Great Precious Promises, Sermon 1
Great and precious Promises.
SERMON I.
2 Pet. 1.4.
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
MAy we not truly say, that if ever the Christians who live in those dayes shall be advanced to stand within the holy place, and shall inherit everlasting life, all these are now before his Throne may lay aside their harps and give us leave to sing? Will it not be a mysterie, suppose ye, unto heavenly Enoch that spent so much of his time in communion and fellowship with God, when he shall behold such Christians within that everlasting rest, that have spent so little of their time in corresponding with God? Will it not be a mystery unto believeing Abraham, when he shall behold such misbelievers, such disputers of the promises of God, advanced to reign with Christ? Will it not be a mystery unto wrestling Iacob, when he shall behold these Christians once crowned with immortal glory, that did so little know what it was as Princes to wrestle with God, till they did prevail: Will it not be a wonder to patient Iob, when he shall behold such impatient Christians as we have been, entering into that blessed place of repose? Will it not be a mystery unto holy David, when he shall behold such unmortified Christians entering within that City, into which no unclean thing doth enter? Will it not be a mystery unto tender Iosiah, to behold such Christians as we are, that have our hearts dying as a stone within us, entering into Heaven? Will it not be a mysterie unto upright Nathaniel, to behold such hypocriticall Christians as the most part of us are, entering within the holy place, and to see those that have been cloathed with hypocrisie and guile, now cloathed with the robes of immortal Glory? And will it not be a mysterie unto self denied Paul, when he shall behold so proud and selfish Christians enter into Heaven? Give me leave to say this, go where we will, we shall be matchlesse and singular; for if we shall go into eternity of pain, we shall be the greatest debtors unto the infinit justice of God, in regard of mercies we have received: and if we shall enter into eternity of joy, we shall be the greatest debtors unto the spotlesse grace of Christ, in regard of mercy we have abused. There shall be none in heaven like to us, and if we shall go to hell, there shall be few there that may be compared unto us. And let me but adde thus further before I come to the words, go where we will, we shall be out of doubt with our condition: Within a short time a real Christian shall be exalted above the reach of his misbelieving, a hypocrite shall be depressed below the reach of his faith, and one that is grosly in nature, he shall be abased beyond the reach of his presumption: A Christian ere long shall m…sbelieve no more; a hypocrite ere long shall believe no more; and one that is grosly in nature shall ere long presume no more: there is no misbelief in heaven, and there is no faith nor presumption of well being in hell. But to come to that which we intend to speak to, we told you when first we began our discourse upon that precious and exalting grace of Faith under a twofold notion and consideration. first, As it is justifying: And, secondly, as it is sanctifying. For the first, we resolved to speak to it in a twofold consideration. First, As it closeth with Christ simply as the object upon which it resteth, and of this we have spoken from that place, 1 Ioh. 1.3.23. Secondly, As it closeth with Christ, as held forth in the Promises. And now being to speak of it in this consideration, we have made choise of this place, in which those things concerning the promises, shortly.
1. Ye have that fountain and spring from whence the promises do flow, holden forth in the first words of the verse, Whereby, or (as the words may be more fitly rendered) By whom relating unto Jesus Christ who is the original and spring of all the Promises.
2. The properties of the Promises, and these are, 1. The freedom of the promises held forth in that word, Given, whereby are given, which speaketh this, that the promises are free gifts flowing only from good pleasure, 2. Their unchangeablenesse, and that is holden forth also in the word, Given, the gifts and calling of God, being without repentance. 3. That they are exceeding great, and the Promises are called great, either in respect of that price that was laid down to purchase the Promises, or they are called great in respect of the great things that are contained in them. 4. That they are precious; Now the Promises are called precious; either in respect of their originall, that they come from precious Christ; or else in respect of this, that they are the object (I mean the object, quo, or by which) of precious Faith, as it is called in the first verse of this Chapter; or else they are precious, because they are things that a Christian ought to put a high account upon; for the word that is rendered precious may likewise be rendred honourable, whereby are given unto us exceeding great and honourable promises.
3. We have holden forth in the words the great advantage of the Promises, By them we are made partakers of the divine nature: Now this is not to be understood of any essentiall conversion of our substance into the substance of God, but of a Christians having the divine vertues of Jesus Christ impressed upon his soul, and expressed in his life and conversation.
