Y t r3 0 f Chriflietn Fortitude. SERM. which is added the confiant praäice of vir, IV. tue, temperance, patience, godlinefs, and charity. But, in particular, virtue, in the more li- mited fenfe, that is, courage, was very pro- perly recommended by the apofl:le to be add- ed to faith ; for no one, furely will imagine that faith could fave any perfon without hold- ing it and perfevering in it ; and it could not be held and perfevered in without firm refo, lution, when the temptations to defert it were fo very ftrong as they were in that age. The apof ie Paul therefore writing to the fame Hebrews, urges them, by a great variety of powerful motives, * to hold fàfl the pro, fegion of their fäith without wavering. This, I fay, is neceffary, unlefs we would fuppofe that an imaginary believing in Chrift, with, out profe ing his name and his religion, would be fufficient to our falvation. Such a faith, indeed requires no virtue; for it may be diffembled and denied at pleafure, and ex- p' ofes the pretended believer to no danger, But the infufficiency of it is exprefly'taught by St. Paull-, If thou (halt confeji with thy mouth the Lord fefies, and (halt believe in thine heart that God bath raifèd him from the * Heb. iv. t 4, and x. 23. fi Rom. x. 9. dead,
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