A discourse concerning the grace of courage, wherein the nature, beneficialness, and necessity of…

1. They have many and great Enemies. Therefore they have need of a great measure of Courage that so they may bear up against them. The World is their Enemy. They meet with great Temptations in the way of Obedience from the things of the World, and in truth those which are called the good things of the World, the Profits, Pleasures, Preferments of it are the greatest Temptation. Some who have stood out Courageously against the Evil things of the World, that Prisons and Cruel Punishments could not move them from their Holy Profession, when they have been Tempted with the Riches, and Honours of the World, they have fallen Lamentably and Shamefully, to their Eternal ruin. There is need of much Grace that so they may be able to Resist and Conquer all Temptations of that nature. But then the Men of the World are Enemies to the ⟨p. 10⟩Faithful Servants of God. Ungodly men, are and ever have been, and ever will be haters of the Godly. The old Enmity between the Seed of the Serpent, and the Seed of the Woman remains still, and will do so to the end of the World. He that is upright in his way, is an abomination to the wicked. Nor is this to be marvelled at, 1 Joh. 3. 13. Marvel not my Brethren if the World hate you. For the Servants of God and of the World are of very differing both Principles and Practices. The Laws by which they are governed are not the same. It was an old complaint against the People of God, Esther 3. 8. Their Laws are diverse from all People. They do by a contrary Profession and Practice condemn the world, (as Noah did) and that exposeth them to the worlds hatred and rage. Christ said to some of his natural Relations, who were carnal and worldly men: Joh. 7. 7. The World cannot hate you, but me it hates because I testify of it, that the Works thereof are Evil. So it is with Christians who are Christians indeed. They must be always swimming against the stream: Always rowing against the wind and tide. Therefore they have need of Strength: They have need of Courage that so they may be able to bear up bravely against all the storms of wrath and rage which the worlds hatred will raise against them. Nor is the world their greatest Enemy. They have more potent Enemies than the greatest men, or than all the men in the world, whom