I was upon and I shall add but this Let us with fervent prayer apply our selves often to the Throne of Grace let us unfeignedly humble our selves before the Lord let us sincerely reform what is amiss let us put away sin there there is the greatest discouragement let us thus do and then let the work be never so difficult enemies never so malicious the times never so bad we may engage in what lies before us and God will bless us in it Supplication Humiliation and Reformation will carrie all before them As for me I shall not cease to pray for you it shall be my daily request to God for you that he will direct you to do that which may most tend to his glory the good of this City your own comfort and the benefit of succeeding Generations and then that he will be pleased to encourage and prosper you herein and crown your undertakings with good success The Lord bless everie one of you in your persons relations estates employments habitations in all that concerns you the Lord carry on the work now upon your hands and then hide and defend you continually And as for thee dear London let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth if I forget thee O that thou Phoenix-like mayest grow out of thy ashes more glorious than ever thou wast that as 't is with mettals new cast it may be better with thee than before that as it was with the person of Job thy latter end may be blessed more than thy beginning that as it was with the Temple the glorie of second London may be greater than the glorie of the first The Lord say concerning thee Though I have afflicted thee I will afflict thee no more Nehem. 1.12 That it may be said of thee The Lord hath taken away thy judgments he hath cast out thine enemies the King of Israel even the Lord is in the midst of thee thou shalt not see evil any more Zeph. 5.15 O let not God any more contend with thee by Fire Plague or any other judgment O Lord God cease I beseech thee by whom shall Jacob arise for he is small Amos 7.4 5. O that the punishment of thine iniquity may be accomplished O daughter of Zion and that God will visit the iniquity of the daughter of Edom and discover her sins Lam. 4.22 The Lord make thee a quiet habitation a Tabernacle that shall not be taken down that not one of thy stakes may be removed nor one of thy cords broken Isa 33.20 The Lord bless thee and make thee an Habitation of Justice and Mountain of Holiness Jer. 31.23 That thou mayest be called the City of righteousness the faithful City Isa 1.26 That thou mayest be as mount Zion which cannot be removed but abideth for ever As the mountains are round about Jerusalem so let the Lord be round about thee from henceforth even for ever Psal 125.1 2. Amen Amen I have now but a few words to add concerning this mean Tractate and I will free you from the further trouble of a tedious Preface If I should fall upon Apologizing for my self and for it many words would be requisite 'T is best for me to forbear that though I acknowledge great need of it and without more ado humbly to cast it first upon Gods blessing and then upon your candor and kind acceptance If it may please the Lord by it to do good to any of you he he only shall have the glory and may I but see that I shall not much regard the censures which it may please some to pass upon me I tell you beforehand that you may not expect and look for that which is not here to be found here 's no high strains of Rhetorick or humane eloquence no fine and curious Metaphors no compt and florid expressions to gratifie your fancy here 's no Margent stuffed with Citations to give me the reputation of an hard student or well-read person here 's no New notions or Novel matter to satisfie such as like nothing but what is so here 's something which may suit with the humble serious hungry Christian and which I hope such an one may receive benefit by but as for others alas here is nothing to answer their expectations The style and language is e'en as plain as your fourth-rate-Buildings yet pray let not the Book be confined to Allies and Lanes but let it be admitted into your Streets also And the matter treated of is common and usual that which several of our worthy Divines under other Heads and in another method have verie fully insisted upon All therefore that I can pretend to to give you encouragement to peruse this Discourse is the seasonableness of it with respect to your present affair of Building upon that I take the advantage of urging old and known Truths upon you and had it not been for that special occasion I had not given you the trouble of Reading or my self the trouble of writing I had no sooner resolved upon this work and made a little Provision for it but it pleased the Soveraign disposer of all things to lay his afflictive hand upon me in a verie acute and dangerous distemper And O that I could say I was yet freed from it but for ought I can see this distemper is like to be to me like Iacobs bruise upon his thigh I must halt of it all my days As soon as my merciful Father gave me some relaxation of my violent Pains I began to pen what here I now publish but God knows the remainders of my disease did verie much unfit me for such an undertaking and I was fain to hasten over things because I feared everie day and so do yet the return of former Paroxisms Had it not been for this possibly I might have tendred you this Treatise somewhat more elaborate but now you must accept of it as it is I intended a Third Branch of Holy Dedication viz. the Dedication of Time but I am prevented and hindred as to that at present 1. The state of my bodie will not bear a studious and sedentary course and I am fain to spend the most of my Afternoon-time in Motion and Exercise for the recoverie of my Health 2. That 's a subject somewhat large according to the method that I have propounded to my self and if I should annex that to these two I fear it would make this Volume too big and bulky If God be pleased to continue Life and to restore Health and if I find that this Piece be in any measure useful I may hereafter publish what I design upon that Argument And now Brethren as to your Building-work I commit it to God and to his Blessing and as to your Selves I commend you to God and to the word of his Grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified That you may heartily sincerely dedicate and devote Person House Estate All to God
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.
Worship of God so as that things of a worldly nature may not there be managed 'T is the first thing only that I design Thirdly In the handling of House-dedication I do not in the least mean such a dedication as is attended with the alienation of the civil property As the civil use so the civil property is not struck at by me Pray keep your Right and Title to your Houses and take the comfort of them let them be yours still only let God be acknowledged served exalted in them 'T is true in some Dedications the Proprietary lost his Right after he made them he had nothing further to do with what he had dedicated for by this act he passed over his Right to God As in this particular case of Houses you read Levit. 27.14 If a man did sanctifie or dedicate by a vow or gift his House to be holy to the Lord he had then no right to it till he had redeemed it by paying the price or rate which the Priest did set upon it and then it was to be his own again I do not urge the dedication of your Houses in this sense or notion so as that the civil property should be alienated only let it be improved for God Nor fourthly Do I put you upon House-dedication in the setting up of Family-worship so as to take you off from Publick-worship and from God's Ordinances in the publick Administration of them Both have their proper use and worth and neither of them are to be omitted God forbid that the one should jostle out the other David here dedicates his House to God but yet withall he was for Sanctuary-worship and when he was deprived of this how passionately did he desire it You may see this in Psal 63.1 2 3. and in several other places 'T is said Psal 87.2 The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. In the dwellings of Jacob the worship of God was more confined it was shut up in his Family but in Zion there the worship of God was more open and publick and therefore God loved the gates of Zion more than the dwellings of Jacob O there are signal and extraordinary Blessings attending Publick Ordinances and therefore when the people of God have been deprived of these it hath been a great affliction to them notwithstanding their Family-enjoyments you read of them that were sorrowful for the solemn Assembly Zeph. 3.18 The more there are in the Consort the sweeter is the Musick the Application is obvious So that when your Houses are dedicated as to the setting up of Religion in them I would not have them to say to the places of Publick-worship what once they said to Moses and Aaron Ye take too much upon you seeing all the Congregation are Holy wherefore then lift you up your selves above the Congregation of the Lord Numb 16.3 So here I would not have private Houses to say to places where the Worship of God is publickly and duely administred We have Prayer as well as you and the Scriptures read as well as you and therefore why do you take so much upon you O though I would be earnest with you for Family-Religion yet I desire you to keep up high esteems of the Publick-Worship and Ordinances of God Fifthly In the present discourse I do not only aime at the bare walls the external structure the material building as though Dedication-work did only refer to this but under the dedicating of the House I take-in all the Persons there inhabiting the whole Family Domestick mercies Creature-accommodations all are to be dedicated to God Sixthly The Persons upon whom the duty is incumbent are those who stand in the relation and capacity of Superiors Masters Parents Housholders Governors or call them what you please where Power and Authority is there House-Dedication-work lies 'T is true such as are Inferiors they must dedicate themselves to the Lord but as to the dedication of the House that 's the duty of Superiors And therefore my business in this discourse is mainly with such Seventhly In speaking to these I will not so far enlarge as to set before them all the Relative duties that lie upon them that I leave to those who have gone thorough the body of Relative duties I will limit my self to those only which have an immediate reference to the dedication of the House to God These things being premised for the ends fore mentioned I come now to show you What this House-Dedication is A little will be sufficient for the opening of the nature of it but the applying of it will call for a more full Discourse CHAP. II. The Nature of Domestick Dedication opened THe great Question to be resolved is this What is it to dedicate the House or How are men now under the Gospel to dedicate their Houses I will answer this in a few particulars I make this House-dedication to consist in four things 1. In a religious entrance upon Houses by solemn Prayer and Praise 2. In an humble and fiducial commitment of them to God's Protection 3. In the setting up and promoting of Religion in them 4. In the devoting and improving of Domestick Mercies to and for God To some possibly the duty as generally propounded may seem novel and strange and not at all belonging now to Christians under the Gospel but surely as 't is reduc'd to these Heads it will appear to be a standing and constant Duty and that which in all Ages ever hath and ever will be a duty incumbent upon men A word and but a word to each of these Particulars First To dedicate the House it is to enter upon it by solemn Prayer and Praise I spoke to this in the explication of the words showing that Dedication is the entring upon a place or taking possession of it by solemn religious rites or acts 't is a Religious entrance upon possession Now what are these religious rites or acts They are Prayer and Praise And I call it solemn Prayer because in House-dedication there must be something more than usual and ordinary Prayer such as is performed in the Family every day there must be solemn and extraordinary prayer suited in special to this occasion But I say Prayer and Praise are those religious acts which are to be performed by persons when they enter into their Houses in order to the dedicating of them to God That House-dedication was used amongst the Jews none doth question but what their particular * V. Sed quibus Ceremomis dedioatio illa fuerit peracta nus quam traditur Piscator Tum Homines initiare Domus dicuntur cum primùm in eis edere bibere habitare incipiunt Quod pii citra preces gratiarum actiones minimè faciunt Hospin de Orig. Templ f. 114. Hoc genus exercitii veteri populo mandatum fuit at agnoscerent nullius rei usum sine gratiarum actione purum legitimum esse Calv. Nunt quamvis cessaverint Legis
