please but to be sure not seldomer This must be the Alpha and the Omega of every day you must begin and end all with God Hinc omne Principium huc refer exitum Horat. Prayer as one expresses it must be the key to open all in the morning and the Bar to shut up all at night Sit oratio Clavis Diei Sera Noctis 'T is not enough now and then to give God a prayer under some sudden pang of devotion but there must be a daily constant performance of it As to * Morning Prayer I cannot ope mine eyes But thou art ready there to catch My morning soul and sacrifice Then we must needs for that day make a match Herb. Poem p. 54. is it not sweet Is it not good when the body hath been refreshed by sleep in the night to get by prayer in the morning some refreshment for the Soul to begin so as to get an heavenly tincture and savour upon the heart all the day after Have not mercies been received in the night must they not be acknowledged Do not renewed mercies call for renewed praises Do not you need God in the day in sundry respects and will you not therefore go to him and plead with him * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 V Ch rond in Pythag. Fragm p. 205. Is it not reason that God should have the precedency will you serve the world before you serve God what a preposterous thing is that Is not this the way to prosper in your enterprizes to be blessed in your undertakings all the day Is not this true that work on earth is done best when work with Heaven is done first as one says Psal 5.3 O in the morning let God hear your voice in the morning do you direct your prayer to Him both alone and also with your Family 'T is the custome of some in this City they pray in their Houses at Night but not at the morning Surely this is an omission God appointed the morning as well as the Evening sacrifice Is there not reason for the one as well as the other Shall we say of Prayer what bloody Gardiner once said of the Doctrine of Justification by Faith that it was good Supper-doctrine but not so good to break fast on I say shall we say this of Prayer And then as to Prayer at Night O do not dare to lie down at night before you have sued out the pardon of the sins of the day past acknowledged mercies received and solemnly put you and yours under God's Almighty Protection Who knows what a Night may bring forth O how many amazing Accidents may fall out before the morning and therefore first commit your selves to God by fervent prayer and then lie down to take your rest I put in Fervent prayer for this indeed is the only prayer God will not be put off with dull dead sleepy devotions he will have you pray in prayer you do nothing if you do not pray with holy fervour Jam. 5.17 As neglects of Prayer are very evil so negligences in prayer are very evil also When you are about God's work take heed of doing it negligently lest you meet with a curse instead of a blessing Jerem. 48.10 I cannot dismiss this Exhortation to Family-prayer though I have been long upon it before I answer a few Objections that many are too ready to make against it 1. Object Say some We pray in secret for our selves and for our Families must we pray with them too Ans Yes Secret prayer is very good a great evidence of sincerity you do very well in making conscience of it but withal you must make conscience too of Family-prayer both are of divine Institution and the one must not thrust out the other Indeed I can hardly believe that you pray in secret See Guâ—n Christ. Arm. 3d. part ch 40. pag. 421. unless you pray in your Houses also He that is sincere in one duty will be sincere in every duty You may do your Relations much good when you are alone in praying for them but probably you will do them more good when 't is not only praying for them but praying for them and with them too for now they too are in God's way and so more capable of Divine impressions and Divine blessings 2. Obj. Others say We go to Church on the Lord's day with our Families and there we pray is not this enough Ans No That-God who requires publick prayer requires Family-prayer also and the whole will of God must be observed O how soon are men cloy'd with duty They never think they have enough of the world but they soon think they have enough of duty You do not give God all of his Sacred Time will you give him no part of your Common Time Will you be Christians on the Lords day and Heathens all the week after And wherein are you better than Heathens in your Families if no religious exercises be there performed
