N01237:58
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.
USE. III. I finish my discourse with a word of EXHORTATION. And let it be in the words of the Text before us, which are the words of God, Be you Strong and very Courageous. I would particularly and especially direct this Exhortation to Military Men: As to the Gentlemen who have occasioned this Solemnity, so to all others who are or may be called to Soldiery and War. I am sensible that I have Exceeded the Time: But forgive me this once. It is this very day five and forty years since I spoke in this Place on the like occasion; and you may be sure, that I shall never trouble you again on the like occasion after this day. Let me then desire your Patience and Attention unto a few words of Encouragement.
USE. III. I finish my discourse with a word of EXHORTATION. And let it be in the words of the Text before us, which are the words of God, Be you Strong and very Couragious. I would particularly and especially direct this Exhortation to Military Men: As to the Gentlemen who have occasioned this Solemnity, so to all others who are or may be called to Souldiery and War. I am sensible that I have Exceeded the Time: But forgive me this once. It is this very day five and fourty years since I spoke in this Place on the like occasion; and you may be sure, that I shall never trouble you again on the like occasion after this day. Let me then desire your Patience and Attention unto a few words of Encouragement.
1. The Calling of a Soldier is a Lawful Calling. Otherwise that which is the Christian virtue of Courage could not be manifested in the Exercise of it. It is said that the Righteous is bold as a Lion, Prov. 28. 1. If there is not Righteousness in the Foundation, boldness in the Action, is not ⟨p. 38⟩a virtue. This may embolden Soldiers, their Calling is a Lawful Calling. They are not like those that live by Robbery, or Piracy, or by being Actors in Stage plays, or any other unlawful Calling. When the Soldiers demanded of John Baptist, saying, What shall we do? He did not tell them that they should cease to be Soldiers, which if the Calling had been unlawful he would undoubtedly have done, but he bid them do Violence to no man, and be Content with their Wages, Luk 3 14. which implies that they ought to do the work of Soldiers. They might not take Wages for an unlawful Work. Was not one of the first Christian Gentiles a Soldier and a Captain? Captain, or rather Colonel Cornelius by Name, Commander of an Italian band, was among the first Gentiles that were baptised into the Name of Christ,