therefore the Prophet joins together Heathens and Families that do not call upon God Jer. 10.25 The scripture-Scripture-word by which ungodly men are described is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are such as do not worship God and this is the character of such They call not upon the Lord Psal 14.4 You may attend upon publick Ordinances upon the Lord's day but if you omit secret and Family-prayer you are but ungodly persons in the account of God you defraud him of the Worship due to Him 3. Obj. Others will ask me What profit is there in this much like to them Mal. 3.14 Do not we see that all things happen a like to all As 't is with the Non-praying House so 't is with the praying House we see no difference Did not the late Fire sweep away the one as well as the other If the Fire had pass'd over the Families where Prayer was as once the destroying Angel did over the Houses of the Israelites when the Aegyptians were smitten Exod. 12 27. then we should have been convinc'd that 't is good for men to be consciencious herein but now we are of another opinion Ans O take heed take heed of drawing such inferences from the late tremendous judgment I hope the most of you do tremble at such a thought as this objection doth suggest but yet I fear it prevails in too many The full answering of it would take up much time In short how apt are men to pervert God's Ends in his judicial proceedings Surely in the late dreadful providence God's end was to further Reformation Piety Religion Prayer in all the kinds of it amongst us and here men turn it quite another way and put a contrary construction upon it But O the wickedness as well as the weakness that is in this objection I would lay before such persons as have this in their hearts for I suppose few will speak it out to consider these few things 1. The judgments of God are very often promiscuously inflicted the Good and the Bad are both equally involved in the same external calamities As it fares with the Sinner so it fares with the Saint Piety doth certainly secure from eternal evils but not from temporal evils God hath an Eternity for the punishing of the bad and for the rewarding of the good as to that there shall be a difference indeed but here as as to temporal rewards and punishments there is no such discrimination He hath very wise ends in this which though at present we cannot fadom in time we shall And therefore let none from the late judgment which was impartially and promiscuously executed be hardened against an holy course or religious duties for this is no new thing 't is but that which hath been in all Ages God will have none to take up religion mainly or chiefly upon Temporal advantages he will let the world see he hath better recompences than what lie in the bestowing of outward good or preservation from outward evil As also that he is not fond or partial in his Government of the world but very just and righteous Insomuch that if his People sin against him it shall be so far from their being exempted from corrective providences that they shall be the first who shall smart under them See 1 Pet. 4.17 Ezek. 9.6 2ly God's judgments are often very mysterious they are nunquam injusta but interdum occulta as Aug. speaks Psal 36.6 Thy judgments are a great deep Psal 77.19 Thy way is in the Sea and thy path in the great Waters and thy footsteps are not known Rom. 11.33 How unsearchable are his Judgments and his ways past finding out Such was the late dismal Fire O it was a very mysterious hid dark dispensation we felt it but we do not yet understand it But shall any from a mysterious judgment argue against a clear and known duty such as Family-prayer and an holy life is what ever God's designes were or his reserves that I cannot yet fadom but surely this he never aim'd at to take me off from Duty and I greatly sin if I put such an interpretation upon what he hath done 3ly Though the same judgments may befall God's people and others praying and not praying ones yet there is a vast difference Consider them materially they are the same but consider them in their ends and circumstances Isa 27.7 they are not the same As 't is in Mercies Saints and Sinners have the same Mercies yet there is a great difference for what the one have 't is in Love what the other have is in Anger So 't is in judgments what befalls the Wicked befalls the Godly but yet there 's a great disparity 't is judgment and in judgment to the one 't is judgment but 't is judgment in mercy to the other 't is Poyson to the one 't is but Physick to the other 't is a Knife to kill to the one 't is but a Knife to cut and so to cure to the other 't is Punishment to the one 't is but Chastisement to the other there 's the wrath of a Judge to the one 't is but the anger of a Father to the other Praying Houses 't is true were burnt down as well as others there was no difference as to the external stroke Ah but in other respects the difference was great Such as desir'd in all things to approve themselves to God to dedicate their Houses to God though they drank of the common cup yet the case to them is altered In the Fire they had God's presence with them to support teach sanctifie comfort to make up their losses in himself to make up outward losses with inward gain to show them that House to which no Fire shall reach and the like I doubt not but many of the people of God have found this to be true Now it was not thus with others Therefore let not any argue against Religion or a religious course as being unprofitable for that is false Though it doth not keep off judgment yet it keeps off the sting of judgment it makes it to be a quite other thing so that it carries Honey with it in the midst of all its gall and wormwood it so circumstantiates the worst of common evils that they become wholsome and tolerable Let Atheists then be silent here 's enough to stop their mouths though in outward appearance all things come alike to all Eccles 9.2 4ly Where Prayer was performed there were sins which incensed and provoked God O! God did put no difference betwixt praying families and others for though in this they did their duty yet in other things they did not O the pride the covetousness c that was in praying Houses and therefore no wonder that they shared in the common judgment Were there no sins with them even with them as 't is 2 Chron. 28.10 Now let me tell you You that neglect Religion Prayer in your Houses God will punish you because you do not
me whether House-dedication as so stated be a Jewish antiquated thing or whether it be not rather a moral duty and that all persons whatsoever are now under the obligation of it Honoured Citizens I hope no objections nor discouragements neither from without or from within shall ever be able to keep you off from a due performance of this blessed dutie of House-dedication You are now very busie in joyning house to house but not in the Prophets sense Isa 5.8 in the repairing of your breaches in the re-edifying of your wast and desolate Habitations which for some time have been forsaken and left like a wilderness and cut off through the fierce anger of the Lord Isa 27.10 Jer. 25.37 and herein I pray the God of Heaven to prosper you Now to present you with some thing that might be suitable and seasonable for this enterprise this is my principal aim and design As to the late terrible Fire the saddest Tragedy that Providence hath acted or permitted to be acted upon the Stage of the world in these latter Ages as to that Fire I say which in four days by four large swarths mowed down so many thousands of your dwellings this I meddle not with farther than as the matter insisted upon in this Treatise doth here and there lead me to it you have had the pious labours of several persons already upon that sad and dismal Argument to which I shall add nothing 'T is the bright side of the cloud that my eye is upon 't is the building not the burning of your Houses which I treat of and what is it in reference to this which I urge but that they may be consecrated and dedicated to God whenever they shall be built And under this Head I reduce all that I have to say and doth not the duty speak for it self Doth it not carry its own light and conviction along with it Doth not the late tremendous hand of God call upon you for this After such conflagrations will you not enter upon your Houses and live in them with a due sense of God When God hath been so contending with you shall things be just as they were before Shall not the voice of such a rod be heard in some notable reformation Hath God overthrown many of you as he overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and ye were as brands pluckt out of the burning and will ye not yet return to the Lord Amos 4.11 Do ye not yet perceive that 't is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Will you again provoke God to return with the same judgment I beseech you consider what God hath done what you have done what you are now to do and carry it so that breaches betwixt God and you may be healed that his anger the worst of Fires may be quenched that all differences may be comprimised that you may be secured from all evils and live in the enjoyment of all blessings And the most compendious way to this is first to dedicate your persons and then your houses to God O let God dwell where you dwell let God be entertained in your Habitations O keep up his worship promote his interest devote all to his service and glory live under a continual dependance upon him and an universal devotedness to him and let not sin find any harbour or have any reception in your Houses thus do and fear not all will be well be you faithful in your dedication and God will be faithful in his protection and benediction Persons and places dedicated are under a special providence God will not have them to be touched There are very many things which your present affairs and actings might lead me to speak to by way of advice You are much taken up with building O that spiritual building may not be neglected by you Pray mind the building of your Ark and do as Noah did Heb. 11.7 In such threatning times as these are it concerns every man to have his Ark ready made 't is better now to be without an house than without an Ark we have seen several deluges of judgments what will be next we know not Prov. 22.3 A prudent man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself but the simple pass on and are punished You are erecting fair and beautiful Houses but are you your selves the House Building Temple of God that he may dwell and inhabit in you Heb. 3.6 1 Pet. 2.5 1 Cor. 3.9 16. 2 Cor. 6.16 Eph. 2.22 You are building for Earth but what do you do for Heaven Do ye lay a good foundation against the time to come that ye may lay hold on eternal life as 't is 1 Tim. 6.19 Are you by a saving Faith built upon Christ that great and only foundation 1 Cor. 3.11 What assurance have ye of a building of God of an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 Thus from your external and material buildings I might take occasion to suggest divers things which refer to inward spiritual and mystical Building for by this allusion the spirit of God in Scripture doth much delight to set forth the state and duty of Christians As also I might much enlarge in the exhorting of you to several duties upon another account suitable to your present posture and concern viz. That ye would for ever humble your selves under that mighty hand of God which hath been so severely lifted up against you that the late judicial amazing Providences of the most High may never be forgotten by you but that they may frequently be thought of and duly improved that you would take heed of security pride vanity of spirit in slighting what is past and in promising great things to your selves for the time to come so as not to say with them The bricks are fallen down but we will build with hewen stones the Sycomores are cut down but we will change them into Cedars Isa 9.10 That you would be sure in Building-work to take God along with you and to keep down all carnal confidence That place is remarkable Mal. 1.4 Whereas Edom saith O that this may never be the language of London We are impoverished but we will return and build the desolate places thus saith the Lord of Hosts they shall build but I will throw down and they shall call them The border of wickedness and the people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever A terrible word this is the Lord grant you may never speak so sinfully against God and that he may never speak so terribly against you That you would enter into your New houses with New hearts that as your houses are like to be better than before so your hearts and lives may be better also that your old sins may never be admitted into your New habitations I say I might be verie large in the urging of these things upon you but I chuse only to name them some of them fall in under House-dedication to which I limit my self