and Hymns and spiritual Songs singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Parallel to which is that Col. 3.16 Teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Here are three words Psalms Hymns and Songs concerning the * vid. Gatak Adver Sacra l. 1 c. 10 p 124. difference or distinct notions of which Divines do somewhat differ Hierome goes one way Beza another Grotius a third Zanchy a fourth He that pleases may look into them or peruse Bodius Davenant and other Interpreters upon the Places cited for 't is not my intention to stay upon this Clearly the Apostle alludes to the Hebrew Titles or Divisions of David's Psalms They were divided into Mizmorim Tehillim and Shirim which Titles the Septuagint render by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These are the words used here by the Apostle and therefore the inference is good that David's Psalms were in his eye and that he directs Christians under the Gospel to the singing of David's Psalms when he enjoines them to speak to themselves in Psalms and Hymns and Songs these being the Titles commonly applied to those Psalmes and by which they were usually understood You have another Precept for the Duty Jam. 5.13 Is any afflicted let him pray Is any merry let him sing Psalms So that you see we have an Institution to ground our practise upon upon which the singing of Psalms becomes not only a thing lawful but also matter of duty And what the * Affirmabaâ—â— hane fuisse summam vel culpae suae vel erroris quod essent soliti stato die ante lucem convenire carmenque Christo quafi Deo dicere secum invicem Pliny in that most remarkable Epist Lib. 10. Epist Ep. 97. Tertul. speaks of Hymni antelucani Apol. c. 2. c. 39. Vt quisque de Scripturis sanctis vel de propriâ— ingenio potest provocatur in medium Deo canere This as to the manner was something extraordinary vid. Just. Mart. in Quaest. Resp ad Orthod Quaest. 107. p 462. practise of the Primitive Christians was in their Assemblies as to this is very well known out of Pliny Tertullian Justine Martyr and others I should very much swell up this Discourse should I fall upon the drawing out of the full strength of the Scriptures alledged upon the vindicating of them from all those cavils by which some would evade them upon the answering of all objections made against the duty and the explication of all difficulties about it for brevity sake I will pass by all this and only refer you for fuller satisfaction in all these things to those who have to very good purpose written upon this Argument as Mr. Cotton Ford Sydenham Dr. Manton upon James 5.13 with several others That this Singing of David's Psalms was used in the Temple-worship cannot be deny'd for 't is said 2 Chron. 29.30 Hezekiah commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the Lord with the words of David and Asaph the Seer That 't is now to be used in publick Worship as a part of it cannot be denied neither David in Psal 95. reckoning up the parts of publick Worship he instances in Prayer v. 6. in Hearing v. 7. in Singing v. 1. c. That it ought to be used in Family-Worship also cannot be deny'd neither Surely they that grant the duty must grant also that 't is very necessary proper useful in private as well as in publick O therefore let me desire you to setup this holy exercise in your Houses Pray there read the Scriptures there and sing Psalms too there The general omission of this is much to be lamented what through profaneness in some and groundless scruples in others how few Families are there in this City in which 't is practis'd How many Houses may a man pass by upon a Lord's day before he come to one where he hears this Heavenly Musick You that are Masters of Families be perswaded to make Conscience of this duty let the praises of the most High God be sung in your Families O what a blessed duty is this how is Heaven delighted with it how is the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And much he adds touching the excellent effects of this Ordinance Just Martyr ut suprà heart raised the affections excited and warmed by it how doth it please God to come in upon the soul in this as well as in other ordinances O the sweetness delight that the sincere Christian finds in it and the profit advantage that he reaps by it To my thinking saith one there is not a more lively resemblance of Heaven upon Earth than a company of godly Christians singing a Psalm together You rejoice in God you rejoice in those many mercies you receive from God Singing is the best expression of your rejoycing Are you merry let not your mirth run out in vain frothy things but in the singing of Psalms Paul and Silas were full of joy and they fall upon singing The Church upon the receipt of eminent Mercy vented her joy this way Psal 126.2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing Let it be thus with you The holy Spirit of God puts men upon this rejoicing That of the Apostle in the connexion is very observable He had dehorted from drunkenness with Wine Eph. 5.18 by way of opposition he exhorts to be filled with the spirit what will follow upon this He tells you ver 19. Speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns c. Where any are full of the Holy Ghost this will certainly put them upon holy expressions of their joy in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs Look as men that are full of Wine or Drink they 'l be singing and venting their mirth in their carnal and sinful way so they that are full of God they 'l be singing too but 't is Psalms and spiritual Songs 't is not chanting