of a Prophet coming to the Captains of the Host and he said I have an errand to thee O Captain And Jehu said unto which of all us And he said to thee O Captain I a poor Minister bring a message from the Lord to sinners namely that God would have them to enter into Covenant with him Now will these ask me To which of them I bring this message I answer To thee O sinner whoever thou art that hast not yet engaged thy self to God This is every mans duty and let men think what they please till they have done this they have done just nothing in religion The Scripture speaking of the conversion of the Gentiles sets it forth by this Psal 68.31 Princes shall come out of Egypt Aethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God h. e. they shall enter into Covenant with God Isa 44.5 One shall say I am the Lords and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord. Zech. 2.11 Many Nations shall be joyned to the Lord in that day and shall be my people O that in these days we might see more of the accomplishment of these Prophesies that the poor Heathens might be brought to joyn themselves to the Lord and that Christians living under the Gospel they also might subscribe with hand and heart to God and enter into the obligation of the Covenant 'T was prophesied of the Jews upon their coming out of Babylon they should be so affected with this great mercy that they would renew and heighten their Covenant obligations Jer. 50.5 They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward saying Come and let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that shall not be forgotten Sinners will you speak this as to your selves and make it good will you joyn your selves to the Lord in an everlasting Covenant God incline your hearts thus to dedicate your selves to him I will press this upon you by a few Arguments 1. 'T is an unspeakable mercy that God will deal with the Creature in the way of a Covenant As he is our Soveraign he might have imposed a Law upon us and dealt with us only in that way But such is his mercy and condescension he will deal with us also by a covenant A Law obliges the creature whether he consent to it or not but now a covenant presupposes consent Man being a free and rational agent God deals accordingly with him and sets a covenant before him which if he will consent to he shall be happy for ever Doth not this hold forth infinite goodness in the great God that he will thus treat with us And after all this shall not we be willing to enter into covenant with him Besides this consider the Nature of a Covenant 'T is as the * Pactum est duorum pluriumve consensus in idem placitum Civilians define it the consent of two or more to something that is agreed upon but this is a very imperfect description More fully therefore A * Vide Zanch. in Hos 2.21 Cloppenb in Syntag. Disput Selec de Foedere Coccei de Foedere Camer de Tripl Foedere Wendelin Theolog Christ l. 1. c. 19. Tilenum p. 2. Disput 54. Ames Med. l. 1. câ— 38. 39. quamplures alios de Foedere inter Deum Creaturain tâ— actantes Covenant is a mutual stipulation or compact between two parties as to something wherein they do agree upon which they are mutually obliged each to the other Such a Covenant there is betwixt God and the Creature these two do interchangeably indent and stipulate each to the other the one for mercy the other for duty and so there a mutual obligation passes upon both Says God here is pardon reconciliation eternal life which I offer upon such and such terms and I am willing upon those terms to engage to give out these mercies Says the Creature I accept of those terms and I solemnly bind my self to make them good according to the utmost of my strength Then says God 't is a Covenant betwixt us I bind my self to thee and thou bindest thy self to me be thou faithful to me I will be faithful to thee What an Ocean or Treasury of love and goodness doth God manifest in this federal transacting of things that he should be willing to stipulate with us and to enter into an obligation to us O the heights bredths depths lengths of this love Here 's another difference betwixt a Law and a Covenant a Law binds the subject but it doth not bind the Lawgiver quatenus Lawgiver the obligation there is but to one party but now a Covenant binds both there the * Mutua foederatarum partium obligatio est forma foederis so all express it Foedus propriâ— obligationem duarum partium certis utrinque conditionibus complecti certum est Gomar Haec est mutua reciproca conventio foederis ut homo intuitu promissae mercedis alacrius operetur Deus intuitu operis det mercedem Cloppenb Disp 1. Th. 7. obligation is reciprocal It hath pleased God to deal with man this way and so he binds himself As to his Law we only are bound but as to the Covenant he out of the riches of his grace is willing to be bound as well as we How should the consideration of this immense love of God engage the Creature to Covenant with him 2. The matter of the Covenant on Gods part is very high the terms or conditions on our part are very just and equitable If this be so surely then men will be willing to enter into Covenant with God one would think this should carry it against all opposition and frivolous objections In every Covenant there is something promised and something demanded in order to the making good of what is promised In this Covenant that which is promised is on Gods part and this is the matter of it what is that No less than that God will be your God O admirable transcendent mercy what can be higher than this I will open it under the next particular The terms or conditions are on the Creatures part what are they That the sinner will break off all his leagues covenants with sin and Satan and the world and that he will enter into a league of friendship with and subjection to the blessed God Surely these are very fair and reasonable terms the sinner cannot well object against them God offers very high he goes no lower than the making over of himself whatever I am saith God it shall be all yours but the terms spoil all God stands upon too high conditions and that keeps us of doth he so that would be something indeed for he that promises something upon impossible and unreasonable conditions promises nothing But can you make good what you say Take heed of belying God what doth he require of you Is it to burn in Hell a
better spared But while families are neglected alas how is the Preachers work obstructed When people come to the Church as if boys should come to the Vniversities who never were taught in the Country-Schools so much as well to read or write And when the Pastor hath the work of all the Parents and Masters in his Parish to do besides all that which is properly his own It is a self-condemnation and a shame to men to exclaim against those that silence Preachers or against those Pastors who neglect their flocks and at the same time wilfully to silence your selves from family-worship and catechizing and counselling your little charge and to neglect those few who are so near you and always almost in your sight O that men would look to the Eastern and Southern Nations of the Earth that once were famous Churches of Christ and now are turned Mahometan Infidels And to the poor Greeks and Papists the Abassines Armenians and Muscovites where ignorance hath set out Christianity as defiled and cloathed in rags And that they would soberly bethink them whether the gross neglect of Parents and Masters have not been a great cause of this calamity but if you joyn the wilful negligence of Pastors with that of Parents alas what ruins have they wrought even made many famous Churches of Christ more miserable than the flames have made your City Good families are the nurseries from whence most usually spring good Magistrates good Pastors a good Nobility Gentry and Commonalty And if any Nations have been undone by the contrary to any or all of these enquire whether ill or negligent education was not the cause If you say that many such unhappy plants come out of the most religious families I answer it is too true and they are most miserable persons But it is not according to the proportion of prophane and negligent families Though all good Parents are not blessed in their children they are much more commonly so blest than others And I must add with grief that even as many religious Parents do formally baptize their Children and think God must save them only for being theirs and do not consider how much is laid on their believing and serious dedicating them to God and thankful entering them by baptism into his Covenant even so too many of them do exercise so little of that holy prudence and unwearied diligence in the education of their children which their dark and sinful state requireth that they seem still to think that God should make them all wise and godly meerly because they are theirs and that a few formal prayers and words of a Catechism never understood with a few of Eli's gentle rebukes should serve the turn to make them Saints But grace doth not use to encourage laziness So some will tell you that this Fire hath shewed that religious houses speed no better than the rest O but truly religious persons speed better than the rest The Israelites burdens were a lighter suffering than the Egpytians plagues For at last they past safely through that Red Sea where Pharaoh and his Host were drowned To lose your goods and keep yea and increase your holiness and save your souls is much easier than to lose the Idols of your hearts by such flames as foreshew the endless flames and to be turned out of those houses which you loved better than Heaven as to signifie how you shall be turned out of all your wealth and delights and hopes for ever A Seneca or a Plutarch much more a David can tell you of the folly of judging mens happiness or misery by things temporal It is an excellent saying of Socrates which Valerius Maximus reciteth viz. Nil ultra petendum a Diis arbitrabatur quam ut Bona tribuerent Quia ii demum scirent quid unicuique esset utile Nos autem plerumque id votis expetere quod non impetrasse melius foret Etenim densissimis tenebris involuta mortalium mens in quam late patentes errores caecas precationes tuas spargis Divitias appetis quae multis exitio fuerunt honores concupiscis qui complures pessundederunt Regna tecum ipsa volvis quorum exitus saepenumero miserabiles cernuntur Splendidis conjugiis injicis manus ac haec ut aliquando illustrant ita saepe funditus domos evertunt Desine igitur stulte futuris malorum tuorum causis quasi faelicissimis rebus inhiare teque totum caelestium arbitrio permitte Quia qui tribuere bona ex facili solent etiam eligere aptissima possunt It is best to be nearest unto God and riches separate more hearts from him than poverty doth He that as Hierom saith preferreth holy clownishness before sinful eloquence will do as Gregory counselleth Pastors Not to be so much in the houses of great men as of good men It is not the consecrated place which will cause God to love an unhallowed soul As Origen saith Sin separateth you from Saints though you dwell among them for it is manners and not places which make men holy Now the Lord of mercy when he repaireth your ruined Habitations give you all hearts to understand his Judgments and cordially to Dedicate your selves and your houses to his disposal his government and his holy worship That they who shall behold the increased splendor of your City may be witnesses of your increased wisdom obedience righteousness and serious piety And that Holiness to the Lord may be your mark and name And that it may be said of London The Lord bless thee O habitation of Justice and mountain of Holiness Jer. 31.23 And upon all your Glory there may be a sure defence Isa 4.5 Amen April 22. 