Holy Dedication Both Personal and Domestic, Part 1 · Chapter 2

Holy Dedication Both Personal and Domestic · Part 1 · Chapter 2

p. 24CHAP. 2. Dedication Perſonal or Domeſtick: The former opened.

THeſe things being premiſed, in order to the Explication of the words, I ſhall now faſten upon that which I deſign from them, (viz.) a little to treat of holy dedication. Now this is twofold, perſonal and domeſtick; there's the dedicating of a mans ſelf to God, and the dedicating of a mans houſe to God. I know other branches might be aſſigned, but theſe two wili be as much as I ſhall be able to graſp, and therefore I name no more. And (in ſtrictneſs of method) I ſhould only ſpeak to domeſtick or houſe-dedication; (for the words only mention that) but I ſhall deſire the Readers pardon in the handling of perſonal and ſelf-dedication alſo. The excellency of the ſubject will be ſome Apology for the violation of the ſtrict rules of method. And indeed 'tis neceſſary p. 25that I ſhould ſpeak to this, (before I come to the other) 1. becauſe ſelf-dedication is the ground of houſe-dedication: I take this for an unqueſtionable maxime, That he who doth not dedicate himſelf to God, will never dedicate his houſe to God; 'tis certain the dedication of the Houſe, muſt begin with the dedication of the Perſon. 2. Suppoſe a man ſhould dedicate his Houſe, (which yet cannot well be imagin'd) yet if he doth not dedicate himſelf, this would not profit him; (as to Gods acceptation, and his own ſalvation:) Let him enter upon his habitation in a religious manner, by prayer and praiſe, and let him ſet up the worſhip of God in his Family, and make conſcience of all religious exerciſes; if withal he doth not devote and dedicate his Perſon to God, he is but a gilded hypocrite in Gods account,1 Cor. 13.1. 2 Cor. 5.9. Heb. 6.9.1 Cor 13:12 Cor 5:9Heb 6:9 but as ſounding braſs or a tinkling Gimbal. So that that you may be accepted of the Lord, and that you may come up to the foreign, the things that have ſalvation; 'tis neceſſary that I ſhould urge upon you perſonal as well as domeſtick p. 26dedication. The Text ſpeaks of Davids dedicating his Houſe; elſe where you find him dedicating his ſelf to God. Pſal. 119.38. Stabliſh thy word unto thy ſervant, who is devoted (ſo we fill it up in our tranſlation) to thy fear. (Verſe 94.) I am thine, ſave me. Thine, not only as to Gods claim and ſpecial intereſt in him, but alſo as to his own act of dedication; he had ſolemnly dedicated himſelf to God, and ſo he was his. So (verſe 25.) I am thy ſervant, give me underſtanding that I may know thy teſtimonies. 'Tis as if he had ſaid, Bleſſed God, I have given up my ſelf to thy ſervice; let me but know thy will and pleaſure, and I will do it, for I have dedicated my ſelf to thee. I paſs by other Scriptures that might be cited for this purpoſe.

I ſhall begin with this perſonal dedication, which is a great duty, and indeed the great duty lying upon every man. You have it not, in ſo many letters and ſyllables commanded or commended in the word; but you have the thing, or that which is equivalent, very often; 2 Chron. 29.31. Now ye have conſecrated your ſelves unto p. 27the Lord, come near and bring ſacrifices, Rom. 12.1. I beſeech you brethren, by the mercies of God, that you preſent your bodies a living ſacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reaſonable ſervice. This, in effect,Nihil eſt aliud quod dicit, corpora veſtra, quam vos ipſos. Muſcul. is perſonal dedication; by Bodies, the Apoſtle means the whole Perſon; ('tis a Synecdoche uſuall both amongſt Jews and Greeks:) as in the following Chap. (verſe 1.) by ſoul he underſtands the perſon; ſo here by bodies he aims at the ſame thing.

He alludes to the legal ſacrifices, which believers under the Goſpel muſt exceed; then God took up with the bodies of Beaſts that were ſacrificed to him; but now he will have the Saints to offer up themſelves; then a dead ſacrifice was accepted, but now God ſtands upon living ſacrifices: But (I ſay) this preſenting of our bodies,Poter at propriis verbis dicere Rogo ut vos vitám que veſtram Deo conſecretis — Pareas. — Ʋt nos Deo tetos ad ipſius voluntatem dedamus. Muſcul. 'tis the dedicating or conſecrating of the whole ſelf to God. (So Pareus.) The Apoſtle (ſaith he) might have ſaid plainly, I beſeech you, that you will conſecrate your ſelves and your life to God. And (Muſculus) the meaning of the words is this, That we p. 28ſhould give up our whole ſelves to the will of God: and all Expoſitors ſpeak to the ſame purpoſe.

That I may bring my diſcourſe of this perſonal dedication, into as narrow a compaſs as may be, I will do but two things:

1. Open the Nature of it:

2. Make ſome plain and practical improvement of it.

For the Nature of it: If I would give the moſt exact and accurate explication of it, then I ſhould deſcribe it, by opening,

1. The terminus ad quem, the perſon to whom this dedication is made, namely God; conſidered in his Nature, in the Relations wherein he ſtands to us, as our Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier; as our Owner to diſpoſe of us, our Ruler to govern us; as our chief good, in whom our true and higheſt felicity doth conſiſt; as our Benefactor efficiently, and finally as our end.

