strong remaining sensual inclination; so that where the soul is somewhat raised by it, out of that mire and dirt, there is a continual decidency, a proneness to relapse, and sink back into it. Impressions therefore of an invisible Ruler and Lord (as of all unseen things) are very evanid; soon, in a great degree worn off; especially where they were but in making, and not yet thoroughly inwrought into the temper of the soul. Hence is that instability in the covenant of God. We are not so afraid before, nor ashamed afterwards, of breaking engagements with him, as with men, whom we are often to look in the face, and converse with every day.

Therefore there is the more need here of the strictest ties, and most solemn obligations, that we can lay upon ourselves. How apprehensive doth that holy, excellent governor, Joshua, seem of this, when he was shortly to leave the people under his conduct! And what urgent means doth he use, to bring them to the most express, solemn dedication of themselves to God, that was possible; first representing the reasonableness and equity of the thing, from the many endearing wonders of mercy (as here the apostle beseeches these Romans by the mercies of God) which he recounts from the beginning, to the 14th verse of that 24th chapter: then, thereupon, exhorting them to "fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity," &c. in that 14th verse, telling them, withal, if they should all resolve otherwise to a man, what his own resolution was, (v. 15.) “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served, that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" taking also their express answer, which they give, v. 16, 17, 18. But fearing they did not enough consider the matter, he, as it were, puts them back (esteeming himself to have gotten an advantage upon them) that they might come on again with the more vigour and force. "Ye cannot serve the Lord: for he is a holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. If you forsake the Lord, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after he hath done you good," v. 19, 20. Hereupon, according to his expectation and design, they reinforce their vow, "Nay, but we will serve the Lord." And upon this, he closes with them, and takes fast hold of them, "Ye are witnesses" (saith he) "against yourselves, that ye have chosen the Lord to serve him." And they say, "We are witnesses," v. 22.

wardness must proceed from some deeper reason than that God is invisible: a reason, that should not only convince, but amaze us, and even overwhelm our souls in sorrow and lamentation, to think what state the nature and spirit of man is brought into! For is not the devil invisible too? And what wretch is there so silly and ignorant, but can by the urgency of discontent, envy, and an appetite of revenge, find a way to fall into a league with him? Is this, that God is less conversable with men? less willing to be found of them that seek Him? No surely, but that men have less mind and inclination to seek Him! And is this a posture and temper of spirit towards the God that made us, (the continual spring of our life and being!) in which it is fit for us to tolerate ourselves? Shall not the necessity of this thing, and of our own case, (not capable of remedy while we withhold ourselves from God,) overcome all the imagined difficulty in applying ourselves to Him?

Use. And upon the whole, if we agree the thing itself to be necessary, it cannot be doubted, but it will appear to be of common concernment to us all: and that every one must apprehend it is necessary to me, and to me, whether we have done it already, or not done it. If we have not, it cannot be done too soon; if we have, it cannot be done too often. And it may now be done, by private, silent ejaculation, the convinced, persuaded heart saying within itself, "Lord, I consent to be wholly thine, I here resign and devote myself absolutely and entirely to thee." None of you know what may be in the heart of another, to this purpose, even at this time. Why then should not every one fear to be the only person of those who now hear, that disagrees to it? If any finds his heart to reluctate and draw back, 'tis fit such a one should consider, "I do not know but this self-devoting disposition and resolution is the common sense of all the rest, even of all that are now present, but mine." And who would not dread to be the only one in an assembly, that shall refuse God! or refuse himself to him! For, let such a one think, "What particular reason can I have to exclude myself from such a consenting chorus? Why should I spoil the harmony, and give a disagreeing vote? Why should any man be more willing to be dutiful and happy than I? to be just to God, or have him good to me? Why should any one be more willing to be saved than I; and to make one hereafter, in the glorious, innumerable, joyful assembly of devoted angels and saints, that pay an eternal, gladsome homage to the throne of the celestial King?" But if any find their He exhorts them afresh, and they en-hearts inclining, let what is now begun, be more fully comgage over again, v. 23, 24. Thus a covenant is made pleted in the closet; and let those walls (as Joshua's stone) with them, v. 25. After all this, a record is taken of the hear, and bear witness! whole transaction; 'tis looked down, (v. 26.) and a monumental stone set up, to preserve the memory of this great transaction. And the good man tells them, "Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he spake unto us: it shall therefore be a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God." So he dismisses them, and lets them go every one to his inheritance.