1668. RICHARD BAXTER Temporis praeteriti fructus est Compunctio futuri flos est Devotio Bernard ELENCHUS CAPITUM First Part. CHapter 1. The Introduction The words of the Text explained From page 1. to pag. 24. Chap. 2 Dedication Personal or Domestick The former opened from p. 24. to p. 59. Chap. 3 Personal Dedication applied The Rarity of it lamented Enquiries about it as to our selves from p. 59. to p. 74. Chap. 4 Personal Dedication pressed First more Generally and then Particularly in the six Branches of it from p. 75. to p. 167. Chap. 5 Directions shewing in what manner Personal Dedication must be managed from p. 167. to p. 188. Chap. 6 Helps to Personal Dedication from p. 188. to p. 197. Chap. 7 Some things in special urged upon Gods People in reference to their Dedication from p. 197. ad finem Second Part. CHap. 1. Of Domestick Dedication in General Some Things premised about it from p. 1. to 13. Chap. 2. The Nature of it opened in four Particulars from p. 13. to p. 22. Chap. 3. The want of it bewailed from p. 22. to p. 32. Chap. 4. Domestick Dedication pressed more Generally from p. 32. to p. 44. Chap. 5. The Three first Branches of it urged from p. 44. to p. 70. Chap. 6. The Third Branch amplified in four
will men say What need we to trouble our selves about Prayer in our Houses when such a neighbour or such a neighbour who go for Professors omit it as well as we And will not the sad effects of this reach to thyself too will not the fervor of thy affections towards God very much abate will not grace insensibly decline will not the power of Godliness languish wilt thou not be at a stand nay wilt thou not go backwards in Heavens way canst thou do any thing more to gratifie Satan Do but observe how it is with persons who cast off Family-prayer or perform it very seldom and in a careless negligent manner and tell me then whether I speak truth or not We read of one Baldwyn Archbishop of Canterbury Pope Vrban writing to him he stiles him Girald Itiner Camb. L. 2. C. 14. Monachum ferventissimum Abbatem calidum Episcopum tepidum Archiepiscopum remissum He was whilst a Monk very fervent when an Abbot then but hot when a Bishop then but lukewarm when an Archbishop then he was key-cold That effect which preferment had upon this person the neglect of secret and Family-prayer hath upon Christians it makes them by little and little to cool in their spiritual heat and in time to come to just nothing you that profess God do not you live what ever others do without this Heavenly duty This in General to urge Family-Prayer It will be asked How often are men to pray in their Families I answer Every day morning and evening The Jews they offered burnt-offerings unto the Lord according to the custom as the duty of every day required Ezra 3.4 that is they offered burnt-offerings morning and evening See v. 3. They had their morning and their evening Sacrifice every day that 's clear from 2 Chron. 31.3 and from several other Scriptures So here you that are Masters of Families * See Whole Duty of Man p. 110. morning and evening in your Houses there must be Prayer oftner if you please but to be sure not seldomer This must be the Alpha and the Omega of every day you must begin and end all with God Hinc omne Principium huc refer exitum Horat. Prayer as one expresses it must be the key to open all in the morning and the Bar to shut up all at night Sit oratio Clavis Diei Sera Noctis 'T is not enough now and then to give God a prayer under some sudden pang of devotion but there must be a daily constant performance of it As to * Morning Prayer I cannot ope mine eyes But thou art ready there to catch My morning soul and sacrifice Then we must needs for that day make a match Herb. Poem p. 54. is it not sweet Is it not good when the body hath been refreshed by sleep in the night to get by prayer in the morning some refreshment for the Soul to begin so as to get an heavenly tincture and savour upon the heart all the day after Have not mercies been received in the night must they not be acknowledged Do not renewed mercies call for renewed praises Do not you need God in the day in sundry respects and will you not therefore go to him and plead with him * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 V Ch rond in Pythag. Fragm p. 205. Is it not reason that God should have the precedency will you serve the world before you serve God what a preposterous thing is that Is not this the way to prosper in your enterprizes to be blessed in your undertakings all the day Is not this true that work on earth is done best when work with Heaven is done first as one says Psal 5.3 O in the morning let God hear your voice in the morning do you direct your prayer to Him both alone and also with your Family 'T is the custome of some in this City they pray in their Houses at Night but not at the morning Surely this is an omission God appointed the morning as well as the Evening sacrifice Is there not reason for the one as well as the other Shall we say of Prayer what bloody Gardiner once said of the Doctrine of Justification by Faith that it was good Supper-doctrine but not so good to break fast on I say shall we say this of Prayer And then as to Prayer at Night O do not dare to lie down at night before you have sued out the pardon of the sins of the day past acknowledged mercies received and solemnly put you and yours under God's Almighty Protection Who knows what a Night may bring forth O how many amazing Accidents may fall out before the morning and therefore first commit your selves to God by fervent prayer and then lie down to take your rest I put in Fervent prayer for this indeed is the only prayer God will not be put off with dull dead sleepy devotions he will have you pray in prayer you do nothing if you do not pray with holy fervour Jam. 5.17 As neglects of Prayer are very evil so negligences in prayer are very evil also When you are about God's work take heed of doing it negligently lest you meet with a curse instead of a blessing Jerem. 48.10 I cannot dismiss this Exhortation to Family-prayer though I have been long upon it before I answer a few Objections that many are too ready to make against it 1. Object Say some We pray in secret for our selves and for our Families must we pray with them too Ans Yes Secret prayer is very good a great evidence of sincerity you do very well in making conscience of it but withal you must make conscience too of Family-prayer both are of divine Institution and the one must not thrust out the other Indeed I can hardly believe that you pray in secret See Guâ—n Christ. Arm. 3d. part ch 40. pag. 421. unless you pray in your Houses also He that is sincere in one duty will be sincere in every duty You may do your Relations much good when you are alone in praying for them but probably you will do them more good when 't is not only praying for them but praying for them and with them too for now they too are in God's way and so more capable of Divine impressions and Divine blessings 2. Obj. Others say We go to Church on the Lord's day with our Families and there we pray is not this enough Ans No That-God who requires publick prayer requires Family-prayer also and the whole will of God must be observed O how soon are men cloy'd with duty They never think they have enough of the world but they soon think they have enough of duty You do not give God all of his Sacred Time will you give him no part of your Common Time Will you be Christians on the Lords day and Heathens all the week after And wherein are you better than Heathens in your Families if no religious exercises be there performed