2. The matter of it, or the thing dedicated, and that is, our ſelves, our perſons, poſſeſſions, &c. whatever we are or have.

3. The act of dedication, conſidered,

p. 291. In its ſelf,

2. In its properties or qualifications: In it ſelf, as it implies,

1. Reſignation to God our owner, to be diſpoſed of by him.

2. Subjection to God our Ruler to obey him.

3. Firm adherence to God, as our chief good, to thank him, to glorifie, love and pleaſe him.

In its properties; as

1. its ſincerity, heartineſs and unreſervedneſs.

2. Its intenſeneſs, reſolvedneſs.

3. Its integrity, as to all our powers and poſſeſſions.

4. Its freeneſs and voluntarineſs.

I ſay, theſe are the ſeveral things that I ſhould ſpeak to, in the exact opening of ſelf-dedication: but becauſe a ſhorter way may be more plain and obvious to the moſt capacities, I ſhall rather chuſe to open it in theſe ſix particulars. As it lies,

1. In the actual donation, and giving (or giving up) of Self to God.

2. In Self-ſurrender, or Self-reſignation to the will of God.

3. In firmneſs and fixedneſs of Reſolution for God.

4. In the ſetting apart of Self for God, and in ſeparating from the courſe of the world, and from whatever is againſt God.

p. 305. In federal ſtipulation, or free and deliberate entring into covenant with God.

6. In a perſons addicting or devoting of himſelf, to the glorifying of God, as his ſupream and ultimate end.

All theſe are contained in ſelf-dedication. Poſſibly ſome ſevere Methodiſt, will not ſo well be ſatisfied with the enumeration of theſe Heads: the truth is, 'tis the firſt thing (viz. the giving of Self to God, that is the formalis ratio, or the eſſential Act of perſonal dedication:) And all the other come in, but as ſo many ſpecies under this Genus, or as ſo many ſeveral Branches contained in this main Act. Yet for all this, I rather fixe upon the method propounded, becauſe 'tis more eaſie and expreſs. And I deſire the judicious Reader not to miſunderſtand me: When I inſtance in theſe ſix Particulars, (as making up Perſonal dedication,) I do not lay them down, as ſo many Heads really diſtinct, or really differing the one from the other, (if they be ſtrictly weighed, poſſibly ſome of them may p. 31be a little co-incident:) Nor do I propoſe them, as being all of them the eſſential conſtitutive parts of this dedication (for ſome of them are rather Adjuncts, or Modes, or Conſequents, then Eſſential parts:) I only make uſe of them, as ſo many explications or illuſtrations of the duty in hand; and if the Heads (generally propounded) ſeem to be co-incident, yet in the enlargements upon them, I ſhall purſue different notions. I come to the particular and diſtinct opening of them.

1. Self-dedication, 'tis the actual giving or donation of a mans ſelf to God. Then a perſon may be ſaid to dedicate himſelf to God, when he gives himſelf to God; when he doth (as it were) by a deed of gift, make over himſelf and his All to God. Things dedicated in the time of the Law, (from whence we muſt borrow our light, as to the true notion of Goſpel-dedication) they were given to God; there was in them an alienation of the property; the right was paſſed over from the Owner, and God himſelf was made the Proprietary: Thus 'tis here p. 32in perſonal dedication. O the poor creature, whatever his ſelf. is, he entirely makes it over to God. He goes to God, and ſays, Lord, here I tender my ſelf to thee, ſuch as it is, if thou wilt pleaſe to accept of it; Lord, I am thine; not my own, but thine; thou haſt a greater right to me, than I have or can have to my ſelf; and I own it, and therefore whatever I am, whatever I have, I give it all to thee; take me, and make the beſt of me, for I am thine. This is perſonal dedication. An inſtance of which the Apoſtle gives us, 2 Cor. 8.5. He ſpeaks of the Macedonians, Multò amplius, quàm ſperare audebamus. Eraſm. — Illi ſuperaverunt ejus expectationem, quia non ſuas tantùm facultates habuerunt expoſit…s, ſed ſeipſos impendere parati fuerunt. Calv.and he ſays this of them; This they did, not as we hoped, (that is, they did more then what we hoped for, they exceeded our hopes and expectations; wherein?). Firſt they gave their own ſelves to the Lord, and (then) unto us by the will of God. This is a very great expreſſion, an high commendation; the Apoſtle puts a great emphaſis upon it; they gave themſelves, their own ſelves to the Lord; their giving of ſome part of p. 33their eſtates towards the relief of the poor Saints at Jeruſalem, that was very well, (eſpecially conſidering the Macedonians were low enough themſelves) but this was not all, there was ſomething higher than this, they gave themſelves to the Lord. A mans ſelf is a great deal more then his eſtate, (eſpecially then ſome part of it;) this was that which was given by theſe believers. Photius (as he is cited by Oecumenius) obſerves ſix things,foreign, &c. Oecum. in loc. which were highly commendable in theſe Macedonians;

1. They gave according to their power. Nay,

2. They went beyond their power; (their charity was larger then their ability.)

3. They were free to all this: (verſe 3.) for to their power, (I bear record) yea and beyond their power, they were willing of themſelves.

