Sermons Experimental, Sermon 1 · Verse 15
VERSE XV.
Precious in the ſight of the Lord: is the death of his Saints.
LOok not any dependance to be here noted: The Text is abſolute, and intire in its ſelf, containing matter of new obſervation.
In which are three things.
Firſt, Actus.
Secondly, Fundamentum.
Thirdly, Materia.
Firſt, Actus, Obſervation, and inference made thereout; For the generall of obſervation, we treated it, ad verſ. 5. Marry there onelyonly as it concerned the Nature of God, and verities delivered us concerning it: Here it is rather of ſomething that concerns his children, and Gods regard to them; wherein, if in any thing, our obſervation ſhould be curious; for that by ſpecialty God is their God, and his favours to them are all Cum Privilegio: Some favours indeed are common to his children with the world, as preſervation; but herein have Gods own their ſpecialty, 1 Tim. 4.10. Sunne, Moone, Starres, their light, and influences he hath made to ſerve all nations: marry to fight for his people, as Iudg. 5.20. Privelege to Iſrael: The works of God lie open to every mans view, Pſal. 19.1. But his word is ſhewn to Iacob onelyonly, his ſtatutes to Iſrael, Pſal. 147.20. To his Church viſible, and hypocrites therein, he gives his word, but to them moſtly in Parables; To you it is given to know the myſteries, Matth. 13. To ſome is knowledge given of his word, but through their neglect it aggravates their damnation, Matth 11. To his children onelyonly it is Gods power to ſalvation, Rom. 1.16. Herein therefore we ſhould be ſpecially obſervant. Firſt, That we might ſee, and comprehend the ſpecialty of love, Eph. 3. Secondly, That our hearts might be more excited to thankfulneſſe; ſith ſpeciall favours require ſpeciall thankfulneſſe: Beſides, temptations tending to doubtfulneſſe do not ſo oft betide Gods children, either about his Nature in generall, or about common bleſſings, as about thoſe that are priveleges, and characteriſticall; whether God be Almighty, Juſt, Mercifull, &c. in his own Nature, or whether ſo in thoſe graces that are convayed to them with a p ivelege, about Adoption, Regeneration, Perſeverance, &c. This part of Prudence let us learn; Truſt my experience no more, if you finde it not extraordinary comfortable in the evill day.
In five degrees ye ſhall finde all favours of God to ſtand. Firſt, Some common to us with all his creatures. Secondly, Some common with all men. Thirdly, Some common with his viſible Church. Fourthly, Some common with all his Children. Fiftly, And there …re wherein every of Gods children have ſomething extraordinary. I would have none of Gods favours put over without notice, and obſervation; ſpecially thoſe that are peculiar to his children; leaſt of all thoſe, wherein God hath manifeſted his mercy towards us above his children, and own dear ſervants; becauſe for theſe God expects extraordinary meaſure of thankfulneſſe, and obedience; and the rather would I ye ſhould notice this, becauſe that moſt moves us in Chriſtian duties, and courſes, that we ſee not ſome ſpeciall reward twixt him that ſerveth God, and others; ſee Mal. 3.14. Speculative knowledge, I confeſſe, is an excellent gift of God, and neceſſary to ſalvation, yet we erre, if we think it ſufficient; ſee Phil. 3.8. There are theſe evidences whereby you may judge of it in your ſelves. Firſt, What grace, or mercy, we taſte from God, we are propenſe to ſhew to others; Epheſ. 5.1. In forgiveneſſe; Eph. 4.32. foreign, in patience, in communicating what our ſelves have experimented, 2 Cor. 1.6, &c. Secondly, Wonderfull deſirous of winning others to like experience of Gods favour, ſee Pſal. 34.8. Pſal. 66.16. Thirdly, None more hopefull of others converſion, be their ſtate never ſo deſperate for the preſent. Therefore is infidelity, or doubting, of generall concluſions in none more tollerable then in Gods S…ints. The Reaſon is, Becauſe they have a furtherance to faith, which others want; to wit, Experience of Gods favour, and ſpeciall love to them.
The Fundamentum, or ground of inference is his own experience, as if he had ſaid, Truly I may ſay it, for in mine experience I have found it, ſo oft hath he delivered, and reſcued me from the jaws of death: So pleaſeth it God, to give his children ſpeciall experience of generall documents; therefore ſaith David, Pſal. 34.8. Taſte, and ſee: 1 Pet. 2.3. Ye have taſted that the Lord is gracious: Phil. 1.9. Knowledge and experience.
