Gods husbandry

There is a faint motion of the will, which is rather an act of the understanding convinced, that one should be willing to get a thing, than any true and earnest working of the will towards that thing; and this kind of willingness must men take for a true being willing. But herein they do much deceive themselves; for a man may be enforced to acknowledge, that he ought to be willing to get such or such a thing, and withal, find in himself some slothful wishes to have the same, and yet be destitute of that steadfast and fixed resolution of the will, which is indeed the motion of the will required to be in us, if we will receive good from the Lord. But how shall it be made manifest whether a mans willingness be settled or overt, well grounded or shallow? Surely he that indeed bendeth his will to any thing, will be contented to devour the pains of seeking and striving after it, as he that would be rich ⟨p. 40⟩in good carriest will labour for riches. But he whose will is a little weakly stirred towards wealth, but yet doth give it self over unto ease and pleasure, after he hath affirmed that he would be wealthy, shows, that his will is not settled upon wealth, by taking his ease, and following his pleasure, rather then that he will cross himself in these things to get wealth. It is even so in things spiritual for this matter, as it is in things temporal: he that weakly wisheth to be upright, but hath not his will soundly carried after uprightness, after his seeming to be willing, discovereth his unwillingness, by refusing to do that by which he might be made upright. But if thou wouldest indeed be made sincere, as a sick man would be made whole, thou must be content to take that physic, though troublesome in working, which will purge out thy predominant hypocrisy, and beget sincerity in the stead thereof.

There is a faint motion of the will, which is rather an act of the vnderstanding conuinced, that one should be willing to get a thing, thē any true and earnest working of the will towards that thing; and this kind of willingnesse must men take for a true being willing. But heerein they doe much deceiue themselues; for a man may bee inforced to acknowledge, that hee ought to bee willing to get such or such a thing, and withall, finde in himselfe some slothfull wishes to haue the same, and yet be destitute of that stedfast and fixed resolution of the will, which is indeed the motion of the will required to be in vs, if we will receiue good from the Lord. But how shall it be made manifest whether a mans willingnesse bee settled or ouert, well grounded or shallow? Surely he that indeed bendeth his will to any thing, will be contented to deuoure the paines of seeking and striuing after it, as he that would be rich