and there I speak to them the others I must pass over that I may not offend with too much prolixitie You perceive in this Dedicatory discourse I go no higher than to you who have Authority in and over your own Private Houses As to your Magistrates who have a greater and a more extensive Authority I could not judge it so convenient considering the present circumstances wherein I stand to make my Application to them otherwise I would 1. have been verie earnest with them to come up to Holy Dedication for who are more under the obligation of this than they They have not only a single person or a bare house but they have also interest power authority to devote to and improve for God O what publick blessings are Magistrates when they do this What abundance of good do they do by their pious example and holy zeal They being as Planets fixed in a publick Orb how is their light and influence diffused amongst verie many If they give themselves to God in an holy life if they advance Religion Godliness the worship of God in their families how doth their pattern provoke and excite others to do the same 2. I would humbly have recommended two things to them the first of which refers to the present attempts of rebuilding this desolate City and 't is this That they would endeavour as their wisdom shall direct them to further and procure the setting of a Day apart for solemn Prayer in order to the obtaining of Gods blessing upon us in this great undertaking Methinks so great a work should not be engaged in without solemn seeking of God the foundation of all our Buildings should be first laid in Prayer The happy issue and success of such an enterprise as the rebuilding of a City so much depending upon Gods blessing for except the Lord build the House and much more the City they labour in vain that build it Psal 127.1 Surely he should be sought unto for this in a verie solemn and serious manner I find this piece of Religion amongst the verie Heathens that whenever they entred upon the building of their Cities and eminent places they always began with the invocation of their Deities of this many instances might be given out of History if it was needful Shall Christians come short of Heathens Shall darkness out-shine light Shall Nature outstrip Grace Shall Idolaters carry it better to a false God than we to the true God This is the first thing and that which is proper to our entrance upon the work and we are but there as yet But then secondly in time I hope it will be finished we are now but laying the foundation as it were but I trust in some years the fewer the better the Top-stone will be laid and we shall cry Grace Grace Zech. 4.7 we have as yet but the Embryo of a City but I hope this will go on to a full and compleat birth If it so be which God grant then I would humbly recommend this to the present Magistrates or to those who shall live to see the finishing of what is now but begun that this City may be dedicated that is in a publick and solemn way committed to Gods protection Did Nehemiah thus dedicate the walls of Jerusalem and why should not we have for this City the Metropolis of our Nation upon the safety and welfare of which the whole Nation both in Temporal's and Spiritual's doth so much depend and which is always like to be environed with many dangers and enemies I say why should not we have for this City as soon as it shall be built a general express solemn religious Dedication answerable to that of Jerusalem in Nehemiahs time of which you read Nehem. 12.27 ad sin cap. But these are things only proper to our Magistrates and I not presuming to prefix their Names before this Dedication it would be improper for me to say more upon them If I may not be so happy as to prevail with them for a Day of Prayer yet let me prevail with you to be much in private seeking the Lord in order to your particular and the general concerns of this City Building-work and praying-work should always go together where many hands are imployed in the one many hearts should be imployed in the other In every business and undertaking God should be called upon how much more should this be done in so great and weighty a business as that is wherein you are now engaging I trust God hath gracious and merciful designs towards you and towards the whole City that he will bless and prosper you in what you are about as 't is said of Judah they built and prospered 2 Chron. 14.7 I hope he hath not said that of London which once he did of Tyrus I will make thee like the top of a rock thou shalt be a place to spread Nets upon thou shalt be built no more Ezek. 26.14 And as the Prophet concerning Babylon according to some Interpreters Thou hast made of a City an heap of a defenced City a ruin a palace of strangers to be no City it shall never be built Isa 25.2 But now if God hath gracious designs towards us they must have their effect and accomplishment in the way of Prayer That Scripture hath been much upon my thoughts in Ezek. 36. verse 10. The Cities shall be inhabited and the wastes shall be builded and ver 33 c. In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities pray observe that I will also cause you to dwell in the Cities and the wastes shall be builded And the desolate land shall be tilled whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by And they shall say This land that was desolate is become like the Garden of Eden and the waste and desolate and ruined Cities are become fenced and inhabited Then the Heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the Lord build the ruinous places and plant that that was desolate I the Lord have spoken it and I will do it Here are gracious promises made to Jerusalem whose case and ours do too well agree in the late judgment but how shall they be made good It follows verse 37. I will yet for this be enquired of by the House of Israel to do it for them c. You see by this that though God designs mercie and that particular mercy too which suits with your present state yet he will not actually bestow that mercie without prayer so that let Gods intentions and purposes be never so merciful towards us in this City for the building up of the wastes thereof yet if he be not sought unto and called upon we cannot expect any gracious execution of them And is not this enough to quicken you to prayer The Jews in the rebuilding of Jerusalem whenever they met with any dangers or difficulties and they met with many still they applied themselves to Prayer Nehem.
return in comparison of what we receive 'T is but a drop for an Ocean 't is but finite for infinite 't is but emptiness for fulness 't is but Nothing for All. Go however as far as you can when you have gone the farthest you come infinitely short of what God deserves 3. 'T is a good evidence of the sincerity of love Then we love God in sincerity when we give our selves to him Eph. 6.24 love 't is a giving grace and 't is for the giving of self nothing below this will satisfie love The wife loves her Husband and she gives her self to him take a friend whose heart is a treasure of love his self his all is made over to his friend O where is our love to God 'T is sad that love betwixt creature and creature should exceed our love to God Do you love God Do you love him indeed Evidence the reality of your love by giving your selves to him let not any fancy they love God if this be not done How doth divine love plead with the soul to give all to God! O it thinks nothing enough nothing too much for God self being the best saith holy love God and Christ shall have it 4. This is the highest gratitude the best thankfulness The first fruits were dedicated to God partly to shew Gods right to the whole crop partly as an expression of the peoples thankfulness for all the rest self-dedication and self-giving is the best expression of our thankfulness Could you give burnt-offerings Calves of a year old Mic. 6.7 thousands of Rams ten thousand rivers of Oyl the most costly sacrifices bags of gold and silver or could you bring the most melting acknowledgments the highest verbal resentments of Gods goodness to you all this would be nothing in comparison of dedicating and giving your selves to him then we praise God aright when we devote our persons our lives our all to his praise Do you receive so many mercies and shall God have no praise What 's all your praise if self be not given to him Higher than this you cannot lower than this you should not go O the poor creature that falls down at the feet of God in the sense of mercies and says Lord thus and thus thou art pleased to do for me food raiment peace liberty the Gospel Christ thou givest to me for all this how shall I express and testifie my gratitude Blessed God I 'll do it thus here I give my self to thee Quod unum reliquum est dono tibi dono meipsum Silver and Gold I have none I cannot build Hospitals or do any such thing I have but little in the world but I give thee my self to be thine for ever here 's the right thanking of God for mercies received 5. This is very pleasing and acceptable to God Rom. 12.1 Psal 51.17 Self is the sacrifice acceptable to God the sacrifice which God will not despise God stands upon the giver more than upon the gift As the King of Sodom said to Abram Gen. 14.21 Give me the persons and take the goods to thy self so God speaks to us do not give your gifts to me but give me your selves 2 Corint 8.5 How did the Macedonians please him when they gave themselves to him Luther observes of Cain Cainistae sunt offerentes non personam sed opus personae Lutherus in Gen. that he gave his offering to God but he did not give his person to God and he calls those Cainists who offer the sacrifice but not the person upon this God took no delight either in him or in his offering Abel offered both and so he pleased God You cannot do a thing more acceptable to God than to give your selves to him O says God here 's a poor creature that thinks not his self too good for me that 's his best his all and yet that he gives to me I 'll requite him I have his self and he shall have mine he thinks nothing too good for me and I will think nothing too good for him This I say and nothing below this pleases God he deals with men just as the Saints deal with him how 's that They must have his self they cannot take up with any thing short of this the mercies gifts of God will not satisfie them unless they have his self and they can part with all for this as August said whatsoever God will bestow August in Psal 29. let him take it all away and give himself so God deals with men 't is their self that he minds and values As nothing below Gods self should satisfie us so nothing below our self can satisfie God These are the motives to stir you up to give your selves to God which is the first thing in self-dedication 2. Secondly Live in a constant surrender and resignation of your selves to the will of God This is a blessed frame and temper and that which is of the very essence of self-dedication I will pursue this Exhortation according to the distinction laid down in the Explicatory part The will of God is either his Preceptive or his Providential will 't is mans duty to surrender up himself to both so as to be subject to the one and submissive to the other 1. As to the preceptive will of God which consists in those excellent laws commands precepts injunctions which the holy God in his word hath imposed and laid upon his creatures in order to the directing and obliging of them to their duty Surrender up your selves to this will 't is a very becoming thing for the creature so to do a creature as a creature is bound to be subject to the will of his Creator and Soveraign The law of obedience is written in our very being he that considers what God is and what he himself is cannot but judge it a very reasonable thing for him to resign up himself to the will of God And indeed the creature never acts according to the natural obligation which lies upon him neither is it ever right or well with him till he comes to say O God I entirely resign up my self to thy will and government wilt thou have me to be holy I will be so wilt thou have me to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts Tit. 2.12 to live soberly righteously godly in this present world I will do so Is my sanctification thy will 1 Thes 4.3 I will endeavour to come up to it I will not advance my own will or oppose my own will to thy will but thy will shall carry it what thou commandest I will do give me but strength to obey Da Domine quod jubes jube quod vis August and command what thou wilt as that holy Father once said This self-resignation to Gods will is a main part and an infallible evidence also of sanctification When God sanctifies a person what doth he do He doth this he makes him willing to act in universal
