Four useful discourses viz. ... /Four usefull discourses viz. ... /

And their Ingenuity is in this, That they are thankful spirits. An ingenious heart is a thankful heart, and loves to acknowledge whence he had any mercy.

And then further, That's great ingenuity for one to be moved by good, and be moved by mercy. 'Tis a slavish spirit that's only moved by necessity and force and violence. That's nothing for a man to be forced to do a duty. The basest Slave by a Whip will be put to do that that is his duty, I, but for one to be wrought upon by love and by goodness, this is ingenuity. Now if the Lord hath given thee an estate, and thou findest it doth draw thy heart to God more, and works upon thy heart, that thou art affected by Gods mercy; O this is a sign of an ingenious heart.

And then further, That's great ingenuity for one to be moved by good, and be moved by mercy. 'Tis a slavish spirit that's onely mov'd by necessity and force and violence. That's nothing for a man to be forced to do a duty. The basest Slave by a Whip will be put to do that that is his duty, I, but for one to be wrought upon by love and by goodness, this is ingenuity. Now if the Lord hath given thee an estate, and thou findest it doth draw thy heart to God more, and works upon thy heart, that thou art affected by Gods mercy; O this is a sign of an ingenious heart.

And then, what grace such a man hath, is a great deal more conspicuous than others mens graces, and more beautiful. As a Diamond, that is set in Gold, there is a beauty in it. A Diamond set in a Crown of Gold, ⟨p. 46⟩doth sparkle more gloriously, than when it is wrapped up in a dirty Rag. So the graces of many that are poor and mean in the world, are (as it were) wrapped up in a dirty rag; as sometimes they wrap up their money. But now a man that is eminent in the world, and godly too, his graces are like Diamonds upon a Crown (as it were) that are so conspicuous before the world, that the world takes much notice of them, and gives glory to God for them.