ESSAY XXXV. CHRISTIAN COURAGE or FORTITUDE, and its opposites. 1. FORTITUDE or courage, is that temper or difpofition of mind which fets a man upon doing brave and commendable actions in the face of any danger or opposition which may lie in his way. Nay, the truly brave man is rather animated than disheartened, by the number or greatness of the dangers and difficulties which lie in the way of his duty. "The righteous is bold "as a lion; and he that hath clean hands grows ftronger and ftronger." 2. Chriftian courage or fortitude, is a being bold, fearless and intrepid in the cause of Christ, and in our duty and allegiance to him. As bravery in war has been ever efteemed the highest proof of courage, (becaufe life, the deareft of all earthly enjoyments, is risked in war) fo we borrow our idea of christian courage, from the state of christianity in this world, which is very properly reprefented as a ftate of warfare; and to exercife chriftian courage, is but another phrase for being good soldiers of VOL. II. B Jesus Christ, who is called very expreffively the Captain of our salvation.* 3. Courage naturally fuppofes difficulties, dangers and oppofition; for, without thefe, there could be no proper trial or exercife of this virtue. This therefore proves, that the chriftian life, as a state of warfare, is not that eafy, inactive, indolent thing, which the generality of nominal profeffors feem to imagine; but a life of conflict, full of hazards, difficulties and opposition; and that he who has never experienced and encountered thefe, has never yet truly enlifted himfelf under the banner of Jefus, nor war, red a good warfare. 4. Courage, in order to denominate it a christian virtue, muft, as well as zeal, be founded upon knowledge, and a rational conviction, not only of the goodness of the caufe in which we are engaged, but also of the difficulties we have to encounter; the risk we run; the measure of our strength; the aids and fuccors we have to expect, and the wages we have to receive if we come off conquerors, In fhort, it supposes that we have counted the cost.† 5. The neceffity and expediency of chriftian fortitude will appear from the nume,, rous, subtile and powerful enemies of our falvation (1.) From invifible, malignant * 2 Tim. ii. 3. † Luke xiv. 26-33 24. Rom. vijl 18. Phil. iii. 7.-14. Acts xx. 22. fpirits. (2.) From our own lufts and corruptions, which treacherously take part with thefe fpiritual enemies against us, and being, as it were, our very felves, are the more difficult to deny, mortify and conquer. (3.) From our fellow creatures, who too often ufe every artifice to allure us to fin, or to fhame and fright us from duty. 6. The nature and number of our chriftian duties abfolutely require the exercise of this virtue. What fortitude muft it require to comply with that exhortation of our Lord, "If any man will be my disciple, "let him deny himself and take up his cross "and follow me?" Self-denial, and selfconquest are the nobleft feats of courage, and require the exertions of a firm, refolute and determined foul. "He that "is flow to anger is better than the mighty; "and he that ruleth his fpirit, than he that "taketh a city." To be more particular : (1.) Repentance, which is a general and indifpenfible chriftian duty, requires the utmoft degree of fortitude and refolution to fubdue and eradicate old rooted habits, and to deny ourselves fuch things as we have long had great pleasure in, and to abftain from which, will be extremely painful. We must forfake old companions; refolutely withstand their enticements to fin Eph. vi. 8, &c. + Prov. xv. 32 and vanity, endure theirfcoffs, and, at length, their rage. It may happen, that we cannot truly repent without difobliging our nearest relations and dearest friends; without difcontinuing gainful business, as well as renouncing beloved lusts; or without making acknowledgments for injuries done, and reftoring, with shame, what we have unjustly acquired. But under all thefe difficult and self-denying duties, the cowardly and irrefolute man muft fhamefully fuccumb. 2. The falfe opinions and depraved cuftoms of the world make fad havoc among human fouls, and is the duty of every chriftian to oppose them, and to counteract their mifchievous tendency. The evangelical precept is, "Be not conformed to this “world; but be ye transformed by the "renewing of your minds." Now, the falfe maxims and depraved cuftoms of the world, like irrefiftible torrents, fweep the cowardly and irrefolute christian along with them. He hears his religious opinions ridiculed; his GOD irreverently mentioned; his Saviour traduced, and his pious friends made the laughing flock of fools, yet dares not reply; fears to be rude; dreads the ridicule or refentment of fome fellow-worm -nay, perhaps the fame pufillanimity leads. him bafely to lend the fmile of feeming approbation to this wickednefs, and at length cordially to fall into it himself. But the |