4. They were very earneſt with Paul, that he would receive their gift, and take upon him the fellowſhip of miniſtring to the Saints. (Verſe 4.)

5. They went beyond what was expected from them.foreign.

6. (which (ſays he) was the higheſt of all,) They gave themſelves unto the Lord.

What could they do more, then this? There p. 34could not be an higher expreſſion of their love to God, then to give themſelves to him. Grotius in his expoſition of the words,Non ſolùm res ſuas, ſed ſemetipſos de derunt Domino, quaſi ſacrificium immaculatum. Anſelm, &c. Declarantes ſe totos eſſe Chriſti — Eſt. Haec eſt cauſa, cur ſuper vires liberales fuerint Macedones, quia non ſua tantum, ſed ſemetipſes primùm totos Domino conſecraverunt. Jac. Capell. Adeò fuit eorum voluntas ad pietatem propenſa, ut non modò bona ſua liberalitèr ad alendos pauperes effunderent, ſed ſeipſos totos Deo dicarent. Juſtin. Non bona tantùm ſua, ſed & de numero ſuo polliciti ſunt, ſe daturos, qui Corinthum i…ent. Grot. So Dr. Hammond. And Calvines words (cited above) may alſo be carried this way. doth much diminiſh and leſſen this act; for he makes it to be but this; the Macedonians did not only give their own Alms and benevolence, but they promiſed to ſend ſome of their Body to the Corinthians, to ſtir them up to the ſame liberality. This I judge to be a very cold and frigid interpretation, put upon this glorious carriage of theſe perſons: O that we had many of this Temper! that the world might be full of ſuch perſons, that did give their own ſelves to the Lord. This is rather paying a debt, then giving a gift, for we all owe our ſelves to the Lord; and how do we gain by this giving; He loſes nothing that gives his All to God; God will return it him with advantage. But I will not mingle the Applicatory p. 35and the Explicatory part together.

2. Self-dedication conſiſts in ſelf-ſurrender, or ſelf-reſignation to the will of God. When I give my ſelf to God, this ſpeaks my due ſenſe of his right to me, and propriety in me; when I ſurrender my ſelf to his will, this ſpeaks my due ſenſe of his ſoveraignty and dominion over me. I give my ſelf to God, to be uſed, imployed by him; I reſign up my ſelf to God, to be ruled, ordered, diſpoſed by him. In giving my ſelf to God, I eye him as my Creator, Preſerver, Redeemer: In ſurrendring my ſelf to his will, I eye him as my Legiſlator and Soveraign. The latter follows upon the former; having given up my ſelf to God, I am now his; he may now do with me what he pleaſes, for Dominium tranſit cum re, &c. (as the Lawyers tell us:) and upon this, I muſt ſurrender up my ſelf to his will. This (I ſay) is part of ſelf-dedication.

Now this will of God, Divines diſtinguiſh into his Preceptive, and into his Providential will. The Preceptive will of God is that, wherein p. 36he reveals and enjoyns our duty: The Providential will of God, is that, wherein he orders our condition. The Preceptive will refers to what God will have us to do; the Providential will refers to what God himſelf is pleaſed to do. When the Soul is brought over to this two-fold will of God, ſo, as to act ſubjection to the one, and ſubmiſſion to the other, this is ſelf-dedication.

