98 Of Chriflian Fortitude. SERM. the warm but abortive zeal of thofe who hear IV. the word, and anon with jóy receive it, but only endure for a while, for when afliaion and temptation arifeth, by and by they are o fènded *. Their -j- goodnefs and their diligence, is as the morning cloud, and the early dew that peed away. But our refolution, if we would have the chriftian virtues be in us and abound, mutt be ftedfaft and permanent, holding out to the end of the race that is fet before us. I corne now to, The Firft particular, which the apoftle ex- horts us to add to our faith, and it is virtue, by which I underhand, in this place, a re- ligious fortitude in adhering to the profeffion of our faith, and in that courfe of ar`.tion which it dire ts, for tho' virtue, in the com- mon acceptation, lignifies every moral per - fedion, or good quality, and it may be fome- times fo taken in fcripture, yet when it is, as here, to be underftood in a limited fenfe, and exprefsly diftinguifhed from other good habits and difpofitions, nothing more obvioufly oc- curs as its meaning, than courage. This was a way of fpeaking ufed by the antient moralifts; avery eminent one tells us, that though virtue is become the common nameofall good affections * MaY. xiii. 20, 21. f Hof. vi. 4. yet
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