The excellency of holy courage in evil times by Jeremiah Burroughs

Object. But you will say, Being there may be good moods in men, take the worst of all, though their hearts be naught sometime, yet their hearts are up at other times, and may not you instead of encouraging Gods Servants, encourage the wicked? they may think, we hear there is a difference between Gods People, they are not always alike: so it is with me, sometimes I am distempered, but at other times (thanks be to God) it is better with me, and so instead of taking away discouragements from those that are weak, there may be encouragement to the wicked, and therefore where lies the difference between the good moods that some have, that have no true Grace, and the difference of spirit in those that have true Grace?

Object. But you wil say, Being there may be good moods in men, take the worst of all, though their hearts be naught sometime, yet their hearts are up at other times, and may not you instead of encouraging Gods Servants, encourage the wicked? they may think, we hear there is a difference between Gods People, they are not alwaies alike: so it is with me, somtimes I am distempered, but at other times (thanks be to God) it is better with me, and so instead of taking away discouragements from those that are weak, there may be encouragement to the wicked, and therefore where lies the difference between the good moods that some have, that have no true Grace, and the difference of spirit in those that have true Grace?

To that I Answer.

First, There may be a difference discerned by that which hath been said; there is something is constant: ⟨p. 117⟩Whether is that which lay at the root of grace in you still there? If you do not find those two things constant (viz. An approving of the life and power and strictness of godliness; and a savour of that which is spiritual, either in Ordinances, or in Gods People) all your good moods in the world, though your hearts be never so up, will not discover the truth of grace.