subjection to his holy will this is the vital act of grace the proper and genuine effect of it No unsanctified unregenerate man can do this before conversion the sinner is all for his own will he will not be subject to the law of God he will have none upon the throne but himself O what a proud stubborn rebellious creature is man in his natural state He says with Pharaoh Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice to let Israel go I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel go Exod. 5.2 And with them Our lips are our own who is Lord over us Psal 12.4 But after saving grace hath fastned upon him he is another man then 't is the language of Paul Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts. 9.6 now his will is melted into the will of God now the law is written in the heart Psal 40.8 and there is a principle within him which suits with and inclines him to the good will of God Observe me further the sanctification of our will lies in the subjection of it to Gods will That great work of sanctification extends to all the faculties but principally 't is terminated upon the will that 's the faculty which renewing grace doth most with for of all the faculties that is the most depraved and vitiated there is the very nest seat of sins venome and poison 't is that which makes the greatest opposition to God there is Satans strongest hold when that is once taken all do yield the sinner is gained when the will is gained when that is once made pliable flexible obedient the work is done That which I infer from all that hath been spoken is this would you act as becomes you as you are creatures would you have an evidence of sanctification as to your persons and wills Then surrender and resign up your selves to the supream absolute holy will of God If you will but dwell upon this in your Thoughts a little and urge it home upon your selves it will be enough the spirit of God setting it on to prevail with you to do what I am urging upon you The work would be endless If I should enlarge upon every Head according to what the matter would bear otherwise I might further enforce this self-resignation and subjection from these particulars Rom. 12.3 Rom. 7.12 Deut. 10.13 1. Gods will is an excellent will 2. 'T is the creatures advantage to correspond with this will Psal 81.11 12. 3. Many are the mischiefs that rise from non-subjection 4. God will have his will Rom. 2 25. one way or another for volunt as Dei semper impletur aut à nobis aut de nobis Aug. It shall either be done by us or upon us 5. External profession without this is a meer vanity Matth. 7.21 6. This is absolutely necessary to salvation Heb. 10 36. Here is full weight measure pressed down put all together these considerations must needs preponderate and weigh down all objections that the carnal heart of man can make against subjection to Gods will But I shall pass by these things and rather insist upon something by way of direction as to the matter or the extent of the duty it self And this I will reduce to two general Heads 1. Surrender up your selves to the will of God as this refers to acts of worship or to holy duties I mean prayer hearing receiving the Sacrament c. The will of God reaches to these and it calls for our subjection and obedience in our constant performance of all those holy duties which the great Law-giver hath stamped his command and institution upon This is to be religious Religion in its primary notion points to the worship of God in the matter and manner of it what is religion Take it strictly 't is this to worship God upon the consideration of his glorious excellencies and will and to do this according to his will If you desire to be religious as surely you either do or ought to do religion being both the duty and also the advancement of the creature then you must comply with Gods will in attending upon the several parts of sacred worship doing all according to the mind of God there 's no religion without this That which I shall press upon you therefore is this surrender up your selves to God yield obedience to him in frequent constant attendance upon and performance of holy duties whether they be publick or private You have very strong reasons for this O that mens corruptions were not stronger than all the reasons that can be alledged God wills them 't is his will that you should pray hear read c. Is not that reason enough Holy duties are that homage which God requires and which the creature doth indispensably owe to his Creator and besides this they are the means in and by which God doth work in them the Lord vouchsafes his presence Exod. 20 24. Jam 4.8 passim gives the soul communion with him in his love and blessedness displays his grace dispenses his blessings and what not By them God carries on the great designs of his mercy for he sets in with them and doth great things by them here 't is that he quickens the dead softens the hard tames the stubborn humbles the proud enlightens the blind cleanses the filthy comforts the sad fills the empty heals the wounded here the sinner is converted the Saint edified here the thirsty soul finds peace joy delight satisfaction Isa 56.7 Psal 63.1.5 Cant. 2 2 3. Assurance c. These are the pools where the Angel of the Covenant moves Joh. 9.4 the wells of salvation out of which the soul draws the water of life Isa 12.3 the breasts of heavenly consolation the keys which unlock the treasuries of mercy the golden pipes through which mercy flows Zech. 4.12 the ladder by which we ascend to God and he descends to us Gen. 28.12 the vehicula coeli the waggons which carry Earth to Heaven and Heaven to Earth Gen. 45.27 the galleries in which Christ delights to walk Cant. 7.5 O the blessed effects of holy duties by them corruption is mortified grace wrought and strengthened comfort increased doubts resolved evidences cleared c. As duty goes up grace goes up and sin goes down the more in duty the more of grace Is not here enough to engage every man to fall in with the will of God in the performing of holy duties David said it was good for him to draw near to God Psal 73.28 O that we did look upon duty as good that it was good to hear good to read good to pray good to meditate good to be at the Lords Table 'T is greatly to be lamented that there are so few who do conform to the will of God herein look upon the practices of the most of men God hath but little worship from them they seldom pray seldom come to the word
name of a Christian whose soul is not set upon this O friends doth God set himself to further your good and will not you set your selves to further his glory Shall so much mercy be received from him and shall no glory be returned to him When Ahasuerus read in the Books how instrumental Mordecai had been to preserve his life he asks what honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this Esth 6.3 Pray do you call for the Book of mercies 't is a vast volume in every page and line 't is filled up with mercy read it a little there you 'l find creating mercy preserving mercy redeeming mercy and the many great things which God hath done for you Now ask what glory hath God had for all this I fear but very little how should this fill us with shame and grief O shall we not pay God his Quit-rent or his Rent-charge Doth he protect our persons estates houses c. shall we withhold his Tribute and Customs You know what I mean by this What a condescension is it that the great God will receive any honour from such poor worms as we are How should this raise and heighten our zeal Do any lose by promoting his glory In advancing God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhetor. we advance our selves by this we gain honour to our selves this is a thing that we are very ambitious of 't is a sweet morsel that we are very greedy of Now the best the surest way to attain this is for us to endeavour by all means to honour God for he tells us He will honour them that honour him 1 Sam. 2.30 The Romans so placed the Temple of honour that there was no coming at it but through the Temple of vertue Would you arrive at honour indeed never think to come to it but by your endeavours to exalt God To conclude this Do you expect to be glorifi'd with God in Heaven and shall not he be glorified by you on earth Doth not that deserve all you are or can do in order to the glorifying of God O set your selves therefore to further this glory of God If you may do it any way whether by doing or suffering Philip. 1.20 whether by life or death if Christ may be but magnified 't is no matter what it costs you and though you decrease and go down in the world if Christ may increase Joh. 3.30 and God may be honoured do you rejoyce How should we carry it like Persons indeed dedicated to God if we were thus zealous for Gods glory 't is not enough to talk of this or to do something in a slighty careless perfunctory manner in order to it but we must study plot contrive act to our utmost devote our selves to the glory of God More particularly I will leave two things with you 1. Let your deportment and conversation be such that God may be glorified Let your light so shine before men Matth. 5.16 that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven so Christ exhorts you The matter of our lives should be such or our lives materially considered should be such as that glory to God might result from them This glory of God lies in the displaying and manifesting of his glorious Attributes and excellencies to and before the world I speak of Gods manifestative glory Joh. 17.4 compar with verse 6. Numb 14.21 Levit. 