to the viol Amos 3.5 't is not Songs that God will turn into lamentation as he threatens Amos 8.10 but 't is that which is spiritual in which their holy joy doth run out It would grieve a man as he walks in your streets by your Taverns and Alehouses Lord what tearing ranting cursing singing in a scurrilous and filthy manner may he there hear from day to day 'Pray let something else be heard in your Houses you that profess God and have any sense of Religion O let men hear you singing of Psalms and therein celebrating the memorials of God's mercies to you If you be filled with the spirit you will as certainly do this as men that have drunk to excess do the other And especially upon the Lord's day let this duty be performed in your Houses this is work very proper to to the Sabbath See Psal 92. The title of it is A Psalm for the Sabbath day And how doth it begin thus It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and
was resolution and where that is not in opposition both to suspensiveness within and to Apostacy without there is no self-dedication Here dedicating work begins and it holds on with this to the end Oh this is the language of such as are upright in it when we first owned God and closed with him we weighed and considered what we did we traversed things to and fro after mature and serious deliberation and casting up all accounts we gave our selves to God and chose to walk in his ways and we see nothing of weight to make us alter our choice no we are confirmed in it more and more and like it better every day then other we have chosen the way of truth Psal 119.30 31. and we will stick to it let us be hated derided reproached persecuted all this shall not make us change our course or alter our choice here here is that precious excellent self-dedication which I am speaking of O that it was as easie to live it and act it as it is to describe it and to talk or write of it 4. Self-dedication lies in a mans setting of himself apart for God and separating from the course of the world The Nature of dedication or consecration consisted in the separation or setting apart of persons places things from common ends and uses for holy ends and uses This I spoke something to when I was upon the opening of the words The Priests under the Law they were separated from other men and from common imployments and devoted to the worship of God And the Levites also they were thus set apart Numb 16.9 Numb 8.11 And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord. So we read it but in the Hebrew 'tis wave or separate and therefore the LXX render the word by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in allusion to this and also to the Theruma or heave-offering in the time of the Law which the Greeks set forth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostles and Gospel-Ministers are said to be separated and the same word is used with respect to them Acts 13.2 Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Paul speaking of himself says he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 separated unto the Gospel of God Rom. 1.1 I might to the same effect insist upon holy time holy places and holy things the holiness of all which did lie in their separation in opposition to which that is said to be common or unholy which was not separated from common uses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10.29 is translated unholy but I will not stay upon this Now to my present purpose self-dedication is when a person carries it as one who is separated or set apart for God or as one who in his life and conversation sets himself apart for holy ends and purposes This setting apart is either Gods Act or our Act as 't is Gods Act you find it in Psalm 4.4 Know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself The words primarily refer to the person of David whom God had designed to and set apart for the Kingdom but secondarily they are applicable to all the people of God the Saints are a people whom God hath separated called out of the world set apart for himself Is 43.21 This people have I formed for my self they shall shew forth my praise Thus the people of Israel upon Gods special favours indulged to them they are said to be separated by God to be a special peculiar people to him as you may see 1 Kings 8.53 Deut. 7.6 Deut. 14.2 Deut. 26.18 Levit. 