1. It lies in ſubjection to Gods Preceptive will. This ſubjection is our dedication; when we lie at Gods feet, ſtudy his will revealed in the word, and reſign up our ſelves to it, yield obedience to his commands, do not oppoſe or quarrel at any thing that he enjoyns;1 Sam. 3.10. Acts 9 6.1 Sam 3:10Acts 9:6 but ſay, Speak Lord, thy ſervant hears; what wilt thou have us to do? What thou wilt have us to do, that we will do, what thou wilt have us not to do, that we will not do; when we once come to ſpeak this heartily, ſo to ſpeak and ſo to do, then we have dedicated our ſelves to God. No ſubjection, no dedication, the ſinner hath no further dedicated himſelf to God, then as he lives in a bleſſed conformity p. 37and ſubjection to his will, and wholly reſigns up himſelf to it, 2 Chron. 30.8. Be not ſtiff-necked as your fathers were, but yield your ſelves unto the Lord: 'Tis an alluſion to Servants, when they enter into their Maſters ſervice, they yield themſelves up to them, (in all lawful things) to be ſubject to their will and commands; and ſo they may be ſaid to have dedicated themſelves to them. So here, Yield your ſelves unto the Lord, Rom. 6.16. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield your ſelves ſervants to obey, his ſervants ye are to whom ye obey, &c. And (verſe 19.) As ye have yielded your members ſervants to uncleanneſs and to iniquity unto iniquity, even ſo now yield your members ſervants to righteouſneſs unto holineſs. Oh, when men are brought to this, to yield themſelves to God, to be his ſervants, to be obedient to his will, then ſelf-dedication is arrived at. The Apoſtle exhorting to this very thing, Rom. 12.1. (as hath been hinted) he ſets it forth, by preſenting our bodies to God; now that (**Significat pluſquam aſtare, praeſtò ſcilicet ſemper, & paratum alicui aſſiſtere, ad mandata ejus excipienda & obeunda. Gagn. vid. Steph. in Verb. foreign) is as much as to live p. 38ad nutum Dei, to be at Gods beck and call, readily to be ordered by his will. If this word will not prove that which I aim at, that which follows will; having ſpoke of perſonal dedication, (verſe 1.) he preſently ſubjoyns, (verſe 2.) Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Then we have dedicated our ſelves to God, when we do not ſymbolize, agree with the carnal world, but (upon transformation and renovation going before) we do obſerve, approve of, and obey the good will of God; when we ſay to God, as the Son to his Father; Tibi Pater me dedo, quidvis oneris impone, impera. (Terent.) I give my ſelf to thee; lay on what thou pleaſeſt, I will bear it, enjoyn what thou wilt, I will do it. Till a man be brought out of the Natural ſtate, he can never come to this; for, The carnal mind is enmity againſt God, for it is not ſubject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be, Rom. 8.7. Till there be converſion, there cannot be ſubjection to Gods will; and till p. 39there be this ſubjection, there is no ſelf-dedication. Unleſs the heart be framed to this, 'tis a certain evidence of Non-dedication. You know the will of God, you read it, you hear it, 'tis urg'd upon you from time to time, but yet you will not be obedient to it, ſurely ſelf is not yet devoted to God.

2. It lies in ſubmiſſion to Gods providential will. This ſubmiſſion, points,See the Whole Duty of Man. Part. 2. p 31. &c. either to what is paſt or preſent, or to what is future and to come. Our ſubmiſſion as to what is paſt or preſent, conſiſts in the exerciſe of Patience, under all the Lords diſpenſations: Our ſubmiſſion as to what is to come, conſiſts in our quiet, ſedate, compoſed referring our ſelves to Gods wiſe diſpoſe; as believing, that he knows what is beſt, and will do nothing, but what ſhall be for the beſt. Theſe two are diſtinct, and I ſhall ſpeak to them as ſo, when I come to the uſe; here I will only touch upon ſubmiſſion to the Providential will of God in general. A Chriſtians ſelf-dedication lies very much in this; when I dedicate my ſelf to God, I do either implicitly or expreſly ſay this, Lord, here I am, p. 40I throw my ſelf down before thee, I reſign up my ſelf to thee, do with me what ſeems good unto thee; not my will, but thy will be done. Let my work be what it will, I'll ſubmit: Let my rank and ſtation be what it will, I'll ſubmit. Let my condition be what it will, I'll ſubmit; Be it health or ſickneſs, fulneſs or want, relations or no relations, mercy or affliction, this or that, I'll ſubmit; I ſay, this we do in effect ſpeak, whenever we enter upon this dedication; and without this, either we are not true in our dedication, or not true to our dedication. O the bleſſed examples that we have in the word, of the excellent carriage of dedicated perſons, in this particular; (if the Lord would help us, who profeſs the ſame dedication, to practiſe the ſame ſubmiſſion,) what a dreadful meſſage was ſent to good old Eli? 1 Sam 3.18.1 Sam 3:18but (ſaith he) It is the Lord, let him do what ſeemeth him good. What grievous trials did holy**Quanta adverſus eum jacula miſſa? Quanta admota tormenta? Iaclur a rei familla… is infligitur, numeroſae ſobolis orbitas irrogatur, &c. Nec Dcminus repentè nec Patereſt. Accedit vulnerum vaſtitas, &c. Nec tamen Job gravibus & denſi… conflictationibus frangitur, quò minus inter illas anguſcias, & preſſur as ſuas Dei benedictio victrice patientiâ praedicetur. Cvpr de Bono Patient. — Nihil in dcmo remanſerat, &c. Certè pauper eſt, certe nihil haber; ſi nihil remanſit, de quo theſauro iſtae gemmae laudis Dei proferuntur. O virum putrem & integram! O foedum & pulchrum, &c. Aug. Serm. 105. de Temp. Job p. 41undergo? but how ſubmiſſively, nay, how thankfully did he carry it.Job 1.21.Job 1:21 The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, bleſſed be the name of the Lord. David had his ſmarting afflictions too;Pſal. 39 9.Ps 39:9 but (ſaith he) I was dumb, and opened not my mouth, becauſe thou Lord didſt it. When he fled from Abſalom, 2 Sam. 15 25, 26.2 Sam 15:252 Sam 15:26he was in great ſtraits; but, though his ſon rebels againſt him, he quietly refers himſelf to God. And the King ſaid unto Zadok, carry back the Ark of God into the City; if I ſhall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and ſhew me both it and his habitation; but if he thus ſay, I have no delight in thee, (a ſad word for God to ſpeak; if he ſpeaks this word, will not David fret and murmur? O no,) Behold here am I, let him do to me as ſeemeth good unto him. Iſa 39. ult.Isa 39'Twas a diſmal meſſage, that the Prophet brought to Hezekiah; but he receives it with much calmneſs; Good is the word of the Lord, which thou haſt ſpoken. The higheſt of all was our precious Lord and Saviour; 'twas a bitter Cup indeed, that he was to drink of; and he prayed earneſtly to be freed from p. 42it,Matth. 26.39.Matt 26:39 Father if it be poſſible, &c. yet he ſubmits his will to his Fathers will; Nevertheleſs not my will, but thy will be done. Here are excellent copies, God enables us to write after them. To cloſe up this Head; ſubjection to Gods preceptive will, ſubmiſſion to his providential will, are great ingredients into ſelf-dedication. Do you ſay to God, with reſpect to his preceptive will,2 Kings 10.5.2 Kgs 10:5 what once the rulers of Jezreel, and the Elders ſaid to Jehu? We are thy ſervants, and will do all that thou ſhalt bid us. And do you alſo ſay to God, with reſpect to his providential will, what once Hezekiah ſaid to the King of Aſſyria? 2 Kings 18.14.2 Kgs 18:14What thou putteſt upon me I will bear: If this be the frame of your ſouls, then ſurely you are ſincere in your ſelf-dedication; and know what it is to be a people dedicated to God, and are not now to enter upon this great work.