10.3 Psal 72.19 You that profess your selves a dedicated people do you so live that you may display and manifest Gods infinite perfections that you may make them visible and conspicuous to the world live out the holiness wisdom mercy goodness of God that those that see your conversations may see much of God in them The Apostle speaks of holding forth the word of life Phil. 2.16 There is an holding forth of the God of life as well as of the word of life And the Saints are said to be a chosen generation a royal Priesthood a peculiar people that they should shew forth the vertues of him who hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 Dedicated persons must shew forth the excellencies of the blessed God in their deportment 't is not enough for them in their own thoughts to acknowledge and admire them but they must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shew them forth to others O let us often put this enquiry to our selves Do we so live as that the Attributes of God are made visible and conspicuous in our conversations 2. Let the glory of God be your supream and main end both in the whole life and also in particular actions 1. As to the whole life take it in the lump and mass this should be every mans end in life to exalt God O Lord thou art my God I will exalt thee Isa 25.1 We live but what is the end which we propound to our selves in living Many carry it as though they propounded no end at all to themselves they come into the world and know not wherefore and then go out of the world they know not whither O that any should be so brutish what a sad thing is it when there shall be an end to terminate life that there is no end to raise and elevate life The most have an end but 't is not this end That which they aim at is to get wealth to be great in the world to please the flesh to pamper the sensual part to make provision for posterity c. But as to the glorifying of their Creator and Maker that they never intend This is sad are these ends fit for a man Much more are they fit for a Christian O that mens profession should be so high and their ends so low Let it be otherwise with you let the end of your life be Gods glory An end makes the man this end makes the Saint Here lies the excellency of a man above a beast he propounds an end to himself and acts accordingly Here lies the excellency of the Saint above a man his end is the glorifying of God this is a blessed end indeed let it be yours If you live live to God Rom 14.7 if you dye dye to God in both eye God as your principal end The person and the life are to be judged by the end when the glory of God is the end then person and life are truly excellent God judges not of men by particular acts but by their fixed and ultimate end O as life is derived from God let it be devoted to God As his mercy is the spring of life let his glory be the end of life What unspeakable comfort and holy confidence will this give you when you come to die if you be sincere in this At the ending of life 't is the end of life that is sweet 'T was so to Christ I have glorified thee on the earth c. And now O Father glorifie thou me c. Joh. 17.4 5. To
the spirit Galat. 3.3 will you end in the flesh Will you draw back from God to the perdition of your precious souls Hebr. 10.39 I trust you will not 'T is observed both by Papists and Turks also for the latter have their religious Orders as well as the former that persons who have once entred themselves into such Orders and so dedicated themselves to God if they leave these they never prosper O Christians have you dedicated your selves in a regular scriptural way If you relinquish your dedication do you think to prosper Farewel peace joy Heaven farewel all when you forsake God and Apostatize from him That you may be thus faithful and constant and in every thing make good your dedication be much in begging of God the special assistance of his grace Praevenient grace made you true in your dedication Subsequent grace must make you true to your dedication O let none relye upon their own strength we may give resolve covenant but if we be left to our selves we shall soon leave God and undo as much as in us lies all that we have done The heart is deceitful grace is weak corruption strong Voluntate suâ cadit qui cadit voluntate Dei stat qui stat Angust temptations impetuous you need assisting and stablishing grace very much David joyned prayer with his resolution I will keep thy statutes O forsake me not utterly Psal 119.8 You have given the hands to God in stipulation lift up the hands to God in supplication for fidelity for perseverance The God of all grace who hath called us into his eternal glory by Jesus Christ after that ye have suffered a while make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you 1 Pet. 5.10 Self-dependance doth much endanger self-dedication 3. Thirdly Often renew your dedication though the first sufficiently obliges you yet all obligations are little enough to bind these treacherous hearts of ours the oftner this is renewed the greater awe it leaves upon conscience And though the command of God and the nature of duty are highly obligatory yet fresh and renewed dedications lay a farther superadded obligation upon the person O tye the knot as fast as may be many knots are not so easily loosened After repeated reiterated dedications you 'l be ashamed to be false to God There are some special cases and seasons wherein 't is good for you to renew your dedication Do you fall into some great sin Recover your selves by speedy repentance and renew your dedication These make great wounds and gashes in the soul get them healed presently These endanger the very vitals and strike at the foundation there 's no dallying in this case Great breaches must immediately be made up great sins make a great breach upon conscience upon your dedication and therefore make it up speedily Doubtless David that would renew the dedication of his house after Absaloms sins would also renew the dedication of his person after his own gross and scandalous sins Are you afflicted reduced into great straits Renew your dedication give all again to God at such a time for then you need him most to give to you When Jacob was in great straits and knew not what to do then he said If God will be with me in the way that I go and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on so that I come again to my Fathers house in peace then shall the Lord be my God Gen. 28.20 21. O be so wise as to renew your gift and your bond in a day of trouble and so ingenious as to make all good in a day of comfort Do you receive some eminent mercy from God Renew your dedication Say Lord thou hast renewed thy mercy and therefore I here renew my duty thou hast given me a very choice and seasonable mercy here I give thee my self for it Do you attend upon the Sacrament before and at and after that ordinance solemnly renew your dedication that 's a duty very proper at this time Indeed in every prayer we virtually do this but in sacramental work we must do it in a more solemn and explicit manner Are you cast upon times wherein there is much Apostacy professors fall off from God like leaves from the trees in Autumn Now renew your dedication that you may bind your selves the faster to God now take up new and stronger resolutions for God saying Though all forsake God you will never forsake him Other cases and seasons might be mentioned but I pass them by 4. Fourthly Adore and admire the infinite goodness of God In your giving your selves to God you do not oblige him but he obliges you when you give most you receive most first grace is given to you and then you are given to God you could not give if first you did not receive O have you devoted your selves to the Lord 'T was he that framed your hearts to this and wrought you up to it Time was when you were just as others are but God who is rich in mercy Eph. 2.4 7. for his great love wherewith he loved you even when you wholly gave up your selves to sin effectually drew you to himself That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards you through Christ Jesus O admire that distinguishing love of God which hath so freely taken hold of you And let this heighten your admiration that the great God is so willing to accept of that poor pitiful self which you tender to him 't is but the paying of a debt and yet God accepts of it as a gift Were you Angels it would be a condescension in God to accept of you but Lord What is man Psal 144.3 that thou art mindful of him or the son of man that thou so regardest him And that which is highest of all and which may put the soul into extatick admiration that for such a poor self given such a glorious self should be received you give your self to God and in lieu of this God gives his self to you O Saints what have you to do but to lose your selves in the admiring of God 5. Fifthly Further Personal Dedication in others You have done it your selves do what in you lies that others may do so too Do not you rejoyce in your own act Would you have it to do again for millions of worlds Where then is your zeal to further it in others who have not yet dedicated themselves to God Do you not pity such in their state and will you not endeavour to bring them out of it Can you be content to go to Heaven alone Shall the Devils factors be more diligent for him to the ruin of souls than you for God to the salvation of souls O do not let sinners alone till you have been instrumental for conversion and Personal Dedication to them So live that you may win them to God So instruct exhort perswade convince that they may
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
