"He that dedicates himself to God, dedicates all; he that doth not dedicate himself, dedicates nothing at all. What Aeschines once said to Socrates - Others, said he, give thee gold, silver, jewels, but I give thee myself; that must a Christian say to his God, Ah, Lord! there are some that give thee their lips, but I give thee my heart; others give thee good words, good expressions, but I give thee the best of my affections; others give thee a few cold prayers, but I give thee my whole soul; and had I as many hearts in my body as I have hairs on my head, I would give them all to thee: for thou art worthy, thou only art worthy. What the king of Israel once said to the king of Syria, 'I am thine, and all that I have,' 1Kings 20:4 that must a Christian say to his Christ, 'I am thine, O Lord, and all that I have.'A Christian must cry out with him who cried, Lord, I have two mites, a soul and a body, and I give them both to thee. --(Bernard.) And this was the honor and commendations of the Macedonians, that they gave up themselves to the Lord, 2 Cor. 8:5. Having no better present at hand, they present themselves to God; and certainly there is no present more honorable, delectable, and acceptable to God than this of giving up ourselves to God, Rom.12:1.
Well, remember this: that man was never really holy that is not relatively holy; nor that man will never be really happy that is not relatively holy. Without relative holiness there will be no vision of God in everlasting happiness. We must be separated from the corruptions, and pollutions of the world, and we must dedicate ourselves to God, or we shall never come to a future fruition of God."
Thomas Brooks, The Necessity, Excellency, Rarity, and Beauty of Holiness. - Painting by Christensen- The widows mite.
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