20.24 26. As it is our Act or that which is done by our selves so this setting apart or separating includes many things 't is our impropriating our selves to the service of God 't is the taking off our affections from earthly things and setting them upon God 't is our abandoning of sin and lust and many such things might be instanced in and enlarg'd upon But I will pitch upon one thing only and that is our separating from the common course of the world Self-dedication consists in our non-communion or non-participation with sinners in their wicked and unholy practices in our coming out from amongst them 2 Cor. 6.17 and being separate in our having no fellowship with them Eph. 5.11 in the unfruitful works of darkness in the difference and singularity of our conversations in our carrying of it in the world as a peculiar people to God Tit. 2.14 zealous of good works When we do this through the grace of God enabling of us and working in us this is to separate our selves and to set our selves apart for God and so to be dedicated to him He that lives a common life and doth as others do and prostitutes himself to the common lusts of men he is yet a stranger to self-dedication If you have indeed come up to this you will say O I 'm a person dedicated to the Lord I must be and live as one that is separated I must not walk as others do nor live as others do I must not live a carnal common life I must differ from the men of the world let them be vain I must not be so let them profane Sabbaths omit duties gratifie the flesh I must not do so I must be a man by my self and bring forth distinguishing fruit to the praise of God for I have dedicated my self to God and set my self apart I must be a quite other person than what others are this is the fourth thing 5. This self-dedication lies in federal stipulation or entring into Covenant with God I will here reassume that Scripture which I touch'd upon under a former Head 2 Chron. 30.8 Yield your selves unto the Lord. This yielding to God is variously opened some make it to be submission a Manus dare apud Latinos significat se victum fateri vel se dedere Lavat vid. Deod in loc As if the meaning of Hezekiah in this advice was this you see you are not able to stand it out against God you are no match for God he 's too strong for you and therefore yield submit throw down your weapons beg mercy as Garisons do when there is too great a strength assaulting of them they yield and make no longer resistance Some make it to be active obedience b Obtempe rate Jehovae invitanti per nos Vatabl. Subjicite vos Jehovae praestantes obedientiam quam subjectionem testari solent subditi erga regem praebitisne manus in principio gubernationis Piscat 1 Chron. 29.24 And all the Princes and the mighty men and all the sons likewise of King David submitted in the Hebr gave the hand unto Solomon the King subjection to the will of God I humbly conceive the proper import of these words is that which I am upon Yield your selves unto the Lord i. e. enter into covenant with him 2 Chron.
figurae tenonda est tamen Pauli Doctrina Quaecunque Deus in nostrum usum destinat fide precibus sanctificari Id. rites were in this or what the way and manner was how they did this that we do not find either in Scripture or in common Authors but Divines conclude that this was done by Prayer and Praisc David here pen's a Psalm to be used at the dedication of his House and in this Psalm there is Prayer and Praise as hath been show'd The Apostle tells us that every Creature is sanctified by the Word and Prayer 1 Tim. 4.4 5. And so every place is sanctified by the Word and Prayer If you would dedicate your Houses enter into them this way Seek God and bless God call upon him for mercies to be bestowed thankefully acknowledg mercies already received An Consecratio nullum habet jus Dedicatio est religiosa Quid ergo illa tua tum obtestatio â—ibicinis quid foculus quid Preces quid prisca verba volnerunt Tull. Pro Domo suâ At the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or making of their Gods the main thing which made the god was the prayer that the people used to him at that solemnity So that of Martial may be understood Qui fingit sacros Auro vel marmore vultus Non facit ille Does qui rogat ille facit Epigr. l. 8. c. 24. The very Heathens in their Dedications both of their Temples and also of private Houses they used prayer in their blind way surely 't is good for Christians when they are to enter upon their Houses to do it by fervent and solemn prayer and so to dedicate them to God This I shall speak more fully to when I come to the Application Secondly To dedicate the House to God it is humbly and fiducially to commit it to his Divine Protection and Benediction You will say this is the same with the former I conceive it is not I know we usually express and manifest this act by Prayer for therein we profess that we do thus recommend our selves and all our concerns to God and in prayer we ask of God this mercy that he will keep and bless us and our Habitations But yet Prayer and This are distinct for this is trust dependance or reliance upon God and surely Trust and Prayer are different things When I dedicate my House to God I do not only pray to him that he will be pleased to secure it but I cast my self upon Him for this and in a solemn explicit manner I commend it to his Holy and Almighty Protection This is the notion of Dedication Nehem. 