A Body of Practical Divinity

Quest. 2. What are the Right Ingredients into our Obedience to make it acceptable? Or how must it be qualified?

Resp. 1. Obedience must be cum animi prolubio, Free and Cheerful, else it is Penance, not Sacrifice, Isa. 1.19. If ye be Willing and Obedient, though we serve God with Weakness, let it be with Willingness. You love to see your Servants go cheerfully about your Work. Under the Law God would have a Free-Will-Offering, Deut. 16.10. Hypocrites obey God grudgingly and against their Will; they do facere bonum, but not veil. Cain brought his Sacrifice but not his Heart. 'Tis a true Rule, quicquid Cor non facit non fit, What the Heart doth not do, is not done. Willingness is the Soul of Obedience; God sometimes accepts of Willingness without the Work, but never of the Work without Willingness. Cheerfulness shows that there is Love in the Duty; and Love doth to our Services, as the Sun doth to the Fruit, Mellow and Ripen them, and make them come off with a better Relish.

Resp. 1. Obedience must be cum animi prolubio, Free and Chearful, else it is Pennance, not Sacrifice, Isa. 1.19. If ye be Willing and Obedient, though we serve God with Weakness, let it be with Willingness. You love to see your Servants go chearfully about your Work. Under the Law God would have a Free-Will-Offering, Deut. 16.10. Hypocrites obey God grudgingly and against their Will; they do facere bonum, but not velle. Cain brought his Sacrifice but not his Heart. 'Tis a true Rule, quicquid Cor non facit non fit, What the Heart doth not do, is not done. Willingness is the Soul of Obedience; God sometimes accepts of Willingness without the Work, but never of the Work without Willingness. Chearfulness shews that there is Love in the Duty; and Love doth to our Services, as the Sun doth to the Fruit, Mellow and Ripen them, and make them come off with a better Relish.