and peculiar Reasons for House-Prayer you pray in secret not only because of the Command but because of those special and peculiar reasons which attend that duty Family-prayer hath the same inducements there are such and such cases circumstances considerations which this duty doth best hit and meet with and is best suited to O therefore make conscience of it There are Family-sins to be bewailed Family-miscarriages to be reformed Family-mercies to be acknowledged Family-wants to be supplied Family-undertakings to be blessed Family-afflictions to be sanctified Family-dangers to be prevented Now are there so many cases proper to a Family as a Family and shall there not be Family-prayer to reach to all these O that Masters of Families would consider what I say 4. Mercy and Justice Pity and Fidelity call upon you to call upon God in and with your Families Have you precious souls committed to you will you let them perish where 's your mercy and pity shall so many Children so many Servants be lost for ever for want of Prayer be not so cruel for the Lords sake You feed their bodies it would be cruelty to let them starve for want of food but is not this worser cruelty to starve their souls never to pray with them never to help them onwards in Heaven's way O though you have not the Grace of a Christian yet if you have but the bowels of a man methinks you should pray in your Families to prevent the ruine of those precious souls that are under your roof Besides this consideration which is proper to Mercy Justice requires this of you Family-prayer is a debt which you owe to them who are under you they owe subjection obedience and service to you you owe prayer to them The Apostle having spoke to Masters to give unto their Servants that which is just and equal presently subjoins Continue in prayer as if this was one thing that Masters in justice are to give to their Servants Col. 4.1 2. O 't is a real wrong to your Servants when you do not pray with them you are not only unmerciful but unjust in so doing not only false to God but injurious to them you may better withhold their wages from them than the duties of Religion 5. If this be nothing to you let me add further Self-love requires this of you I mean by this not so much Self-love with respect to your selves at the great day of Account though that be the main but I mean Self-love with respect to your present concerns you would have your Families blessed your Houses secured Self-love puts you upon this and can you hope for this if you neglect Family-prayer Ah you and yours lie open to judgments so long as this is neglected Jer. 10.25 Pour out thy wrath upon the Heathen and upon the Families that call not upon thy Name This imprecation is a kind of commination God will pour out his wrath upon Prayerless-families Till Prayer be set up in your Houses judgment hangs over your heads the curse of God is over you and all that belongs to you you live in the midst of dangers every moment you lie down every night liable to some sudden and sore evils O 't is not only thus with you that you are out of God's care and tuition but so long as Prayer is neglected you are under his fierce displeasure which is continually ready to break out against you O where 's your Self-love If there was nothing more than that one would think that should put you upon Family-Prayer Do you love your Selves your Houses your Estates your Relations and yet will you not fall upon the means which are proper to bring down the blessing of God upon them No Prayer no Protection from evil no communication of Good in a Covenant way The unpraying Family is the unblessed Family And are these things so what reason have I then to bewail the too general omission of this duty I speak of what is in this City Is Family-Prayer duely performed in every House in this City If one should go from House to House and ask at every House Is God here called upon Doth the Master of this House pray with his Family Oh I fear it would be answered by too many No God is not here sought unto Here we live here we feed here we trade here we rush into the world as soon as we are up and here we go to bed as soon as our business is over but here 's no Prayer O Lord how sad is this that in a City where the Gospel hath been so long so powerfully preached that in a City which hath passed under such variety of remarkable judgments there should be so many Prayerless Houses O 't is a rocky heart from which this consideration doth not fetch some sighs and tears I beseech you who have any conviction or tenderness upon your Consciences let it be otherwise with you Let the Arguments that have been used prevail with you forthwith to set up Prayer in your Houses if hitherto it hath been omitted How would it rejoice my soul might I but hear upon the reading of this That some Citizen was wrought upon to call his Family together and to say The Lord forgive me hitherto I have liv'd in the omission of Prayer with you but now the Grace of God enabling me I am resolv'd to fall upon it morning and evening we will call upon God together we will not only eat and drink together and work together but we will also pray together The good Lord work this resolution in many of you O if it be not within your doors Lord have mercy upon us there will be too much cause to write upon your doors The Lord have mercy upon you Can you read such motives as have been set down and yet not pray Have you liv'd to see and feel such terrible judgments by Plague and Fire and yet not pray Are you upon such uncertainties for the future and yet not pray I trust in the Lord some will be wrought upon 'T is your own advantage that I aime at 't is only your own souls good and your Families good that I design if you will yet go on in an ungodly course what 's that to me I have done my duty Do I come with things disputable to you do I speak as one that pursues the interest of a Party Surely no that which I urge upon you is as cleer as the light of the day and that which all parties agree in and therefore let not any reasonings or prejudices keep you off from the practise of a duty so clear so universally granted Especially you that are Professors do you pray in your Families what a Professor and not pray in thy House what a shame is this what a contradiction to thy profession what a demonstration of the unsoundness of thy Profession what mischief dost thou do to others by this how many loose and carnal persons are hardned upon thy omission what
therefore the Prophet joins together Heathens and Families that do not call upon God Jer. 10.25 The 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
endanger you for ever Do you desire the prosperity of your Houses your Families and yet connive at sin and permit sin there O let your souls be all on fire with an holy zeal against sin Do not suffer your nearest and dearest Relations to sin improve your Authority against sin if you suffer it you must suffer for it you may let it alone but it will not let you alone Omissions here are Commissions Thus I would have you to keep sin out of your Houses and instead thereof let there be even steddy fixed Vniversal Holiness kept up and practised in them Holiness becomes God's House Psal 93.5 Ah and it becomes your Houses too O that your Common Houses might be Holiness to the Lord Zach. 14.21 21. In that day shall there be upon the bells of the Horses HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD and the pots in the Lords House shall be like the bowles before the Altar Yea every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be Holiness unto the Lord of Hosts c. That which I drive at is this Let you and yours be Holy carry it in all things as a people consecrated to the Lord Let Piety be liv'd by your selves and by all that belong to you Let nothing be seen in your Houses but what becomes the Gospel and savours of God and Religion How are Houses bless'd when a trade of Godliness is driven on in them when Husbands and Wives Parents and Children Masters and Servants all set themselves as with one shoulder to an Holy Course it cannot go amiss with such Houses But no more of this CHAP. X. The last Branch of House-Dedication urged IN long Chases Doggs are apt to lose the Scent Reader that thou mayst not think in this long Discourse we have lost our Matter and Method let me tell thee where we are The Dedication of the House I made to consist in four things In a Religious Entrance upon it by Prayer and Praise In the solemn commitment of it to God's Protection In the setting up of Religion in it In a right carriage under Domestick mercies Hitherto I have been speaking to the Three first of these and I have very largely insisted upon the Third Head because of its vastness and comprehensiveness and also because of its special reference to the Duty in hand namely House-Dedication I come now to the fourth and last thing to stir you up to a right deportment and carriage under Domestick mercies I told you that House here is not to be limited to the bare walls to the external structure but 't is to be considered as it includes those several blessings mercies comforts accomodations that are enjoy'd there Now all these must be dedicated to God I need not tell yon that a fixed Habitation to have an House to dwell in is a great mercy 'T is that mercy which Christ himself had not Math. 8.20 The Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head He that made the world and was Lord of all things had not an House to be in He that went to Heaven Joh. 14.2 3. to prepare a place for us there had not a place here on Earth prepared for himself 'T is that mercy which the Apostles and Primitive Saints had not for they wandered about in sheep skins and goat skins being destitute c. Heb. 11.38 Even unto this present hour we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffetted and have no certain dwelling place 1 Cor. 4.11 Blessed be God it is not thus with you yon have your Houses to dwell in and some of you very convenient beautiful Houses too Is not this mercy I hope you do not forget how it was lately with you when you had not an House to be in if God had not in your straights graciously provided for you And further your Houses are full of Mercy God fills them with good things as 't is Job 22.18 they are richly furnished with all kinds of Mercies Personal and Relative Spiritual and Temporal c. There 's good food to nourish you good apparel to cloath you good beds to ease yon good Relations in whom you take much comfort every day your Tables are spread mercies are new upon you every morning Lam. 3.21 God loadeth you daily with his benefits Psal 68.19 you live under a constant succession of mercies My God thou art all Love Not one poor minute ' scapes thy breast But brings a favour from above You have Mercies not only ultra merita Bernard but also supra vota such as are not only undeserved but undesired and unexpected too Your enjoyments are above what you could well have looked for As Jacob said to Joseph I had not thought to see thy face and lo God hath shewed me thy Seed also Gen. 48.11 I appeal to many of you when you first came up to this City did you then expect such Estates as God hath now blessed you with your beginnings were very low and now you are greatly advanced as to wordly possessions Shall not all now be dedicated to God Shall