t 04 Of Chr f ian Fortitude. SERM. quickly blown over. Nothing is more necef 1V fary in the whole of our religion than that we eN ' be fedate and deliberate ; and, particularly; that our zealous refolutions for God be form'd upon a juft and folid ground of calm and ma- ture confideration. Human paffions undi- re&ed by reafon can never be the foundation of chriftian graces ; fo far from it, it is the bufinefs of religion to keep them within due bounds, and to reftrain and govern them nor is there any thing,wherein we have more occafion to quit us like men and be $Tong.. Whenever we find a warmth and vehe -. mence of temper caufing emotion and per- turbation of mind, we may fancy ourfelves zealous and refolved chriftians ; but fuch a difpofition is always to be fufpeäed, unlefs upon a calm and ferious ripe-lion we fee the clear grounds upon which it is founded. What will plainly demonftrate the truth of whatI have faid, is that we fee men refolute and bold, without anything of religion ; nay, in wickednefs they are ftupidly, indeed impu- dently fearlefs of danger. Surely there muff be fomething very different from this in the courage of a good man, and it efpecially con - fifts in the confideration and perfuafion of his mind concerning the caufe in which he ex- erts
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