And there is this lastly, concerning the promises in the words, even the time when the promises are eminen…ly accomplished; It is, when we have escaped; or as the word is, When we have fled from the corruptions that are in the world through lust: That is the time when a Christian meeteth with the accomplishment of the Promises.
Now before we can speak to any of these, we must speak a little unto some things as necessary to be known, in order to the better understanding of all. 1. We shall not dwell long in pointing out unto you what is a promise: We conceive it is a glorious discovery of the good will of God towards sinners, and withall, a purpose and intendment, and (if we may say) an engagement to bestow some spiritual or temporal good upon them, or to withhold some spiritual or temporal evil from them: And certain it is, that in this description of the promise, there is a divine harmony betwixt Mercy and Truth, betwixt Righteousnesse and Peace, they kisse one another: Neither shall we stand long to point out the distinction of the promises: 1. There are some promises that are conditional, and there are some promises that are absolute, absolute promises are these that have no condition annexed unto the performance of them; such a promise is that, that God will destroy the world no more by water, that is an absolute promise; such a promise was that of God sending his Son into the World, that was an absolute promise; and such is that promise of conversion, in giving the heart of flesh, it is an absolute promise: As for the conditionall promises, they are these that do require some condition to be performed by the Christian, before the accomplishment of the promise, such as that promise of Salvation, it requireth believing as going before it, He that believeth shall be saved; And pardon, it is promised unto a Christian upon Repentance: and yet we confesse, that there is not a conditional promise that is in all the Covenant of Grace, but it may be reduced unto an absolute promise, in regard that the thing promised (in the conditional promise) is one absolute free gift, and the condition of the promise is another. 2. There are some promises that are temporal, and some that are spiritual; temporal promises are these, that promise some temporal thing unto a Christian, and spiritual promises are these, that promise the bestowing of something that is of everlasting concernment. 3. There are some promises that are not accomplished in this life, such as this, That wee shall see him … he is, and shall be made like unto him: But for the promises of Faith and of …ustification, these are accomplished in this life. 4. There are some promises that are extraordinary, and there are some promises that are common: extraordinary promises are these, that are given to some particular Believer as a singular priviledge: such was that promise that was given to Abraham, that in his seed should all families of the earth be blessed, and that promise that was given to Rebekah, That the elder should serve the younger: As for common promises, they are these, that every believer in Christ hath a right to make use of.
Neither shall we stand long to point out that it is the duty of a Christian to be much in the exercise of Faith, upon the promises; it is clear from Psal. 62.8▪ Trust in him at all times ye people: and it is clear from the practice of that precious cloud of witnesses, recorded of in Heb. 11. that spent their dayes in imbracing of the Promises. But, 7. We would have you consider, that it is more easie for a Christian to believe spiritual Promises, then to believe temporal promises; it is easier to trust Christ for eternal Salvation, then to trust him for our daily food when we are redacted unto straits; and the grounds upon which we assert this, may be these; 1. Because it is hard for a Christian to believe that Christs death reacheth for the purchasing of temporall promises, which more easily he taketh up in spiritual promises; for a Christian can hardly believe that such a thing was in Christs intention, as to die for his daily food, which yet is most certain, if we consider it as a special mercy. 2. In a Christians believing of spiritual promises, there is often some sense and reason that helpeth him to the exercise of Faith, at least, they presse not the contrary; but to believe a temporal promise, when a Christian is redacted unto a strait, and that he can see no outgate present, sense and reason stands upon the top of his Faith, and presseth him to dispair: As for instance, when a Christian is living upon the top of a mountain, and knoweth not where to sup at night, to believe that there is a promise upon which he may rest, that he shall not want his food; but if that the Lord had service for him he will provide: Here, he hath not only reason to dispute against, but the strong pinching sense of hunger, both crying out, How can bread be given in the wildernesse? 3. The tentations that assault a Christian to misbelieve upon temporal promises, they are more subtile and more con-natural to a Christian, then his temptations that assault him in resting upon spiritual promises: When a Christian is in straits in the world, the temptations that hinder his exercise of Faith, they are more consonant to flesh and blood; we are ready to yeeld to misbelief then, because we think it is rational, and speaketh the truth. 4. A Christian is often so affrighted by his daily failings, or some particular more grosse outbreakings in his life, that howbeit he may (through grace) be helped to believe that the Lord shall make out these promises which concern his eternal salvation, and so do him good in the latter end: yet may he be sadly perplexed and distrustfull in making use of any particular temporary promise, for drawing forth any comfort or encouragement therefrom, as to his present exigent: because he knoweth, that although the Lord doth forgive his peoples iniquities, yet may he take vengeance on their inventions, Psal. 99.8. and therefore may punish his present failing with the like calamities as he hath done others. 5. There is also much of a natural and carnal self love to a present life, remaining in the best, that we are many times worse to satisfie in our securities for the things of this life, then of that which is to come, and can more easily trust the Lord for our souls, then for our bodies; so that though his naked word will sometimes satisfie us for the one, yet it will not for the other: And the last ground of it may be a Christians unacquaintednesse with that lot of exercising Faith upon temporal promises, there being many who think not that there is use for Faith, except for Salvation and the things above, which maketh his Faith upon these more difficult then upon promises that are spiritual: And this may appear most clearly, in that we find men more easily bear their spirituall wants (even a Christian that is most exercised) then they bear their temporal want; and more corruption and impatience doth arise from temporal want, then from spiritual want.