Nor is it to be neglected that, Isa. xliv. 5. (which is generally agreed to refer to the times of the gospel) it is so expressly set down, "One shall say, I am the Lord's; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel." In the rendering of which words, "subscribe with the hand," the versions vary. Some read inscribe in their hands, the Lord's name; counting it an allusion to the ancient custom, as to servants and soldiers, that they were to carry, stamped upon the palm of their hands, the name of their master or general. The Syriac read to the same sense as we-Shall give an hand-writing to be the Lord's. That the thing be done, and with great seriousness, distinctness, and solemnity, is no doubt highly reasonable and necessary; about the particular manner I prescribe not.

Nor can I imagine what any man can have to object, but the backwardness of his own heart to any intercourse or conversation with the invisible God: which is but an argument of the miserable condition of depraved mankind; none, that the thing is not to be done. For, that backRead consideratoly, Heb. xi. 6.

t Josh. xxiv.

Lest any should not consent, and that all may consent more freely, and more largely; I shall in a few words show-what should induce to it,—and what it should induce.

1. What should induce to it? You have divers sorts of inducements.

Such as may be taken from necessity. For what else can you do with yourself? You cannot be happy without it, for who would make you so but God? and how shall he, while you hold off yourselves from him? You cannot but be miserable, not only as not having engaged him to you, but as having engaged him against you.

Such as may be taken from equity. You are his right. He hath a natural right in you as he is your Maker, the Author of your being and an acquired right as you were bought by his Son, who hath redeemed us to God, and who died, rose again, and revived, that he might be Lord of the living and the dead, here, to rule, hereafter, to judge us. Both which he can do whether we will or no: but 'tis not to be thought he will save us against our wills. His method is, whom he saves, first to overcome, i. e. to make them" willing in the day of his power." And dare we, who "live, move, and have our being in him," refuse to be, live, and move to him? or "deny the Lord who bought us?"

And again, Such as may be taken from ingenuity, or that should work upon it, viz. (what we are besought by, in the text,) "The mercies of God." How manifold are they! But they are the mercies of the gospel especially,

t Rev. v. 9.

mentioned in the foregoing chapter, which are thus re- for us, doth now offer himself also to us? that he hath ferred unto in the beginning of this, the transferring what treated us, hitherto, with such indulgence, waited on us the Jews forfeited and lost, by their unbelief, unto us Gen- with so long patience, sustained us by so large bounty? tiles; that "mystery" (as this apostle elsewhere calls it, And now upon all, when it might be thought we should be Eph. iii. 4, 5, 6.) which in other ages was not made communing with our own hearts, discoursing the matter known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his with ourselves, "What shall we render ?" that he should holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gentiles say to us so shortly and compendiously, Render yourselves, should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and parta- Is that too much? Are we too inconsiderable to be his, or kers of his promise in Christ, by the gospel." In refer- his mercies too inconsiderable to oblige us to be so? the ence whereto he so admiringly cries out a little above the mercies that flow so freely from him, for he is the Father text, (ch. xi. 33.) Bábos, “O the depth both of the wisdom of mercies: the mercies that are so suitable to us; pardon and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judg-to the guilty, light to them that dwell in darkness, life to ments, and his ways past finding out!" The mercies of the dead, a rich portion and all-sufficient fulness for the which it is said, Isa. lv. 1, 2, 3. "Ho, every one that poor, indigent, and necessitous: the mercies that we are thirsteth, come to the waters, and he that hath no money; encouraged to expect as well as what we enjoy the great come ye, buy and eat: yea, come, buy wine and milk with- good laid up in store! the mercies of eternity to be added out money, and without price. Wherefore do ye spend to those of time: the mercies of both worlds, meeting upon your money for that which is not bread, and your labour us! that here, we are to keep ourselves in the love of for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul de- eternal life! that, looking for that blessed hope, our life light itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto may here, in the mean time, be transacted with him, that me: hear, and your soul shall live: and I will make an we may abide in the secret of his presence, and dwelling everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of in love, may dwell in God who is love; till the season David." Which free and sure mercies are heightened, come, when we shall be able more fully to understand his as to us, by the same both endearing and awful circum- love, and return our own! stance, that these mercies are offered to us, viz. in conjunction with the setting before our eyes the monitory, tremendous example of a forsaken nation that rejected them, intimated v. 5. "Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not; and nations that know not thee shall run unto thee:" a case whereof our apostle says, " in the fore-ought further to induce us unto. going chapter, Esaias was very bold; when speaking of it in another place, he uses these words, "I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name." He was bold in it indeed, to mention such a thing to a people, unto whom a jealous gloriation in the peculiarity of the privileged state, their being without partners or rivals, for so long a time, in their relation and nearness to God, was grown so natural and who took it so impatiently, when our Saviour did but intimate the same thing to them by parables, as that they sought immediately to lay hands on him for that very reason. So unaccountable a perverseness of humour reigned with them, that they envied to others what they despised themselves.