12.27 Where 't is said At the Dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites a Here was Dedication and it was very solemn too * Et murorum Civitatis qui Deo ejusdâ—mque Protectioni certis precibus hymnisque commendabantur una etiam gratiis decenter actis pro consummatione operis Geierus in Dan. 3.3 Moenia nrbis Hierosolymae dedicata dicuntuâ— quando Sacerdotes Populus de eo gratias agebant Deo quod ope ejus restaurata urbs esset tum orabant ut sibi restituta Civitatis ac Libertatis fruitio tranquilla pacataque concederetur Hospin de Orig. Templor fol. 103. Dedicabantur a h.e. Deo ejusque protectioni commendabanmur Ravan .. in v. Dedicare as you may see by that which follows in the Chapter The thing dedicated was the wall of Jerusalem What was this dedication 'T was that which I am upon * Et Mnrorum Civitatis c. Nehemiah and the People in this solemn way committed this wall to God's Protection Here was their strength under God this was to secure City and Temple which much depended upon it and therefore they commend it thus to God that he would keep that which must keep and secure all that this Wall might be continually before him as the phrase is Isa 49.16 Thus every person must dedicate his House to God in the commending of it to his gracious protection And there 's reason enough for this for to be sure unless God keep the House and guard it by His especial Care and Providence it can never be safe Many that write Books dedicate them to such or such Persons and what do they aime at in this This is one thing in their eye that their Labours may be protected by them to whom they are dedicated The Christian dedicates his House to God this is done by the acting of his Holy Trust upon God that he will defend it from all evil I say this is one thing that he doth in this dedication Thirdly To dedicate the House to God 't is for a man to set up and advance and encourage Religion in it Hoc ritu simul admonebantur tunc ritè ordine unumquemque domo suâ frui si quoddam esset Dei Sacrarium ubt vigeret pietas sincerus ejus cultus Calv. This as Calvin observes was one thing designed in this Rite of House-dedication that men might know that they did then in a right manner possess their Houses when they did make them to be as Churches or Chappels where Piety and the sincere Worship of God might flourish This is a great thing in the dedicating of the House and indeed if I would fasten it upon any one head I would do it upon this To dedicate the House it is to consecrate it to the Lord to set up in it Piety Godliness the Worship Fear Knowledg of God to keep down in it sin wickedness profaneness whatsoever is evil All is included in that general and comprehensive word which I therefore made use of namely RELIGION What did David do when he dedicated his House O he resolved upon this That Religion should flourish in his Family that Holiness to the Lord should be written upon all in his Family that God should be duly worshipped and called upon in his Family Quod ille non dese solo verùm de suâ quoque familiâ voti istius sponsionem facit in eo exemplum vel maximè insigne nobis proponitur gubernandae familiae nostrae Masius in loc that he would not suffer sin to be in his Family other Houses might be Atheistical profane irreligious but his should not be so Thus Joshuah did also in a very eminent and exemplary way As for me and my House we will serve the Lord Josh 24.15 And Abraham hath a high commendation from God for this I know him saith God that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment Gen. 18.19 And 't is said of Cornelius that he was a devout man and one that feared God with all his House Act. 10.2 I might enlarge upon these Scripture-Instances and upon several Considerations to enforce the same practices upon ourselves but that is not my present business I am only now showing you what the Nature of this
of youth in this City O the cursing swearing taking God's name in vain that is to be heard from Children in this City How doth it sometimes affect me as I go along to hear young ones with Oaths and Curses in their mouths how soon are they pregnant in sin and ripe for Hell they can no sooner speak almost but they are venting wickedness and when they arrive at some further growth how do they flock to Ale-houses and Taverns O the early drunkards that London is full of O the lying gaming drinking scoffing at what is good c. that our Youth is tainted with in this place O Citizens doth not this proclaim to the world that good Education is too much neglected by you Is not that the cause of all this Would Children Servants be so bad abroad if you did do your duty at home Indeed I must charge that abundance of sin that is amongst the Youth chiefly upon the want of Religious Education And O that many even of those who profess God and Godliness were not herein too remiss and careless They pray in their Families and keep up duties in their Families but as to constant and faithful endeavours for the well educating of those under them therein they come very short Surely Professors are not now as to strict holy pious Education what formerly Professors were one might with much more of comfort have placed a child with old Professors than he can with present Professors It being thus I cannot but speak something to excite you to a further care and faithfulness in the