2. Consider, That all a Christians duties are turned over into promises: there is not a duty that is required of a Christian, but it is converted into a Promise. Is not Faith a duty, 1 Ioh. 3.23. This is his Commandment that ye should believe? And is not that turned over in a promise, Ier. 3 19. Thou shalt call me thy Father? The word importeth not only an act of necessity, but of violence, thou shalt do it: And in the thirteenth of Zechary, at the close, Thou shalt call me thy Father, and so in Ezek. 11.19. Is not mortification a Christians duty, Colos. 3.5. Mortifie therefore your members; and it is turned over in a promise▪ Ier. 32.28. and Ezek. 36.25, 29. where he promiseth, that he will purge away all their uncleannesses: and it is clear from Micah 7.19. I will subdue (said he) all thine iniquities, it is not said, thou must subdue them, but, I will do it, Is not also the knowledge of God a commanded duty? and yet it is turned over in a promise in the Covenant of Grace; They shall know me from the highest to the lowest, neither shall there be need any more that one should say, know the Lord, for they shall be all taught of me. Is not the commandement of fear your duty, as is clear from Eccles. 12.13. and yet that is likewise turned over in a promise; I will put my fear in their inward parts, they they shall not depart away from me: So tendernesse is a Christians duty, and yet that is turned over in a promise, I will take away their heart of stone, and give them a heart of flesh. And that I may say no more of this, look but to these four places, and there ye will see almost all duties turned over in promises: there is Ier. 31. Ier▪ 32. Ezek 11. and Ezek. 36. ye will see all the duties of the Covenant converted into Promises. But may not some say, what advantage is there of this? much certainly, every way: That the duties are turned over into promises; it may give a Christian hope, that he shall once perform these duties: Will ye not once be tender? Yes certainly, because your tendernesse lieth within a promise; Will ye not once be much in the exercise of fear? No doubt ye will, and the ground of it is this, because your fear lieth within a promise, and so of the rest. And 2. There is this advantage of it, that all the duties required of a Christian are turned over in promises because by this means, a Christian may go to God when he cannot perform such a duty, and desire him to fulfill his word, and accomplish his promise; and so may make use not only of the Omnipotency of God, but of the faithfulnesse of God also.
