Holy Dedication Both Personal and Domestic, To the reader
To the Afflicted Citizens OF LONDON, And to every READER.
THe marvellous induſtry of the Devil and his Angels in all generations, in hindring the preaching and knowledge of that ſacred truth, which God hath ſealed for the ſanctifying and ſaving of mens ſouls, would riſe up in judgment againſt the Miniſters of Chriſt to their condemnation, if they ſhould not with reſolution and unwearied induſtry, ſubſerve the lover of truth and ſouls, in ſo happy a work, which none but the fiends and friends of darkneſs do malign. Therefore allow me to contribute this poor aſſiſtance for thy good, by putting into thy hand this paper-Lanthorn, in which the Reverend Author hath ſet up ſo ſeaſonable a light, for the uſe of the reedified houſes of this City. The very great number of excellent Books, which periſhed in the flames, doth now make ſome of us retract our repentance for ſcribling ſo much; and may convince the cenſurer, that it ſhould not be taken as a needleſs work, to endeavour ſomething towards the reparation of ſo unvaluable a loſs. The ſubject of this Treatiſe is nothing Novel, indifferent, dark or doubtful; but the compendium or ſumme of all Religion: the ſame thing which is proclaimed as neceſſary to ſalvation, under various names and titles in the ſacred Scripture: the very title of Dedication to God methinks ſhould command attention from the Reader, and ſtrike his heart with an holy awe; as ſpeaking a thing ſo high and holy! what is it but that reverend title, which is the mark of God on all that he will own, and which he hath commanded his ſervants to aſſume Holineſs to the Lord. The firſt part is of Self-Dedication; the ſecond of Houſe-Dedication, (in which is comprehended the Dedicating of All that we have to God:) of which I may ſay, alluding to Chriſts words, the One is the firſt and great Commandment, and the ſecond is like to it. And it is all neither more nor leſs than the expoſition of our Baptiſmal Covenant, that is, of our Chriſtianity it ſelf, in which we did all by a ſolemn Vow, Dedicate and give up our ſelves and all that we ſhould have to God.
I will not ſo far digreſs as to give you the reaſons of all the other appellations of this ſame act or ſtate: it is called by the name of Vocation, Repentance, Regeneration, the new birth, renewing, quickening, converſion or turning unto God, the new creature, putting off the old man, and putting on the new; ſanctification, grace, the ſpirit, tranſlation from death to life, the Divine nature, life eternal, religion, godlineſs, the reconciling of man to God, righteouſneſs; and under moſt of theſe names it is ordinarily treated of by Divines: but there is no name which more clearly informeth man of the true nature of this work, (as on his part,) than theſe three remaining, which all are of the like importance; that is, Dedicating (our ſelves,) Devoting (our ſelves) and Covenanting with God. And therefore I wiſh that hereafter Divines will more frequently handle it, under theſe moſt plain and explicit notions, which will need leaſt expoſition to the more ignorant ſort, and contain in them their proper perſwaſives to the work.
To Sanctifie, or Conſecrate, or Dedicate a perſon unto God, is to ſeparate him from all other common inconſiſtent uſes, to the ſervice of his Maker and Redeemer. And as Gods ſervice is either that which is common to all Chriſtians, or that which is proper to ſome office of Miniſtry; ſo there is a double dedication and ſanctification: one is our ſeparation to God in a holy Chriſtian ſtate of life, and the other is a ſeparation to the ſacred office of the Goſpel-miniſtery; which ought to preſuppoſe the former, (for none ſhould be more perſonally holy, than thoſe that have a holy office,) but yet they are too often ſeparated, (for he may have all that is eſſential to that office, which is to promote the ſalvation of others, who yet ſhall never be ſaved himſelf.) Holineſs to the Lord was the mark of God, which Aaron was to wear on his forehead, on the fore-front of his Mitre, engraven on a plate of pure gold, like the engravings of a Signet, Exod. 28.36. Holineſs to the Lord was Gods mark upon Iſrael as his ſanctified ſeparated people, Jer. 2.3. Holineſs to the Lord was the title of thoſe things which were dedicated to his Temple-ſervice, Iſa. 23.18. which ſignifieth no more than Holy to the Lord: And Holineſs to the Lord is the mark of God on all the poſſeſſions and utenſils of his ſervants in the Kingdom of the Mediator, as is foretold in Zech. 14.20, 21. In that day ſhall there be upon the bells (or bridles) of the horſes, Holineſs to the Lord: Yea, every Pot in Jeruſalem and Judah ſhall be, Holineſs to the Lord; and all they that ſacrifice, ſhall come and take of them and ſeeth therein. All which is but the ſame in ſenſe with that which is ſaid of true Believers in the Goſpel: As he which hath called you is Holy, ſo be ye Holy in all manner of converſation, 1 Pet. 1.15, 16. An holy Prieſthood to offer up ſpiritual ſacrifices acceptable to God, by Jeſus Chriſt: Ye are a choſen generation, a royal prieſthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye ſhould ſhew forth the praiſes of him who hath called you, 2 Pet, 2.5, 9. To the pure all things are pure, Tit. 1.15. It is ſanctified by the word of God, and prayer, 1 Tim. 4.5.