is building to the end but at the resurrection 't is dedicated when it shall enter upon immortality The Title contains in it the voice of Christ who by the resurrection of his body hath dedicated the Church the Mother of us all to his own name and glory Thus August (b) Psalmus laetitiae resurrectionis atque in immortalem statum mutationis atque innovationis corporis c. Nam superiori Psalmo Tabernaculum consummatum est ubi habitamus belli tempore nunc autem domus dedicatur quae in sempiternum pace permanebit Aug. in Psal t. 8. A Psalm of joy upon the resurrection and the changing of our bodies into an immortal state in the Psalm foregoing the Tabernacle is finished where we live in the time of war Here the house is dedicated which shall abide in everlasting peace Thus Theodoret (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoder 1.1 P. 504. He calls says he the dedication of the house the restauration of the Humane Nature which Christ perfected when he dy'd for us and overcame death and gave us the hope of resurrection Thus Cyrill Nyssene Basil do also Allegorize upon the words I will not further recite their words for I shall crave leave with all submission to so great persons rather to embrace and pursue the literal than the mystical and Allegorical sense And that leads me to speak of house-dedication such as this of holy David was The poor Heathens had some blind notions of dedication-work hence they had their solemn days which they dedicated to their Gods their Temples which were for their Idolatrous worship they were dedicated their private houses also passed under some kind of dedication Multa alia sacrificia locdque sacris faciendis dedicavi Liv. 1. ab urbe Vid. 34. ab urbe c. 52. Templum pecuniâ meâ extruxi cujus dedicationem cum sit paratum differre longius irreligiosum est Plin. Ep. lib. 4. passim of the dedication of private Houses see many things in Tull. Or at pro domo suâ versus finem but what was this to the dedication that David here makes and to what others of the people of God make in imitation of his example this doth not lye in some foolish Rites and Ceremonies which was all the dedication of the poor Heathens but 't is an holy solemn religious dedication as will appear in that which follows CHAP. 2. Dedication Personal or Domestick The former opened THese things being premised in order to the Explication of the words I shall now fasten upon that which I design from them viz. a little to treat of holy dedication Now this is twofold personal and domestick there 's the dedicating of a mans self to God and the dedicating of a mans house to God I know other branches might be assigned but these two wili be as much as I shall be able to grasp and therefore I name no more And in strictness of method I should only speak to domestick or house-dedication for the words only mention that but I shall desire the Readers pardon in the handling of personal and self-dedication also The excellency of the subject will be some Apology for the violation of the strict rules of method And indeed 't is necessary that I should speak to this before I come to the other 1. because self-dedication is the ground of house-dedication I take this for an unquestionable maxime That he who doth not dedicate himself to God will never dedicate his house to God 't is certain the dedication of the House must begin with the dedication of the Person 2. Suppose a man should dedicate his House which yet cannot well be imagin'd yet if he doth not dedicate himself this would not profit him as to Gods acceptation and his own salvation Let him enter upon his habitation in a religious manner by prayer and praise and let him set up the worship of God in his Family and make conscience of all religious exercises if withal he doth not devote and dedicate his Person to God he is but a gilded hypocrite in Gods account 1 Cor. 13.1 2 Cor. 5.9 Heb. 6.9 but as sounding brass or a tinkling Gimbal So that that you may be accepted of the Lord and that you may come up to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things that have salvation 't is necessary that I should urge upon you personal as well as domestick dedication The Text speaks of Davids dedicating his House else where you find him dedicating his self to God Psal 119.38 Stablish thy word unto thy servant who is devoted so we fill it up in our translation to thy fear Verse 94. I am thine save me Thine not only as to Gods claim and special interest in him but also as to his own act of dedication he had solemnly dedicated himself to God and so he was his So verse 25. I am thy servant give me understanding that I may know thy testimonies 'T is as if he had said Blessed God I have given up my self to thy service let me but know thy will and pleasure and I will do it for I have dedicated my self to thee I pass by other Scriptures that might be cited for this purpose I shall begin with this personal dedication which is a great duty and indeed the great duty lying upon every man You have it not in so many letters and syllables commanded or commended in the word but you have the thing or that which is equivalent very often 2 Chron. 29.31 Now ye have consecrated your selves unto the Lord come near and bring sacrifices Rom. 12.1 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service This in effect Nihil est aliud quod dicit corpora vestra quam vos ipsos Muscul is personal dedication by Bodies the Apostle means the whole Person 't is a Synecdoche usuall both amongst Jews and Greeks as in the following Chap. verse 1. by soul he understands the person so here by bodies he aims at the same thing He alludes to the legal sacrifices which believers under the Gospel must exceed then God took up with the bodies of Beasts that were sacrificed to him but now he will have the Saints to offer up themselves then a dead sacrifice was accepted but now God stands upon living sacrifices But I say this presenting of our bodies Poter at propriis verbis dicere Rogo ut vos vitámque vestram Deo consecretis Pareas Vt nos Deo tetos ad ipsius voluntatem dedamus Muscul 't is the dedicating or consecrating of the whole self to God So Pareus The Apostle saith he might have said plainly I beseech you that you will consecrate your selves and your life to God And Musculus the meaning of the words is this That we should give up our whole selves to the will of God and all Expositors speak to the same
pietatem propensa ut non modò bona sua liberalitèr ad alendos pauperes effunderent sed seipsos totos Deo dicarent Justin Non bona tantùm sua sed de numero suo polliciti sunt se daturos qui Corinthum iâ—ent Grot. So Dr. Hammond And Calvines words cited above may also be carried this way doth much diminish and lessen this act for he makes it to be but this the Macedonians did not only give their own Alms and benevolence but they promised to send some of their Body to the Corinthians to stir them up to the same liberality This I judge to be a very cold and frigid interpretation put upon this glorious carriage of these persons O that we had many of this Temper that the world might be full of such persons that did give their own selves to the Lord. This is rather paying a debt then giving a gift for we all owe our selves to the Lord and how do we gain by this giving He loses nothing that gives his All to God God will return it him with advantage But I will not mingle the Applicatory and the Explicatory part together 2. Self-dedication consists in self-surrender or self-resignation to the will of God When I give my self to God this speaks my due sense of his right to me and propriety in me when I surrender my self to his will this speaks my due sense of his soveraignty and dominion over me I give my self to God to be used imployed by him I resign up my self to God to be ruled ordered disposed by him In giving my self to God I eye him as my Creator Preserver Redeemer In surrendring my self to his will I eye him as my Legislator and Soveraign The latter follows upon the former having given up my self to God I am now his he may now do with me what he pleases for Dominium transit cum re c. as the Lawyers tell us and upon this I must surrender up my self to his will This I say is part of self-dedication Now this will of God Divines distinguish into his Preceptive and into his Providential will The Preceptive will of God is that wherein he reveals and enjoyns our duty The Providential will of God is that wherein he orders our condition The Preceptive will refers to what God will have us to do the Providential will refers to what God himself is pleased to do When the Soul is brought over to this two-fold will of God so as to act subjection to the one and submission to the other this is self-dedication 1. It lies in subjection to Gods Preceptive will This subjection is our dedication when we lie at Gods feet study his will revealed in the word and resign up our selves to it yield obedience to his commands do not oppose or quarrel at any thing that he enjoyns 1 Sam. 3.10 Acts 9 6. but say Speak Lord thy servant hears what wilt thou have us to do What thou wilt have us to do that we will do what thou wilt have us not to do that we will not do when we once come to speak this heartily so to speak and so to do then we have dedicated our selves to God No subjection no dedication the sinner hath no further dedicated himself to God then as he lives in a blessed conformity and subjection to his will and wholly resigns up himself to it 2 Chron. 30.8 Be not stiff-necked as your fathers were but yield your selves unto the Lord 'T is an allusion to Servants when they enter into their Masters service they yield themselves up to them in all lawful things to be subject to their will and commands and so they may be said to have dedicated themselves to them So here Yield your selves unto the Lord Rom. 6.16 Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey c. And verse 19. As ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness Oh when men are brought to this to yield themselves to God to be his servants to be obedient to his will then self-dedication is arrived at The Apostle exhorting to this very thing Rom. 12.1 as hath been hinted he sets it forth by presenting our bodies to God now that * Significat plusquam astare praestò scilicet semper paratum alicui assistere ad mandata ejus excipienda obeunda Gagn. vid. Steph. in Verb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as to live ad nutum Dei to be at Gods beck and call readily to be ordered by his will If this word will not prove that which I aim at that which follows will having spoke of personal dedication verse 1. he presently subjoyns verse 2. Be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God Then we have dedicated our selves to God when we do not symbolize agree with the carnal world but upon transformation and renovation going before we do observe approve of and obey the good will of God when we say to God as the Son to his Father Tibi Pater me dedo quidvis oneris impone impera Terent. I give my self to thee lay on what thou pleasest I will bear it enjoyn what thou wilt I will do it Till a man be brought out of the Natural state he can never come to this for The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8.7 Till there be conversion there cannot be subjection to Gods will and till there be this subjection there is no self-dedication Unless the heart be framed to this 't is a certain evidence of Non-dedication You know the will of God you read it you hear it 't is urg'd upon you from time to time but yet you will not be obedient to it surely self is not yet devoted to God 2. It lies in submission to Gods providential will This submission points See the Whole Duty of Man Part. 2. p 31. c. either to what is past or present or to what is future and to come Our submission as to what is past or present consists in the exercise of Patience under all the Lords dispensations Our submission as to what is to come consists in our quiet sedate composed referring our selves to Gods wise dispose as believing that he knows what is best and will do nothing but what shall be for the best These two are distinct and I shall speak to them as so when I come to the use here I will only touch upon submission to the Providential will of God in general A Christians self-dedication lies very much in this when I dedicate my self to God I do either implicitly or expresly say this Lord here I am I throw my self
down before thee I resign up my self to thee do with me what seems good unto thee not my will but thy will be done Let my work be what it will I 'll submit Let my rank and station be what it will I 'll submit Let my condition be what it will I 'll submit Be it health or sickness fulness or want relations or no relations mercy or affliction this or that I 'll submit I say this we do in effect speak whenever we enter upon this dedication and without this either we are not true in our dedication or not true to our dedication O the blessed examples that we have in the word of the excellent carriage of dedicated persons in this particular if the Lord would help us who profess the same dedication to practise the same submission what a dreadful message was sent to good old Eli 1 Sam 3.18 but saith he It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good What grievous trials did holy * Quanta adversus eum jacula missa Quanta admota tormenta Iaclur a rei familla◠is infligitur numerosae sobolis orbitas irrogatur c. Nec Dcminus repentè nec Paterest Accedit vulnerum vastitas c. Nec tamen Job gravibus densi◠conflictationibus frangitur quò minus inter illas anguscias pressur as suas Dei benedictio victrice patientiâ praedicetur Cvpr de Bono Patient Nihil in dcmo remanserat c. Certè pauper est certe nihil haber si nihil remansit de quo thesauro istae gemmae laudis Dei proferuntur O virum putrem integram O foedum pulchrum c. Aug. Serm. 105. de Temp. Job undergo but how submissively nay how thankfully did he carry it Job 1.21 The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. David had his smarting afflictions too Psal 39 9. but saith he I was dumb and opened not my mouth because thou Lord didst it When he fled from Absalom 2 Sam. 15 25 26. he was in great straits but though his son rebels against him he quietly refers himself to God And the King said unto Zadok carry back the Ark of God into the City if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me again and shew me both it and his habitation but if he thus say I have no delight in thee a sad word for God to speak if he speaks this word will not David fret and murmur O no Behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good unto him Isa 39. ult 'T was a dismal message that the Prophet brought to Hezekiah but he receives it with much calmness Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken The highest of all was our precious Lord and Saviour 't was a bitter Cup indeed that he was to drink of and he prayed earnestly to be freed from it Matth. 