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 ...

CHAP. I. Of Domestick Dedication, in general: Some things premised about it.

I Have, at last, got over the Dedi∣cation 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-Dedica∣tion only) and the present posture, busi∣ness,

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 dis∣mal 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 assist∣ance to do something that might fur∣ther a thing, so excellent and so desi∣rable; and thereupon I entred upon this Work, (though with much discou∣ragement, partly from the sense of my inward unfitness for such an under∣taking, and partly from those bodily Infirmities, which a late have been

upon me, and have very much indis∣posed and disabled me for study.)

To come then to that, which was my principal Design, the opening and en∣forcing of House-Dedication. Much hath been said to further Personal-De∣dication, and (I hope) I was not out of my way when I was speaking to that; for in furthering that, I further this; May I but prevail with Persons, to de∣dicate themselves, I am sure then, such will not stick to dedicate their Houses to God; and without the former I despair of the latter; but where the Dedication of the Person goes before, I do not question, but the dedication of the House will follow after. Oh (saith Moses) he is my God, and I will prepare him an Habitation, Exod. 15.2. This is the language of the Self-dedi∣cating Christian; God is my God, I have an Interest in Him, I have given up my self to him, and I will also dedi∣cate my Habitation to Him; my House shall be his, where I dwell God shall dwell: He hath prepared an Habitation for me, and I will prepare mine for Him. (Note by the way, that I do but allude to the words of Moses, I know they carry another sense)

For this Domestick Dedication, we have here the example of holy David, the man after God's own heart. (A Psalm and Song at the dedication of the House of David.) This godly man, could not take up with a convenient House, with all Domestick Accommodati∣ons; but these must pass under a solemn and religious Dedication: Surely, his ex∣ample calls for every mans imitation: who ever thou art, thou art to write after this copy, to follow this pat∣tern; may be, thou hast not such an House as David's was; his was a Palace, thine, but a very poor and mean Cot∣tage; yet an House it is, let it be dedi∣cated: though thou hast not David's house, if thou hast David's heart, let thy House be what it will, thou wilt do as he did. Hence I make House-Dedication to be a duty lying upon every person, who is the Master and disposer of the House: I do not only commend it, as a thing that is very good, (which yet men may do, or not do) or make it to be such a thing, as the Romanists make those to be, which they place under their Consilia Evan∣gelica: but I set it before Masters of

Families as a duty, as that which they ought to do, and are bound to do, or else they sin. I would be tender in grounding a positive duty upon a hare example, (for 'tis God's precepts not Humane presidents, that are the foun∣dation upon which Duty is built): But when I meet with an example, lying in something that is moral and obliga∣tory to all, there the example and the nature of the thing (to which the ex∣ample referrs) is a sure foundation to build duty upon. That's the case here; David's example binds us (as to House-Dedication) because the thing in it self is moral, and consists in that which is moral, (as will appear in the open∣ing of it;) and therefore it obliges all—.But over and above this exam∣ple of David (if that will not carry it) we have something that looks like a Precept, Deut. 20.5. What man is there that hath built a new House, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return to his House, lest he die in the battel, and another man dedicate it. You see the Dedication of the House is here enjoined: Now, was this in∣junction laid only upon such as were

going out to war; were not others concern'd in it, as well as they? surely they were: Though 'tis true, the com∣mand comes in upon this particular case, yet 'tis very probable, that it was of universal and general extent. All were to dedicate their Houses, but especially (and without any further delay) such as were going out to fight; (because of the great hazards, that they were to be exposed to:) It would be no hard thing, from the Jewish Writers, and from latter Expositors, to prove that this Precept was general, and that the Duty in hand was gene∣rally practised by the Jews. And if it be further said, that this Dedication (here spoken of) was only initiation, or taking possession, (according to the import of the word in the original) (as was shown in the beginning of this discourse); I answer, suppose it to be so, yet this doth not weaken that which I drive at, because this possessi∣on was to be taken in a religious man∣ner, (as all declare who write upon the words): it was wont to be done with Solemnity, Feasting, and singing Praise to God, as the Title of the 30th.

Psalm sheweth. (So Ainsw. upon the foremention'd place.) Now this kind of initiation doth not come short of that religious Dedication, which I am to urge upon you as a duty. If you take the words then, in their due lati∣tude, and join the practice then, with the precept; they reach to all of us, and show us, how we are to make our en∣trance upon new habitations. House-Dedication is not only that, which hath been anciently used by good men, nor only that* 1.1 which is very fitting and commendable, but 'tis a duty, and all are under the obligation of it. And this will more fully appear from those particular branches of House-Dedica∣tion, all of which now under the Gos∣pel, are matter of duty, and obliga∣tory to all Christians.

Before I come to open the Nature of it, 'tis necessary (for the clearing up of my way, and for the obviating of all Cavils) that I premise a few things.