But on the other hand, nothing ought more highly to recommend those mercies to us, or more engage us to accept them with gratitude, and improve them with a cautious fear of committing a like forfeiture, than to have them brought to our hands, redeemed from the contempt of the former despisers of them; and that, so terribly, vindicated upon them at the same time; as it also still continues to be. That the natural branches of the olive should be torn off, and we inserted: that there should be such an instance given us of the severity and goodness of God. To y them that fell, severity; but to us, goodness, if we continue in his goodness, to warn us that, otherwise, we may expect to be cut off too! and that we might apprehend, if he spared not the natural branches, he was as little likely to spare us! That when he came to his own and they received him not, he should make so free an offer to us, that if we would yet receive him (which if we do, we are, as hath been said, to yield up and dedicate ourselves to him at the same time) we should have the privilege to be owned for the sons of God! What should so oblige us to compliance with him, and make us with an ingenuous trembling fall before him, and (crying to him, My Lord and my God) resign ourselves wholly to his power and pleasure?

And even his mercies more abstractly considered ought to have that power upon us. Were we not lost? Are we not rescued from a necessity of perishing, and being lost for ever, in the most costly way? costly to our Redeemer, but to us, without cost. Is it a small thing, that he offers himself to us as he doth when he demands us, and requires that we offer ourselves to him? that he, in whom is all the fulness of God, having first offered himself

Nor are the favours of his providence to be thought little of in the time of our earthly pilgrimage. And now, if all this do effectually induce us thus to dedicate ourselves,

2. We are next to consider what our having done it In the general, it ought to be an inducement to us (as we may well apprehend) to behave ourselves answerably to such a state, as we are hereby brought into, if we now first dedicated ourselves to him, and are confirmed in, by our iterations of it. For he takes no pleasure in fools, therefore having vowed ourselves to him, to serve, and live to him, let us pay what we have vowed. Better it had been not to vow, than to vow and not pay; and instead of the reasonable sacrifice he required of us, to give him only the sacrifice of fools. We are, upon special terms, and for special ends, peculiar to the most high God. They that are thus his, are "a royal priesthood," He hath made us kings and priests." But those offices and dignities have sometime met in the same person. And to God and his Father, i. e. for him. Not that both those offices do terminate upon God, or that the work of both is to be performed towards him; but our Lord Jesus, it being the design of his Father we should be brought into that high and honourable station, hath effected it, in compliance with his design, and hath served his pleasure and purpose in it. He hath done it to, i. e. for, him. So that, to God and his Father may be referred to Christ's action, in making us kings and priests, not to ours, being made such. Yet the one of these refers to God immediately, the other to ourselves. Holy and good men are kings in reference to themselves, in respect of their self-dominion into which they are now restored, having been, as all unregenerate persons are, slaves to vile and carnal affections and inclinations. The minds of the regenerate are made spiritual, and now with them the refined, rectified, spiritual mind, is enthroned; lift up into its proper authority over all sensual inclinations, appetitions, lusts, and passions. A glorious empire! founded in conquest, and managed afterwards, when the victory is complete, (and in the mean time, in some degree, while "judgment is in bringing forth unto victory,") by a steady, sedate government in most perfect tranquillity and peace.

But they are priests in reference to God; the business of their office, as such, terminates upon him; for him they worship and serve. Worship is either social, external and circumstantial, that of worshipping societies, considered according to its exterior part. Herein one is appointed by special office to do the part of a priest for the rest. In this sense all are not priests. Or else it is solitary, internal, substantial and spiritual, wherein they either worship alone, and apart by themselves, or being in conjunction with others, yet their own spirits within them work directly,

You can think nothing of God more contrary to his gospel, or his nature, than to surmise he will destroy one that hath surrendered to and bears a loyal mind towards him. And what a reproach do you cast upon him, when you give others occasion to say, His own, they that have devoted themselves to him, dare not trust him?" You are taught to say, "I am thine, save me;" not to suspect he will ruin you. They do strangely misshape religion, considering in how great part it consists in trusting God, and living a life of faith, that frame to themselves a religion made up of distrusts, doubts, and fears.