It is a ſad caſe (and the greateſt ſcandal to the Anabaptiſts,) that twenty, or thirty, or forty years after perſons are Baptized, and ſolemnly dedicated to God in the holy Covenant, we muſt be fain to preach to them as the Ancients were wont to do to the Catechumens; and muſt ſpend moſt of our time and labour, in teaching them what this Covenant-dedication is, and in perſwading them to a true conſent, and confuting their prejudice, and driving them from the entanglements and ſecurity, which cauſe their unwillingneſs and delays: as if we were but preparing them for Baptiſm! And O how happy ſhould we think our ſelves, if after all this, we could but find them in that caſe as all the adult-expectants of baptiſm ſhould be in; even truly penitent believing-conſenters to the covenant of God, (that is, true Chriſtians.) If we lived in a land where the greater part were Heathens, and ſhould be ſo long in preaching our preparatory Lectures to make them Chriſtians, and when we had all done could prevail but with a few to be baptized, how compaſsionately or contemptuouſly would you ſpeak of ſuch wretched obdurate men? But ſirs, would you not thereby condemn your ſelves? Nay are you not under an aggravated condemnation, who after you are ſolemnly liſted to Chriſt in the ſacred Vow and Covenant, are yet no more perſwaded to the thing it ſelf which you have vowed, than thoſe Heathens and Infidels whom you diſdain. What is it that you think they are ſo hardly brought to? Is it only to be ſprinkled or waſhed with water? That is not it: do they not daily waſh their hands and face? And would not any of them be hired for a little, to bath themſelves in a River in the heat of Summer? and to ſpeak as many words as are ſpoken for you in baptiſm? Alas, the difficulty is not here! But, to take off a ſenſual ſinner from the love of this world, and fleſhly pleaſures; and to make him ſtedfaſtly believe, that there is an endleſs bleſſedneſs in Heaven, for believing Saints, intended by God, procured by Chriſt, and given in the Goſpel-covenant; and to perſwade him to devote himſelf and all that he hath entirely to God, and reſolvedly to conſent to the terms of that Covenant, and to follow his ſuffering-Saviour to that glory: This is the thing that is neceſſary to ſalvation; and this is it which Heathens and Infidels are ſo hardly brought to. And is it not ſo, with all the rabble of hypocrite-Chriſtians, as well as with them? If a little water and a few good words can make a man paſs for a Chriſtian with God, and can charm him into Heaven, who either knoweth not what Chriſtianity is, or never heartily conſented to it himſelf, nor never ſet his heart on Heaven, or denied his fleſhly pleaſures to obtain it; then let the ſenſual hypocrite hope ſtill to be ſaved: If Chriſt had ſet up ſuch a Religion as this, it had been no hard matter for the Preachers of it to have procured better quarter with the world, and to have brought the generality of drunkards, fornicators and worldlings to be Chriſtians in ſenſu compoſito: when not a hair of the heads of any of their fleſhly luſts ſhould periſh: and then vice verſâ as the rabble would have all been Chriſtians, the few that are now true Chriſtians would have been the enemies of ſuch a Chriſtianity.
Dedication to God doth ſignifie that which is more than ineffectual knowledge and convictions: and more than delatory purpoſes to repent: and more than a courſe of the eaſie outward duties of Religion: and more than a Religiouſneſs which ſtoopeth to worldly intereſt, and is ſubordinate to the pleaſure and proſperity of the fleſh: and more than a frightened, unſetled reſolution, to be religious indeed: and more than a taking of Chriſt as upon trial, with a reſerve to leave him when he calleth you to the croſs. This Self-Dedication is that act of a convinced, humbled, penitent ſinner, by which he doth deliberately, ſoberly, and reſolvedly conſent to the Covenant of God, (according to the tenor of baptiſm,) and dedicated and give up himſelf entirely and abſolutely to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt, as his Owner to be diſpoſed of by him; as his Ruler to obey him, and as his Benefactor and chief Good, thankfully to depend upon him, and ſo Love him as his ultimate end.