Reaſons are. Firſt, To increaſe their foreign, that though it be true, their faith, reſts principally upon Authority of the Divine Revealer, yet confirmation it receives from experience: That the word of God is his power to Salvation, is the document; and though there were nothing elſe but his Teſtimony, we ſhould beleeve it; but God makes it ſo to the experience of his children, that they may be more certainly aſſured of it in their ſouls, ſee 1 Theſ. 2.13.
Secondly, There is in it a condeſcending to humane infirmity; Simple we are all by nature; and are generally inclined to walk by ſenſe rather then by faith, 2 Cor. 5. God conſidereth our mould, Pſal. 103. and therefore tempers his proceeding to our infirmity, and after a ſort humours our nature in the motions of grace. This favour of God let us not paſſe over, without admiring the riches of Gods bounty to us; Lord, what is man that thou ſo regardeſt him? The rather, becauſe it is a teaching peculiar to Gods children; that though the generalls of Doctrine touching Gods Nature, and Will, and ſpeciall love to his children, be propounded to all mens mindes in the Church; yet this experimentall teaching, in things that concern life, and godlineſſe, is the priveledge of the choſen; Ioh. 6.45. They ſhall be all taught of God, they onelyonly in this manner; no men but Gods Elect have that experience of what God hath made ſeverall to his ſervants. There are two kindes, or degrees of knowledge; One ſpeculative, the other practicall, or experimentall; The ſpeculative ſtandeth in contemplation; this had Balaam, Numb. 23.10. thence grew his paſſionate wiſh; Oh let my ſoul die the death of the righteous; The all-ſufficiencie of the merits of Chriſt to ſalvation, wicked contemplate; ſo of remiſſion of ſins, &c. but the experimentall knowledge of all theſe is the privelege of his choſen onelyonly.
But note we how from particular experience he inferres a generall Rule; Will it proceed? God tenderly reſpects the life of David, Is he therefore ſo to all his children? Above in the handling of the fifth Verſe, we had an enquiry, How farre generall inferences of duty might be made from particulars; and the laſt Lords-day, how farre the ſame might be made from example; Now it is to be enquired, How farre generall Doctrines of favour may be made from particular experiments? Surely, ye ſhall finde it common in Scriptures, from particular actions of God in patience, or mercy, or power, to inferre generall concluſions, ſee 2 Pet. 2.9. He ſaved Lot, Noah, therefore knows how to deliver his: He had mercy on me repenting, therefore will ſave all penitent ſinners, 1 Tim. 1.16. With Jews receiving Sacraments he was not pleaſed, 1 Cor. 10.5. therefore, may not Chriſtians preſume of favour, becauſe they enjoy the Sacraments; He plagued them for murmuring, for idolatry, fornication, therefore take heed of like ſinnes; Rom. 11.20. He ſpared not naturall branches, therefore not thee, but fear alſo, not being high-minded, thine own cutting off likewiſe.
Cautions here are theſe. Firſt, Be ſure thy concluſion be delivered in the word of God, then ſpare not to inferre according to the latitude thereof; with God there is no reſpect of perſons, A concluſion in the word of God, I perceive it, ſaith Saint Peter, Act. 10.34. All penitents ſhall be ſaved, Ezek. 18. that's confirmed from Saint Pauls experience, 1 Tim. 1.16. Precious is the blood of Saints in Gods ſight, Pſal. 72.14. from experience David affirms it: And this Rule well arms us againſt all Enthuſiaſmes, and ſuch like deluſions, wherein Anabaptiſts runne to the ſhipwrack of their ſouls.
Secondly, Diſtinguiſh generall from perſonall priveleges; for ſuch ye ſhall read many in the word of God; Num. 12. If there be a Prophet, I will ſpeak to him by dream, or viſion, my ſervant Moſes is not ſo; To be inſtructed in all things thou mayeſt expect, but to talk with God face to face, or to be informed, by dream, or viſion, expect not; To the Law, and to the Teſtimony, Iſa. 8. And, Mal. 2. Prieſts lips ſhall preſerve knowledge.
