being conquered and through their boasts and cracks who will triumph over the Truth through your fall and ignorance Doth the Antagonist out match you in abilities and happily glorieth over you in that you decline the Contest Be it so A plain and pious asserting of the important truths of Jesus and of the evidence and influence hereof as to your Consciences together with a plain and particular acknowledgement of your inability to so uneven a conflict will both bespeak your humility and the Gospels honor If you could say no more but with that happy Martyr Though I cannot dispute for the truth yet I can and will dye for the truth yet this will be a seed of comfort to you and of conviction to them II. Secondly Will a virtual confession best serve these ends in the circumstances you are in You may not fail as to it or as to the way whether active or passive whereby these ends will be accomplished 1. Will the expliciteness of your profession in an active way best promote these ends Let it put you upon present action that you may celebrate this holy Confession both by the openness of your own practice and by owning other professors Quest Whether and how far Confessors are bound to be open in the practice of Christianity especially in times of persecution Though we may not un-necessarily draw our secret duties of Piety or deeds of Charity into publique sight and observance which would be alien from the special nature of such duties and adverse to our Saviors directions and an ambiating of applause with men and therefore of no acceptance with or recompence from God Math. 6.1 to 7. And though no part of our Christian practice be designed finally for approbation with men or to be seen of them which were gross hypocrisie and is so far from finding commendation with God that it is certainly followed with his curse and many complicated woes Matth. 23.5,27,28 2 Cor. 10.18 Yet as God is exalted the godly edified the Gospel enlarged and the ungodly are either exposed to shame or egregiously silenced or effectually won over from sin by the evidence of our good works Gal. 1.23,24 Eph. 4.16,29 1 Pet. 3.1,16 So 't is not onely lawful that we may but laudable and needful that we should have our Conversation so conspicuous amongst men that they may by our good worâ—s which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of visitation And so is the will of God that with well doing ye put to silence the ignorance of foolish men 1 Pet. 2.12,15 'T is true you must not inordinately affect the sight or censures of any man or men But if you subordinate your actions and appearances before men to the sight and approbation of God and do therefore perform your Christian obedience before them that they may thereby be perswaded to convert to and honor him you do but therein answer his ends and your own engagements And should not feed your fears of being hypocrites or forbear this expliciteness when you make your own glory to serve his and are so far from seeking the praise of men more than the praise of God that you first seek this and shoot at it as your mark and seek that onely for this its sake and use it onely as your butt that you may the better hit this mark Hear therefore your duty and our Saviors direction Let your light not onely be but shine and that before men and so shine before them that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heaven Mat. 5.16 Nor should times of persecution take you off from this publickness but cause you to mend your pace and to spread your sayls to every wind that will blow you the swifter and surer into this happy Port. The Saints scattered through the storms of persecution must yet shew out of a good conversation their works with meekness of wisdom The Philippians notwithstanding the night of persecution must and do shine as lights in the world in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation Isa 3.13 Phil. 2.15 with 1.28,29,30 Daniel in this case sticks not to make up his private Christian Offices of publick and common observance opening his windows as well as not omitting his work that others might take Copy and Courage from his Constancy in his family to follow after God fully and not forego their duty to God upon feares of violating the Decrees of men Dan. 6.10 The Apostles also do not will not quit their preaching of the sincere Word or performance of the spiritual and solemn Worship to the best degree of publickness they might how sharp soever the winds of Adversity and Affliction blow upon them or they be scurrilously treated as pestilent and seditious fellows for it Acts 4.18 â—9 5.42 24.5,14 The degree of expliciteness in our Châ—istian practice which becomes our duty in case of persecution will best be directed by attending the ends mentioned and the attainment thereof by such expliciteness See Conclusion second Quest Whether and how far are we bound to own the Confessours of Christ publiquely especially in case of persecution Though you are not bound to own such in any sinful or unlawful matter who therein do not own but oppose your Master as neither by any sinful or unlawful meanes for his good doth not want nor will warrant your evil as neither by stepping or moving out of or beyond the bounds and limits of your Callings For every one must abide in the Calling wherein he is called of God Gal. 2.11 Rom 3.8 1 Cor. 7.20,24 Yet wherein and as far as they publickly own Christ and Christ will be publickly honoured by them you must according to your capacities publickly own them and partake with them in the defence and confirmation of the Gospel whereunto all the consolations in Christ all the comforts of Love and the communion of the Spirit and of the Saints are so many quick and cogent arguments Phil. 1.7,17,27 2.1,2,4 Publick Magistrates then should not onely do no unrighteousness in judgement to them upon the informations or instigation of the ungodly For he that justifieth the wicked and condemneth the just even they both are an abomination to the Lord Lev. 19.15 Prov. 17.15 Isa 5.23 But 1. should declare the innocency of their persons and injustice of their prosecution as the Princes did concerning the Prophet Jeremy This man is not worthy to die for he hath spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God Jer. 26.16 2. Should defeat the wiles and purposes and disappoint the wrath and power of their adversaries 3. Should deliver them out of the jaws of the wicked and from the injuries of false witnesses And 4. defend the worth and integrity of their persons and professions Acts 23 27. Job 29.12 to 18. Heb. 1 4 Isa 59 4. By this as God is honored so their government will be upheld and happy This is the very design and dignity of