N01237:24
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.
PROP. II. The Servants of GOD stand in need of, and should endeavour after a good Measure of this Grace.
A small measure of it is not enough for them, they need more. The Apostle says to the Hebrews, You have need of Patience, Heb. 10. 36. Christians need more than a little Patience that so they may do and suffer the will of God after a becoming manner. Great Patience argues great Courage. They that have the greatest measure of this Grace need more. For they have it not in a perfect degree. Consider the most Eminent Saint on Earth in that Grace in which he does most excel, yet is he defective therein. The ⟨p. 8⟩most Courageous Christian is too Subject unto sinful fear and faintings. Abraham excelled in Faith, and consequently in Courage. And yet when he was in Gerar he wanted Courage. The fear of man brought him into a dangerous snare. Moses was a man of Extraordinary Courage, yet he fainted under the burden of the Government which he complained was too heavy for him, and thence begged that God would kill him out of hand rather than prolong his days under such a burden, Numb. 11. 15. David was a man of great Courage and Resolution: One of Sauls Servants gave him that Character, That he was a Mighty Valiant Man and a Man of War, 1 Sam. 16. 18 But his Courage failed him when he was in Gath, when he did that which was very unbecoming such a Captain and Commander as he had been. The Apostle Peter was a man of great Resolution: Nevertheless, under the surprise of a Temptation he had not the Courage to own himself to be a Disciple of Christ. These Examples show that the most Courageous Servants of the Lord need more of this Grace. And God would have his People to be very Courageous. We often hear him in his word calling on his Servants to Exercise and to Manifest this Grace: Psal. 31. 24