not Domestick mercies pass under this holy Dedication If you ask me How is this to be done Take a short account of that in three things 1. Let God be owned and acknowledged in all your Mercies Ascribe all to Him as the proper Fountain from which all doth flow Thus David did Psal 87.7 All my springs are in thee And so your All it is of God The Wife that lies in your bosom that is the desire of your eyes Ezek. 24.16 God gave her to you Prov. 19.14 Houses and riches are the inheritance of Fathers and a prudent wife is from the Lord. The Children that are so dear to you are the gift of God Psal 127.3 Lo Children are an Heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is his reward Psal 128.2 3 4. The estate you possess is not so much the fruit of your own industry as of God's blessing Prov. 10.22 The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich Instance in what mercy you will you may say of it what Jacob said of his Children this is that which the Lord hath graciously given to me Gen. 33.5 O let your eye be upon God in every comfort 't is the property of gracious persons to do this as the bird hath no sooner sipp'd a little water but it looks upwards and falls a chirping And here 's one great difference betwixt a godly man and a wicked man The latter looks no higher than Self he ascribes all to Self Dan. 4.30 Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the house of the Kingdom by the might of my power and for the honour of my Majesty The former ascribes all to God and admires God in all O the different language of David from that of Nebuchadnezzar 2 Sam. 7.18 19. Who am I O Lord God and what is my House that thou hast
brought me hitherto c. Shew your selves therefore to be gracious persons by this let a mercy be no sooner received but let God be acknowledged and admired in it whilst others look no further than the meer Branch do you look to the root of all We lose our mercies when we do not duly own God as the giver of them Hos 2.8 9. She did not know that I gave her corn and wine and oyle and multiplied her silver and her gold which they prepared for Baal Therefore will I return and take away my corn in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof and will recover my wool and my flax given to cover her nakedness God would have the First Fruits from the people of Israel that in the giving of these Munus Deo offerebaent Honorarium de frugihus terrae ut Auctorem eorum Deum esse testificarentur aliquam gratitudinis significationem exhiherent Gualtper in Marc. 12.33 they might acknowledg God's right to the whole crop and that it was of his bounty that they had all the rest And 't is observable when this people had made this acknowledgment then it was lawful for them to take the comfort of the residue These First Fruits were either the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the First growth and fruits of things of which you read Levit. 19.23 24. or the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first fruits of every years increase of which Levit. 23.10 Now I say after the people of Israel had in the payment of these acknowledged God to be the bestower of all than it was lawful for them to take the comfort of the residue See Deut. 26.10 11. and Levit. 19.23 24 25. That which I infer from hence is this first acknowledg God in your mercies that he is the Donor of them and then you may take the sweetness of them This is the order in which God will have mercies enjoyed O that we could keep up a constant sense of God in the soul as the Father and Fountain of all our Good That we could say of every mercy this is that which comes from above the gracious hand of God is in it 2ly Whatever mercies you enjoy return them back again to God improve them for him and devote them to his glory This was the carriage of Hannah no sooner had God given her a child but she gives it back again to him 1 Sam. 1.28 And this we must do as to all our Mercies there must be returning where there is receiving Psal 116.12 What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me 'T is a sad thing only to be upon the receiving hand an ingenuous spirit will not be guilty of this it will return as well as receive and it will return what it receives The Rivers come from the Sea and they all run into it again the Vapours are exhal'd from the earth and they fall upon it again let that which bears Analogie and resemblance to this be done by you Many mercies are received from God O let all of them be returned to God Where can they be better than in the hands of him who is the Father of them This is with Pharaohs daughter to put the Child to be nursed by its own mother Exod. 2.8 And doth any man lose by giving to God doth not this procure him more of mercy He that returns upon receiving receives upon returning 1 Sam. 2.20 Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife and said The Lord give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the Lord. And so it fell out for v. 21. The Lord visited Hannah so that she conceived and bare three Sons and two Daughters O how doth mercy grow upon us when we freely and faithfully give back what we do receive But how may we return our mercies to God I answer Improve them for him and devote them to him Are your Domestick-mercies and other mercies improved for God and devoted to God he doth much for you what do you do for him what service or glory hath God for health daily bread rest in the night preservation in the midst of so many dangers Relative comforts a plentiful estate good furniture many accommodations which others want Is so much done for you and is nothing done by you in a way of real Gratitude Are mercies dedicated and devoted to God Are they yielded up set apart for his use and service As 't is prophesi'd Isaiah 23.18 And her merchandize and her hire shall be Holiness to the Lord it shall not be treasured nor laid up for her Merchandize shall be for them that dwell before the Lord to eat sufficiently and for durable clothing This is but reasonable that as they are derived from him they should be devoted to him 't is but that which he expects for upon mercy he looks for Duty 't is but that which you stand engaged to for every Comfort is a Talent which you are entrusted with in order to service and 't is the best thankefulness a verbal wordy thanksgiving is a poor thing if it be not attended with something that is real in the life and will mercies be long continued where they are not traded and improved for God What Landlord will let that Tenant hold his land that pays him no rent nor does him any service The way to hold what you have is to improve what you have for God and his glory Serve him with your mercies and he 'l secure them to you How kindly doth he take it when the sense of his goodness quickens a person to be doing for him So it was with David God had done great things for him and his O he would build God an House for it he would some way or other testisie his resentment of God's favours to him Thus let mercies work upon you you know they are very many and very precious O dedicate them devote them to God where you have comfort let God have glory Take heed lest you again lose your Domestick mercies for want of this Dedication 3ly And then thirdly Be willing to resign up all to the will and good pleasure of God So as if he sees it good to continne them to you you 'l be thankeful if he sees it good to remove them from you you 'l submit and say Let him do what seems him good 2 Sam. 15.26 Yet you have an House and a comfortable Habitation but if God will withdraw this mercy and turn you out of doors you will quietly and patiently acquiesce in his will And so too with respect to Relations Estate Liberty all your comforts you resign them all to God so enjoying them as always to be willing to part with them if it pleases him to call for them This is a blessed frame of spirit and that which gives support and comfort under all the issues and events of Providence Many of you in this City are shortly to settle in your new Houses
and Hymns and spiritual Songs singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Parallel to which is that Col. 3.16 Teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Here are three words Psalms Hymns and Songs concerning the * vid. Gatak Adver Sacra l. 1 c. 10 p 124. difference or distinct notions of which Divines do somewhat differ Hierome goes one way Beza another Grotius a third Zanchy a fourth He that pleases may look into them or peruse Bodius Davenant and other Interpreters upon the Places cited for 't is not my intention to stay upon this Clearly the Apostle alludes to the Hebrew Titles or Divisions of David's Psalms They were divided into Mizmorim Tehillim and Shirim which Titles the Septuagint render by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These are the words used here by the Apostle and therefore the inference is good that David's Psalms were in his eye and that he directs Christians under the Gospel to the singing of David's Psalms when he enjoines them to speak to themselves in Psalms and Hymns and Songs these being the Titles commonly applied to those Psalmes and by which they were usually understood You have another Precept for the Duty Jam. 5.13 Is any afflicted let him pray Is any merry let him sing Psalms So that you see we have an Institution to ground our practise upon upon which the singing of Psalms becomes not only a thing lawful but also matter of duty And what the * Affirmabaâ—â— hane fuisse summam vel culpae suae vel erroris quod essent soliti stato die ante lucem convenire carmenque Christo quafi Deo dicere secum invicem Pliny in that most remarkable Epist Lib. 10. Epist Ep. 97. Tertul. speaks of Hymni antelucani Apol. c. 2. c. 39. Vt quisque de Scripturis sanctis vel de propriâ— ingenio potest provocatur in medium Deo canere This as to the manner was something extraordinary vid. Just. Mart. in Quaest. Resp ad Orthod Quaest. 107. p 462. practise of the Primitive Christians was in their Assemblies as to this is very well known out of Pliny Tertullian Justine Martyr and others I should very much swell up this Discourse should I fall upon the drawing out of the full strength of the Scriptures alledged upon the vindicating of them from all those cavils by which some would evade them upon the answering of all objections made against the duty and the explication of all difficulties about it for brevity sake I will pass by all this and only refer you for fuller satisfaction in all these things to those who have to very good purpose written upon this Argument as Mr. Cotton Ford Sydenham Dr. Manton upon James 5.13 with several others That this Singing of David's Psalms was used in the Temple-worship cannot be deny'd for 't is said 2 Chron. 