N01237:15
A discourse concerning the grace of courage, wherein the nature, beneficialness, and necessity of…
A discourse concerning the grace of courage, wherein the nature, beneficialness, and necessity of that virtue for all Christians, is described. Delivered in a sermon preached at Boston in New-England. June 5th. 1710. / By Increase Mather, D.D. ; [Two lines from I Corinthians]A discourse concerning the grace of courage, wherein the nature, beneficialness, and necessity of that vertue for all Christians, is described. Delivered in a sermon preached at Boston in New-England. June 5th. 1710. / By Increase Mather, D.D. ; [Two lines from I Corinthians]
Boston: printed by B. Green for Samuel Phillips, 1710
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
THESE Words were spoken by God to Joshua. Joshua was a famous Captain. One whom the Lord Himself chose to be the Leader of His People. He was an Eminent Type of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Captain of our Salvation. He was so in respect of his Name. Joshua and Jesus are one & the same Name: Only the latter is the Greek, and the former the Hebrew word, noting the same Person, Heb. 4. 8. After the Jews were in Babylon, they according to the manner of the Chaldees called Joshua, Joshua, Ezra 2. 2. Thence is Jesus, which Name signifieth a Saviour▪ Joshua was a Temporal, Christ is an Eternal Saviour. The Children of Israel were not brought into the Promised Land by Moses, but by Joshua; this signifying that Heaven is not to be obtained by the Works of the Law, but by Faith in Jesus ⟨p. 2⟩Christ. One of those Books which contain the Oracles of God is distinguished by the Name of Joshua. Probably the greatest part of it was Written by him: If so he followed the Example of his Predecessor, and Master Moses. In it there are recorded the most Memorable passages of Providence towards the Children of Israel for the space of about Seventeen years from the Death of Moses.
In this Chapter we have both the Commission, and the Instructions which God gave to Joshua: He was Commissioned to undertake a great Service for God and for his People, unto which the Lord Encouraged him with a Promise of Success, by means of that divine Protection & Assistance which should be vouchsafed to him. But then he was to observe his Instructions. The first of which is in the Words now before us. The Original Words are very Emphatical. Be thou Strong. Heb. Chazak, denotes a great fortitude of Mind: such a degree of strength as will be Victorious. There is a further Expression of the same importance, Be very Courageous. The Hebrew words, Amatz Meod, which some translate Corroborate valde, denote an exceeding measure of Courage. Joshua was a very Courageous man, nevertheless, the Lord knew that such an Instruction as this was proper for him, and nothing but what he needed.