THE SECOND REASON OF THE POINT TAKEN FROM THE EXCELLENCY OF THIS FRAME OF SPIRIT.
Reason 2. The second reason of the point is taken from the excellency of this frame of spirit ; which will appear in divers particulars.
Section I. — First, This readiness of heart to stoop to the cross evidenceth a gracious heart ; and a gracious spirit, I am sure, is an excellent spirit ; flesh and blood never made any willing to suffer either for God or from God ; he that can do this hath that other spirit with Caleb, Num. xiv. 24, which proves him of a higher descent than this world. A carnal heart can neither act nor suffer freely, voluntas libera, in quantum liberata. — Luth. The will is no more free than it is made free by grace. So much flesh as is left in a saint, so much awkwardness and unwillingness to come to God's foot ; and therefore where there is nothing but flesh, there can be nothing but unwillingness. He that can find his heart following God in his command or providence cheerfully ' may know who hath been there,' as one said of the famous Grecian limner : this is a line that none but God could draw on thy own soul. The midwives said of the Israelitish women, they were not like the Egyptians in bringing forth their children, ' for they were lively, and delivered ere the midwives could come at them,' Exod. i. 19. Truly, thus lively and ready is the gracious heai-t in any thing it is called to do or suffer. It is not delivered with so much difficulty of a duty as a carnal heart, which must have the help and midwifery of some carnal arguments, or else it sticks in the birth ; but the gracious heart has done before these come to lend their helping hand ; pure love to God, obedience to the call of his command, and faith on the security of his promise, facilitate the work, that be it never so burdensome to the flesh, yet it is not grievous to the spirit; that is ever ready to say, 'Thy will be done, and not mine.' The apostle makes this free submission to the disposure of God's afflicting hand to evidence a son's spirit : Heb. xii. 7, ' If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons.' Observe, he doth not say, ' if you be chastened,' but 'if you endure chastening.' Naked suffering doth not prove sonship ; but to endure it, so as not to sink in our courage, or shrink from under the burden God lays on, but readily to ofter our shoulder to it, and patiently carry it, looking with a cheerful eye at the reward when we come, not to throw it off, but to have it taken off by that hand which laid it on, doth, (all which tlie word imports ;) this shews a child-like spirit, and the evidence thereof must needs be a comfortable companion to the soul, especially at such a time, when that sophister of hell useth the afflictions which lie upon us as an argument to disprove our relation to God. Now to have this answer to stop the liar's mouth at hand ; Satan, if I be not a child, how could I so readily submit to the Lord's family discipline ? This is no small mercy.
Section II. — Secondly, This frame of spirit makes him a free man that hath it. And no mean price useth to be set on the head of liberty : the very birds had rather be abroad in the woods with liberty, though lean with cold and care, to pick up here and there a little livelihood, than in a golden cage with all their attendance. Now truly there is a bondage which few are sensible of, and that is, a bondage to the creature ; when a man is so enslaved to his enjoyments and low contentments here on earth, that they give law to him, that would give law to them, and measure out of his joy to him, what he shall have, little or much, as he abounds with or is cut short of them. Thus some are slaves to their estates : it is said, ' Their hearts go after their covetousness ;' that is, as the servant after the master, who dares not be from his back ; their money is the master, and hath the best keeping ; their heart waits on it, shall I say as a servant after his master ? yea, as a dog at his master's foot. Others are as great slaves to their honours ; so poor spirited that they cannot enjoy themselves, if they have not tlie cap and knee of all they meet. Such a slave was Hainan, the gi'eat favourite of his prince. Who but he at court? that could at the expense of a few words get the king's ring to seal a bloody decree
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