There is this third Consideration that we would propose, that there are some things of a Christian within a promise, that he doth not believe to be within it, especially these three: First, the challenges of a Christian are within a promise, when ye are convinced, that is the accomplishment of a promise, this is clear from Isai. 30 21. where convictions and challenges are turned over in a promise; When thou art turning unto the right hand or to the left, thine ears shall hear a voice behind thee, crying, this is the way, walk in it: And it may be clear, that our convictions are the accomplishment of promises, because it is a work of the Comforter, as well to convince, Iohn 16.9. as it is for him to make one rejoyce: and if a Christian could believe that his challenges were the accomplishment of a promise, he might imbrace his challenges, he might see the faithfulnesse of God in his challenges, and he might see much love in his challenges. 2. A Christians crosse is within a promise, so that when a Christian meets with such affliction, he may sit down and cry out, this is the accomplishment of a promise, and this is clear from Psal. 89 31, 32. wherein in the midst of the promises of …he Covenant of Grace, that promise of visiting their iniquities with rod…, is put in the bosome of them: and from Psal. 119.77. In faithfulnesse hast thou afflicted me; Why doth David say in faithfulnesse? It was this, because his crosse was the accomplishment of a promise: and it may be clear also from that word, Heb. 12.7. Forget not the exhortation, (speaking of the crosse) the word is, Forget not the consolation that speaketh unto you, As if the holy Ghost did say, crosses do yeeld much consolation, as in vers. 11. They yeeld the peaceable fruits of righteousn…sse: And if this were believed, that our crosses were the accomplishment of the promises, it would help a Christian unto much humble submission, and there would not be murmuring under them, if once we did believe that they were the accomplishment of a promise: Yea, there is this advantage further, that if we did believe that our crosses were the accomplishment of a promise, we would be much in advanceing holinesse under our crosse. There is nothing that obstructeth the sweet fruits of righteousnesse under a crosse so much as impatiency: and I would say this to commend the crosse, a Christian never moveth so swiftly to heaven, as when he is under a sanctified crosse; a crosse when it is sanctified, will prove a Christians motion to Heaven, more then ten enjoyments, for our enjoyments ordinarily do retard our way as much as further it. And there is this, Thirdly, that is within the promises, even your daily food, and the hairs of your head, the hairs of a Christians head are numbered, and within the Covenant. So that ye may see what a high respect Christ hath put upon Christians, that is clear from that word, Psal 111.5▪ 8. He hath given meat unto them that fear Him, He will ever be mindfull of His Covenant.
Our fourth consideration shall be, to point out a little these grounds upon which Christ doth delay his accomplishment of the promises; It is certain that a Christian is oftentimes put to this, Doth his promise fail for evermore? and cryeth out, Why art thou become unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail; and the grounds of this delay are these: 1. Christ knoweth that a Christian can often better improve the delay of the accomplishment of the promise, then he can improve the accomplishment it self: we might find this in our experience (it being for the most part) easier for a Christian to bear his crosses, then to bear his enjoyments. I think David never had so sweet a time as then, when he was pursued as a Partridge by his son Absolon; then grace did breath forth most sweetly in his actions: but let David be under prosperity, and then we see he falleth in the sin of Adultery. And therefore never repine when ye are under a crosse; for certainly, if we had spirituall understanding, we would not judge it so great a hazard to be under a crosse, as under prosperitie, since we have greater strength to bear the one, then to endure the other. 2. The slothfulnesse of a Christian …o whom the promises are made, this makes the promises to be delayed in their performance, as was clear in the people of Israel; they are fourty years in a wildernesse, before that promise of entering into Canaan is accomplished; It was a promise that could have been accomplished in a few dayes, and yet because of their sin, it was not accomplished for fourty years, as ye may see from that word in Numb. 14.33, 34. 3. The accomplishment of the promises is delayed, that Faith may be more put in exercise; this is clear from that remarkable word, Psal. 105.19. Vntill the time that his word came; that is, un…ill the word of the Lord was accomplished; The word of the Lord tried him, that is, it was the matter of his exercise, an exercise espe…ially unto Faith; for indeed it is much for a Christian to believe upon a word, when it is delayed in its accomplishment. The fourth ground of delay is, that the exercise of prayer may be more; and it is certain, that the best improvement of delayes is, to be much in prayer; the promises they do occasion prayer, as is clear from Exod. 4. last, They believed, and bowed down their heads and worshipped, and from 2 Sam. 7.27. where the great promises being made to David, he cryeth out, Therefore have I found in my heart to pray this prayer unto God, and it is clear from Psal. 119.49. Perform the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. It is a bad improvement of delayes when we turn impatient; and it is a bad improvement of delayes, when we quite our confidence. Know that promises are accomplished after delayes, and they have a luster upon them that may compence all the delay. 