GERM. XXXI.) OR REMEDIES AGAINST FEAR. There is need of a noble spirit and a pious bravery, to rise up against any foolish or vicious customs, to combat any rooted principles or habits of error or iniquity, and to oppose any number of persons that are engaged in an evil course. Moses forbids us to follow a multitude to do evil, E.x, xxiii. And there are seasons when we may be called to oppose a multitude of evil-doers And though no man stand by us, yet we are bound to stand by the cause of God and goodness. So divine a cause ICleserves and demands such divine courage. How glorious was the character of Caleb and. Joshua, who spoke well of the land of promise, and encouraged The armies of Israel, while all the rest of the spies which were sent brought an evil report upon the good land! Nunn. x-iii. 31, S. The people believed-the evil report, and spoke of stoning Joshua and Caleb: But the glory ofthe Lord appeared in the tabernacle, and God` him- self gave a testimony from heaven to the sacred courage and honour of these Jewish heroes. What a brave spi- rit dwelt in. Elijah,. who attempted to reform.Israel from .idolatry ! He would- not fall down and worship Baal, though.he thought he had been left alone, the 'only wor- shipper of the true God in the nation, 1 Kings xix. 14. VII. - There are some other, and very common occa- sions for the exercise of sacred courage, which attend persons, especially in the lower ranks of life: As for in- stance; when a servant is called by providence to speak the truth, and yet, he dare not do it without offend- ing his master: When a poor man is required to bear witness in some important concern, and his rich neigh- bour frowns and looks sour upon him: When a person -of inferior characteris tempted tojoin with the mighty in some unjust and dishonourable practices, and while his superiors invite him to it, his. conscience forbids his compliance. It is a noble act of christian courage, in such instances as these, to follow truth, equity,_ and con- . science, wheresoever they lead, in an opposition to all the allurements, the frowns, and the threatenings of persons in an higher station. Let those who fall under such a temptation remember, there is an higher than the high- est, and the great God, the Lord of heaven and earth, is. the patron of truth and righteousness, the guardian of innocence, and the dreadful avenger of deceit and lying.
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