N01237:32
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.
4. The Servants of God have no sufficient cause to be Dismayed. Why should they be Dismayed, considering who is with them to Protect, Support and Save them? When the Town where the Prophet Elisha had his abode was surrounded with an Army of Syrian Enemies, his Servant being afraid, the Prophet said to him, Fear not, for they that be with us are more than they that be with them, 2 King. 6. 16. How was that? Ver. 17. Behold the Mountain was full of Horses, and Chariots of Fire round about Elisha. There was an Army of Angels ready to Defend them against the Army of Syrians. Yea, GOD Himself is with his Faithful Servants. This consideration made David Courageous; Psal. 118. 6. The Lord is on my side, I will not Fear. What can man do unto me? ⟨p. 16⟩From this also did Hezekiah hearten his Subjects, when their Capital Town was beleaguered with a mighty Army; 2 Chron. 32, 7, 8. Be not Dismayed for the King of Assyria, nor for all the Multitude that is with him: For there be more with us than with him. With him is an Arm of Flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our Battles. One GOD is infinitely more than an Army of more than Two hundred Thousand Men. They that have the God of Armies on their side, need not fear any thing. We will not Fear (say the Lords People) the Lord of Hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our Refuge. All the Hosts of Creatures in Heaven and Earth, are under his Command: He can make which of them he pleaseth to Fight for his Servants, and against his and their Enemies. When the Children of Israel had a miraculous Victory over their Enemies, it is said, Judg. 5. 29. They Fought from Heaven; the Stars in their Courses Fought against Sisera. The Jewish Historian relates, That when that memorable Battle was Fought, there happened a Prodigious Storm of Rain with Hail; and that the Wind was on the Backs of the Israelites, but in the Faces of the Canaanites, which took away their light, and made their weapons of War unserviceable to them. Thus did the Lord of Hosts make the Stars to Fight in their Courses; their Influences causing the Tempest, which proved Fatal to his Enemies.