1. Answer.

The more lovely and engaging your Relation was, the more excellent will your patience and contentment with the will of God in its death be; the more loveliness, the more self-denyal, and the more self-denyal, the more grace. Had it been a thousand times more endearingly sweet than it was, it was not too good to deny for God. If therefore obedience to the will of God do indeed master na∣tural affections; and that you look upon patience and contentment as much more beautiful than the sweetest and most de∣sirable Page  223 enjoyment on earth, it may turn to you for a testimony of the truth and strength of grace; that you can, like Abraham, part with a child whom you so dearly love, in obedience to the will of your God whom you love infinitely more.