42G nove FORTITUDE. reckon upon enemies and oppositions, we must beprepared to en- dure hardness ; chapter ii. verse 3. . Our business therefore. is, to seek for a spirit of power and holy fortitude, 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 standfirst in the faith, we must quit ourselves 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 dege- aerate 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 sparksfly 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, and oor final rewarder. Be expects that we should 'put on a sacred hardiness of soul ; he requires that we should not indulge aspirit offear, but be armed with power and courage, that we may endure to the end. And blessed be his-name that he hath given us promises to raise our hope, that as he endued his people in ancient times with his grace, so he will bestow this spirit ofholy fortitude upon us also, and that as our day is, so our stretìgth 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 men- tion a few motives to incite us to acquire thisholy 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. 'I'he first thing proposed is, to describe what I mean by fortitude and courage; and to this end, we must distinguish it intothat of the active and that of the passive kind. Activevalour 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, andworldly interest; and prompts us to pursueit with a becom- ing steadiness and bravery of mind, undaunted at every opposi- tion wèmeet with, and unterrified at all the threatening dangers that stand in our way. Passive valouris such an habitual firmness andconstancy of soul, as enables us to bear what sufferings we
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