The Power of Godliness, Book 2 · Chapter 10
CHAP. X. Of the sixt Operation of the soul, viz. Willing and Nilling. How the godly are to exercise this faculty. In what order good is to be desired. And What opposite Sinnes in the exercise of this faculty, must be avoided.
Question. VVHat is the sixth Operation of the soul?
A. Willing and nilling, whereby we choose or refuse,Esa. 28.12. Prov. 1.10. Psal. 35.27. desire or do not desire the object known and judged, approved or disallowed. And because all willing and nilling doth follow the judgment of man concerning the thing objected, it is also diverse according to the diversity of the judgment. But the judgment is two-fold. For, either it proceeds from the mind, approving that to be good which the law prescribeth, that evil which it forbiddeth: or it proceedeth from the sense and affection, esteeming that good which is pleasant, profitable, and delightfull, though forbidden, disallowing that which appeares difficult, unprofitable, unpleasant though it be commanded.
There is a judgment of generall estimation, and a judgment of particular application.
1. There is a first and a second act of judgment; a judgment of the thing simply considered in it self, and a judgment of the thing as it is considered with all circumstances, or as it comes in comparison with others that must be borne, endured, or forgone. And according to these there is a two-fold willing or nilling: One following the first act of judgment,Magis dici potest velleitas quam absolute voluntas. Tho. Aq. 1 p. q. 19. Art. 6. ad. 1. which may be called a wish or vellcity, because it doth not prosecute the thing willed, or forsake the thing nilled; the other following the second act of judgment, or the judgment of particular approbation or improbation, considering the thing both simply and in comparison, which is an effectull compleat willing, and doth produce the act and prosecute or avoid the thing willed or nilled. And these two acts of willing or nilling, are sometimes contrary the one to the other: for a man may wish that after the first act of judgment, which he nilleth or doth not prosecut after the second; and he may nill that simply considered, which he willeth when it is compared with other things to be done, born, or forsaken.
Q How are the godly to exercise this faculty of willing and nilling?1 Chro 28.9. Psal. 40.8. Psal. 119.35, 36. Heb. 13.18. Psal. 119.173.174. Neh. 1.11.
A. It is to be exercised in the effectuall, constant, orderly willing of all good truly known and judged to be good; and the nilling of all known evil. I delight, or bend my will, to do thy acceptable will, O my Lord. Make me to go in the paths of thy Commandements: for therein I take pleasure, [or thereto I have addicted my mind.] We are willing in all things to live honestly. Let thine hand help me, for I have chosen thy Precepts. O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayers of thy servants, who bend their wils, or desire to fear thy Name, Neh. 1.11.
Q. In what order is good to be desired?
A. According to the degrees of excellency. First, The absolute and chief good, which is God himself, the first truth and goodness, is above and before all to be desired.…sal. 73.25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. Secondly, That which hath greatest similitude and affinity with the first and chief goodness; so grace and vertue, that is to be desired in the next place.Psal. 119.16. Psal. 143.10. Incline my heart to thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God. Christ did therefore redeeme man, that they should no longer live the rest of their time in the flesh, according to the lusts or will of men, 1 Pet. 4.2.but according to the will of God. Thirdly, Things profitable and pleasant are to be desired with relation to piety and honesty. For matters of pleasure or profit do wholly depend upon godliness and honesty, and are whatsoever they are, by the benefit of them. Gaine is not gaine but loss, if it be not honest.1 Tim. 6.6. Pleasure is not pleasure but paine, it separated from piety. Godliness is the true gaine and pleasure, without which gaine and pleasure, are damage and vexation. In this order we must desire good to our selves and others And from hence it followeth,1 Chro. 15.25. First, That in the service of God our desires and will ought to be most earnest, more then in matters of meer honesty, pleasure and profit. Our will should be most fervent, when we come to deale with God: for earnestness doth principally belong to the duties of the first Table, which yet in proportion must be carried to the rest. Secondly, When we come unto our selves,Mat. 6.33. 1 Cor. 12.31. 1 Cor. 14.1. the soul is to be respected before all worldly commodities. Seek first the Kindom of God and his righteousness. So in spirituall graces, every one as it is more excellent. Desire the best gifts. Covet after spiritual things. Thirdly, Circumstances of time, place, persons and such like, ought to inforce the strength and power of will. Paul though he carried himself in all sincerity towards all,2 Cor. 2.12, 17 yet he professeth he did it more abundantly unto the Corinthians. Fourthly, In things that are indifferent, the less and fewer circumstances must yeeld to the more and greater, and that is to be chosen which is most expedient. Ezra Ezra 8.22.being in a straight, either to pass unto Jerusalem with danger of his own life, and of theirs that went with him, or to give the King occasion to suspect the truth which he had taught him, preferred that rather; I was ashamed (saith he) to ask of the King an army and horsemen, to help us against the enemy in the way, because we had spoken to the King, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them that seek him in goodness: But his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.