Thirdly, Where the favour is generall, yet the manner, and mean of convayance may be perſonall: for example, to be fed in famine, is a generall promiſe, Pſal. 37. but to be fed as Elias, by a Raven, or as the widow of Sarephath, by miraculous multiplying the meal, and oyl, was their perſonall privelege.
Fourthly, As in the Modus, and mean, ſo in their meaſure there are that have prerogative in common favours; as in knowledge, Moſes; in faith, Abraham; in patience, Iob; in zeal, David: in revelations, Paul; A meaſure, except according to the promiſe of God, who gives to every one ſeverally as he will, 1 Cor. 12.11.
Fiftly, In application of the generall in other mens experiments to thy ſelf, be ſure thou bring like qualification; It is true, God had mercy on Paul repenting, therefore he will have mercy on all, but repenting, &c. Slight not therefore thine own, or other mens perſonall experiences, they bring great good unto much confirmation to faith concerning the generalls; in them we are grown me thinks too wavering: That is a true Rule, Gal. 6.18. Mercy ſhall be upon ſuch, as upon the Iſrael of God, yet it is upon ſuch as walk after the right Rule, That's a true Rule, God will provide thee competencie according to thy ſtate, and perſon, if thou keep his wayes preciſely; yet falſe weights, and falſe meaſures we muſt uſe; elſe how ſhall we live? That God will finde us a hiding place in the day of his wrath, is a true Rule, Zeph. 2.3. moſt plentifully we have ſeen it experimented, to Elias, Eliſha the Prophets under Iezabel; Why doubt we, Oh we of little faith? and our ſelves have experimented in many particular perills, and deliverances, and preſervations, and proviſions that God hath made for us; And ſurely, God is rich in mercy to all, Rom. 10.12. and with him is no reſpect of perſons; His dealings are exemplary, Rom. 4.24. 1 Tim. 1.16. ſo we reſemble in behaviour.
Follows now the matter of obſervation; It is enunciated in one ſimple propoſition, tending to explicate the eſteem God holds of the death of Saints, which ſome interpret of his Saints in death; Rather, of the death of his Saints.
I could cloy you with interpretations, but Quorſum? The like phraſe of ſpeech we reade, 2 Kings 1.13, 14. Pſal. 72.14. Now whether he means their naturall, or violent death inflicted by perſecutours, may be quaere'd; Rather this latter, as Pſal. 72.14. Their blood is precious; to this circumſtances of the Text invite us. Firſt, Rarely doth God give way unto it; for ſo finde we the word Precious put for Rare, 1 Sam. 3.1. Never but upon ſpeciall cauſe; And this is that we have doctrinally, Pſal. 72.14. He doth redeem their ſoul from deceit and violence, that neither ſword, nor cruelty prevails to overthrow it; Pſal. 37.32. Wicked watcheth Righteous, ſeeketh to ſlay him, Verſ. 33. The Lord will not leave him in his hand. Plentifull inſtances we have in Scriptures, I could begin with Iacob, and ſo hold on to Eliah, Eliſha, the Three Children, Dan. 3. Fires action ſuſpended, and Dan. 5. Lions mouthes ſtopped; Beſides many extraordinary deliverances of others in latter times, wherein the wiſdome, and power of God, hath ſtrangely ſhewed it ſelf for their deliverance, and preſervation, 2 Tim. 4.18. God delivered Saint Paul out of the mouth of the Lion; Saint Peter deſtined to death by Herod, miraculouſly delivered by an Angel, Act. 12, &c.
Thus underſtand it. Firſt, While God hath uſe of their ſervice upon earth, Ioh. 11.7, 8, 9. Are there not twelve hours in the day? Luke 13.32. Go, and tell Herod that Fox, &c. Ioh. 7.30. No man laid hands, becauſe his hour was not yet come; and 8.20. Secondly, Except by their death, they may bring more glory to God, then by their life; Old Polycarpus having ſerved Chriſt fourſcore yeers in life, if now to teeth of Lions he become a prey, it is his glory; When Paul hath finiſhed his courſe, then time to die Martyr, 2 Tim. 4.8. Thirdly, Marvellous are the diſpenſations of providence in this kinde; ſometimes by peace propagating the Church, ſometimes by perſecution, Act. 9.31. Phil. 1.12. Under Diocleſian the Emperour eſpecially this was the courſe, when weekly, daily, hundreds of Chriſtians were Martyred; in ſo much that the rate of one monethmonth taken, amounted to ſeventeen thouſands; yet out of their Aſhes ſprung up New, which made Tertullian ſay, Seme… eſt ſanguis Chriſtianorum.
