The excellency of holy courage in evil times by Jeremiah Burroughs

Secondly, It is difficult, not only because of the impediments, but because it is the highest duty of all; to reach high is painful to the Body; so the high actions of the soul are difficult to the soul: now Faith is high; the object is high, the act is high, and the end is high: the object is the highest object, it is the perfect righteousness of a Mediator, God-man; and the act is of the highest nature, it is an act of uniting the soul with the Deity: as by sin the soul departed from God, so by faith the soul comes to be made one, and for the end that is high, it is for the satisfaction of infinite Justice, and for appeasing of infinite wrath, and for acceptation from infinite holiness: let God be never so holy, infinitely more than we can conceive of him, yet faith does procure acceptance; for such a polluted filthy creature as man is, from the infinite holiness of God.

Thirdly, It is difficult, because it hath the least furtherance from any principle of Nature: some other Graces, as Patience, and Justice, and Sobriety, they have some help from the principles in Reason and Nature; but Faith hath no help from any principles in Reason or Nature; and therefore surely it is difficult, and if it be the most glorious, and difficult thing, surely it will enable the soul to do most glorious and difficult works.

Thirdly, It is difficult, because it hath the least furtherance from any principle of Nature: some other Graces, as Patience, and Justice, and Sobriety, they have some help from the principles in Reason and Nature; but Faith hath no help from any principles in Reason or Nature; and therefore surely it is difficult, and if it be the most glorious, and difficult thing, surely it wil enable the soul to do most glorious and difficult works.

Fifthly, Faith appears to be a most strong thing to carry the Soul through any service, because it enables a soul to go on in any way of service that God calls to in a gracious manner, and this doth facilitate a work, a main thing that makes our services difficult is our blundering about them, and going about them in a confused untoward manner, we do not carry things graciously, and sweetly, In an outward work, to carry it on in a right manner doth mightily further the work; so in any