When Paul's
will was set resolvedly to go up to Jerusalem, (though it was
signified to him before, what he should there suffer,) he was not
daunted at all. Nay, saith he, "I am ready (or willing) not only to be
bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."
His will was inflamed by love to Christ; and therefore, all the
persuasions, that could be used wrought nothing at all.

Your self-willed people, nobody knows what to do with them. We use to
say of such, 'He will have his own will do all that you can.' Indeed
to have such a will for heaven, is an admirable advantage to a man
that undertaketh a race hither. A man that is resolved, and hath his
will fixed, saith, 'I will do my best to advantage myself; I will do
my worst to hinder my enemies; I will not give out as long as I can
stand; I will have it, or I will lose my life.' So Job, "Though he
slay me, yet will I trust in him." So Jacob, "I will not let thee go,
except thou bless me." 'I will, I will, I will!' O this blessed
inflamed will for heaven! What is like it? If a man be willing, then
any argument shall be matter of encouragement; but if unwilling, then
any argument shall give discouragement. This is seen both in saints
and sinners; in them that are the children of God, and also those that
are the children of the devil. As,

1. The saints of old, being willing and resolved for heaven, what
could stop them? Could fire and faggot, sword or halter, stinking
dungeons, whips, bears, bulls, lions, cruel rackings, stoning,
starving, nakedness? In all these things they were more than
conquerors, through him that loved them; who had also made them
willing in the day of his power.

2. See again, on the other side, the children of the devil, because
they are not willing, how many shifts and starting holes they will
have. 'I have married a wife;' 'I have a farm;' 'I shall offend my
landlord;' 'I shall offend my master;' 'I shall lose my trading;' 'I
shall lose my pride, my pleasures;' 'I shall be mocked and
scoffed,--therefore I dare not come.'--'I,' saith another, 'will stay
till I am older, till my children are out, till I am got a little
afore-hand in the world; till I have done this, and that, and the
other business.' But alas! the thing is, they are not willing; for
were they but soundly willing, these, and a thousand such as these,
would hold them no faster than the cords held Samson when he broke
them like burnt flax.

I tell you the wi