The excellency of holy courage in evil times by Jeremiah Burroughs

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 ⟨p. 141⟩work that God sets us about if we went on in the right way that God set us about, it would help us against difficulty, we may thank our selves, because we go about our work unto wardly: As an apprentice that handles his tool untowardly, he works with as much strength as another, but not going in the right manner to work, he does but hack & spoil his work, whereas a Mason, or Carpenter that works, by rule and goes to it in the right manner he goes through his work with ease, and if there be a knotty piece in the timber he knows how to order it, because he hath skill: when as others would throw away the work, and could not tell what to do. So many not having the grace of faith to guide them by the right rule, when they set upon any work in religion, they cry out of the difficultness, and how it tires them no marvel if you be tired when you do not know the right rule: but the principle of Faith being begotten by the word, and being fed and nourished by the word, it will keep the heart close to the word, and give skill to the soul to apply it self to the rule, and therefore though the work be hard, yet to such a one in comparison it is Easy, and so carries through abundance of difficulties which otherwise would hinder him.