and aspire upwards to God. And as to this more noble | themselves. Can man excel God in praise-worthy things? part of their worship, every holy man is his own priest. And this is the double dignity of every holy, devoted soul. They are thus kings, and priests; govern themselves, and serve God. While they govern, they serve: exercise authority over themselves, with most submiss veneration of God: crowned, and enthroned; but always in a readiness to cast down their crowns at the footstool of the supreme, celestial throne. Into this state they come by selfdedication. And now surely, it is not for such to demean themselves at a vulgar rate. They are of the exλnoía now TOTÓK-the church of the first-born written in heaven; 1. e. the church of the first-born ones; that is, all composed and made up of such; (as that expression signifies;) first-born, in a true (though not the most eminent) sense, being sons by the first, i. e. the prime and more excellent sort of birth, in respect whereof they are said to be begotten again by the word of truth, that they should be a kind of first-fruits of the creatures of God. And this two-fold dignity is the privilege of their birthright, as anciently it was. Are you devoted to God? Have you dedicated yourselves? Hereby you are arrived to this dignity. For in the above-mentioned place it is said, "Ye are come;" you are actually, already, adjoined to that church, and are the real present members of that holy community. For you are related and united to him, of whom the family of heaven and earth is named; are of the household, and the sons of God, his, under that peculiar notion, when you have dedicated yourselves to him. You cannot but apprehend there are peculiarities of behaviour in your after-conduct and management of yourselves, that belong to you, and must answer and correspond to your being, in this sense, his. Some particulars whereof I shall briefly

mention.

You should each of you often reflect upon it, and bethink yourself what you have done, and whose you now are. "I am the devoted one of the most high God." It was one of the precepts given by a pagan to his disciples, "Think with yourself, upon all occasions, I am a philosopher." What a world of sin and trouble might that thought, often renewed, prevent, "I am a Christian, one devoted to God in Christ." Your having done this thing, should clothe your mind with new apprehensions, both of God and yourselves: that he is not now a stranger to you, but your God; that you are not unrelated to him, but his. "I was an enemy, now am reconciled. I was a common, profane thing, now holiness to the Lord." "Tis strange to think how one act doth sometimes habit and tincture a man's mind; whether in the kind of good or evil. To have committed an act of murder! What a horrid complexion of mind did Cain bear with him hereupon. To have dedicated oneself to God, if seriously and duly done; would it have less power to possess one with a holy, calm, peaceful temper of mind?

You should, hereupon, charge yourself with all suitable duty towards him; for you have given yourself to him to serve him; that is your very business. You are his, and are to do his work, not your own, otherwise than as it falls in with his, and is his. You are to discharge yourself of all unsuitable cares; for will not he take care of his own, who hath put so ill a note upon them that do not? He that provideth not for his own, (his domestics,) those of his own house, hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel? Will you think, he can be like such a one? Who, if not the children of a prince, should live free from care?

we

You should dread to alienate yourselves from him which (as sacrilege is one of the most detestable of all sins, a robbing of God) is the most detestable sacrilege. You are to reserve yourselves entirely for him.s Every one that is godly he hath set apart for himself. Yea, and you are not only to reserve, but, to your uttermost, to improve and better yourselves for him daily: to aspire to an excellency, in some measure, suitable to your relation: "to walk worthy of God, who hath called you to his kingdom and glory," (1 Thess. ii. 12.) remembering you are here to glorify him, and hereafter to be glorified with him. And who is there of us that finds not himself under sufficient obligation, by the mercies of God, unto all this? or to whom he may not say, in a far more eminent sense, than the apostle speaks it to Philemon, "Thou owest even thyself also unto me?" Will we refuse to give God what we owe? or can we think it fit, in itself, should be no otherwise his, than (as one well says) fields, woods, and mountains, and brute beasts?" And I may add, can it be comfortable to us, he should have no other interest in us than he hath in devils? Is there no difference in the case of reasonable creatures and unreasonable? theirs who profess devotedness to him, and theirs who are his professed enemies? The one sort, through natural incapacity, cannot, by consent, be his, and the other, through an invincible malignity, never will. Are there no mercies (conferred or offered) that do peculiarly oblige us more? Let us be more frequent and serious in recounting our mercies, and set ourselves on purpose to enter into the memory of God's great goodness, that we may thence, from time to time, urge upon ourselves this great and comprehensive duty. And at this time, being here together on purpose, let us consider and reflect afresh upon that eminent mercy which you are wont to commemorate in the yearly return of this day.

