A30570:677
The excellency of holy courage in evil times by Jeremiah Burroughs
The excellency of holy courage in evil times by Jeremiah Burroughs ; published by Thomas Goodwin ... [et al.]
London: printed by Peter Cole and Edward Cole, 1661
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
17. Again it must be our care, together with our faith to put on that we do with resolution and courage; As the Psalmist saith in Psal. 310.24. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart. So when you go to any difficult work, put on your faith with all the resolution you can, natural resolution helps much against difficulty: It is a notable speech of Seneca, the mind of man, gets whatsoever it commands it self, if it will lay a command and charge upon it self it may obtain it. That he says concerning natural resolution, natural resolution is a mighty help to overcome difficulty, a man shall be able to do more then he thought he could have done, but if this be added with faith, that we can make use of our Faith ⟨p. 179⟩and then lay a necessity on the work; it must be done whatsoever I hear, it is the command of God, this is a mighty thing to help forward the work.
17. Againe it must be our care, together with our faith to put on that we do with resolution and courage; As the Psalmist saith in Psal. 310.24. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart. So when you go to any difficult work, put on your faith with all the resolution you can, natural resolution helps much against difficulty: It is a notable speech of Seneca, the mind of man, gets whatsoever it commands it self, if it will lay a command and charge upon it self it may obtaine it. That he saies concerning naural resolution, natural resolution is a mighty help to overcome difficulty, a man shall be able to do more then he thought he could have done, but if this be added with faith, that we can make use of our Faith ⟨p. 179⟩and then lay a necessity on the work; it must be done whatsoever I hear, it is the command of God, this is a mighty thing to help forward the work.
18. Another rule is in all services that God calls you to, look upon your selves as Gods instruments in Gods hand, and look upon the work as Gods work enjoined by him and done for him, and not your own. I am nothing what is an instrument, an axe to the building of an house? the work is hard and difficult, it is not mine, but Gods, I am not the principal efficient, but the instrument and not in mine own hand, but in Gods and such a weak instrument in the hand of a skilful workman, in his own work may do great things.