well-educating of those who are under your Authority be they Children or Apprentices The Commands of God are very express and positive Prov. 22.6 Train up a Child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it The Hebrew word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Root from which the Word in my Text rendred by Dedication is derived Children must be initiated or dedicated for the Septuagint translate it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how by good and religious education by training them up in the way of Duty So Eph. 6.4 And ye Fathers provoke not your Children but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Parents you see what God requires of you those that you have brought forth you must bring up in the nurture c. You must not only take care that your Children be able to * Non tantum curare debenâ— Parentes us liberi sui vivant sedetiam ut Deo bene vivant Ames Cas Cons l. 5. c 22. live as to the world but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they may live well fearing God and doing his will The Scripture is very full both of Precepts and also of Presidents for this religious Education if it was necessary here to enlarge but I will pass them by here because they will better fall under the Particular Directions that I shall give presently Let me only use some powerful motives and inducements the better to excite you to the Duty First Motive 1 Your Children and others under you they are a trust which you must give an account for to the great God you stand intrusted with the Souls of these the care of their Souls lies upon you and therefore you must be accountable for them for where-ever there is a trust there will be an account taken Where you trust your Servants you will expect an account Hath God trusted you with precious souls so many Children so many Servants so many Trusts and will he not have an account whether you are faithful to your Trust 'T is a mistake to think that the Cura animarum doth only lie upon Ministers though indeed eminently it doth Ezek. 3.18 19. it lies also upon you who are Parents and Masters if you let the Souls of Children and Servants to perish for want of good Education their blood shall be required at your Hands Let me allude to that of the Prophet to Ahab 1 King 20.39 Behold a man turned aside and brought a man unto me and said Keep this man if by any means he be missing then shall thy life be for his life So here God says this to you Here 's a child keep this Child for me if he miscarry and be lost through thy neglect thy life shall go for his If men did but consider this certainly they would be more careful and conscientious in their Education You must answer for the Souls for the sins of those under your charge Do not think that I speak my own private thoughts only to affright you I say nothing but what others have said before me * Omnia quae deliquerint filii à Parentibus requirentur qui non erudierint filios suos Orig. in â—ob Origen tells us That all the faults of Children shall be required of their Parents who have not instructed them And we read in the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Constit. Ap. Lib. 4. Cap. 10. in Zonaras pag. 909. Constitutions that go under the name of the Apostles If Children through the carelesness of Parents shall fall into sinful courses those Parents should be guilty of the souls of those Children and that not only the children shall be punished themselves but the Parents also for their sake That look as children sometimes in this life are punished for the Parents sake so Parents in the life to come shall be punished for the childrens sake O what an awakening consideration is this 'T is the affliction of many that they have no Children they have none of these arrows in their quiver Psal 127.4 5. 't will be the affliction of others at the great day that ever they had children O when they shall come to witness against them and say Lord here 's my Father that let me lie steal swear play away the Sabbath and he never regarded me my sin was the fruit of his bad Education will not this fall heavy upon the negligent Parent will not such a child be an arrow indeed to pierce him to his very heart Pray therefore think of this in time that you may prevent these tremendous consequences You take delight in your children but do you consider O I must answer for the soul of every child You imploy your Servants about your business but do you consider I must answer for the souls of these Servants If you did you would not carry it as you do Second Motive 2 Religious Education carries much of Good along with it you cannot imagin how much good you do when you do this First you do good to your selves for by this you discharge your duty and acquit your selves from the guilt of souls and however things go liberâ tis animam you have freed your selves in the sight of God What if after all your care pains prayers faithfulness your children should yet miscarry O this would be matter of comfort to you 't is not upon your default or neglect