The excellency of holy courage in evil times by Jeremiah Burroughs

Again doth thy heart fail thee? if my unbelieving heart make me fail in this work, what if I should fail through unbelief in that great work that concerns my eternal estate? what should become of me then? I seldom undertake a work but my unbelieving heart makes me fail in it; now there is a work of infinite consequence, and nothing can carry me through that but Faith, and if my unbelieving heart come and spoil me in that, it were better I had never been borne, it hath done me hurt enough in such and such things, I had need have a care it do not spoil me in that: As if a man should say, there are such and such businesses I have miscarried in, and I have lost much by them, but there are such and such works if I miscarry in I am undone, it is as much as my life is worth, and therefore I had need take heed of those things that have been hindrances to me in my other works: So if unbelief have done you hurt in these works, take heed it do not hinder you in the main work. And for a word to those that are weak, who are ready to be discouraged, and think they shall miscarry: Know God hath a special care of all his people though never so weak to keep off hinderances in that main work, though God do suffer them to fail in other works, and his name suffer some dishonour by it, yet he will have a care they shall not ⟨p. 164⟩fail in the main work: and were we not sure of this that God will have a care that our unbelieving hearts shall not spoil us in that main work we have to do about our Eternal estate, we could never have comfort know the covenant will not bear this, the covenant will bear that God should let our faith fail in some works, but it will not bear this that God should suffer the least degree of faith to fail in that work which concerns the eternal good of the soul; Christ is called the mighty counsellor, and the main work of Christ is to counsel the soul in those things that concern its eternal estate, and notwithstanding all its unworthiness, he will counsel it so far as it shall not miscarry in that great business, yet Christ doth not always afford his counsel in every particular action.