26.39 Father if it be possible c. yet he submits his will to his Fathers will Nevertheless not my will but thy will be done Here are excellent copies God enables us to write after them To close up this Head subjection to Gods preceptive will submission to his providential will are great ingredients into self-dedication Do you say to God with respect to his preceptive will 2 Kings 10.5 what once the rulers of Jezreel and the Elders said to Jehu We are thy servants and will do all that thou shalt bid us And do you also say to God with respect to his providential will what once Hezekiah said to the King of Assyria 2 Kings 18.14 What thou puttest upon me I will bear If this be the frame of your souls then surely you are sincere in your self-dedication and know what it is to be a people dedicated to God and are not now to enter upon this great work 3. Self-dedication is the firmness and fixedness of resolution for God and his ways This act of the will is essentially requisite to it the dedication is false when the resolution is not firm when the soul is once come to this to be fixed resolved for God and holiness against sin the world the flesh and all opposers there is the truth of dedication That subjection which I spoke to under the former Head is indeed the act of the will and that is very good but that is not enough there must be resolution also here the will is peremptory here it acts with the greatest intenseness and vehemence and this is brought about by the understanding this is the leading faculty it lays before the will such and such dictates then the will resolves O says the understanding God is good then says the will I 'll love him cleave to him pursue after him never forsake him The ways of God are good then says the will I 'll walk in them and I will not depart from them sin is evil then says the will I 'll shun it I 'll have nothing to do with it and so in other things the intellective faculty presents its dictates then the will frames its practical and peremptory decrees Now I say this is our dedication to God when the will thus resolves for God when we are set for God and duty never to be altered our hearts are fixed as David said his was Psal 57.7 let Satan and the world do what they can to take us off from an holy God and an holy course yet they shall not do it O happy souls with whom 't is thus Self-dedication makes a person unmovable 1 Cor. 13.58 he is not to be altered his purpose and resolution is so high Ruth would not leave her mother Naomi Ruth 1.14 16 17. whatever came on 't Orpah was soon taken off she kisses her mother and parts from her but Ruth clave to her O says she Intreat me not to leave thee whither thou goest I will go where thou lodgest I will lodge where thou diest I will die c. All the Kings dainties were nothing to Daniel Dan. 1.8 He had purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the Kings meat c. Thus 't is with a man as to God and Christ and godliness when he hath sincerely dedicated himself to God Self-dedication is always attended with firmness of resolution nay indeed the very essence of it lies in this I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress Psal 17.3 Psal 119.8 106. I will keep thy statutes I have sworn and I will perform it that I will keep thy righteous judgments Moses had dedicated himself to Christ Hebr. 11.24 26. and therefore he was resolved for Christ He refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt All this is come upon us Psal 44.17 yet have we not forgotten thee nor dealt falsly in thy Covenant Here
29.10 Hezekiah in the former Chapter had been speaking of making a covenant with the Lord God of Israel that his fierce wrath might be turned away Now he presses this upon the people and exhorts them to yield to God to bind themselves in covenant to him 'T is in the Original (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which the LXX render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Had they rendred it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it had been much better translated The Heathens were wont to confirm their Covenants by the giving of the hand So Josephus tells us of the Parthians Antiq. Jud. l. 18 c. 12. And so Diodorus of the Persians Diodor. Sic. l. 16. Cur dextrae jungere dextram Non datur Virgil. Jura fides ubi nunc commissáque dextera dextrae Ovid. Give the hand to the Lord this giving of the hand was a gesture or rite anciently used in the making of and entring into covenants 'T is said of Zedekiah in reference to that covenant which he had made with the King of Egypt the violation of which God took so hainously Shall he prosper Ezek. 17.1 Shall he escape that doth such things Or shall he break the Covenant and be delivered I say at the making of this covenant he is said to give the hand when lo he had given his hand Ezek. 17.18 In Ezra's time when the Jews entred into Covenant that they would put away their strange wives they gave their hands Ezra 10.19 And the Israelites in their great straits Supplices facti sumus eis vel foedera sancivimus Lavat they are said to give the hand to the Egyptians i. e. to make a Covenant with them Lam. 5.6 To this purpose is that of the Wise man in his disswading from the bonds of suretiships Prov. 22.26 Be not thou one of them that strike hands And to this I conceive the words I am upon do mainly refer Give the hand to the Lord oh enter into covenant with God strike up a solemn federal compact with him this is the way to turn away his wrath from you This is that which is done by every one who doth in a right manner dedicate himself to God he gives the hand to God he subscribes with his hand to the Lord as 't is expressed Isa 44.5 He joyns himself to the Lord as 't is Zach. 2.11 he engages his heart to approach unto God as 't is Jer. 30.21 and this is his dedication He that enters into the bond of the covenant Ezek. 20.37 binds himself to be the Lords makes over himself to God to be ruled by him and improved for him he is the man who comes up to that blessed act which I am describing Divines that treat of the Heavenly calling distinguish of vocatio ad munus and vocatio ad foedus so here in dedication I may distinguish there is dedicatio respectu muneris dedication in respect of office thus the Priests in the time of the Law and Ministers now under the Gospel may be said to be dedicated to God And there is dedicatio respectu foederis in respect of the covenant that is when the soul doth indent stipulate with God and solemnly engage to him to make good every duty that it stands obliged unto this is a great part of our personal dedication or at lestwise the mode or manner of this dedication and the more explicit and express this stipulation is the higher and fuller is the dedication But as to the explicitness of it I shall speak more of that when I come to the Use 6. In the last place Self-dedication is a persons addicting and devoting himself to the glory of God as his supream and ultimate end So that in his place and sphere to his utmost he doth mind and endeavour to promote it in the world This glory of God is very dear to himself there 's nothing God so much stands upon as his glory and take a man that is hearty in his dedication the glory of God is very dear to him also his heart is set for the advancement of it according to his ability he devotes himself to Gods honour and glory Which he may be said to do in these three respects 1. He will do nothing so far as humane frailty and the imperfection of the present state will admit that may strike at Gods glory or which hath not a direct tendency to it understand me aright I speak of weighty and momentous acts Sin is that cursed thing which strikes at Gods glory and therein lies the evil and maglignity of it it reflects dishonour upon God in the holiness of his nature in the purity of his law in the righteousness of his government and in what not Therefore the self-dedicating Christian he will not sin willingly and out of choice He shuns resists dreads hates sin as 't is an offence to God and as it casts dishonour upon God O when temptation comes he thrusts it of with defiance How shall I do this and sin against God Gen 39.9 And so reflect dishonour upon him I can suffer for God for by that he hath glory from me and that 's but my suffering but I must not sin against God for by that he is disparaged and by it his glory suffers And then I say he will do nothing but what hath a direct tendency to Gods glory There 's nothing done in the world but God hath glory by it even sin it self Prov. 16.4 God so disposes it and over-rules it that it shall be subservient and contribute to his honour Even by Pharaohs obstinacy God was glorified Exod. 9.16 The crucifixion of our Lord the greatest sin that ever was committed God advanced his glory by it let the ingredients be what they will yet the wise God knows how to make an extract out of all of them of glory to himself and of good to his people And surely * Potentius melius esse judicavit etiam de malis benefacere quà m mala esse non sinere August de Civit. Dei l. 22. c. 2. he would never suffer sin to be in the world if he did not know how to make it pay a tribute to his glory But there are things which directly tend to this they are not only disposed and over-ruled to the furtherance of it but they have a direct natural tendency thereunto such are holiness Matth 5.16 Fruitfulness Joh. 15.8 Philip. 1.11 Thankfulness Psal 50. ult with many others that might be mentioned These now are the things which are in the godly mans eye he that hath dedicated himself to God he 's for that and only for that which hath a streight and direct tendency to this glory 2. He makes God and his glory the great end of life this is that which he aims at and propounds to himself in living that God may be glorified he says Scopus vitae Christus which was the Motto of the Emperor Jovinian Christ is the scope the end
few that are acquainted with it this makes the number of self-devoting Christians to sink and fall like the souldiers of Gideon God speaks to the Jews Jer. 5.1 to run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem to seek in the broad places thereof to see if they could find a man that did execute judgment and sought the truth and he would pardon it May not we run to and fro to find out a man who doth intirely give up himself to God who lives in a blessed surrender of himself to the will of God who is fixed and resolved for God and so I might go over all the other branches of self-dedication and scarce be able to find such an one Every man in the world dedicates himself to something but O 't is the sin and folly of men they mis-object and mis-place their dedication 't is self sin the world that the generality dedicate themselves to 't is but here and there a man who doth this to the holy ever living ever blessed God O that the practices of men did not too visibly proclaim this O that this sad truth was not too legible in the courses and conversations of besotted sinners Even where they have made their renunciation even there they make their dedication instead of renouncing the world the flesh the Devil they devote themselves to these No tears are sufficient to bewail this folly and wickedness that is so manifest to every observing eye Pray lay it to heart and mourn much over it before the Lord you that have any sense of Gods honour of the value and preciousness of immortal souls Did I not fear that this discourse would too much swell upon my Hands as I would speak much more to further Humiliation upon the account of such as are unregenerate so I would also speak something to further humiliation in the Saints themselves upon their own account I hope many such may happen to read what here in the sincerity of my heart I offer to their serious consideration thus then very briefly You have dedicated your selves to God but was there not a time when you were just as others are when you did just as others do when you walked according to the course of this world Eâ—h 2 2. when you lay in the common state and lived the common life was there not a time when you your selves also were foolish disobedient Tit. 3 3. deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures Did you not spend many years Rom. 8.7 under the power of the natural enmity to God Was it not long before you would be perswaded to yield up your selves to him Did you not long withstand Gods claim and title Was not God fain to put forth his Almighty power Eph. 1.19 to conquer the renitency and reluctancy of corruption If God had left you to your selves had ye to this very day given up your selves to him Did you not side with Satan and Sin and the world for many years against God And now you have dedicated your selves to the Lord being over-powred by the holy violence of his grace Ne arbitreris istam asperam molestdmque violentiam dulcis est suavis est ipsa suavitas te trahit Aug. