Hooinh egzainiomnh, or, A treatise of holy dedication both personal and domestick the latter of which is (in special) recommended to the citizens of London, upon their entring into their new habitations / by Tho. Jacomb ...

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 in∣dustry, 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 con∣tribute 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 perish∣ed in the flames, doth now make some of us retract our repentance for scribling so much; and may con∣vince 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 De∣dication to God methinks should command atten∣tion 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-Dedica∣tion; 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 so∣lemn 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, quicken∣ing, conversion or turning unto God, the new crea∣ture, 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 impor∣tance; that is, Dedicating (our selves,) De∣voting

(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 of∣fice,) 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. Holi∣ness 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 Belie∣vers in the Gospel: As he which hath called you is Holy, so be ye Holy in all manner of con∣versation, 1 Pet. 1.15, 16. An holy Priest∣hood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God, by Jesus Christ: Ye are a chosen ge∣neration,

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 preju∣dice, 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 Chri∣stians.)

If we lived in a land where the greater part were Heathens, and should be so long in preach∣ing 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, hum∣bled, penitent sinner, by which he doth deli∣berately, soberly, and resolvedly consent to the Covenant of God, (according to the tenor of baptism,) and dedicated and give up himself en∣tirely 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 un∣profitable 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 spa∣reth 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 be∣ginning and spring of a holy life: it is the root and ker∣nel of Religion, and as One habit of every gracious act: it is a setled opposition to every sin, and a prevent∣ing repulse of every temptation: the soul hath one an∣swer for every tempter, I am Dedicated to God: and (though it is impossible for creatures to merit com∣mutatively 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, Ho∣liness 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, ha∣ving

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, sancti∣fied 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 con∣scious 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 infirmi∣ties, when they consist with an unfeigned devoted∣ness 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 devoted∣ness to God. If it be but the hypocrites religion, divi∣ding 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 un∣godly man will say, I devote my self to God, but when it cometh to the particular acts of service, he de∣nieth that which in the general he affirmed. 4. Content not your selves with the first act of dedication or de∣votion, 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 there∣fore they conclude that once they were converted, and consequently are still sincere and safe; when as that frightened passionate resolution, hath sunk down insensi∣bly 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 en∣tirely, unreservedly, habitually and setledly re∣solved for God, and keepeth up that resolution, and li∣veth in the practice of it, who is sanctified and dedica∣ted to God indeed: The Saints, as Ambrose saith, live as those that know, Se non naturae praestanti∣oris 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 affe∣ctu teneat fanctitatem: that is, with such an affe∣ction 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 hy∣pocrisie 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 short∣ly die? I am glad that the Reverend Author hath ta∣ken this seasonable advantage to call you to the Dedi∣cation 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 build∣ings, which must restore the glory of this famous Ci∣ty: 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 perswa∣ded to. As ever you would have God to be the prote∣ctor 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 inte∣rest, 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 ho∣nor, 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 daugh∣ters, 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 awa∣kened 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 ser∣vants, 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 al∣ways almost in your sight.

O that men would look to the Eastern and Sou∣thern 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 be∣think 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 mi∣serable 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 Na∣tions 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 un∣happy 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 Pa∣rents 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 seri∣ous 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 ho∣ly prudence, and unwearied diligence in the education of their children, which their dark and sinful state re∣quireth, 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 Phara∣oh 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 bet∣ter 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 Socra∣tes 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 ple∣rumque id votis expetere, quod non impe∣trasse melius foret. Etenim densissimis tene∣bris involuta mortalium mens, in quam late patentes errores caecas precationes tuas spar∣gis? Divitias appetis quae multis exitio fue∣runt: honores concupiscis qui complures pessundederunt: Regna tecum ipsa volvis quorum exitus saepenumero miserabiles cer∣nuntur. Splendidis conjugiis injicis manus; ac haec ut aliquando illustrant, ita saepe fundi∣tus domos evertunt: Desine igitur stulte fu∣turis malorum tuorum causis quasi faelicissi∣mis 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 separa∣teth you from Saints, though you dwell among them: for it is manners and not pla∣ces 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 go∣vernment, and his holy worship: That they who shall behold the increased splendor of your City, may be witnesses of your increased wisdom, obedience, righ∣teousness 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 Holi∣ness, 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.