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…

Answ. In these especially:

1 In self denial: show that you can deny your opinions, your desires, your wills, though you have a strong mind to a thing, though you have fit opportunities to enjoy your desires, yet if you see God may have more honour any other way, you can freely & readily without disturbance, without vexing yield; and do not deceive your selves in this, be easily convinced in particulars, which are for God against your selves; the excellency of a mans spirit is much seen in this. Many conceit an excellency of spirit to be in self-willednesse, in being passionate, froward, and boisterous; Certainly this comes from weakness of spirit, no excellency is required for this, every fool can be thus; but that is excellency, to be able to overcome, to rule ones spirit, to have command of ones spirit, to subdue and bring in order passions, and violent stirrings of spirits; this is precious and honourable in the eyes of God and man: this is a well tempered ⟨p. 190⟩spirit indeed, that can be strong, zealous, full of courage, unyeeldable in the cause of God and the Church; but meek, quiet, yieldable, self-deniable in its own cause: those who usually are the most boisterous, and passionate for themselves, are the poorest spirited men, and the most basely yielding, when it comes to the cause of God.

1 In selfe deniall: shew that you can deny your opiniōs, your desires, your wills, though you have a strong mind to a thing, though you have fit opportunities to enjoy your desires, yet if you see God may have more honor any other way, you can freely & readily without disturbance, without vexing yeeld; and doe not deceive your selves in this, be easily convinced in particulars, which are for God against your selves; the excellency of a mans spirit is much seen in this. Many conceit an excellency of spirit to bee in selfe-willednesse, in being passionate, froward, and boisterous; Certainly this comes from weaknes of spirit, no excellency is required for this, every foole can bee thus; but that is excellency, to bee able to ovērcome, to rule ones spirit, to have command of ones spirit, to subdue and bring in order passions, and violent stirrings of spirits; this is pretious and honourable in the eyes of God and man: this is a well tempered