3. Self-dedication, is the firmneſs and fixedneſs of reſolution for God and his ways. This act of the will is eſſentially requiſite to it; the dedication is falſe, when the reſolution is not firm; when the ſoul is once come to this, to p. 43be fixed, reſolved for God, and holineſs, againſt ſin, the world, the fleſh, and all oppoſers, there is the truth of dedication. That ſubjection, (which I ſpoke to under the former Head) is indeed the act of the will, and that is very good; but that is not enough, there muſt be reſolution alſo; here the will is peremptory, here it acts with the greateſt intenſeneſs and vehemence; and this is brought about by the underſtanding, this is the leading faculty; it lays before the will ſuch and ſuch dictates, then the will reſolves; O ſays the underſtanding, God is good; then ſays the will, I'll love him, cleave to him, purſue after him, never forſake him: The ways of God are good; then ſays the will, I'll walk in them, and I will not depart from them; ſin is evil, then ſays the will, I'll ſhun it, I'll have nothing to do with it; (and ſo in other things:) the intellective faculty preſents its dictates, then the will frames its practical and peremptory decrees: Now I ſay, this is our dedication to God, when the will thus reſolves for God; when we are ſet for God, and duty never p. 44to be altered; our hearts are fixed, (as David ſaid his was,Pſal. 57.7.Ps 57:7) let Satan and the world do what they can, to take us off from an holy God and an holy courſe, yet they ſhall not do it; O happy ſouls, with whom 'tis thus! Self-dedication makes a perſon unmovable;1 Cor. 13.58.1 Cor 13:58 he is not to be altered, his purpoſe and reſolution is ſo high. Ruth would not leave her mother Naomi, Ruth. 1.14, 16, 17.Ruth 1:14Ruth 1:16Ruth 1:17whatever came on't; Orpah was ſoon taken off, ſhe kiſſes her mother, and parts from her, but Ruth clave to her; O ſays ſhe, Intreat me not to leave thee, whither thou goeſt I will go, where thou lodgeſt I will lodge, where thou dieſt I will die, &c. All the Kings dainties were nothing to Daniel; Dan. 1.8.Dan 1:8He had purpoſed in his heart, that he would not defile himſelf with the portion of the Kings meat, &c. Thus 'tis with a man, as to God and Chriſt and godlineſs, when he hath ſincerely dedicated himſelf to God. Self-dedication is always attended with firmneſs of reſolution; nay indeed the very eſſence of it lies in this. I am purpoſed that my mouth ſhall not tranſgreſs. Pſal. 17.3. Pſal. 119.8, 106.Ps 17:3Ps 119:8Ps 119:106I will keep thy ſtatutes, I have ſworn, and I will perform p. 45it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments. Moſes had dedicated himſelf to Chriſt,Hebr. 11.24, 26.Heb 11:24Heb 11:26 and therefore he was reſolved for Chriſt; He refuſed to be called the ſon of Pharaohs daughter, eſteeming the reproach of Chriſt greater riches, than the treaſures in Egypt. All this is come upon us, Pſal. 44.17.Ps 44:17yet have we not forgotten thee, nor dealt falſly in thy Covenant. Here was reſolution; and where that is not, in oppoſition both to ſuſpenſiveneſs within, and to Apoſtacy without, there is no ſelf-dedication. Here dedicating work begins, and it holds on with this to the end. Oh, this is the language of ſuch as are upright in it; when we firſt owned God, and cloſed with him, we weighed and conſidered what we did, we traverſed things to and fro, after mature and ſerious deliberation, and caſting up all accounts, we gave our ſelves to God, and choſe to walk in his ways; and we ſee nothing of weight to make us alter our choice; no, we are confirmed in it more and more, and like it better every day then other; we have choſen the way of truth, Pſal. 119.30, 31.Ps 119:30Ps 119:31and we will ſtick to it; let us be hated, derided, p. 46reproached, perſecuted, all this ſhall not make us change our courſe, or alter our choice; here, here is that precious, excellent, ſelf-dedication which I am ſpeaking of. O that it was as eaſie to live it, and act it, as it is to deſcribe it, and to talk or write of it.

