SERMON VIII.

COURAGE AND HONOUR OR VIRTUE AND PRAISE.

PHILIPPIANS iv. 8.

-If there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

VIRTUE is an honourable and extensive name

it is used by moral writers to include all the duties we owe to ourselves, or our fellow creatures; such as sobriety, temperance, faithfulness, justice, prudence, goodness and mercy; and the sense of it is sometimes stretched so far, as to comprehend also the duties of religion which we owe to God. But let us take notice, that the first and original signifi cation of the word both in the Greek and Latin tongues is much more limited, and it means only power or courage.

The Greek word, arete, used here by the apostle, is derived from Ares the name of Mars, or the heathen god of war; and doubtless the most antient meaning of it amongst the Greek writers was warlike valour, though in time the philosophers enlarged the sense of it to include every moral excellency.

The several places in the New Testament wnere this word is used, have chief reference to some work of glorious power when it is applied to God, or courage when it refers to men. I wish I could stay here to explain them all, but I must mention one of them, viz. 2 Pet. i. 5. Add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge temperance, &e. Virtue is to be added to faith, that is, next to your belief of the gospel, get courage to profess what you believe; it is not to be supposed, that in this place virtue can signify the whole of morality, because the particular virtues of temperance, patience, and charity are named also; and therefore this must signify some part of morality distinct from the rest, viz. a strength or fortitude of soul.

And for the same reason the word virtue in my text cannot signify the whole system of moral duties, because St. Paul in the same verse had been recommending truth, justice, and purity or temperance, which are so many pieces of morality; and it is not reasonable to imagine that he brings in a general name that comprehends them all in the midst of many particulars, which is contrary to the use of all writers, and to his own custom too. I confess if he had said, If there be any other virtue, (as he does in the like case. Rom. xiii. 9. when he had omitted any particular) we might then have understood virtue in the general sense; but now it is evident, that he means a particular excellency, distinct from those before mentioned; and the word itself requires us to understand a brave, bold, and generous spirit and practice. He recommends to them a great and excellent behaviour, wherein their holy courage may appear, when the call of providence gives a just

occasion.

Courage is a virtue which stands in opposition both to fear and shame; and it guards the mind of man from the evil influence of both those passions.

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The man of courage has not such a feeling fondness for his flesh nor his estate, as to be afraid to profess his sentiments, or to fulfil his duty at every call of providence, though his estate may suffer damage by it, or his flesh be exposed to pain; nor has he such a tenderness for his honour, as to secure it with the Joss of his innocence. He is not ashamed to appear for virtue in an age of vice and scandal; he stands up boldly for the honour of his God, and ventures a thousand perils rather than wound his conscience, or betray his trust; he dares profess and practise temperance among an herd of drunkards, and purity in the midst of the lewd and unclean; the man of courage can despise the threatenings of the great, and the scoffs of the witty, conscious of his own integrity and truth. He can face and oppose the world with all its terrors, and travel onwards in the paths of piety without fear. The righteous man is bold as a lion, Prov. xxviii. 1.

Now it is the apostle's advice to the Philippian converts, that whensoever there is any just occasion given to exert their fortitude (whether it be in the defence of the rights of mankind, and the liberties of their country, or in vindication of the cause of God or virtue) let the Christian take those opportunities to speak his mind, and shew his courage; let him make it appear that the meek of the earth may sometimes resist the mighty oppressors, that the followers of the Lamb dare to oppose the wild beasts of the age, and are ready to sacrifice all that human nature calls dear for the service of God, or the welfare of their fellow creatures,

The heathen world may derive some arguments from the light of reason, and some perhaps from nore corrupt and selfish principles, to awaken their value, and to raise heroes amongst them; but there is nothing among all the writings of the philosophers, or the examples of their real or their fabled heroes,