The excellency of holy courage in evil times by Jeremiah Burroughs

Fourthly, Above all take heed of determining before hand that you shall have no success, I may go about the work but it will never go on, it will never thrive: As a servant that is froward will say, well I may go about the work, but there will never come no good of it, so many will go about the work God sets them to do, but they determine before hand nothing will come of it This is a sinful boldness, who art thou man or woman, ⟨p. 178⟩shall you be so bold with God, may you determine, what Gods way shall be? you may say, I deserve that nothing should come of that I do, but when it comes to determination, it is boldness and sinfulness against God what should not I determine I that am thus and thus vild, will God succeed any work in my hand? you may say I that am thus and thus vild deserve that God should blast all that I do, but do not determine that I shall never overcome this hard heart of mine, and I shall never get a patient spirit. This is that which the prophet speaks against. Hosea, 7.13. Though I have redeemed them yet they speak lies against me, So though God have redeemed men, and hath given them mercy, yet they speak lies against God, that they shall never have such and such a mercy, that they labour for, or when God is in a way of redeeming of you, and stirring your hearts for you to say there shall never be no success, nor help, this is to speak lies against God; be humbled for that you have been guilty of before, and take heed of determining of the success for time to come: for assuredly, whatsoever unworthiness you see in your selves, yet know it is a temptation of the Devil and a provoking sin.

Fourthly, Above all take heed of determining before hand that you shall have no success, I may go about the work but it will never go on, it will never thrive: As a servant that is froward will say, well I may go about the work, but there will never come no good of it, so many will go about the work God sets them to do, but they determine before hand nothing will come of it This is a sinful boldness, who art thou man or woman, ⟨p. 178⟩shal you be so bold with God, may you determine, what Gods way shall be? you may say, I deserve that nothing should come of that I do, but when it comes to determination, it is boldness and sinfulness against God what should not I determine I that am thus and thus vild, will God succeed any work in my hand? you may say I that am thus and thus vild deserve that God should blast all that I do, but do not determine that I shall never overcome this hard heart of mine, and I shal never get a patient spirit. This is that which the prophet speaks against.