The excellency of holy courage in evil times by Jeremiah Burroughs

3. When secretly they have denied the truth beforehand not only fear what they may do but their hearts tells them if they be called to suffer they cannot stand out, and they flee only to prevent the shame of their apostasy; they cannot tell how to look upon the faces of their acquaintance that shall know they are Apostates, this is a miscarriage.

3. When secretly they have denied the truth beforehand not only fear what they may do but their hearts tells them if they be called to suffer they cannot stand out, and they flee only to prevent the shame of their apostacy; they cannot tell how to look upon the faces of their acquaintance that shal know they are Apostates, this is a miscarriage.

Tertullian hath a whole treatise upon this concerning fleeing in persecution, and I know no man that ever denied it might not be, but only he; he would not have any flee in any danger for the case of religion; and he brings in many arguments, but they are not such, but an ordinary understanding Christian may answer, but this is one thing amongst the rest, says he, When you flee either you find in your hearts you shall deny the truth of God, or you have done it, or you know not whether you shall or no if you find in your hearts you shall deny the truth you have done it already: but if you know not whether you shall or no says he, it is in your own power or in Gods power to uphold you; if it be in your own power, why should you not rather think you should stand for the truth of God; if it be in Gods power, why do you not depend upon God: But I bring this to show, that if you already think you cannot stand for the truth you have declined already.

Tertullian hath a whol treatise upon this concerning fleeing in persecution, and I know no man that ever denied it might not be, but only he; he would not have any flee in any danger for the case of religion; and he brings in many arguments, but they are not such, but an ordinary understanding Christian may answer, but this is one thing amongst the rest, says he, When you flee either you find in your hearts you shall deny the truth of God, or you have done it, or you know not whether you shal or no if you find in your hearts you shal deny the truth you have done it already: but if you know not whether you shal or no says he, it is in your own power or in Gods power to uphold you; if it be in your owne power, why should you not rather think you should stand for the truth of God; if it be in Gods power, why do you not depend upon God: But I bring this to shew, that if you already think you cannot stand for the truth you have declined already.