5. There is this other ground of the delayes of accomplishment of the promises, even that the thing that is promised may be more sweet to a Christian when it cometh: this is clear from that word of Solomon, Prov. 13 12. Hope deferred maketh the heart sick, but when the desire doth come, it is as a tree of life; O but a mercy that cometh to a Christian through a promise, it is sweet; yea, a drink of cold water taken up as the accomplishment of a promise, is more sweet then a feast of fat things full of marrow, and wine on the lees well refined; to take up your bread and your dink as the accomplishment of your promises, it would make them refreshfull to you. 6. The Lord delayes his promises, that a Christian may be more in the exercise of dependency, and may be alwayes keeped about the throne. A Christian goeth to God from a threefold principle, he goeth to God from a principle of Faith, from a principle of necessity, and from a principle of love: but would you know that which putteth the Christian oftenest to God? it is a principle of necessity: and believe it, that if necessity did not drive a Christian unto the foot of the Throne, we would seldom go from a principle of love, or from a principle of faith. And there is this last ground of the delay of the accomplishment of the promises, that the glory of the wisdom of God may appear, and the glory of his power in the accomplishment of the promise. When the promise is long beneath ground, then the wisdome and power of God doth more appear in the accomplishment of that promise. And from this I would only say to Christians that are under that exercise, complaining of the want of the performance of the promises, these few things: 1. Believe that the promise shall once be accomplished, that though the vision tarry, yet at last it shall speak. 2. Believe, that every hours delay of the accomplishment of the promise hath a sweet design of love: there is not one moment of delay, but it is for the advantage of a Christian, as is clear from that word, Rom. 8.28. And, 3. that promise that cometh after long delays, it hath these three sweet and soul-refreshing attendants. 1. It is performed most seasonbly, a Christian if he will observe, he will see infinite wisdome shining in timeing the accompaniment of the promise to such a particular day: a Christian will be constrained to cry out, if the promise had been fulfilled before there had been no such Art of wisedome appearing in the performance of it. 2. That the promise when it is accomplished, will engage a Christian more in the exercise of …ove, than four promises accomplished at a …hort and smaller time: there is nothing that will so inflame the soul with love, as to have a promise accomplished after delayes. And, 3. the promises accomplished after de…ayes, have much sense waiting upon the per…ormance thereof: I think hardly a Chri…tian ever met with the accomplishment of … promise after long delay, but his soul was made as a watered garden, and as springs of water whose waters fail not; this promise …aileth and cometh to a Christian perfumed with love.
Now we shall shut up our discourse at this …ime, and shall only speak to these six defects of a Christians faith in believing the promi…es. 1. That our faith is impatient, wee …annot stay upon the promise if it be delayed: Hence ye will see, that in Scripture of…en patience is annexed to faith; which …peaketh this, That it is impossible for a Christian to believe as he ought, that wanteth the exercise of patience. See Heb. 6.12. Be ye followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promise: And that word …n the Revelation, This is the faith and pa…ience of the Saints. 2. Our faith in closing with the Promises, it is most unconstant: A Christian when first a promise is born in upon his spirit, he will then believe the promise and joyn with it; but after six or seven dayes go about, he will change his Faith: this is remarkably clear from Exod. 4.31. compared with Exod. 6.9. When first the promise cometh to the people of Israel, that they shal go out of Egypt, it is said of them in the fourth Chapter at the close, They believed the Promise, and worshipped: But look to them in Exod. 6.9. and there ye will see them not believing, because of bitterness and anxiety of heart: And I will tell you the grounds why our Faith is unconstant. 1. Sometimes the reading of a promise to a Christian will be as his savory meat; sometimes when a Christian will read one time in the Covenant, it will be perfumed with love, and his soul will bee transported with joy after it, and at another time when he shall read that promise again it will be tastelesse as the white of an egge, and as his sorrowfull meat 2. That we are not much in studying the exercise of the thing… that are promised, which certainly would cu… short many of our debates. There is this third defect of our Faith, That we are not diligent, a diligent faith we call this, that after a Christian hath believed, he would be much in the exercise of prayer, for the accomplishment of the promise, he would be much in the exercise of meditation, to make that promise sweet and lively to him. And a fourth defect is this, We build our faith more upon Dispensations then upon the Word: when dispensations say that which …he promise saith▪ then we will believe: but when dispensation speaketh the contrary language unto the promise, then we will re…ect our confidence and hope. I will tell you two great mysteries of believing, it is hard for a Christian to believe when the Commentary seemeth to destroy the Text, that is, when the Commentary seemeth to declare, that the promise shall never be accomplished. In … it is this, It is hard to believe when dispensations will say, the Word of the Lord will faill, and when promises bids you believe. 2. It is hard for a Chri…tian to take impossibilities in the one hand, and the word of promise in the other, and …ay, O precious Christ reconcile these two together, that impossibilities do not destroy the promise, but that the promise may be accomplished notwithstanding of this. …. We have this defect of faith amongst us, That we build our faith more upon sense, …hen upon the word of promise; when a Christian is in a good frame, he will believe, but when Christ hideth his face, he will then give over his hope. And lastly, there is this, That our faith upon the promises is general, we believe the truth of the promises, but we study not to make a particular application of them. I shall not stand long to make any use of what we have spoken▪ Only I would have the Christians of this age, and those that are here, to go home with this conviction, the damnable neglect of believing of the promises. A Christian neglecteth these three duties of Religion most, he neglecteth the duty of self examining, the duty of believing the promises, and that noble soul exalting duty of meditation: these three duties … Christian doth so constantly neglect, that almost he is above the reach of conviction, that he doth neglect them.