4. Self-dedication lies, in a mans ſetting of himſelf apart for God, and ſeparating from the courſe of the world. The Nature of dedication (or conſecration) conſiſted in the ſeparation or ſetting apart of perſons, places, things, from common ends and uſes, for holy ends and uſes: (This I ſpoke ſomething to, when I was upon the opening of the words.) The Prieſts under the Law, they were ſeparated from other men, and from common imployments, and devoted to the worſhip of God. And the Levites alſo, they were thus ſet apart, Numb. 16.9. Numb. 8.11. And Aaron ſhall offer the Levites before the Lord. (So we read it, but in the Hebrew 'tis wave or ſeparate: and therefore the LXX. render the word by foreign) in alluſion to this, and alſo to the p. 47Theruma or heave-offering in the time of the Law, (which the Greeks ſet forth by foreign,) the Apoſtles and Goſpel-Miniſters are ſaid to be ſeparated; and the ſame word is uſed with reſpect to them; Acts 13.2. Separate me Barnabas and Saul, for the work whereunto I have called them. 'Tis (foreign) And Paul ſpeaking of himſelf, ſays, he was (foreign) ſeparated unto the Goſpel of God, Rom. 1.1. I might (to the ſame effect) inſiſt upon holy time, holy places, and holy things; the holineſs of all which did lie in their ſeparation; in oppoſition to which, that is ſaid to be common or unholy, which was not ſeparated from common uſes; foreign, Heb. 10.29. is tranſlated [unholy] (but I will not ſtay upon this.) Now to my preſent purpoſe; ſelf-dedication is, when a perſon carries it as one, who is ſeparated or ſet apart for God; or as one, who in his life and converſation, ſets himſelf apart for holy ends and purpoſes. This ſetting apart, is either Gods Act or our Act; as 'tis Gods Act, you find it in Pſalm 4.4. Know that the Lord hath ſet apart him p. 48that is godly for himſelf. The words primarily refer to the perſon of David, whom God had deſigned to, and ſet apart for the Kingdom: but ſecondarily they are applicable to all the people of God: the Saints are a people whom God hath ſeparated, called out of the world, ſet apart for himſelf, Iſ. 43.21. This people have I formed for my ſelf, they ſhall ſhew forth my praiſe. Thus the people of Iſrael, (upon Gods ſpecial favours indulged to them) they are ſaid to be ſeparated by God, to be a ſpecial, peculiar people to him; as you may ſee, 1 Kings 8.53. Deut. 7.6. Deut. 14.2. Deut. 26.18. Levit. 20.24, 26. As it is our Act, (or that which is done by our ſelves,) ſo this ſetting apart or ſeparating includes many things; 'tis our impropriating our ſelves to the ſervice of God; 'tis the taking off our affections from earthly things, and ſetting them upon God; 'tis our abandoning of ſin and luſt; and many ſuch things might be inſtanced in, and enlarg'd upon: But I will pitch upon one thing only, and that is our ſeparating from the common courſe of the world. Self-dedication p. 49conſiſts, in our non-communion, or non-participation with ſinners, in their wicked and unholy practices; in our coming out from amongſt them, 2 Cor. 6.17.2 Cor 6:17and being ſeparate; in our having no fellowſhip with them, Eph. 5.11.Eph 5:11in the unfruitful works of darkneſs; in the difference and ſingularity of our converſations; in our carrying of it in the world, as a peculiar people to God, Tit. 2.14.Titus 2:14zealous of good works. When we do this, (through the grace of God enabling of us, and working in us,) this is to ſeparate our ſelves, and to ſet our ſelves apart for God, and ſo to be dedicated to him. He that lives a common life, and doth as others do, and proſtitutes himſelf to the common luſts of men, he is yet a ſtranger to ſelf-dedication: If you have indeed come up to this, you will ſay, O I'm a perſon dedicated to the Lord, I muſt be and live as one that is ſeparated; I muſt not walk as others do, nor live as others do; I muſt not live a carnal common life, I muſt differ from the men of the world; let them be vain, I muſt not be ſo; let them profane Sabbaths, omit duties, gratifie the fleſh, I muſt not do ſo; p. 50I muſt be a man by my ſelf, and bring forth diſtinguiſhing fruit, to the praiſe of God; for I have dedicated my ſelf to God, and ſet my ſelf apart, I muſt be a quite other perſon than what others are: this is the fourth thing.

