SERMON XXXII. Holy Fortitude, or Remediesagainst Fear. 1 Coe. xvi. 13.Stand fast in the Faith, quityou like Men, bestrong. hlAVING described this holy temper of spirit, this fortitude both of the active and passive kind, and having set before you various occasions for its exercise in the christian life, I proceed now to the third thing which I proposed, and that is, to excite youby some engaging motives, to seek after' this temper, which is so necessary for a christian. I shall not enforce this from the light of nature, and from the mere laws of reason, which have been joinedwith ambitious and selfish principles in some of the pagan heroes, and have influenced many a man, in thedays of heathenism, to some great exploits of fortitude and fame. There is nothing in all the principles of natural religion, that makes the mind brave and noble but it receives high advancements and glorious efficacy from christianity. I would call you, First, To cast your eyes on the noble patterns of courage that you find in the New Testament. I do not invite you to meditate the examples of heathen warriors, but consider the example of christian heroes, your predecessors, who have stood fast in the faith, who have quitted themselves like men, in nu- merous and shining instances of active and passive courage. Look at the blessed apostles, Peter and John, when they rejoiced to suffer shame for the sake of Christ their Lord, and boldly told the council of priests, thattheymust preach the name of Jesus, in opposition to their menaces : They must obeyGod rather than men. Look at St. Paul the mosteminent christian hero : Be- hold him in the midst of the Roman soldiers, and a violent mul- titude of Unbelieving Jews. Hear how he acknowledges his exalted Saviour before captains and centurions, before king Agrippa, before Felix and Festus, who were two successive governors of Judea! And with the same fortitude of soul he appeared before Ceasar, at Rome. I am not ashamedy says he, of the gospel ofChrist; Rom. i. 16. for he whom I have trusted in is almighty to support me. Read that most generous and patheticspeech of his ; Actsxxi. 13. when the spirit of prophecy had foretold that Paul shouldbe bound at Jerusalem, anddeliver- pd captive into the hands oftheGentiles; his friends and strangers
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