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Non cogit nolentem sed volentem trahit Aug. is your dedication so full so entire so ingenious so Evangelical so fixed as it should be Have you been true to it and walked answerably to it Ask your selves these questions and deal in secret with your own souls and I assure you you will find matter of deep humiliation even as to your selves as well as to others who yet stand it out against God and have done nothing in personal dedication Secondly Vse 2 Are there so few who have dedicated themselves to God Then it concerns every one to enquire whether he be in the number of these few whether he be one of the Herd or one of the little flock whether he hath pass'd under this Holy Dedication or not O call your selves ad scrutinium enter upon the most solemn and serious enquiry about this let there be self-examination about self-dedication Gal. 6.4 let every man prove his own work and so too his own dedication then shall he have rejoycing in himself alone and not in another This is a question worthy of the most serious thoughts of men professing the Gospel Have I dedicated my self to God Have I in good earnest dedicated my self to God Am I not mistaken in this upon which all Religion here salvation hereafter doth depend I am a Christian no farther than as this is done by me and therefore is it in reality done by me I beseech you look your faces a little in the glass of the word and suffer conscience to bring in its verdict and judge accordingly Methinks it might be easie to convince some and these some are too many the Lord knows that they have not dedicated themselves to God As to them 't is not a doubtful case there 's scarce any ground of examination for 't is as clear as the light of the Sun at mid-day that they are altogether strangers to this Act I speak to you who give up your selves to the fancies humors opinions examples lusts of men who care not how you displease God if you may but please man who can dispense with the commands of God if you may but gratifie the lusts of men nay who can add sin to sin if you see it doth but please man this was Herods case Acts 12.3 Have you dedicated your selves to God To you that are temporizers who are what the times are when they are good you are good when they are bad you are bad you that calculate your Religion by the times wherein you live and set your Watch not by the Sun the divine and infallible rule of the word but by the fashions of the Age upon which you are cast you that have a fides Ephemeris as Tertullian calls it a Religion for every day which you can put on and off as you do your clothes you that are meer Polypusses in the things of God Polypus mutat colorem ad similitudinem loci Plin. Hist Nat. l. 9. c. 29. to receive the colour and tincture of what is next let it be what it will you that are of a Samaritane spirit to be Jews and ally'd to them when they flourish and enemies to them when they are low you that are like to those of whom our Histories report they were Protestants in King Edwards days Papists in Queen Maries days and Protestants again in Queen Elizabeths days you that can sail and turn with every wind meer Weather-cocks in Religion surviving Ecebolii Have you dedicated your selves to God To you who are all for self for self ease self love self pleasing self interest self advancement you that terminate all in self and make that your centre you that instead of making self the matter of your
more generally and then more particularly in the several branches of it THirdly I come to fall upon that Vse 3 where I must make a longer stay than I have done in what goes before I would most earnestly and O that I might do it effectually exhort perswade urge men entirely heartily sincerely to devote and dedicate themselves to God this I would press upon all be they high or low rich or poor noble or ignoble learned or unlearned young or old for God requires it of all and none are exempted from this self-dedication Shall I not prevail with some amongst these many to come in to God and to give up themselves to him Shall the net be cast in the midst of so many and shall none be caught â—s the duty which I am to press in it self so reasonable so unquestionable so attractive and yet shall I not succeed in the pressing of it May I gain but one soul to God in the discharge of this duty that one soul would be a sufficient recompence for my pains in this discourse but surely I shall gain more I would promise to my self that many will be wrought upon did I not remember that the old Adam was too hard for young Melancthon The old Adam and the old Serpent are great opposers of self-dedication Rev. 12 9. Satan sets himself with all his might to hinder it if he might have his will not a soul should come up to it 2 Cor. 4.4 he is the God of this world and therefore would have all dedications made unto himself he knows the sinners dedication to God is his dethroning and therefore no wonder he is so much against it And besides this opposition ab extra there is also abundance of opposition ab intra the old Adam the corrupt nature within cannot brook or submit to this that a man should resign devote himself to God Self-dedication meets with self-opposition Men are not willing to alienate their estates to others naturally they are more averse to alienate and make over themselves to God they say in their hearts to him what Nabal said to David Who is David c. 1 Sam. 25.10 11. Shall I take my bread and my water and my flesh that I have killed for my Shearers and give it unto men whom I know not whence they be Thus depraved reason argues against God who is the Lord What saith the poor unconverted sinner shall I take my self my whole self my heart my estate my parts my love my life and give it all to God whom I do not know Or so far as I do know him I do not like him This is the entertainment that Gods gracious messages for self-resignation and self-dedication do find in the world And indeed was it not for that Almighty grace which it pleases the Lord sometimes to exert thereby to conquer all this opposition from Satan and self there would be no such thing as personal dedication not a man would thus do We might Preach Print urge the duty with the most rational convincing pressing considerations and yet all be in vain And therefore I must lay the stress of my hopes for success in the pursuing of this exhortation wholly upon God and the efficacy of his grace The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God 2 Cor. 10.4 5. to the pulling down of strong holds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ It being so before I speak to man let me with all humility and holy fervor thus speak to the divine Majesty O blessed God accompany bless make effectual that word of advice that a poor worm is now to give let thine own spirit and the power of thy grace set it home upon the Conscience and let the stubborn hardened sinner yield to it and to thee by it It is designed for thee let it be blessed by thee O let the day of thy * Psal 110.3 power dawn upon men that they may be willing to surrender up themselves to thee Give special grace to them that they may give whole self to thee Work what thou requirest and require what thou wilt Destroy all hellish idolatrous cursed Dedications to sin the flesh the world and bring the soul to the Heavenly Holy dedication of it self to thee O so work upon the wills of them that shall read these lines that they may immediately peremptorily resolve for thee and say others have had propriety in us and dominion over us but now Isa 26.13 from this day forward for ever we will be the Lords O let not me press this upon others and yet be a stranger to it my own self These are some of the inward breathings of my soul that God knows to whom I here speak I come to the exhortation Dedicate your selves to God 'T is requisite that I should open this and then enforce it upon you Self-dedication is either common and outward or special and inward The first is done in Baptism this is Baptismal dedication all that are baptized visibly profess that they have dedicated themselves to God I am not to press this upon you because 't is done already The second is either habitual or actual Habitual is that which is implanted in the soul in the work of conversion in the participation of the divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 in the New creature 2 Cor. 5.17 whereever grace is and as soon as ever grace is wrought the man doth habitually or virtually dedicate himself to God Much of the Nature of grace lies in this for what is grace but personal dedication Actual is that which results from the habit as the branch from the root or the stream from the fountain when that which was latent in the habit is drawn forth into Act this is Actual self-dedication And this further is either more implicit or more explicit implicit which lies in the more inward and imminent acts of the soul as a man in the secret acts of his heart devotes himself to God explicit when a man in a more open and discernible manner doth thus do either by writing or word of mouth or some such open way he dedicates himself to the Lord. Now 't is this Actual dedication that I mainly drive at in order to which there must be habitual dedication for we cannot suppose the act without a previous habit the act flowing from the habit And I might too by several weighty Arguments put you upon Actual explicit self-dedication but because I would not set things too high at first I shall go no higher than Actual implicit heart-dedication I call it implicit only in contra-distinction to what is done by writing or word of mouth for otherwise 't is explicit too This necessarily must be the truth of grace requires it the grown Christian may be perswaded to the former but whoever will be a
he is in himself Infinite incomprehensible the supream and absolute being holy wise gracious merciful unchangeable just righteous c. Will you not dedicate your selves to such a God What a base thing is sin what a vain thing is the world in comparison of this God What a shame is it that men should chuse rather to give up themselves to these than to the ever blessed God! Something we must dedicate our selves to doth any object so deserve our love delight service zeal as God doth And then look upon him in what he is to you your Creator the fountain of your beings your preserver your benefactor your Lord and Soveraign your Judge he in whose hands your * Dan. 5.23 life breath and all your concerns are he that protects you from all dangers supplies you in all wants supports you under all burdens directs you in all straights rewards you in all services will you not dedicate your selves to this God He that alone can make you happy or miserable he that alone can save or damn he that alone can give you satisfaction inward peace and joy will you not be his He that is your good God your friend that desires your well-fare will you not surrender up your selves to him I am not pleading with you for dedition but for dedication the * Damus amicis dedimus Hostibus Stephan Vrbem agrum aras focos seque uti dederent Plaut in Amphitr Such as yielded upon the prevailing strength of their Enemy vvere called Dedititii Quum ex dedititiis Delgis complures Caesarem secuti Caes Comm. former is proper for an enemy the latter for a friend O 't is mens ignorance of God that keeps them from dedicating themselves to him surely did they but know him he should have their All. 4. Self-dedication to God is the Creatures advancement it puts an honour and excellency upon a person self is advanced and dignified when 't is thus dedicated as there pass'd a glory upon the first fruits by their being dedicated to God And therefore the excellency of the Saints is set forth by this allusion to the first fruits Of his own will begat he us Jam. 1.18 with the word of truth that we should be a kind of first fruits of his Creatures Jer. 2.3 Israel was holiness unto the Lord the first fruits of his increase Rev. 14.4 These were redeemed from among men being the first fruits unto God I say one thing intended in these expressions is to hold forth the excellency of the people of God as they are dedicated to him Self-dedication will make you as first fruits it will put a glory and excellency upon you Psal 16.3 dedicated persons are the excellent in the earth Take the whole crop there was not much in it but the first fruits being set apart for God there was an excellency in them take mankind in the lump and mass there is no such great worth in it but take those few that are singled out of this mass and set apart for God O they are excellent persons The pride of man puts him upon the affectation of excellency and advancement would you from an holy pride be ambitious of true excellency and advancement be a people separated for God devoted to him no honour like to that 5. I will add but one Consideration more 't is this as grace so glory as Christianity here so felicity hereafter depend upon self-dedication Would you not be saved Do you not desire Heaven and blessedness Would you not be happy in the world to come Surely you would then pray take the right way and course in order to this what 's that Dedicate your selves to God no dedication no salvation self must be dedicated or self cannot be saved Non-dedication must needs end in destruction How can he expect that God will give himself in the beatifick vision to him who is not willing to give his self to God here in holy dedication Did ever any arrive at the sight of God who had not first devoted themselves to holiness without holiness no man shall see the Lord. Heb. 12.14 O what a comfortable plea is this for a dying man for Heaven Lord I am thine save me Psal 119.94 I have been a doer of thy will upon earth let me now enter into the Kingdom Matth. 