First, therefore observe, That 'tis only the Dedication of private Houses, that I am concerned to speak to: As to the dedicating of Churches, (the places of publick Worship,) that is an Argu∣ment which doth not properly fall within the compass of the words I am upon: If they had spoken of the dedi∣cation of the Temple, then they would have led me, to have said something concerning the dedication of Churches, under the times of the Gospel; but they only speaking of the dedication of David's House, I may confine my Discourse to the dedication of Private Houses.

Secondly, When I speak of the de∣dicating and consecrating of the House, you must not understand me, as if I carryed it so high, as to have it wholly impropriated to things of a Spiritual Nature. I would have Prayer, the Worship of God, Religion, minded and advanced in your Houses; but yet withall, you may eat, drink, trade, buy, sell, transact your Secular Affairs and businesses in them. No man will think me so absurd, as to intend any Temple-Consecration of Houses, when

I mention the dedication or consecra∣tion of them. 'Tis one thing to have the Worship of God in a Place, and another thing to have that place im∣propriated, and wholly set apart for the Worship of God, so as that things of a worldly nature may not there be managed: 'Tis the first thing only that I design.

Thirdly. In the handling of House-dedication, I do not in the least mean such a dedication as is attended with the alienation of the civil property. As the civil use, so the civil property is not struck at by me. Pray, keep your Right and Title to your Houses, and take the comfort of them; let them be yours still: only let God be ac∣knowledged, served, exalted in them. 'Tis true, in some Dedications the Pro∣prietary lost his Right; after he made them, he had nothing further to do with what he had dedicated, (for by this act he passed over his Right to God;) As in this particular case of Houses, you read Levit. 27.14. If a man did sanctifie, (or dedicate by a vow or gift) his House to be holy to the Lord; he had then no right to it till

he had redeemed it, by paying the price or rate, which the Priest did set upon it, and then it was to be his own again. I do not urge the dedication of your Houses in this sense or notion; so as that the civil property should be alie∣nated, only let it be improved for God.

Nor, fourthly, Do I put you upon House-dedication, in the setting up of Family-worship, so as to take you off from Publick-worship, and from God's Ordinances in the publick Administra∣tion of them. Both have their proper use and worth, and neither of them are to be omitted: God forbid, that the one should jostle out the other. David here dedicates his House to God; but yet withall, he was for Sanctuary-worship; and when he was deprived of this, how passionately did he desire it. You may see this in Psal. 63.1, 2, 3. (and in several other places), 'Tis said, Psal. 87.2. The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. In the dwellings of Jacob the worship of God was more confined, it was shut up in his Family; but in Zion, there the wor∣ship of God was more open and pub∣lick; and therefore God loved the gates

of Zion more than the dwellings of Ja∣cob: O there are signal and extraordi∣nary Blessings attending Publick Ordi∣nances; and therefore when the peo∣ple of God have been deprived of these, it hath been a great affliction to them, (notwithstanding their Family-enjoyments:) you read of them that were sorrowful for the solemn Assembly, Zeph. 3.18. The more there are in the Consort, the sweeter is the Musick; the Application is obvious. So that, when your Houses are dedicated, (as to the setting up of Religion in them) I would not have them to say, to the places of Publick-worship, what once they said to Moses and Aaron, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the Congregation are Holy; wherefore then lift you up your selves above the Congregation of the Lord, Numb. 16.3. So here, I would not have private Houses to say to places (where the Worship of God is pub∣lickly and duely administred), We have Prayer as well as you, and the Scrip∣tures read as well as you; and there∣fore why do you take so much upon you? O, though I would be earnest with you for Family-Religion, yet I desire you to

keep up high esteems of the Publick-Worship and Ordinances of God.

Fifthly, In the present discourse, I do not only aime at the bare walls, the external structure, the material buil∣ding, (as though Dedication-work did only refer to this); but, under the dedi∣cating of the House, I take-in all the Persons there inhabiting, the whole Family, Domestick mercies, Creature-accommodations; all are to be dedica∣ted to God.

Sixthly, The Persons upon whom the duty is incumbent, are those who stand in the relation and capacity of Superiors, Masters, Parents, Housholders, Governors (or call them what you please): where Power and Authority is, there House-Dedication-work lies. 'Tis true, such as are Inferiors, they must dedicate themselves to the Lord; but as to the de∣dication of the House, that's the duty of Superiors. And therefore my business in this discourse is mainly with such.

Seventhly, In speaking to these, I will not so far enlarge, as to set before them all the Relative duties that lie upon them, (that I leave to those, who have gone thorough the body of Re∣lative

duties): I will limit my self to those only, which have an immediate reference to the dedication of the House to God.

These things being premised (for the ends fore mentioned) I come now to show you, What this House-Dedica∣tion is; A little will be sufficient for the opening of the nature of it, but the applying of it will call for a more full Discourse.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Moris erat, ut novis aedifi∣ciis extructis, adhiberentur Ceremoniae, ad purgand & sanctificanda loca pro inha∣bitantium usu. Jun. Imò aedes etiam privatae, si consummatae per Dei gratiam fuerint, salubriter uptantur novis usibus per Hymnos at{que} preces devotas. Geierus in Dan. 3. in Aphor. ex v. 2.