A perſon thus Dedicated to God, hath the higheſt preferment, the nobleſt and the ſafeſt ſtation; the Relation which he entereth into is not an empty unprofitable title: as on his part it engageth him to duty, ſo on Gods part it eſtateth him in mercy. And they ſhall be mine ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, in that day when I make up my jewels, (or ſpecial treaſure) and I will ſpare them as a man ſpareth his own ſon that ſerveth him, Mal. 3.17. He will ſay, Touch not mine anointed: And will be avenged on that ſacrilegious violence, which laid hands on them who were Dedicated to God. For the Lord is our defence, and the holy one of Iſrael is our King, Pſal. 89.18. Theſe veſſels of mercy ſhall dwell in his ſanctuary; where they ſhall ſee Him and his goings, Pſal. 63.2. and 68.24. and ſhall worſhip him in the beauty of holineſs, Pſal. 29.2. They ſhall be cloathed with white robes, and ſtand before the Throne of God, and before the Lamb, Rev. 7.9. They ſhall be pillars in his Temple, and go out no more: He will write upon them the name of God, and of the city of God, the new Jeruſalem, and his new name, Rev. 3.12. Their employment alſo ſhall be high and holy; even with readineſs to do his will; to attend him and adore him, to praiſe him in his Sanctuary, for Holineſs becometh his houſe for ever, Pſal. 93.5.
This entire Dedication of our ſelves to God, is virtually every duty and good work: It is the beginning and ſpring of a holy life: it is the root and kernel of Religion, and as One habit of every gracious act: it is a ſetled oppoſition to every ſin, and a preventing repulſe of every temptation: the ſoul hath one anſwer for every tempter, I am Dedicated to God: and (though it is impoſsible for creatures to merit commutatively of God, becauſe they can give him nothing but his own,) he taketh this rendition of his own as acceptably, as if it were a proper gift. And as his mark is engraven on the forehead of his conſecrated ones, Holineſs to the Lord, this mark is the ſum of all their aſcertaining evidences for ſalvation: it is their pledge and earneſt for glory: and as God himſelf ſpeaketh as Owning them by this mark, ſo by it they may certainly know themſelves to be his peculiars, 2 Tim. 2.19. The foundation of God ſtandeth ſure, having this ſeal; The Lord knoweth them that are his: and, Let every one that nameth the name of Chriſt depart from iniquity: and though the World and the Church-viſible be like a great houſe, where there are both veſſels of honour and of diſhonour, yet if a man purge himſelf from theſe, he ſhall be a veſſel unto honour, ſanctified and meet for the maſters uſe, prepared unto every good work, 2 Tim. 2.20, 21. For he that redeemed us from all iniquity, doth purifie to himſelf a peculiar people, zealous of good works, Tit. 2.14. Areal Devotedneſs to God, is a ſtanding witneſs to the ſoul of its ſincerity: though we are conſcious of many failings, yet if we are alſo conſcious of this, it proveth them all to be pardoned faults, and proveth our intereſt in Chriſt: it is the proper mark to know what ſins are truly venial, or pardoned infirmities, when they conſiſt with an unfeigned devotedneſs to God. And when many other ſigns of grace ſeem dark, and wants and weakneſſes caſt us into doubts, this one is the ordinary certain evidence, which may give a conſtant quietneſs and comfort to an upright ſoul; when we can truly ſay, I am devoted entirely unto God, and it is for his ſervice that I live in the world. And if we ſhould deny him this, as it would be diſingenuous injuſtice to alienate his own, and blaſphemous contempt to give our ſelves rather to a dirty world, or a filthy luſt, than to our Creator and Redeemer; ſo it would be the cruelleſt enmity to our ſelves, to deny our ſouls ſo bleſſed a condition, and to caſt them into the ſink of ſin, inſtead of Dedicating them to God.
But let me here intreat the Reader, who ſeriouſly purpoſeth this neceſſary work, to be ſure to take with him theſe three or four cautions: 1. Take heed leſt your dedication ſhould not be unreſerved and entire, but you ſhould think that reſolving upon a religiouſneſs, which always ſaveth the fleſh, is a true devotedneſs to God. If it be but the hypocrites religion, dividing the heart between God and the world, which you take for holineſs, it is not any dedication of your ſelves to this, that will prove a true dedication unto God. 2. Offer your ſelves to God only by the hand of the Mediator; there is no coming to the Father but by the Son. 3. Underſtand what is the particular courſe of ſervice, which God is to employ you in; and reſolve on that, and keep an account of your daily performance of it; for it is hypocriſie to ſtick in generals: An ungodly man will ſay, I devote my ſelf to God, but when it cometh to the particular acts of ſervice, he denieth that which in the general he affirmed. 4. Content not your ſelves with the firſt act of dedication or devotion, be it never ſo ſerious and reſolved: for if you keep not up the ſame deep apprehenſions which cauſed it, and live not in the faithful performance of your covenant, your heart dedication will by degrees go down, and you will fall from God before you know it. And this is the undoing of many a ſelf-deceiver; that they can remember that once ſome powerful Sermon or ſharp affliction, perſwaded them to reſolved for a holy life, and to ſay, Lord I will be wholly thine, and therefore they conclude that once they were converted, and conſequently are ſtill ſincere and ſafe; when as that frightened paſsionate reſolution, hath ſunk down inſenſibly into a religion which giveth a ſecret precedency to the world, and a (covered) indulgence and gratification to the fleſh. And thus the remembrance of a change once made, and of a Covenant once entered, with high and paſsionate reſolutions, doth make many an hypocrite go ſmoothly and quietly to hell, as confidently taking himſelf for a Saint; when it is only he that is entirely, unreſervedly, habitually and ſetledly reſolved for God, and keepeth up that reſolution, and liveth in the practice of it, who is ſanctified and dedicated to God indeed: The Saints, as Ambroſe ſaith, live as thoſe that know, Se non naturae praeſtantioris eſſe, ſed obſervatiae majoris, nec vitia neſciſſe, ſed emendaſſe: And as Auſtin, Nullus ſanctus & juſtus caret peccato; nec tamen ex hoc deſinit eſſe juſtus vel ſanctus, cum affectu teneat fanctitatem: that is, with ſuch an affection as is aforeſaid.
