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2
HOLY
FORTITUDE,
[BERM.
XXX
and
we
May.
s'ömetinies be
called to
put
on courage for
the
defence
of
this
gospel.
But
besides
this,
there are
many things
occurring
in
the
divine
life,
that
require
us
to
put
on this holy
forti-
tude of
soul.
The
very
nature of
men
is
so
corrupt
and
vicious,
their hearts are
so
averse to the
holy
precepts
of
christianity, the multitude
of
sinners
is so
exceeding
great
in every nation,
even where the gospel
is
profess-
ed,
the customs
of
this world
are
so
contrary
to
the rules
of
the
gospel,
and
the malice and rage
of
Satan with
his
evil
angels,
are
so
constant and
so
violent against
the
re-
ligion
and the
name
of
Christ,
that it
is
true
at
all
times,
as
well as in
the primitive
age,
"
that
all
that
will live
godly in
Christ Jesus
shall
suffer
persecution,"
2
Tim. iii.
12.
When
we
become soldiers
of
Christ, and
resolve to
be
religious in
good
earnest,
we
must reckon
upon ene-
mies
and
oppositions,
we
must be prepared
to
endure
hardness; chapter
ii.
verse
3.
Our
business
therefore
is,
to
seek
for
a
spirit
of
power
and holyfortitude,
that
we
may be void
of
fear
in the
profession
of
our
faith,
and
in
the practice
of our
daily.
duties.
Not
the Corinthians
only,
but
we
also,
"must
watch,
and stand
fast in the faith.
we
must
quit our-
selves like, men,
and
be strong."
If
we
are frighted
at
the sound
of
every
reproach,
or
terrified
by
the
fierce
opposition
of a
wicked world,
we
shall be in
danger
of
turning
back from the paths
of
christianity,
and of
losing
the
heavenly prize. Such doctrines, and such practices
as
the
gospel teaches,
require the
professors
of
them
to
be
bold
and valiant.
And
besides the difficulties
we
shall
meet
with from
a.
degenerate
and
sinful
world,
there are
many
other
trials
that
attend
the christian
life.
Sorrows
and
sufferings
belong to human nature,
in this fallen
and unhappy state
:
"
Man
is
born
to
trouble
as
the sparks
fly
upward,"
Job
v. 7.
This earth
is
designed for
a
stage
of
conflict,
a
scene
of
probation,
where
each
of
us
must
act our
parts,
under
the
eye
and notice
of
God
our
supreme governor,
dhd our
final
rewarder.
He
expects
that
we
should
put
on
a
sacred hardiness
of
soul
;
he
'requires
that
we
should
not
indulge
a
spirit
of
fear,
but
be
armed
with power
and
courage,
that
we
may
endure
to
the
end. And
blessed be
his
name
that
he
bath
given us promises
tQ'