But I would say a word unto these tha… are destitute of the Faith of the promises, and are strangers unto these blessed things that are recorded within the Covenant: And i… is onelyonly this; doubtlesse ye must believe your senses, if ye will not believe his Word. It is a question indeed, Which of all the senses shall be most satisfied in heaven, whether that of seeing, when we shall behold the King in his beauty; and see him as he is, o… that of hearing, when we shall hear these melodious Halelujahs of that innumerable company, which are about the Throne, withou… any jarring amongst them all▪ o… that of smelling, when we shall find the sweet perfume of his garments, which are perfumed with all the powders of the merchant; or, that of touching, when we find Maries inhibiti…on taken off, Touch me not, and be admitted to imbrace him who is now ascended to his Father; Or, that of tasting, when we shall drink of these rivers of Consolation, that shall neuer run dry. This, I say, is indeed a question; But give me leave to tell you … athiests and enemies of God: It is also a question, Which of all the five senses of a Reprobate shall be tormented in Hell, and what would ye answer to it now? Whether …hink ye the sense of sight, when ye shall be…old that darknesse of wrath, the devil and …is angels, and your fellow prisoners in that …ungeon? Or whether shall your sense of …earing be most tormented in hell, when ye …hall hear those screighings and howlings …hat shall eternally ascend up before God, …y the souls that are in prison? O but the …reatest enemy would have compassion upon …is enemy, to hear their cryes: Or, whether …ill ye say the sense of tasting shall be most …ormented, when ye shall drink of these ri…ers of brimstone? Or, will the sense of …uching, when ye shall be eternally scorch…d … with these flames of eternal indignation▪ … the sense of smelling, when ye shall eter…lly be, as it were, suffocated with the …oke of that sulphurious furnace that shall …ever be quenched? O think you if Cain …ould come from hell and preach that do…rine, that we should not persecute the …ints, would we listen unto him? If Ab…on should come from hell, and should …each against the evil of ambition, would ye, … unto him? And if Achitophel should … from the dead and preach that doctrine …to you, Let not the wise man glory in his …sdome, would we stop our ears? Or if … would come from hell and preach to … the evil of hypocrisie, in betraying the … of man with a kisse, would we believe …? Or if Dives that is recorded in the …ospel should come from hell, and choise … Text to preach upon, Iam. 5.1. Go to ye rich men and howl, and weep for your miseries that shall come upon you. And if Dem… would come and second him with that word love not the world, nor the things that are in the world: I fear ye would cry out wee will imbrace that doctrine at another time. Wee desire not to insist much upo… these, but O to believe, that there is an eter…nity of pain, and that there is an eternity … joy. I will give you a description of the athiest, and let him think upon it, it is easie… to convince hundreds of you, that ye wa… the fear of God, then that ye want the fait… and love of God. Oh, an imaginary faith… and a conceit of love, will yee ever quit… these it w… Idols. I confesse, once ye sha… have a faith that no man shall ever rob yo… of, and that is, the faith of that truth, th… when once yee enter into eternity of pai… there is no redemption out of that plac… Awake, awake, for behold the Judge comet… and he shall render vengeance unto the… that know him not. To his blessed … precious Name wee desire to gi… praise.