N01237:28
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.
not against weak frail Enemies, not with them only or chiefly: but against Principalities, against Powers, against the Rulers of the darkness of this World, against Spiritual Wickedness in High Places. Christians must Fight with a Great and Bloody Dragon: They must Fight with a Hungry Roaring Lion. Has not a man that must Encounter Lions, need of Strength and Courage? Such Courage there was in the Martyr Ignatius: When he was Condemned to be Devoured with Lions, he was so far from being at all appalled or dismayed at it, as that he said, He would provoke the Lions to fall on him; and (said he) when the Lions Teeth have Ground me, I shall become such Bread as the Lord will be pleased with. Here was Courage. But 'tis another kind of Lion, that Christians are Endangered by: It is the Infernal Lion who seeks to Devour them; whom they must Resist being steadfast in their Profession of the Faith; and how shall they do that without an Holy Fortitude and Courage? But then there is one Enemy more to be Overcome by them, viz. Death: And that is to Nature, the most Formidable Enemy. Some of you know that the Philosopher said of it, That it is [Greek or Hebrew]. Of all Terrible the most Terrible. It is in Job called, The King of Terrors, Job 18. 14. And this is an Enemy which every man must ⟨p. 12⟩Encounter with. There is no avoiding of it, Eccles. 8. 8. There is no discharge in that War. It is a great point of Christian Fortitude and Courage, to be able to look Death in the Face without any Dread of it: To be so far above the Fear of Death, as to Live in a longing Expectation of it; and through Faith in Christ, to Triumph over that Enemy: To be no more afraid of Death, than a man would be of a Serpent, that has no Sting or Poison. Thus the Holy Apostle, 1 Cor. 15. 55. O Death, where is thy Sting? O Grave, where is thy Victory? Thanks be to God who giveth us the Victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ.
not against weak frail Enemies, not with them only or chiefly: but against Principalities, against Powers, against the Rulers of the darkness of this World, against Spiritual Wickedness in High Places. Christians must Fight with a Great and Bloody Dragon: They must Fight with a Hungry Roaring Lion. Has not a man that must Encounter Lions, need of Strength and Courage? Such Courage there was in the Martyr Ignatius: When he was Condemned to be Devoured with Lions, he was so far from being at all appalled or dismayed at it, as that he said, He would provoke the Lions to fall on him; and (said he) when the Lions Teeth have Ground me, I shall become such Bread as the Lord will be pleased with. Here was Courage. But 'tis another kind of Lion, that Christians are Endangered by: It is the Infernal Lion who seeks to Devour them; whom they must Resist being stedfast in their Profession of the Faith; and how shall they do that without an Holy Fortitude and Courage? But then there is one Enemy more to be Overcome by them, viz. Death: And that is to Nature, the most Formidable Enemy. Some of you know that the Philosopher said of it, That it is . Of all Terrible the most Terrible. It is in Job called, The King of Terrors,