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CHRISTIAN MORALITY, VIZ.
[SERM.XXX.
tian take
those
opportunities to
speak
his
mind.,
and
shew
his
courage
;
let
him
make
it appear
that
the meek
of
the
earth
may sometimes
resist
the
mighty
oppressors,
that
the
followers
of
the Lamb
dare
to
oppose the
wild
beasts
of
the
age,
and
are ready
to
sacrifice
all
that
human na-
ture
calls
dear
for the
service
of
God,
or the welfare
of
their
fellow-
creatures.
The heathen
world may
derive, some
arguments
from
the
light
of
reason, and
some
perhaps
from more
corrupt
and
selfish
principles, to awaken their valour,
and
to
raise
heroes amongst them
:
But there
is
nothing
among
all
the
writers
of
the philosophers, or the examples
of their
real
or their
fabled
heroes, that
can raise and
support
so
i1-
lustrious and
divine
a
courage,
as
the
principles and
the
patterns
with which
the gospel
of Christ
has furnished
us
whether
we
look
to Jesus,
the
founder
of
our
reli-
gion, the
Son
of God
in
our nature,
or
to
his
apostles,
or
to
the
primitive martyrs, among
whom some
of
the
weaker
sex
and the
"weaker age,
have
outshone the
glory,
and
darkened
the
lustre
of
all the
great
men
of
heathenism.
What
blessed views
bath the gospel
given
us
of
heaven
and
future
happiness, to
animate our
zeal,
and
to
engage
-us
to
the
boldest
efforts
of
goodness
!
What
promises,
of
almighty power
to
assist
usin
our
sacred attempts, and to
bear
up
our
spirits
!
What
rich and infallible assurances
have
we in
the
word
of
God
to
support
our highest ex-
pectations,
that if
we
are faithful
to
the death,
we
shall
receive
a
crown
of
life
!
Rev.
ii.
10.
And
Jesus our
forerunner hath
already
taken, possession
of
all
these
prizes and glories to reward the
conquerors.
Shall
we
sink -and
despond
at
any
dark appearances
?
_Shall
our
spirits
fail
us
in
the midst
of
duty, when
we
have
so
many divine motives to
valour and
holy
fortitude
?
'Methinks there
should
be
nothing
too hard for
a christian
to
undertake
or
suffer, when
God
and providence
call
him to
it.
I
confess
that
flesh
and, blood
are
frail
and
feeble
:
Animal
nature
overwhelms the soul with its
shudderings; and forbids
the
execution
of
the bravest
purposes.
It,
is,
only grace, divine grace,
that
can
strengthen
the trembling christian,
and
make
him
venture
through dangers and death
in
the
way
to the
heavenly
crown..
It
is
this gives
power
to the promises, and makes
the
saint
believe
the performance:
It
is
this sets heaven