5. This ſelf-dedication lies, in federal ſtipulation, or entring into Covenant with God. I will here reaſſume that Scripture, which I touch'd upon, under a former Head. 2 Chron. 30.8. Yield your ſelves unto the Lord. This yielding to God is variouſly opened; ſome make it to be ſubmiſſion; aaManus dare apud Latinos ſignificat ſe victum fateri, vel ſe dedere. Lavat. vid. Deod. in loc.As if the meaning of Hezekiah in this advice was this; you ſee you are not able to ſtand it out againſt God, you are no match for God, he's too ſtrong for you; and therefore yield, ſubmit, throw down your weapons, beg mercy, as Gariſons do, when there is too great a ſtrength aſſaulting of them, they yield and make no longer reſiſtance. Some make it to be active obedience, bbObtempe rate Jehovae invitanti per nos. Vatabl. Subjicite vos Jehovae, praeſtantes obedientiam, quam ſubjectionem teſtari ſolent ſubditi erga regem praebitisne manus, in principio gubernationis. Piſcat. 1 Chron. 29.24. And all the Princes and the mighty men, and all the ſons likewiſe of King David, ſubmitted (in the Hebr, gave the hand) unto Solomon the King.1 Chr 29:24ſubjection to the will of p. 51God. I humbly conceive, the proper import of theſe words is that which I am upon; Yield your ſelves unto the Lord, (i. e.) enter into covenant with him.2 Chron. 29.10.2 Chr 29:10 Hezekiah in the former Chapter, had been ſpeaking of making a covenant with the Lord God of Iſrael, that his fierce wrath might be turned away: Now he preſſes this upon the people, and exhorts them to yield to God, to bind themſelves in covenant to him. 'Tis in the Original, (c)(c)foreign Which the LXX. render foreign Had they rendred it, foreign it had been much better translated. The Heathens were wont to confirm their Covenants by the giving of the hand. So Joſephus tells us of the Parthians. Antiq. Jud. l. 18 c. 12. And ſo Diodorus of the Perſians. Diodor. Sic. l. 16. Cur dextrae jungere dextram Non datur? Virgil. Jura, fides ubi nunc, commiſſáque dextera dextrae. Ovid.Give the hand to the Lord: this giving of the hand, was a geſture or rite anciently uſed, in the making of and entring into covenants. 'Tis ſaid of Zedekiah, in reference to that covenant which he had made with the King of Egypt, (the violation of which God took ſo hainouſly; Shall he proſper? Ezek. 17.1.Ezek 17:1Shall he eſcape that doth ſuch things? Or ſhall he break the Covenant and be delivered?) I ſay, at the making of this covenant, he is ſaid, to give the hand; p. 52(when lo, he had given his hand,) Ezek. 17.18. In Ezra's time, when the Jews entred into Covenant, that they would put away their ſtrange wives, they gave their hands, Ezra 10.19. And the Iſraelites, in their great ſtraits,Supplices facti ſumus eis, vel foedera ſancivimus. Lavat. they are ſaid to give the hand to the Egyptians, (i. e.) to make a Covenant with them: Lam. 5.6. To this purpoſe, is that of the Wiſe man, in his diſſwading from the bonds of ſuretiſhips;Prov. 22.26.Prov 22:26 Be not thou one of them that ſtrike hands. And to this, I conceive the words I am upon, do mainly refer; Give the hand to the Lord; oh enter into covenant with God, ſtrike up a ſolemn federal compact with him; this is the way to turn away his wrath from you. This is that, which is done by every one, who doth in a right manner dedicate himſelf to God, he gives the hand to God; he ſubſcribes with his hand to the Lord, (as 'tis expreſſed,) Iſa. 44.5. He joyns himſelf to the Lord, (as 'tis Zach. 2.11.) he engages his heart to approach unto God, (as 'tis Jer. 30.21.) and this is his dedication. He that enters into the bond of the covenant, Ezek. 20.37.Ezek 20:37binds himſelf to p. 53be the Lords, makes over himſelf to God, to be ruled by him, and improved for him; he is the man, who comes up to that bleſſed act, which I am deſcribing. Divines that treat of the Heavenly calling, diſtinguiſh, of vocatio ad munus, and vocatio ad foedus; ſo here, in dedication I may diſtinguiſh; there is dedicatio reſpectu muneris, dedication in reſpect of office, (thus the Prieſts in the time of the Law, and Miniſters now under the Goſpel, may be ſaid to be dedicated to God:) And there is dedicatio reſpectu foederis, in reſpect of the covenant, that is, when the ſoul doth indent, ſtipulate with God, and ſolemnly engage to him, to make good every duty that it ſtands obliged unto; this is a great part of our perſonal dedication, (or at leſtwiſe the mode or manner of this dedication,) and the more explicit and expreſs this ſtipulation is, the higher and fuller is the dedication. But as to the explicitneſs of it, I ſhall ſpeak more of that, when I come to the Uſe.

6. In the laſt place; Self-dedication, is a perſons addicting and devoting p. 54himſelf to the glory of God, as his ſupream and ultimate end. So that in his place and ſphere, to his utmoſt he doth mind, and endeavour to promote it in the world: This glory of God, is very dear to himſelf: there's nothing God ſo much ſtands upon as his glory; and take a man that is hearty in his dedication, the glory of God is very dear to him alſo; his heart is ſet for the advancement of it, (according to his ability,) he devotes himſelf to Gods honour and glory. Which he may be ſaid to do in theſe three reſpects.