7.21 I have withheld nothing from thee do not thou now withhold glory from me Psal 84.11 Thus much I have said to urge the Exhortation in general That I may yet further drive the nail to the very Head that this advice may be yet more piercing and effectual I shall go over the particular branches of self-dedication and enforce each of them upon you by those considerations which are respectively proper to them 1. First therefore Give your selves to God Self is a gift that is only fit for a God 't is indeed too little for him but 't is too much for any thing besides him 't is not good enough for God 't is too good for any thing else O whilest others give themselves to low vain undeserving evil objects let us give our selves to the Lord. I shall desire the Reader throughly to weigh a few motives to induce him unto this 1. Nothing more equitable than that the Creature should give himself to God The Apostle urges this very duty by this he calls it a reasonable service Rom. 12.1 the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word imports giving or dedicating to God see Luke 2.22 Now this self-presenting or self-giving to God 't is a thing that is most reasonable 't is that which is grounded upon the highest reason Reason it self will tell a man he ought to give himself to God this * Prov. 20.27 candle of the Lord gives a light clear enough to direct a creature to this I know depraved reason opposes it but rectifi'd reason furthers it Your reason will tell you that you are bound to give to every one what is his right and due this is one of the undoubted maximes and principles of reason In the case I am upon reason lays down the proposition Scripture-revelation sets in with it to make the assumption and then grace makes the conclusion and so the syllogism is framed betwixt them I must give to every one what is his due there 's reason my person my all is Gods due there 's partly reason and partly revelation therefore I will give my self to God there 's grace Let me speak a little to that foundation upon which the reasonableness of the duty in hand is built and that is whatever I am or have 't is all Gods due God hath a fuller better right to a man than he hath to himself he is Gods more than he is or can be his own in the fall of Adam we lost our right and title to God but he did not lose his right and title to us this is eternal alteration or any such thing If you ask
seldom read the Scriptures nay many live in a total neglect and omission of the service of God they are swallowed up in a sensual brutish worldly life for religious exercises they seldom or never mind them nay O that there were not too many that did deride and scoff at these what shall I say to these Is this to be Christians Surely these are flat Atheists not Christians have these dedicated themselves to God that live as though they believed there was no God Have these resigned up themselves to his will who act in such an open contradiction to it How will Heathens and Turks rise up in judgment against these The Heathens when they had dedicated themselves to their Gods they would worship them according to their light The * See Mr. Rycauts History of the Ottoman c. B. 2. Chap. 1. p. 98. Chap. 23. p. 158. Turks pray five times every 24 hours Mahomet that villanous Impostor in his Alchoran speaks honourably of prayer he calls it the key of Paradise the pillar of religion and many such Elogiums he gives to it And he strictly enjoyned all his disciples to pray five times a day and the Turks are very careful in the observing of this injunction they have five great fundamentals in their religion and this is one to pray so often as I have said every day Lord what a sort of men are we Christians who have so many strict peremptory commands from our blessed Saviour for prayer and other holy exercises and yet we make no conscience of them O that men would either alter their course or abandon their Title they are a shame a reproach to Christianity what a Christian and not pray not read the Bible c. 't is a contradiction Well let these go I beseech you whoever you are that shall cast your eyes upon these lines to enter upon a constant course of duty comply with Gods will be religious pray without ceasing 1 Thes 5.17 come up to all acts of worship no time so well spent as time thus spent you will never repent of time thus spent you may and you will of that which is wasted in idleness drunkenness immoderate pleasures worldly pursuits but your praying-time hearing-time meditating-time Scripture-reading-time you will never repent of that or wish you had spent it otherwise And let me tell you there is that sweetness delight complacency refreshment in holy duties duly managed that if you did but experimentally feel it you would never be averse from them you would prefer duty before all carnal delights O let such especially who profess God be much in these let your hearts readily Eccho to Gods command as Davids did Psal 27.8 When thou saidst seek ye my face my heart said unto thee presently immediately as soon as ever the word was out of Gods mouth Thy face O Lord I will seek Do you not only yield a bare subjection to this will but let it be a willing chearful affectionate subjection pray and love prayer hear and love hearing receive the Sacrament and love receiving Let holy duties be naturalized to you so that you cannot live without them let them be to you more necessary than your daily food as the word was to Job Job 23.12 or than any thing that sustains the natural life let nothing part you duty be not diverted or taken off from it Daniel would rather cease to live than cease to pray Dan. 6.10 2. Surrender up your selves to the will of God as this refers to the life and the whole life so as to live in an obediential conformity to it especially where it refers to things moral that do eternally and indispensably oblige the creature This is holiness Complying with the will of God under the former Head is Religion under this 't is holiness for the nature of holiness consists in conformity to the will of God the standard measure rule of all righteousness O that you would act in an universal compliance with this will 'T is a great piece of Gods goodness that he hath given us so full so plain a revelation of his will in the word how we are to think speak live what we are to do what we are to shun how to trade converse eat drink how we are to order the whole conversation we have clear express discoveries of Gods will for all these now if you would resign up your selves to this will to order thoughts words actions the whole conversation conformably to it this would be self-dedication indeed real holiness And what a blessed thing is holiness let the world take heed how they disparage or deride holiness 't is Gods own glory he is glorious in holiness Exod. 15.11 and holiness is his glory Joh. 12.41 These things said Esaias when he saw his glory when was this when he heard the Seraphims crying one unto another Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole earth is full of his glory Isa 6.3 'T is a beautiful thing 't is called the beauty of holiness Psal 110.3 Nothing puts such a beauty and glory upon the creature as holiness 'T is that which is necessary to the future glory without holiness no man shall see God Heb. 12.14 But I must not lanch out into so vast an Ocean the summ of all is this in your whole course consult the will of God and give obedience to it walk by this rule square all your actions by it and mercy and peace shall be upon you Gal 6.16 live not according to the * Eph. 2.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wills of the flesh or the wills of men but live according to the will of God 1 Pet. 4.1 c. Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us c. That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the wil of the Gentiles c. In all your ways ask this question what would God have me to do And when you know this O see that you act accordingly Ah and like this will of God say just thus I would have it I would not have it otherwise I do not desire a better will or a better law only I desire a better heart Do thus and you are a people dedicated to God so much for self-surrender to the Preceptive will of God 2. There 's the Providential will of God you must resign up your selves to this will also A Christian carries it like himself when in every condition and in all occurrences he says with Pauls friends The will of the Lord be done Acts 21.14 when he is heartily willing that God should have his will and there is a kind of annihilation or exinanition of his own will when he speaks to God as once the Martyr Lord there shall be but one will betwixt thee and me and that shall be thy will And the truth is
we are no farther fit to live than as we can surrender up our selves to God and in all things submit to his good pleasure I told you this submission relates either to that which is past or present or to that which is to come the former is Patience the latter is an humble referring our selves to Gods dispose 1. You must resign up your selves to Gods will as to what is past or present that is you must with an holy patience bear whatever evils trials troubles afflictions it pleases him to lay upon you This is included in self-dedication and is one of the most difficult parts of it We are not so obstinately set against Gods preceptive will but we are as peevish fretful discontented under his providential will Now are you afflicted or may affliction hereafter befal you Do you suffer for God or from God Doth he put any bitter cup into your hands as sickness want loss of relations c. look to this Luke 21.19 Jam. 1.4 that in patience you possess your souls Let patience have its perfect work Be still and quiet and silent however things go take heed of murmuring repining fretting under Gods hand keep the heart * Patientia est malorum cum aequanimitate perlatio Lact. l. 5. cap. 22. Est virtus conservans bonum rationis contra tristitiam Aquin. 22. Qu. 128. sedate calm let your condition be what it will That I may help you on in this great duty of patience I will only hint a few things Gods will is in every trial affliction cometh not forth of the dust neither doth trouble spring out of the ground Job 5.9 it comes not by chance or only by second causes but by Gods appointment and ordination he hath an hand in the inflicting of all evils who is the fountain of all good Is there any evil in the City and the Lord hath not done it Amos 3.6 He that measures out our comforts doth also measure out our crosses Should not this quiet us It did so in those great examples of patience which you read of in the word 1 Sam. 3.18 It is the Lord let him do what seems him good saith Ely I was dumb and opened not my mouth Psal 39.9 because thou Lord didst it saith David The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away Job 1.21 blessed be the name of the Lord saith Job what a strange inference was that This evil is of the Lord 1 Kings 6.33 why should I wait on him any longer When God was in the premisses that impatience should be in the conclusion nothing could be more absurd nothing more sinful If all our troubles be the issues of Gods will there 's all the reason in the world we should be patient under them Considering farther what a kind of will this will of God is 'T is a soveraign righteous wise faithful gracious will shall not poor creatures submit to such a will O the soveraignty of God should awe us who shall say unto him what dost thou Job 9.12 Should it be according to thy mind Job 34.33 Nay but O man Nisi Deus hominibus placuerit non erit Deus Tertull. who art thou that repliest against God Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus Rom. 9.21 The righteousness of God should keep down all passion and perturbation Afflictions may be sharp but they are always just and God is righteous in them He will not lay upon man more than right that he should enter into judgment with God Job 34.23 The Lord is holy in all his works and righteous in all his ways Psal 145.17 The wisdom of God should further patience he never afflicts but 't is in wisdom and he never acts his wisdom more than when he is afflicting he 's a God of judgment Isa 30.18 Let the trial be what it will the faithfulness of God is in it Psal 119.75 In very faithfulness thou hast afflicted me Ah and there 's mercy in it too an afflicting God is a gracious God Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth Heb. 12.6 We are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11.32 He for our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness Heb. 12.10 By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sin Isa 27.9 If the will of God be not sufficient to keep down all storms in the soul then look into your afflictions are they not deserved I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him Mic. 7.9 Why doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sins Are they not less than what you deserve Ezra 9.13 Could ye be without them 1 Pet. 1.6 Will they continue for ever 2 Cor. 4.16 Will not God do you good by them Rom. 8.28 Have they not been the common lot of all the people of God Joh. 16.33 O that men would * Eccles 7.14 consider when 't is a day of adversity and patiently rest in Gods will and quietly resign up themselves to it What an * Magna praecipua virtus â—st patientia Lactant. Vidâ— â—ypr de Bono Patientiae p. 362. c. excellent grace is this patience there 's a complication connexion of many graces in it speak patience you speak faith humility self-denial love and several others It argues not only the truth of grace but the strength of grace The Christian that hath this is perfect and entire Jam. 1.4 'T is the ballast of the mind that which keeps a man steddy in the greatest storms 't is the soul at rest it gives inward serenity under outward troubles it shortens and * Leve fit quod bene fertur onus Ovid. Levius fit patientia quòd corrigere est nefas Vide Plutarch Mor. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lessens affliction no affliction is great where patience is nothing can much trouble that man who resolves to acquiesce in Gods will what pleases God shall please him That which makes afflictions to be so heavy is the clashing and jarring of our wills against Gods will These things which I have here hinted might fill up a volume the subject is vast but I must take up Will you now endeavour to live this self-surrender to the will of God Doth not your dedication to God call for this Do you not in that profess the submitting of your wills to the will of God and that you will quietly undergo all crosses troubles that he shall think good to lay upon you that you will give no way to the sin folly madness of impatience or any entertainment to aestuations discomposures of spirit mutinous thoughts against God that sin only shall be the object of your passion O what * O virum putrem integrum o foedum pulchrum O vulneratum sanum O in
