Page:Great duty of confessing Christ before men, stated and recommended.pdf/10

10 their iniquity. When the Romans ceased to preserve public faith pledged in their treaties, their decline and fall hastened apace; and surely these nations that break God’s covenant, and think to be delivered, are not on the road to long and sanctified prosperity.

5. We are to confess Christ before men in all the variety of our circumstances. In all companies, and in our whole intercourse with the world, we are to confess Christ. It is very unbecoming the prudence of Christ's friends to cast pearls before swine, or to make their good to be evil spoken of, by detailing their experience, or introducing religious subjects in mixed companies, when there is no occasion for it: This conduct is unworthy of serious minds, and greatly exposes religion to contempt and ridicule: But we are never to deny Christ in any company. Perhaps Peter, in the high priest’s hall, might have remained silent without sin, but when interrogated, whether he knew Christ, to deny him with cursing and swearing, was a sin of singular enormity: We can do nothing against the truth, says Paul, but for the truth. We are, or ought to be, the salt of the earth, and the light of the world; and should never give occasion to any of the enemies of God to blaspheme that worthy name by which we are called. Daniel was vulnerable in no side, as his accusers imagined, but concerning the law of his God, (Dan vi. 5 ) and it were good for many of us, if the world could find no other fault in us. If we stood foremost in every thing lovely and of good report, and had our conversation as it becometh the gospel of Christ, we should exceedingly recommend religion. Did the influence of religion descend with us into all our intercourse with the world and into all the walks of life, the world would believe that we served a holy master, and shewed our faith by our works. When men