The excellency of a gracious spirit Delivered in a treatise upon the 14. of…The excellency of a gracious spirit Deliuered in a treatise upon the 14. of…

Again, it is not a turbulent spirit; ¹for turbulency of spirit makes men cruel and malicious; this spirit causes men to love their enemies, to do all the good they can to them: turbulent spirits seek only their own ends, they care not what becomes of others; so it be that they may but warm themselves, they care not what house be on fire: They are ⟨p. 138⟩boisterous in things that concern themselves. But the Saints of God, in whom this other spirit rules, they are meek and gentle, and yieldable in their own cause, ready to put up wrong in all quietness: take them in things that only concern themselves, and you shall find none so readily, so freely, so cheerfully denying themselves, as they. And again, turbulent spirits do not love to examine things by rule, to call things to account, but follow their own fiery humour, and set upon their own will with violence: but godliness takes off men from this ruggedness and turbulency of spirit, & makes them gentle and peaceable: let them be never so active, never so forward, never so zealous in any thing, yet if you will call them to examine things by rule, they will meekly and patiently hear you; yea, a child shall lead them, Isaiah 11. 6. And yet further; turbulent they are not, for none more obedient to authority than they; none see that Majesty of God ⟨p. 139⟩in Authority, as they do; none obey Authority out of conscience so as they do. If the will of men in authority, rather than authority, shall require any thing that the authority of Heaven forbids, that they do not; because they cannot obey, for conscience sake: And so sacred do they account Authority, that they would have no obedience performed to it, but obedience for conscience sake. Blind obedience the Church of God hath long ago exploded, as too servile for Christian spirits: this were more servile than selling mens bodies in the Market for slaves, which Christianity abhors. It were too uncharitable a conceit of Christian Magistrates, to think that they should require of, or expect from any, other obedience, than in, and for the Lord; and in this obedience, those who are godly, are so forward, as they are judged turbulent, for being over-forward to maintain the honour of Authority, as some think;

Againe, it is not a turbulent spirit;