I ſay in our Saviours language, Luke 12. Fear not little Flock; Though evill dayes approach us, and come on faſt; yet if God have any ſervice for us to do on earth, it is not all the ſpight of the world ſhall ſhorten our dayes. Firſt, A hiding place we ſhall finde in the day of Gods wrath. Secondly, Fire ſhall not burn; The Lions ſhall not devour Daniel, while God hath ſervice for him here on earth; Some Ebedmelech God will raiſe up to ſpeak good for Ieremie to the King; ſome one or other: Boyling oyl, or lead, ſhall not deſtroy the Evangeliſt Saint Iohn; Marvells, Miracles, we read in Church-Story, of ſtrange deliverances of Saints.
If theſe move not; yet let us conſider. Firſt, Our hairs are numbred, Luke 12. Secondly, Are ye not of more value then Sparrows? Precious in the ſight of the Lord is the death of his Saints. I remember it for this end, becauſe perhaps our hearts may be ſurprized with fears, in this wavering condition we live in; and our fears may perhaps diſtract, or deject us: As they ſpake, Dan. 3. The God we ſerve is able to deliver us; and the Lord will certainly preſerve us in life, while he hath uſe of our ſervice upon earth: Why are we timorous, Oh we of little faith? Firſt, Meditate ſeriouſly the examples of Gods marvellous deliverances of his people in former times. Secondly, Think of the promiſe. Firſt, Either God will keep evils from us. Or, Secondly, Take us from evils, Iſa. 57.1. Or, Thirdly, Support in, or under the evill, that the iſſue may be comfortable, 1 Cor. 10.13. 2 Cor. 12.9.
Secondly, As precious things are not parted withall, but at a dear rate; So certainly it is true, dearly they pay for the blood of Saints that ſpill it: Truly ſaid Cyprian, There never was bloody perſecution raiſed againſt the Church; but there followed it, as an acoluthite, ſome extraordinary remonſtrance of Gods vengeance; in famine, ſword, peſtilence, captivity, and the like: From the time of righteous Abel to Zechary, Matt. 23. from that very day to this hath it been verified; Cain had his mark, as ſome ſay terrour, and trembling ſet on him; not ſlain indeed, leſt the people ſhould forget it, but plagued in the poſterity: their vitious manners brought in the flood upon the world of the ungodly. Of Manaſseth it is noted, He filled Ieruſalem with blood from corner to corner; himſelf is carried away captive, and repenteth, yet to this cauſe is imputed the ſeventy yeers captivity in Babylon: And our Saviour giving reaſon of the deſtruction of Ieruſalem, Matth. 23. ſaith, They had killed the Prophets, and ſtoned them who were ſent unto them: Thoſe Civill warres, read of in Romane Monarchie, began not, till perſecutions raiſed againſt Chriſtians; decay of the Empire in the heat of perſecution; till at length Mahomet firſt, and after him the Turk had ſeized the more part of the Chriſtian world: What ſhould I ſpeak of particular perſons? There is ſcarce any noted for notorious in bloody perſecutions, who is read to have died a dry death; or not to have lived in horror of conſcience; or hardneſſe of heart, and blaſphemy, as we read of Herod, of Pilate, of Iulian, &c. I ſpare mention of thoſe endleſſe, and unſufferable torments, reſerved for them againſt the life to come, 2 Theſ. 1.5. Tribulation to them that trouble us, for them is reſerved the miſt of darkneſſe for ever: And do not marvell it; For, Firſt, They coſt Chriſt dear, even his own precious blood, 1 Corinthians 6.20. 1 Peter 1.19. Secondly, They were nearly knit to Chriſt, ſo near as members one to another, as the body to the head, Epheſ. 1.22. Epheſ. 5.30. and by compaſſion he is tortured when they are tormented. Thirdly, The malice bent toward Chriſtians, in reſpect of Chriſtianity, is bent indeed againſt Chriſt himſelf, the head of Chriſtians; and certainly they who deſire to root Chriſtians out of the earth, would, if they could, pluck Chriſt out of heaven; In a word, The cauſe they ſuffer for, is Chriſts, no marvell if he ſo tenderly take the ſhedding of their blood, which for his ſake they ſpill; For thy ſake are we killed.