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
resolve we also will give up our selves to God as you have done Bernard hath an expression Major est in amore Dei qui plures traxerit ad amorem Dei He is highest in the love of God you may understand it both of active and also of passive or objective love who hath drawn most to the love of God You cannot in an higher way manifest your love to God or procure Gods love to you than by promoting this blessed self-dedication in others O lay out your selves in order to this and let your endeavours extend to all but especially to your near and dear relations do not suffer a child a servant to continue in a state of alienation from God But this I shall have occasion more to dwell upon under the next Head of Domestick dedication Let me conclude this with the words of that Divine Poet Mr. Herbert Pag 96 97. which are very apposite to my purpose My God if writings may Convey a Lordship any way Whither the buyer and the seller please Let it not thee displease If this poor paper do as much as they On it my Heart doth bleed As many Lines as there doth need To pass it self and all it hath to thee To which I do agree And here present it as my special deed If that hereafter Pleasure Cavil and claim her part and measure As if this passed with a reservation Or some such words in fashion I here exclude the wrangler from thy treasure Wherefore I all forego To one word only I say No. Where in the deed there was an intimation Of a gift or donation Lord let it now by way of purchase go He that will pass his land As I have mine may set his hand And heart unto this deed when he hath read And make the purchase spread To both our goods if he to it will stand How happy were my part If some kind man would thrust his heart Into these lines till in Heavens Court of rolls They were by winged souls Entred for both far above their desert 6. Sixthly I have but this farther to say Let Saints take the comfort of their Dedication O what a rich mine of heavenly consolation am I fallen upon if I could but go to the bottom of it but that I cannot do Have you entirely dedicated your selves to God Can you go over all the branches of it and say you find them all in your selves What shall I say what may I not say for the comforting of you You have Grace and Grace indeed for as hath been said what is grace but Personal Dedication You are sometimes much in the dark about your spiritual state you know not what to think of your selves because of the many discouragements which you meet with in the power and prevalency of corruption c. Can you say this of your selves You have entirely unreservedly fixedly heartily devoted and dedicated your selves to God if so you may take the comfort of a saving work in you when other evidences are blotted and blurr'd if this be legible 't is enough this is an abiding discovery of sincerity and the truth of grace How dear and precious are you in the sight of God! The Lord knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2.19 His as by his own Election so by their own dedication The Lord knoweth such not with a bare simple intuitive knowledge but with a knowledge of delight and special approbation God hath your heart and you have his You say to God we are thine there 's the sum of duty and God says to you I am yours there 's the sum of mercy God hath your drop and you have his Ocean You think nothing enough for him he thinks nothing too much for you his Self his Son his Spirit his Heaven his own glory he gives it all to you Surely God intends you nothing but good because he hath so graciously accepted of your offering which is your selves I allude to that of Manoah to his wife Judg. 13.23 You may take this and plead it with God upon all occasions Psal 119.94 I am thine save me Are you in dangers plead from this for protection Are you in wants plead from this for provision Lord I have given my self to thee wilt thou not give me food and raiment I desire no more Lord here 's the Covenant on my part I desire to make it good here 's the Covenant on thy part shall not that be made good then give me bread Psal 111.5 And so for higher mercies O it 's a blessed thing ingerere Deo suam syngrapham as Aug. says his mother Monica used to do to in-mind God and to argue with him from his Covenant Are you in straits you may plead from this for direction But alas I cannot speak out half of that blessedness which belongs to you upon this act Let me conclude with that which is the Zenith of all Personal Dedication shall most certainly end in Eternal Salvation That self which is here dedicated shall be hereafter saved and that which is a poor self here shall be a glorious self hereafter If this be not enough for comfort I know not what is And so let me end this first part of my Discourse with that which shall never end The End of the First Part. Domestick Dedication The Second Part. CHAP. I. Of Domestick Dedication in general Some things premised about it I Have at last got over the Dedication of the Person now the Dedication of the House comes next to be spoken to which I must be the shorter upon because I have been so long in coming to it This is that which was chiefly nay only in my eye when I first engaged my thoughts in this work The Text directed me to this for it speaks of House-Dedication only and the present posture business concern of you the Citizens of London directed me to the Text. You are very busie in re-building your Houses which for some considerable time have lay'n in ashes and I pray God to prosper and encourage you therein But my heart's desire is also that you may dedicate as well as build that as your Houses shall be finished for your use and service they may also be devoted to the use and service of God I could not when I have walked in the Streets indeed since the dismal Fire they may rather be called Roads than Streets and saw here and there a few Houses going up but wish and pray Oh that these Houses whenever they are built whosoevers they are might be dedicated to God! My thoughts and desires working much this way I resolved by God's assistance to do something that might further a thing so excellent and so desirable and thereupon I entred upon this Work though with much discouragement partly from the sense of my inward unfitness for such an undertaking and partly from those bodily Infirmities which a late have been upon me and have very much indisposed and disabled me for study To come then to that
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
'T is more express 2 Sam. 6.11 The Lord blessed Obed-Edom and all his Houshold O who would not entertain the Ark in his House That precious O intment that was poured upon the head of Aaron Psal 134.2 it went down to the skirts of his Garments If you be faithful in the business of Religion God will pour down his blessings upon your selves and they shall run down also upon all that belong to you All in a Family fare the better for Religion Would you have a blessing upon your Estates look to Religion Piety the Fear and Worship of God owned and farthered by you are the best way both for keeping and encreasing these outward enjoyments Prov. 15.6 In the House of the Righteous is much Treasure but in the revenues of the Wicked is much Trouble Prov. 13.22 A good man leaveth an inheritance to his Children's children and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just Holy Job thus dedicated his House Job 1.10 and therefore God made an hedg about him and about all that he had on every side and blessed the work of his hands and increased his substance The Jews have a saying that Decimae are sepes Divitiarum Tythes are a fence or heag to guard and secure all that a man hath O would you have your Estates secured do you secure and exalt Religion and that will secure you and yours You see here is blessing upon blessing in the discharge of this weighty and fundamental Duty But what if men will yet neglect this and suffer Atheism irreligion profaneness wickedness to be in their Houses what O let such know they are under the curse of God they and their Houses are liable to the dreadful curses which the Word denounces And what are all Comforts in the House when the curse of God is upon it God's blessing sweetens all his curse imbitters all Wo to them whose Houses are under a Curse Prov. 3.33 The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked but he blesseth the Habitation of the just Zach. 5.4 you read of the Curse entring into the house of the Thief it shall remain in the midst of his house and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof O let Atheistical Masters of Families that never mind Religion in themselves or in their Houses tremble upon the consideration of that flying roll of Curses that hangs over them O you Citizens Merchants Tradesmen whatever your rank or occupation is if you love God if you love your Selves your Children your Servants your Estates let this be the first thing you do Set up Religion in your Houses This was kept up in the time of the Patriarchs altogether by what they did in their Families for their Families then were as so many Domestick-Churches Familiae Patrum erant Domesticae Ecclesiae Pareus in Gen. 18.19 and all the Churches that were then in being And Religion now rises or falls in the world as men regard it in their Families How many might you bring in to God did you thus dedicate your Houses how many might be converted by living in religious places what a mercy would it be to poor Creatures to live under your roof if you would but do your duty herein whereas upon your neglect of it what a grievous thing is it to persons that have any sense of God to live with you Psal 120.5 Wo is me that I sojourn in Mesech that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar To be in your Houses and there to see nothing but Epicurism Worldliness u there to hear nothing but cursing swearing scoffing at the ways of God nothing that hath the face of Religion to be found there O 't is an Hell upon earth to live with such Be perswaded therefore to do what I have spoke so much to the fewer come up to this the more pleasing to God will your zeal and obedience be you may meet with scoffs and derision from the world but 't is a poor thing to be derided of men if you may be approved of by God Let all this like oyle cast upon the fire make your zeal more intense and fervent and say If this be to be vile 2 Sam. 6.22 you will be yet more vile This in General as to the Third Branch of House-Dedication CHAP. VI. How Religion is to be set up in private Houses The first Particular opened as to Religious Members THat I may be more distinct and clear in this Head under which House-dedication chiefly lies I will fall upon some Particulars and therein both direct you and also further quicken you as to the advancing of Religion in your Houses Are there any workings in you towards this Are you in any measure convinced of your Duty and do you resolve to set upon it Then let me lay these Four Things before you 1. As near as you can take such into your Houses who fear God and none but such 2. Set up the Worship of God in your Houses and the Performance of Holy Duties 3. Let your Education of such as are under you be religious 4. Keep sin out of your Houses and instead thereof let there be an Holy course driven on in them Give me leave to go over these Particulars for I am now at the very heart of that which I mainly designed First See Swinnocks Christian Calling vol. 1. p. 523. As near as you can Take such into your Houses who fear God and none but such I put in as near as you can because sometimes there are such Circumstances in the case that a man cannot do what he desires these must be submitted to in that state of things but our general aim and endeavour must be this To fill up our Houses with persons fearing God He that dedicates his House to God must look to the matter of it that it consist of such as are religious And this was one thing intended in House-dedication or one thing that men were obliged to upon House-dedication Vt hâc Dedicatione admonerentur quamlibet Domum debere esse quoddam Dei Sacrarium nec admittendos in contubernium Homines impuros sceleratos qui suâ turpitudine at que impietate parietes Deo consecratos rursus polluant Moller as one observes upon my Text we have David here dedicating his House and upon this you find him very zealous and resolute as to that which I am treating of Psal 101.4 A froward heart shall depart from me I will not know a wicked person Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land that they may dwell with me he that dwelleth in a perfect way he shall serve me v. 6. He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my House He that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight v. 7. This is an excellent Psalm for Masters of Families often to peruse David first sets down his holy Resolution as to his Personal carriage in his House v. 2. I will
