23 / 674
SEAM.
XXXI.I
OR
R$ME11$S
AGAINST
FAR
3
raise our
hope,
that
as
he
endued
his
people
in
ancient
times
With
his
grace,
so he will
bestow this
spirit
of
holy
fortitude upon
us also,
and that
as
our
day
is,
so
our
strength
shall
be.
To cast
my
discourse into
some
method,
I
shall,
First,
Briefly
describe
this divine
temper
of
mind.
In
the next place,
Secondly,
I
would
represent
the various occasions
which
we
shall
find
for the exercise
of
it.
Thirdly,
I
shall
mention
a few
motives
to
excite
us
to
acquire
this holy
fortitude, and to maintain it
throughout
our
whole
course
of
life.
And,
Fourthly,
Propose
some
remedies
against a
spirit
of
slavish fear, which
is
directly opposite to this
christian
virtue.
The
first
thing proposed
is,
to describe what
I
mean
by
fortitude and courage; and
to this end,
we musk
distinguish it
into
that of
the active
and
that
of
the
pas-
sive
kind.
Active
valour or courage,
is
such
a temper
of
soul,
as
to
attempt
and venture upon any bold
act
of
duty, which
may
endanger our present
ease,
and
worldly
interest;
and prompts
us
to pursue
it
with
a
becoming
steadiness
and bravery
of
mind,
undaunted at
every
opposition
we
meet
with,
and unterrified
at
all
the
threatening dangers
that
stand
in
our
way.
Passive
valour
is
such an
habitual
firmness
and con-
stancy
of
soul,
as
enables us
to bear what
sufferings we
fall
under,
without repinings
and inward vexations, and.,
without
any
outward tokens
of
sinking
or despondency.
When
we
sustain heavy sorrows,
or
anguish
of the
flesh,
without any
wild
and
unreasonable
groanings
of
nature,
without rage and unbecoming resentment; without
tumult
and confusion
of
spirit. And
this
should
be
the temper
of
our
souls,
and our christian conduct, whether the
sufferings which
we
feel;
arise
from
the immediate
hand
of
God, or from the injustice
and
violence
of
men.
In
the
second place,
I
come
to
represent
the various
occasions
that
we
shall
fund
in
the
christian
life,
for
the
exercise
of
this
holy
courage, and
that under
both kinds
of
it
viz.
the active and the
passive,
or
that
which
con-
sists in
doing,
and
that
which consists
in
suffering;
and
I
shall enlarge upon each
of
them
in a
practical
way.
B