The excellency of holy courage in evil times by Jeremiah Burroughs

3 If so be you lose this, you lose the beauty of your profession; the beauty of the ways of Godliness, consists much in the constancy, and if your way be up and down, there is no beauty in your conversation, it takes away the convincing power of your way and conversation; if others saw your hearts up, and saw a constant evenness in your way, this would mightily convince them, that it is a work of Gods Spirit upon your hearts; but sometimes your hearts are up, and down again, sometime you are patient and meek, at other times you are passionate and fretting; this doth not convince them that it is the work of Gods Spirit, but only the stirring of a natural spirit.

3 If so be you lose this, you lose the beauty of your profession; the beauty of the waies of Godliness, consists much in the constancy, and if your way be up and down, there is no beauty in your conversation, it takes away the convincing power of your way and conversation; if others saw your hearts up, and saw a constant evenness in your way, this would mightily convince them, that it is a work of Gods Spirit upon your hearts; but somtimes your hearts are up, and down again, somtime you are patient and meek, at other times you are passionate and fretting; this doth not convince them that it is the work of Gods Spirit, but only the stirring of a natural spirit.

4 By this means you will cause God to walk differently with you; if you keep not up your hearts when God hath raised them, though God be in a way of mercy, you will cause him to walk in a way of displeasure against you.

4 By this means you wil cause God to walk differently with you; if you keep not up your hearts when God hath raised them, though God be in a way of mercy, you wil cause him to walk in a way of displeasure against you.