1. He will do nothing (ſo far as humane frailty, and the imperfection of the preſent ſtate will admit,) that may ſtrike at Gods glory, or which hath not a direct tendency to it: (underſtand me aright, I ſpeak of weighty and momentous acts:) Sin is that curſed thing, which ſtrikes at Gods glory: and therein lies the evil and maglignity of it: it reflects diſhonour upon God, in the holineſs of his nature, in the purity of his law, in the righteouſneſs of his government; and in what not? Therefore the ſelf-dedicating Chriſtian, he will not ſin, (willingly p. 55and out of choice.) He ſhuns, reſiſts, dreads, hates ſin, as 'tis an offence to God, and as it caſts diſhonour upon God. O when temptation comes, he thruſts it of with defiance; How ſhall I do this and ſin againſt God? Gen 39.9.Gen 39:9And ſo reflect diſhonour upon him; I can ſuffer for God, (for by that he hath glory from me, and that's but my ſuffering,) but I muſt not ſin againſt God, for by that he is diſparaged, and by it his glory ſuffers. And then (I ſay) he will do nothing, but what hath a direct tendency to Gods glory. There's nothing done in the world, but God hath glory by it; even ſin it ſelf,Prov. 16.4.Prov 16:4 God ſo diſpoſes it, and over-rules it, that it ſhall be ſubſervient and contribute to his honour: Even by Pharaohs obſtinacy God was glorified. Exod. 9.16.Exod 9:16The crucifixion of our Lord, (the greateſt ſin that ever was committed) God advanced his glory by it, let the ingredients be what they will, yet the wiſe God knows how to make an extract out of all of them, of glory to himſelf, and of good to his people: And ſurely,**Potentius & melius eſſe judicavit, etiam de malis benefacere, quàm mala eſſe non ſinere. Auguſt. de Civit. Dei, l. 22. c. 2. he would never ſuffer ſin to be in the world, if he did not know how to p. 56make it pay a tribute to his glory. But there are things, which directly tend to this; they are not only diſpoſed and over-ruled to the furtherance of it, but they have a direct natural tendency thereunto; ſuch are holineſs, Matth: 5.16. Fruitfulneſs, Joh. 15.8. Philip. 1.11. Thankfulneſs, Pſal. 50. ult. (with many others, that might be mentioned.) Theſe now are the things, which are in the godly mans eye; he that hath dedicated himſelf to God, he's for that, and only for that, which hath a ſtreight and direct tendency to this glory.

2. He makes God and his glory, the great end of life; this is that which he aims at, and propounds to himſelf in living, that God may be glorified; he ſays, Scopus vitae Chriſtus, (which was the Motto of the Emperor Jovinian,) Chriſt is the ſcope, the end of my life. Where the dedication is hearty, the end is high; grace raiſes and heightens a mans end; the natural man, what poor low ends doth he act by; he centers in ſelf, and goes no higher than ſelf. And no wonder, that his ends are low, when his principles p. 57are low; the end always anſwers to the principle; water will not aſcend higher, then the ſpring from which it flows: Mens ends will not riſe higher than their principles; they that act only from ſelf, will act only for ſelf. Natural men therefore go no higher than this; but Saints, dedicated perſons, they have higher principles, and they have higher ends; in their courſe of life, they aim at nothing below God and his glory, as their ſupream and ultimate end: Rom. 14 7 8. Chriſto, qui nos ſuos fecit, & vitam & vitae omnia, & ipſam mortem conſecrare debemus, & parati ſumus. Grot. in loc. 2 Cor. 5.14, 15.Rom 14:72 Cor 5:142 Cor 5:15For none of us liveth to himſelf, and no man dieth to himſelf; for whether we live, we live unto the Lord, and whether we live therefore or die, we are the Lords. The love of Chriſt conſtraineth us, becauſe we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead; and that he died for all, that they which live, ſhould not henceforth live unto themſelves, but unto him which died for them, and roſe again. Paul, Philip. 1.20.Phil 1:20was for the magnifying of Chriſt, whether it was by life or death. And he exhorts the Hebrews, to follow the faith of their rulers,Heb. 13.7, 8.Heb 13:7Heb 13:8 conſidering the end of their converſation; what was that? p. 58He tells you, Jeſus Chriſt, the ſame yeſterday, and to day and for ever. Inſtead of a Full-point, make but a Comma or Colon, at thoſe words, (Conſidering the end of their converſation,) and the ſenſe will run very ſmoothly to my purpoſe, (though may be in this expoſition I am alone.)

3. As in his general courſe, ſo in particular actions, he intends and aims at the glory of God; be they natural, civil, or religious, whether he eats, or drinks, or trades, or prays, or hears, he doth all to the glory of God, (as the Apoſtle directs, 1 Cor. 10.31.) This is the white which he aims at; every arrow is levelled at this mark; this is the Card by which he ſails, the Compaſs by which he ſtears his courſe, and the Port or Haven towards which he makes. Thus he ſtands devoted to the glory of God, and herein lies his dedication.

And thus I have in theſe ſix particulars opened the Nature of Perſonal or Self-dedication; and I will add no more upon this Head, (I mean the Explication,) becauſe I ſhall go over theſe things again more fully in the Application.