Amongſt many preſages of ſome great evill coming towards us; as, Firſt, The death of ſo many Righteous. Secondly, The ripeneſſe of ſinne. Thirdly, The unprofitableneſſe of our ſmaller corrections. Fourthly, Our long Peace, and which grows up with it our deadly ſecurity. Fiftly, The melting of our hearts, as Rahab ſpeaks, Ioſh. 2. at the noiſe, or rumour, of the approaching enemy, &c. Give me leave to minde you of this as one, A principall meritorious cauſe of all the wrath that hangs over our heads.
You may call to minde the Tempora Mariana, The dayes of Queen Mary; How much precious blood of Saints was ſpilt as water upon the ground? which yet was never perhaps expiated by any wrath of God, or by any ſolemn humiliation of the people.
Leſt any ſay, Theſe dayes are paſt and gone; and we have ſince had gracious Princes, who have been Nurſing-Fathers, & Nurſing-Mothers to the Church, as was King JAMES, and Queen ELIZABETH, both of moſt bleſſed memory? It is true, but ſo had Ieruſalem after Manaſſeh, Ioſiah, that peerleſſe King of Iudah, there was none like him before, or after; yet God remembred the ſinne of Manaſseh; and therefore ſent Nebuchadnezzar, a wicked Idolater, to carry them away captive. Oh that we could think of it, and lay to heart this amongſt all our other ſinnes! Blood defiles the land; the blood of Innocents, the blood of Martyrs is precious in Gods eyes; we muſt by our ſm…rt know the price of it: Oh ſirs, that amongſt all our other ſinnes, this might be matter of our humiliation; peradventure yet the Lord would return, and have mercy upon us: I confeſſe, we have many ſinnes of our own perſonall committing, but this ſinne of our fathers, how do we not tremble at? If that be it, that the ſonne ſmarts not for the father, except he reſemble in the fathers ſinne? True indeed in eternall, not ſo in temporall judgements; that made Daniel confeſſe the ſinne… of his fathers, Dan. 9. and the Lord threaten to viſit the ſinnes of the fathers upon the children, Exod. 20.
It ſerves, me thinks, for caution to all the brood of Cain amongſt us; whoſe hands indeed are reſtrained, but hearts boyl with malice againſt Gods people for Chriſtianity-ſake: And I am perſwaded there are amongſt us, who, if times would ſerve for it, would as willingly carry a faggot to our burning, as they now ſhoot out their arrows, even bitter words. I beſeech you pray God to give you better hearts; ye have heard that their blood is precious in Gods ſight; it will coſt you dear; honour, or ſtupidity of conſcience, and in the end everlaſting torment.
Secondly, Remember who ſaid, He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye, Zech. 2.8. Thirdly, How ſtrict the charge is, Touch not mine Anointed, and do my Prophets no harm, Pſal. 105.15. Fourthly, Set before your eyes the example of Gods wrath on former perſecutours; People, Nations, Kings, Monarchies, God hath not ſpared for this ſinne; Take we heed leſt he ſpare not us; Nay be ſure, he will not ſpare us, if we have hand, or leaſt ſtroke in their perſecution, in their blood; Not us of all people, for clearly hath the light of the glorious Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt ſhined long amongſt us, that we cannot, as miſſed forefathers, pretend ignorance; they had been nurſed in Popiſh ſuperſtition, we in the true faith of Jeſus Chriſt; if we ſo farre fall away, as to imbrue our ſelves in the blood of Gods Saints, for us is reſerved the blackneſſe of darkneſſe for ever: Conſider what I ſay, and the Lord give you underſtanding in all things.