29.30 Hezekiah commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the Lord with the words of David and Asaph the Seer That 't is now to be used in publick Worship as a part of it cannot be denied neither David in Psal 95. reckoning up the parts of publick Worship he instances in Prayer v. 6. in Hearing v. 7. in Singing v. 1. c. That it ought to be used in Family-Worship also cannot be deny'd neither Surely they that grant the duty must grant also that 't is very necessary proper useful in private as well as in publick O therefore let me desire you to setup this holy exercise in your Houses Pray there read the Scriptures there and sing Psalms too there The general omission of this is much to be lamented what through profaneness in some and groundless scruples in others how few Families are there in this City in which 't is practis'd How many Houses may a man pass by upon a Lord's day before he come to one where he hears this Heavenly Musick You that are Masters of Families be perswaded to make Conscience of this duty let the praises of the most High God be sung in your Families O what a blessed duty is this how is Heaven delighted with it how is the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And much he adds touching the excellent effects of this Ordinance Just Martyr ut suprà heart raised the affections excited and warmed by it how doth it please God to come in upon the soul in this as well as in other ordinances O the sweetness delight that the sincere Christian finds in it and the profit advantage that he reaps by it To my thinking saith one there is not a more lively resemblance of Heaven upon Earth than a company of godly Christians singing a Psalm together You rejoice in God you rejoice in those many mercies you receive from God Singing is the best expression of your rejoycing Are you merry let not your mirth run out in vain frothy things but in the singing of Psalms Paul and Silas were full of joy and they fall upon singing The Church upon the receipt of eminent Mercy vented her joy this way Psal 126.2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing Let it be thus with you The holy Spirit of God puts men upon this rejoicing That of the Apostle in the connexion is very observable He had dehorted from drunkenness with Wine Eph. 5.18 by way of opposition he exhorts to be filled with the spirit what will follow upon this He tells you ver 19. Speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns c. Where any are full of the Holy Ghost this will certainly put them upon holy expressions of their joy in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs Look as men that are full of Wine or Drink they 'l be singing and venting their mirth in their carnal and sinful way so they that are full of God they 'l be singing too but 't is Psalms and spiritual Songs 't is not chanting to the viol Amos 3.5 't is not Songs that God will turn into lamentation as he threatens Amos 8.10 but 't is that which is spiritual in which their holy joy doth run out It would grieve a man as he walks in your streets by your Taverns and Alehouses Lord what tearing ranting cursing singing in a scurrilous and filthy manner may he there hear from day to day 'Pray let something else be heard in your Houses you that profess God and have any sense of Religion O let men hear you singing of Psalms and therein celebrating the memorials of God's mercies to you If you be filled with the spirit you will as certainly do this as men that have drunk to excess do the other And especially upon the Lord's day let this duty be performed in your Houses this is work very proper to to the Sabbath See Psal 92. The title of it is A Psalm for the Sabbath day And how doth it begin thus It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and
to sing praises unto thy name O most High c. Psal 100.2 Serve the Lord with gladness come before his presence with singing O the admirable mercies that you are to commemorate upon this day That ever to be adored Work of your redemption by Christ is to be fresh upon your thoughts this day should not this put you upon singing of Psalms That you enjoy the Gospel are admitted into God's presence sit under his Ordinances meet with God in them these are signal mercies do you rejoice in them and will you not by Singing manifest your thankeful resentment of them I press you upon nothing but what hath been the custome of the people of God from age to age they would not let a Sabbath pass without singing of Psalms in their Families Set up this duty I intreat you it may possibly expose you to some derision and scorn from your carnal Neighbours but who will value the scoffs of Michals in the discharge of Duty O that as persons walk in the streets they might hear in many Houses in this City praying reading the Word repetition of Sermons singing of Psalms what a comfortable hearing would that be how doth it rejoice my heart when I hear this at any time When God hath inclined you to the duty then be careful that you perform it in a right manner I do not know any part of Worship wherein men do more generally miscarry than in this which I am upon O let it be so manag'd that you may please God profit your selves and edifie one another David's Psalms must be sung with David's Spirit as 't is usually expressed See that the heart be in the duty Ephes 5.19 Making melody in your heart to the Lord. There must be the external voice but the main thing is the Heart David would have both imployed in this service Psal 57.7 My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise v. 8. Awake up my glory c. He means his Tongue and he calls it his glory because that was the member by which he praised and so glorified God So Psal 108.1 O God my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise even with my glory And Psal 71.23 My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee and my soul which thou hast redeemed I say look to the Heart that that be in the duty without this the voice is but bodily exercise and that profits not 1 Tim. 4.8 'T is the Heart that God minds the suavity tune ableness modulation of the voice is nothing to him 't is the melody of the Heart which pleases him Let the Heart and the whole Heart be engaged in this work See Psal 103.1 Luk. 1.46 Mind what you are about attend to the matter that you sing so Chrysost opens that of the Apostle of making melody in the heart by attending with understanding Many sing but they do not mind what they sing take heed of this Cum in conspectu Dei cantas Psalmos hoc tract a in mente quod cantas in voce 〈◊〉 modo bene vivendi Serm. 52. saith Bernard And let the Heart be affected and wrought upon by this every duty should have some influence and impression upon the heart and this too as well as any other should have this effect Doth the Psalm present me with the glorious excellencies of God the glorious works of God the precious mercies of God all this should affect my heart Is it a Psalm of Prayer of Praise whatever the matter be the Heart must be duly affected with it Vnderstand what you sing I will sing with understanding saith Paul 1 Cor. 14.15 though I conceive he speaks there of understanding rather in a Passive than in an Active sense Surely we cannot be affected with that which we do not understand And in an especial manner take heed that the carnal part being taken with the external melody do not steal away the Heart from God in the duty O how apt are we to be overcome by this the flesh is pleased and gratified by melodious and musical suavities and then the heart is lost and the spiritual part of the duty is lost How fully and Pathetically doth * Ita fluctuo inter periculum voluptatis salubritatis experimentum c. Quum tamen mihi accidit ut meam ampliùs cantus quam res quae canitur moveat poenaliter me peccare consiteor tum mallem non audire cantantem Ecce ubi sum Elete me cum pro me flete c. Aug. Confess lib. 10. cap. 33. Augustine bewail this as to himself But that I may shut up this See that you sing with grace in your Hearts as the Apostle commands Col. 3.16 Though you have not the faculty or skill of ordering your voices in so tuneable a manner yet be sure you sing with Grace in your Hearts This some do open by Thanksgiving or Thankfulness so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken 1 Cor. 15.57 2 Cor. 2.14 but the most by the exercise the actual stirrings up and excitations of Grace in the Heart or by gracious and holy dispositions of Heart O when you are singing let Grace be up as well as the voice let the one be stirred up as the other is lifted up let gracious affections desire love joy godly sorrow accompany you in the work such as are proper and suitable to the matter of the Psalm which is sung These things I could not but thus briefly hint to you And so I have done with the enforcing of the Second Branch of the Exhortation If you would advance Religion in your Houses and so dedicate them to God then set up the Worship of God the performance of Holy duties in your Families viz. Prayer Reading the Scriptures Singing of Psalmes I hope none will be offended because I have stay'd so long upon so common a subject and gone over that which Hundreds wrote of before 'T is true the subject is common but withal 't is of such importance that we cannot speak too much of it And as common as 't is I think 't is very rare I mean in men's practises Let the thing be done you shall hear no more of it from me but if not I hope some other person will re-assume this work and go over it again much more effectually and convincingly than I have done We must never let you alone till we have brought you to the doing of your duty And this both fidelity to our Master and also love to your Souls calls upon us for CHAP. VIII The Third Branch of the Exhortation urged viz. Religious Education I Go on to the Third Branch of the Exhortation As you desire to advance and set up Religion in your Houses let your Education of Children and others who are under your charge be religious That House cannot be look'd upon as dedicated to God where Religious Education is neglected Now the first step in this is Baptismal