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…

1 They are not mercenary, they ¹will not indent with God for what they do; so much as they may get by their service, so much service, and no more: No, they go on in their work, and leave themselves to God: let the benefit of that they do, be what it will, they lose not their end ⟨p. 41⟩if they be employed for God; men do very ill for themselves, in indenting with God for any service; for their strait spirits cannot imagine, or desire that latitude of good, that the infinite bounty of God would give, if they left themselves wholly to it.

1 They are not mercenary, they ¹will not indent with God for what they doe; so much as they may get by their service, so much service, and no more: No, they goe on in their worke, and leave themselves to God: let the benefit of that they doe, be what it will, they lose not their end ⟨p. 41⟩if they be imployed for God; men doe very ill for themselves, in indenting with God for any service; for their strait spirits cannot imagine, or desire that latitude of good, that the infinite bounty of God would give, if they left themselves wholly to it.

1. 11

Seneca reproves the opinion of such, who said a man should choose a friend that he might have one, who might relieve him in his want, who might visit him in his sickness, &c. No, saith he, this is mercenary; but I will choose a friend, that I may have one, to show love unto, to visit if he be sick, to help if he be in want: So for men to choose a God unto themselves, that they may be helped out of troubles, that they may have their estates blessed, that they may get such and such things by, to make this the highest end is mercenary, and too low for a true, gracious, generous spirit; but to choose a God, to be my God, that I may honour, love, fear, worship him for ever, this is true Christian generousness.