Thirdly, Precious, that is, highly he eſteems it, as men do things that are moſt precious, as their coſtlieſt jewels; As if there were not vertue in all the whole roll of Chriſtian vertues ſo great as this, to ſuffer death for the Name of Chriſt, Apoc. 12. They loved not their lives unto death, Heb. 12, Ye have not yet reſiſted unto bloed in ſtriving againſt ſinne, Phil. 1.29. To you it is given, not onelyonly to beleeve, but to ſuffer for the name of Chriſt; as if therein were Munus, I ſay not in genere neceſſarii, but in genere boni, I am ſure, magni: Hence the Apoſtles joy in it, as in their glory, Act. 5. ult. and Paul when he would preferre himſelf before other Apoſtles, 2 Cor. 11.22, 23, &c. uſeth this ſame Argument: Ancients talk of Aureola Martyrum, The crown of righteouſneſſe is reſerved for all that love Chriſts appearing: but there is a Coronet upon that Crown, for them who ſuffer death for the Name-ſake of Chriſt: Tears are put into a bottle, made varniſh to our clarity, and glorious ſplendour; no drop of blood but wins us a river of glory, effuſion of it, the whole Ocean, as it were, of beatitude.
It checks our cowardize; Oh we foreign, we cowards, daſtards, ſo timorous in declining our glorry! Why are our ſpirits ſo dejected, as to begin already to halt twixt two opinions? or to reſolve of neuterality? or joyning to the prevailing ſide? Firſt, Know, there were ſometimes who were ambitious of it, Sum & ego Chriſtianus. Secondly, Chriſt promiſeth to own us, if we confeſſe him, Luk. 9.26. Thirdly, Proteſts to deny us, if we deny him, Mat. 10.22. Fourthly, martyrdom is neceſſary in Caſu, Abſolutely, alwayes, Quoad paeparationem animi, Mat. 10.38 39. Fiftly, weight of glory promiſed to light momentany afflictions, 2 Cor. 4.17. Sixtly, A cloud of witneſſes, yea our Saviour himſelf gone before us, Heb. 12.12, &c. What if the Lord ſelect us from amongſt his Army of Militants to be his Champions, to take up, or caſt down the Gauntlet in the quarrell to his Kingdome? Firſt, He hath promiſed to ſupport, 1 Cor. 10.13. Secondly, Given us no Armour for the back, Eph. 6. but thunders wo to the back-ſlider, Heb. 10.38. Thirdly, Honors with conformity to Prophets, to Chriſt in ſuffering, Mat 5 12. Fourthly, We are far above the ordinary rate of his Saints, when he culls us out, as it were, to reſiſt unto ſhedding of blood. Fiftly, Let us not forget it is the condition of our raigning with him, Rom. 8.17. 2 Tim. 2.12. Sixtly, This way went Chriſt into his Kingdome, Luke 24. The diſciple muſt not be above his Maſter. Seventhly, He hath begotten us to a lively hope by the reſurrection of Ieſus Chriſt, 1 Pet. 1.3. and he firſt ariſing up, hath given us a pledge of our reſurrection to immortality. Now the good Lord affect our hearts with theſe things, that we may all reſt aſſured of protection, ſo long as God hath uſe of our ſervice in life; and couragiouſly reſolve to glorifie him in our death, if he ſhall call us to ſuffer for his Name to the ſhedding of blood; knowing that our blood is precious in his ſight, and that a drop of it is not ſhed, but wins us a River of bleſſednes. But may we not think it meant of death naturall of Saints? Certainly it is true, their death is precious: underſtand, death in the childe of God is not a meer paſſion; there is action, vertuous action in it, death of impious men is meerly paſſive, as of brutes; and not without reſiſtance, and ſluggiſh reluctation; and that I ſay not onelyonly of Nature, but of Will too. Reaſons of it are. Firſt, This life they know, the other they know not. Secondly, Have no aſſurance of better ſtate in the life to come. Thirdly, Soul in paſſage ſees terrour of Judge; and knowing no ſhare they have in the mediation of Chriſt, would live alwayes, that they might ſinne alwayes: Now in the death of Gods Saints there is action, vertuous action, the complement of all vertuous qualities; Therefore St Peter calls it, The laying down of the Tabernacle; St Paul, His departure; Giving up the ghoſt; Commending the ſoul unto God. In which laſt act of a Chriſtian, is the perfection of Chriſtian vertues. Firſt, No faith like this; Though he kill me, when he killeth me, I truſt in him, Iob 13.15. Secondly, No love like this; To love the preſent fruition of Chriſt. Thirdly, No hope like this; Even when we are dying, to expect life; when the body is falling, to expect Reſurrection. Fourthly, No obedience like this; willing to conſent to the will of God in dying; and herein to ſay, Thy will be fulfilled, and I am content to do it, Pſal. 40.8. This makes even the Naturall death of Gods Saints precious in his ſight.