weeds and briars and thorns do grow upon it I wish we had not too many Instances of this some of which sometimes come very neer unto our selves Be it so though 't is a thing much to be lamented yet 't is good to do our duty to go as far as we can and then to leave events and success to him who doth what he pleaseth I had almost forgot a passage of Mr. Herbert Poems p. 4. let me bring it in here and close with it This loss springs chiefly from our Education Some till their ground but let weeds choke their Sun Some mark a Partridg never their childs fashion Some ship them over and the thing is done Study this Art make it thy great design And if God's Image move thee not let thine So much for the stirring of you up to this Religious Education I proceed to give you some Directions about it I enter upon an Argument of great weight and importance What are Parents to do in order to the religious educating of their children or wherein are they to come up to this 'T is a very serious Question and that which deserves our most serious thoughts As Socrates in Plato 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato in Theag. fol. â—22 speaks to Demodocus There is nothing that a man can advise upon more divine and weighty than how to educate well his Children and Servants In answer to the Question I will not run out upon all the Duties of Parents and Masters towards Children and Servants but confine my self to those only which have a more direct and immediate reference to Religion And wheras the constant performance of Family Duties as Prayer and Reading the Scriptures is a great part of Religious Education they having been already spoken to it will not be requisite that I should here further insist upon them That which I have to say by way of Direction I will give you under the following Heads First Be frequent in spiritual Instruction for this is a very considerable branch of Religious Education this is like the setting or planting of the Root upon which all must grow or like the laying of the foundation upon which all is to be built Unquestionably this is the duty of Superiors towards Inferiors What the Preacher is in the Pulpit that the Master of the Family is in the House saith Origen Hom. 9. in Levitic This is a part of that * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Instruction as well as Correction 2 Tim. 3.16 And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports the same too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nurture and Admonition in which Fathers are to bring up their Children Eph. 6.4 Abraham was much in this duty Gen. 18.19 And 't is said of him Gen. 14.14 When he heard his Brother was taken captive he armed his trained Servants born in his own House c. We read it his trained servants in the Hebrew 'tis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 initiatos suos his initiated or dedicated ones or as 't is noted in the margent and as * Armavit pueros suos nempe à se imbutos institutos Pagn in Verb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pagnine opens the word his instructed ones All in Abrahams Family were instructed by him O those are blessed Families where all in them are instructed in the things of God Hic locus indicat priscos ilies Patres gui â—gem Mosiâ—â— omnemque sacrum Diviâ—tium Humana um rerum Scripusram pragressi sunt solitos viâ—â— voce per Domestiâ—am institutionem Disciplinam docere filios posteros suos quaecunque ad consequendam animi salutem after namque faelicitatem scire eos id temporis atque agè â—porteret Perer. in Gen. 18.19 This was Davids practise so his Son tells us Prov. 4.4 He taught me also and said unto me Let thine heart retain my words keep my Commandments and live And Bathsheba's too Pro. 31.1 The Prophesie that his mother taught him And saith David Psal 34.11 Come ye children hearken unto me I will teach you the fear of the Lord. You read of Jehoash He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his days wherein Jehoiada who was instead of a Father to him the Priest instructed him Now you that are Parents do you thus do when shall I come to that duty which is not notoriously neglected Sure this must not be it for 't is too manifest that this is generally neglected You converse much with your Children spend much time with them do you improve your converse or your time in speaking to them of the things of God You teach them your Callings learn them this and that do you teach them to know God and Jesus Christ O that this Heavenly instruction might be more minded by you when you are with your Children be instilling and dropping spiritual things into them as their capacities will bear be * Cum eum in finem homines condiderit Deus ut Se cognoscant celebrent aeternum salventur prima baec sit parentum cura ut à teneris Dei rerum ad salutem necessariarum cognitionem liberis su is instillent c. Quistorp in Ephes c 6.4 Pag. 185. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tobaeus Serm. 1. instructing of them as to what they are to know and practise Poor Creatures they come blind and ignorant into the world let pity move you to inform them and to give them an insight into the mysteries of Religion Are not these the things that are most necessary to be known Is not knowledg the way of God to Salvation Joh. 17.3 Is not ignorance a soul-destroying thing O let these things prevail with you to do what the people of God all along before you have done Let your Children be well taught as well as well fed let not a servant go un-instructed for he is a part of your charge Nay let not the meanest servant be without this As 't is said of Lewis the Ninth King of France he was found instructing his poor Skullion and being ask'd why he did so he answered I know the meanest in my Family hath a Soul as precious as mine is If you ask me Wherein you are to instruct yours Ans There are two things that the Scripture in special directs you to The Word of God and the Works of God Deut. 6.6 7. These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine Heart Is that all no And thou shalt diligently teach them unto thy children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine House c. To the same effect Deut. 11.18 19. Timothy from a child knew the holy Scriptures 2 Tim. 3.15 How came this about He had a good mother and a good grand-mother and they instructed him in the Scriptures Officium pii Patris-familias est liberos familiam educare ad pietatem docereque quomodo opera Dei rectè debeant conside
rare Piscat in Gen. 18.19 in Observ So for the works of God Psal 78.4 c. We will not hide them from their children shewing to the generation to come the Praises of the Lord and his strength and his wonderful works that he hath done For he established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a Law in Israel which he commanded our Fathers that they should make them known to their children That the generation to come might know them even the children which should be born who should arise and declare them to their children That they might set their hope in God and might not forget the works of God but keep his Commandments Deut. 4.9 Only take heed to thy self lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen c. but teach them thy Sons and thy Son's Sons Josh 4.21 22. When your children shall ask their Fathers in time to come saying What mean these Stones Then ye shall let your children know saying Israel came over this Jordan on dry land c. Exod. 12.26 And it shall come to pass When your children shall say unto you what mean you by this service That ye shall say It is the sacrifice of the Lord 's Passeover who passed over the Houses of the children of Israel in Egypt c. Menochius relates That the Jews the night before the Passeover They were wont to discourse with their children thus Why is it called the Passeover the Father answered Because the Angel passed over us when it slew the Egyptians and destroy'd us not Why do we eat unleavened bread the Father answered Because we were forced to hasten out of Egypt Why do we eat sowre grapes To mind us of our afflictions in Egypt So again Psal 44.1 We have heard with our ears O God Our Fathers have told us what work thou didst in their days in the times of old You see how in special the Scripture instances in these two things wherein Children are to be instructed God's word and works and is not all comprehended under these two Is not here a large field for Instruction and Information Let me intreat you to be speaking much of these unto your Children Do what in you lies to acquaint them with the Holy Scriptures and those great Truths which are therein revealed especially those which do more nearly concern Salvation Tell them what there you find concerning God Christ mans fall and recovery the Covenant of Grace the conditions thereof Faith and Repentance c. Be often opening these things to them The Eagle carries her young ones to the Sun O bring your young ones to the Light of the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joseph lib. 3. contra Appion and help them to look upon it and into it The Children of the Jews were very well vers'd in the Scriptures even when they were young because their Parents did frequently herein instruct them so * Josephus tells us What a shame is it that 't is so long before the Children of Christians come to any considerable knowledg of them O do not only read the Scriptures to them but often be discoursing of Matters therein disclosed and put them themselves upon the reading of them also and call them often to an account of what they read as Hierome advised Laeta in order to the religious Education of her Daughter Reddat tibi pensum quotidiè die Scripturarum floribus excerptum Hieron ad Laetam Here as an excellent way for the instructing of Children and Servants let me advise you to set up Catechising in your Families O set some time apart for Catechising Prater publicam Doctrinam etiam privato Catechizatio Domesticorom vigere debet inter nos ex Dei mandato Parcus in Gen. 18.19 't is one of the best means that I know for the advancing of Scripture-knowledg In Catechisms you have a Summary of Divinity both Doctrinal and Practical in a plain and familiar way set before you there Matters of Faith and Practise are succinctly handled and brought down to the weakest capacity There 's no such compendious way for the attaining of Heavenly knowledg as this is Whence is it that persons are so ignorant when they are men but from this they were not well Catechiz'd when they were children And whence is it that so many leave the way of Truth and desert that true Religion wherein they were bred and turn Papists and what not but because the foundation was not well laid at the first in Catechetical exercises The * Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est imbuere prima rudimenta dare erudire Frequens est apud Doctores in Piel pro instituere paulatim assuefacere quod Graeci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicunt Pagn It nearly concerns every Parent as they will free themselves from the guilt of their Childrens undoing that they be careful to see them instructed in all necessary things To which purpose it will be fit early to teach them some short Catechism Whole Duty of Man p. 49. But above all the best way of Institution especially as to the younger sort may be performed by Catechisms Platforms of sound words by Question and Answer in a short and compendious method whose Terms being clear and distinct might be phrased out of Holy Scripture and fitted to their Capacities by a plain though solid stile and to their memories by brief expressions Morn Lect. Serm. 8. p. 196. which signifies to Catechise signifies also to teach and instruct as in 1 Cor. 14.19 Luk. 1.4 Act. 18.25 Gal. 6.6 Catechising is the best way of instructing If I could but prevail with you once a week to call your Families together and to spend some time in this exercise O how would Gospel knowledg encrease amongst us Secondly To Spiritual instruction add holy admonition exhortation good advice and counsel You must not only let them know by instruction what their duty is but you must press urge enforce this duty upon them by admonition good counsel O my child thus and thus the word speaks O do thou do accordingly O my child do not lie do not swear do not profane the Lord's day do not associate with wicked persons but fear God walk in the good ways of God keep the commandments of God I say thus admonish advise counsel those that are under your charge What abundance of good might you do by this what a prevailing influence hath good counsel when 't is duly appli'd How many are there now rejoicing in Heaven and blessing God for good Parents and Masters upon earth who gave them pious admonitions from time to time Whereas there are others burning in everlasting flames who are cursing the day that ever they had to do with those who altogether neglected this duty This also is included in that * Proprie significat Admonitionem non simpliciter sed talem quam in mentem pueri ponas ingeras quae sunt ad salutem necessaria Zanch. in Eph. 6.4 admonition