4.36 HOLY FORtITUDa. spirit of divine courage that made them too great for this world, although they were almost banished out of it, and wandered among the beasts of the earth. Let not christians then be guilty of base and meancompliances, to preservetheir substance in the world, nor to cover their names from slanders and infamy, nor to secure their liberties or their lives when Christ calls us to part with them. If there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things. If therebe any call to the practice of such cou- rage, for the sake of Christ, remember these exhortations, andbe not afraid, Thus I have given you variety of instances both of active and passive valour, as they are to be exercised in the christian life : I fear they are too many for the best and boldest of us to practise, even under all our advantages, But in order to ren- der them a little more easy to christians, the. following motives and directions may give some assistance under the influence of the blessed Spirit. And these shall be the subject of the next discourse. Recollection.And now, O my soul, it is time to turn thy thoughts inward, and enquire, how much of this discourse is suited to thy own case? Thou acknpwledgest there is a God, but art thou not sometimes ashamed to call upon him in the morningfor his presence all the day, lest thy companions 'should know thou hast been upon thy knees ? Hast thou courage to ask . a blessing on thy food in the place where others deride the practice ? Thou hast learned and thou hast believed the religion of Christ, but hast thou ever yet had courage enough tómake a so- lemn and public profession of it ? 'last thou ever yet publicly given thy name úp to Christ as one of his subjects,-and joined thyself to his visible kingdom amongst men : Or art thouonly a believer in secret, ashamed to make profession of thy faith, by joining thyself to some christian assembly ? If this be thy state, thou hast now a loud call to add fortitude to thy faith, and assume christian courage to profess the sacred name inwhich thou hast believed. Or art thou a professor of this holy religion ? Thou hast listed thyself under the banner of Christ, in these days óf.liberty and peace, and while thou dwellest among those who encourage thy faith and profession. But enquire into thyself, hast thou such a love to the gospel, as to glory in it even amongst infidels, who make it the object of their mockery,and reproach ? Has this divine religion" so deep a root in thyheart, as to bear and resist the storms of the world, and to stand firm and flourish still ? Halt thou courage to declare thyself a disciple of thecross, and a professor of a crucifiedSaviour, when thou shalt happen to be in the company of those who blaspheme him ?
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