Q. How or in what manner is good to be willed?
2 Cor. 9 7.A. First, It must be willed freely, without co-action from any externall agent: for,Phil. 2.1…. the will cannot be compelled. But this ability to will what is truly good cometh meerly of grace. It is God that worketh in us to will and to do. Secondly,Psal. 119.112. 2 Cor. 8.11. Psal. 40.8. Phil. 2.13. The will doth not onelyonly desire good, but endeavoureth to obtain it, and putteth forth her appetite to execute and possesse what she willeth. For of God comes both to will, and to do. In the sanctification of the will, the rectitude and promptness of it are to be considered; by the one, the will is carried with right force to good truely known; by the other, it doth persecute and perfect good known. Therefore the true willing of good doth imply both a desire and prosecution of what is willed. Thirdly, The will that desires good effectually, doth also moderate and governe the sensitive appetite and locomotive power, and that either without or with great reluctancy. For, sometimes the appetite doth willingly follow the will, sometimes it doth strive and struggle against it, that the will is compelled to tame the appetite,Deut. 6.5. 1 Chro. 29.9. if it will follow and execute good. Fourthly, We must put forth our selves to will good with all the power and strength of will. Whatsoever ye doe, work from the soul. Doing the will of God from the soul. Eph 6.6.But a difference of good things must necessarily be holden: for some are more, others less excellent, which must be respected in degree and place. Every duty is to be willed with so much the greater strength, as the duty doth excell.
Q. How is the power of Nilling to be exercised?
A. In the free, constant, orderly forsaking and flying from all sin and evil, truely known and judged so to be. Touching this matter, these Rules must be known. First, Of two evils of affliction, the lesser is to be chosen. Secondly, The greatest misery is to be endured, rather then the least sinne to be committed.Psal. 119.109. & 44.17, 18. Thirdly, All sinne is to be nilled universally, but not equally: Not equally, for there be degrees of sinne: but universally, for every sin is contrary to the chief good of man.
Q What are the opposite sins that must be shunned in the exercise of this faculty?
A. 1. The willing of good according to the first act of judgment onelyonly, which it doth not prosecute or perfect; and the nilling of evil according to the first act of judgment onelyonly, which it doth not shun or avoid. 2. The disordered willing of good, when that is principally affected, which should be least regarded; as when profit or pleasure is preferred to honesty or godliness; or of good duties, the less is set before the greater. 3. Remisseness, when good is willed without life, power, and earnestness; which ariseth from disesteem or slouth or power of corruption. 4. Superstitious willing of that which in blind devotion appears good, but is not tried and found to be agreeable to the will of of God. Sound Judgment is the informer and mover of the sanctified will; therefore whatsoever is ignorantly willed without the light of truth to direct, that must needs be evil. 5. The partiall willing of some good, because it suiteth with our disposition or corrupt inclination, when some other good things more excellent, no less necessary, are refused and neglected. 6. Inconstancy, when for a fit, in some good mood we choose that which is good, the interest in evil not being renounced in heart: which causeth an easie revolt into the former sinfull course. 7. The willing of evil, wherein there be sundry degrees. First,…h. 4.22. Gal. 5.17. The wishing of evil, because it is pleasing to corrupt nature, though the act be not pursued: for if the thought or motion of sin be evil, much more the first desire, though it be resisted and quelled by the power of grace. Secondly, The willing of sinne to prevent other inconveniences, losses or dangers,Job. 36.21. and choosing of vanity rather then affliction. Thirdly, The willing and following of sinne, contrary to the Law of God and light of nature:Rom. 13.13. Gal. 5.16. Rom. 6.12. Prov. 11.19. Ezek. 25.25. & 36.5. which is called doing or fulfilling the lusts of the flesh, and obeying the flesh in the lusts thereof. Fourthly, The wilfull and eager desire of doing wickedly, which is called pursuing wickedness, or committing it from the soul, or with a despitefull mind. So Solomon saith, It is an abhomination to fools to depart from iniquity, Prov. 13.19.
The End of the Second Book.