And that I may, more particularly, direct my speech the same way that the voice of that memorable providence is especially directed; you are, my lord, to be more peculiarly besought by the mercies of God, that you would this day dedicate yourself to him. I do beseech therefore you, by the many endearing mercies which God hath so plentifully conferred upon you, by the mercies of your noble extraction and birth, by the mercies of your very ingenious and pious education, by the mercies of your family, which God hath made to descend to you from your honourable progenitors; (which, as they are capable of being improved, may be very valuable mercies;) by the blood and tender mercies of your blessed and glorious Redeemer, who offered up himself a Sacrifice to God for you, that you would now present yourself to God, a holy, living sacrifice, which is your reasonable service. I add, by the signal mercy which hath made this a memorable day to you, and by which you come, thus long, to enjoy the advantages of all your other mercies. How came it to pass that this day comes not to be remembered by your noble relatives, as a black and a gloomy day, the day of the extinction of the present light and lustre of your family, and of quenching their coal which was left? You had a great Preserver, who we hope delivered you because he delighted in you. Your life was precious in his sight. You should abandon all suspicious, hard thoughts of Your breath was in his hand; he preserved and renewed him. When in the habitual bent of your spirits you de- it to you, when you were ready to breathe your last. And sire to please him, it is most injurious to him, to think he we hope he will vouchsafe you that greater deliverance, will abandon, and give you up to perish, or become your not to let you fall under the charge which was once exhibitenemy. 'Tis observable what care was taken among the ed against a great man, (Dan. v. 23.) "The God in whose Romans, Ne quid dedititiis hostile illatum sit-that no hands thy breath is-hast thou not glorified:" and make hostility might be used towards them that had surrendered | you rather capable of adopting those words, (Psal. xlii. 8.)

You should most deeply concern yourself about his concernments, without any apprehension or fear that he will neglect those that are most truly yours: and are not to be indifferent how his interest thrives, or is depressed in the world; is increased, or diminished. They that are his, should let his affairs engross their cares and thoughts.

"Yet the Lord will command his loving-kindness in the my bonds;" (Psal. cxvi.) hast (q. d.) released me from day-time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and worse bonds, that I might not only be patient, but glad to my prayer unto the God of my life." Your acknowledg-be under thine. ments are not to be limited to one day in the year; but from day to day his loving-kindness, and your prayer and praise, are to compose your vUxOnμepov; the one, to show you, the other, to be unto you your morning and evening exercise. Let this be your resolution, "Every day will I bless thee. and I will praise thy name for ever and ever;" (Psal. cxlv. 2.) or that, (Psal. civ. 33.) “I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise unto my God while I have my being."

PREACHED AT THURLOW, IN SUFFOLK,

ON THOSE WORDS, ROM. VI. 13.

" YIELD YOURSELVES TO GOD."

TO THE MUCH-HONOURED

BARTHOLOMEW SOAME, ESQ.

OF THURLOW,

AND SUSANNA, HIS PIOUS CONSORT.

My worthy Friends,

I HAVE at length yielded to your importunity, and do here offer these Sermons to public view and your own, which were one day the last summer preached under your roof; attributing more to your píous design herein, than to my own reasons against it. I no further insist upon the incongruity, having divers years ago published a small treatise of Selfdedication, now again to send abroad another on the same subject. For the way of tractation is here very different; this may fall into the hands of divers, who have never seen the other; and however, they who have read the other, have it in their choice whether they will trouble themselves with this or no. And though your purpose which you urged me with, of lodging one of these little books in each family of the hearers, might have been answered by so disposing of many a better book already extant; yet your having told me how greatly you observed them to be moved by these plain discourses, considering the peculiar advantage of reading what had been with some acceptance and relish heard before, (through that greater vigour that accompanies the ordinance of preaching to an assembly, than doth usually the solitary first reading of the same thing,) I was not willing to run the hazard of incurring a guilt, by refusing a thing so much desired, and which, through God's blessing, might contribute something, though in never so low a degree, to the saving of men's souls. I could not indeed, as I told you, undertake to recollect every thing that was spoken, according to that latitude and freedom of expression wherewith it was fit to inculcate momentous things to a plain country auditory. But I have omitted nothing I could call to mind; being little concerned that the more curious may take notice, with dislike, how much in a work of this kind I prefer plainness (though they may call it rudeness) of speech, before that which goes for wisdom of words, or the most laboured periods.

May you find an abundant blessing on your household, for the sake of the ark which you have so piously and kindly received. And whereas, by your means, the parts about you have a help for the speading the knowledge of God among them, added to what they otherwise more statedly enjoy; may the blessing of heaven succeed all sincere endeavours of both sorts, to the more general introducing of the new man which is renewed in knowledge-" where there is neither Jew nor Greek, circumcision nor uncircumcision, but Christ is all, and in all:" to whose grace you are, with sincere affection, and great sense of your kindness, earnestly recommended, by

Your much obliged,

Faithful servant in Christ,
JOHN HOWE.