Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

7. It must be joyful Obedience. Men are commonly more cheerful in their obedience to a great Prince, than to a mean Peasant: because the quality of the Master renders the service more honourable. 'Tis a discredit to a Prince's Government, when his Subjects obey him with discontent and dejectedness, as though he were a hard Master, and his Laws tyrannical and unrighteous. When we pay obedience but with a dull and feeble pace, and a sour and sad temper, we blemish our great Sovereign, imply his commands to be grievous, void of that peace and pleasure he proclaims to be in them; That he deserves no respect from us, if we obey him, because we must, and not because we will. Involuntary Obedience deserves not the Title: 'tis rather submission than obedience, an act of the body, not of the mind; a Mite of Obedience with cheerfulness, is better than a Talent without it. In the little Paul did, he comforts himself in this, that with the mind he served the Law of God; Rom. 7.25. The Testimonies of God were David's delight. Psal. 119.24. Our Understandings must take pleasure in knowing him, our wills delightfully embrace him, and our actions be cheerfully squared to him. This credits the Sovereignty of God in the World, makes others believe him to be a gracious Lord, and move them to have some veneration for his Authority.

7. It must be joyful Obedience. Men are commonly more cheerful in their obedience to a great Prince, than to a mean Peasant: because the quality of the Master renders the service more honourable. 'Tis a discredit to a Prince's Government, when his Subjects obey him with discontent and dejectedness, as though he were a hard Master, and his Laws tyrannical and unrighteous. When we pay obedience but with a dull and feeble pace, and a sour and sad temper, we blemish our great Soveraign, imply his commands to be grievous, void of that peace and pleasure he proclaims to be in them; That he deserves no respect from us, if we obey him, because we must, and not because we will. Involuntary Obedience deserves not the Title: 'tis rather submission than obedience, an act of the body, not of the mind; a Mite of Obedience with cheerfulness, is better than a Talent without it. In the little Paul did, he comforts himself in this, that with the mind he serv'd the Law of God; Rom. 7.25