And the ſecond part of this Treatiſe, is very aptly conjoyned to the firſt: For he that is truly devoted to God, doth with himſelf alſo devote all that he hath: not to be all employed in one way, but all in that way which God requireth: for he that reſerveth not himſelf, can reſerve nothing; becauſe it is for himſelf that he is ſuppoſed to reſerve it: O what hypocriſie is it, for men to ſay, that they believe there is a God whom they are bound to ſerve, and yet to fear being loſers by him, and refuſe his ſervice as too dear? If you had foreſeen the flames which conſumed your wealth and habitations, would you not much rather have ſpent that maſs of treaſure, on works of piety and charity? And had you not rather now that it had been ſo laid out? Or would you take it for your loſs? Why you know that all which is left muſt ſhortly be none of yours? If thoſe hundred thouſand who died of the late Plague had foreſeen that death, would not moſt of them rather have deſired to die in a holy martyrdom for Chriſt? And would they have taken ſuch a death for a loſs? And yet all men know that they muſt ſhortly die? I am glad that the Reverend Author hath taken this ſeaſonable advantage to call you to the Dedication of your Houſes to God: Verily that Plague which emptied them firſt, and that Fire which did devour them next, are ſo loud a call to this Dedication, that it is much to be feared, that he that doth not hear and feel it, hath the Plague of hardneſs on his heart, and is haſtening to the place which will make him feel: It is not the height and ſplendor of your buildings, which muſt reſtore the glory of this famous City: but it muſt be the Holineſs of the inhabitants, who devote themſelves and theirs to their Preſerver: If I ſhould perſwade you all to write over your doors, in capital letters of gold, HOLINES TO THE LORD, to remember you what your families muſt be, ſome would deride it as Phariſaical oſtentation, (who yet themſelves have received the like mark of God in their baptiſm;) and ſome would turn it into a formal ceremony, as they do their baptiſm it ſelf, and as the ſign of the Croſs is ſet upon doors among the Papiſts: it is therefore the interior dedication, and not the outward oſtentation, which you are now perſwaded to. As ever you would have God to be the protector of your habitations, and his Angels to be your guards; as ever you would have the comfort of the preſence of your Redeemer, and would have him dwell with you, as your daily ſafety, peace and joy; give him the Keys, and reſign up all to his will and intereſt, and make him the governor of your hearts and houſes, who hath the Keys of Heaven and Hell, and is the rightful governor of all the world. Deliver up your ſelves and families to Him, to whom the Father hath delivered all things, Joh. 17.2. Math. 28.18, 19. Rom. 14.9. O that men knew what an honor, what a joy, what a ſafety it is, to have God the abſolute maſter of their families, that his name might be there hallowed, and his Kingdom there ſet up, and his will there obeyed, even with a deſire to imitate the pattern in Heaven? For ye are the Temples of the living God; as God hath ſaid, I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they ſhall be my people, 2 Cor. 6.16. I will be a father to you, and ye ſhall be my ſons and daughters, ſaith the Lord Almighty, verſe 18.
And O that men knew how much the intereſt of knowledge and holineſs upon earth, muſt be kept up in holy families? The two great duties, of the wiſe and holy education of Children, and of the right performance of family-inſtructions, and Gods worſhip there, are ſuch as can hardly be too much inſiſted on: O that Miniſters would preach of them an hundred times over to you, till you were awakened or ſhamed out of your neglect! If you lived among the enemies of Chriſt and Souls, yet there you might catechize and inſtruct your children and ſervants, and might make your families as Churches of God. And if every Parent and Maſter would do thus, the Preachers might be 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.