First, From sin, ' I have stuck unto thy testimonies ;' oh ! sufier me
VOL. YI. X
322 SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. [See. XXXIII.
not to fall into any such sinful course as may expose me to shame, and make me become a reproach to religion. Observe —
Doct. The fruit of sin is shame.
Shame is a trouble of mind about such evils as tend to our infamy and disgrace. Loss of life is matter of fear ; loss of goods is matter of grief and sorrow ; but loss of name and credit is matter of shame ; and therefore it is a trouble of mind that doth arise about such evils as tend to our infamy and disgrace. Now this infamy and disgrace is the proper fruit of sin. To prove it by scripture, reason, and experi- ence. To prove it by scripture: Shame entered into the world by sin ; though they were naked, yet till they had sinned ' they were not ashamed,' Gen. ii. 25, with Gen. iii. 10 ; there was verecundia, an awful majesty, or a holy bashfulness in innocency ; but not pudor, a fear of reproach and infamy; that came in by the fall. To prove it by reason: There are two things in sin, folly and filthiness, and both cause shame ; it is an irrational act, and it hath a turpitude in it ; therefore the fruit of sin is shame, and a fear of a just reproof. And then by experience : How do men hang the head and blush when they are taken in any unseemly action ! All evil causeth shame. All sin, as soon as it is committed, it flasheth in the face of conscience. Shame is the striving of nature to hide the stain of our souls, by send- ing out the blood into the face for a covering ; it labours most under this passion. And this shame accompanieth sin, not only when men are conscious of what we do, but it is a fear of a just reproof from God, nay, of a just reproof from themselves. There is a double loathness and fear in shame — when men sin, they are loath to look into their own heart, and loath to look God in the face : 1 John iii. 20, ' If our heart condemn us,' &c. When men have guilt upon their hearts, they are loath to take the candle of the Lord and look into the state of their souls. And they are loath to look God in the face; therefore the apostle adds, ' If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God,' that our prayers be not interrupted. As holy David had his shyness when he had been sinning away his peace ; he ' kept silence,' Ps. xxxii. 3. He was fain to thrust forth his heart by a prac- tical decree, and bring it by force into God's presence. Indeed some men are grown shameless, having a depraved judgment, and corrupted all their doings, Zeph. iii. 7 ; such have outgrown the common prin- ciples of natural honesty ; and of all diseases, those which are insen- sible are the worst. Therefore when men are grown into a state of insensibility, and lose those feelings of conscience, it is very sad. Yet those which are most obdurate have their hidden fears, and are afraid of God and conscience, and are loath to be alone themselves, and are fain to knit pleasure to pleasure, to keep up this victory, and are forced to live in a jolly course, that they may bring a greater brawn upon then- hearts.
Use. Let this press us to avoid sin: Rom. vi. 21, ' For Avliat fruit had ye of those things whereof ye are now ashamed ? ' If you sin, there will be shame. Sin in the greatest privacy brings shame. Though you should be solitary and alone with yourselves, yet there is an eye sees and an ear hears all that you do. It was one of the rules of Pythagoras, Eeverence thyself. If there were no other witness, there is a law of God in our own hearts that will upbraid us for sin.
VeR. 31.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 323
Again, David makes this request when he had professed persever- ance, ' I have stuck unto thy testimonies/ yet, ' Lord, put me not to shame.' Note from thence —
Doct. A man that hath long kept close to God in the way of his testimonies, yet he should pray to be kept from falling into shameful sin. Wliy ?
1. They which are most steadfast are not past all danger : 1 Cor. X. 12. ' Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.' He that hath the firmest footing may fall, and that foully too. When he begins to grow negligent and secure, he may be soon surprised, and drawn to dishonour the name of God ; and as David, who was a man after God's own heart, sinned so foully that the name of God was blasphemed among the heathen. When once we come out of our fears, and are possessed of the love of God, we think there needs not be such diligence as when we were doubtful, and kept in an uncertain condition, and so carry the matter as if we were past all danger. Oh, no ! sin many times breaks out of a sudden ; and after the first labours of soul in regeneration and terrors of the law are gone, there is great danger of security, and secretly and silently things may run to waste in the soul. God's children have been in most danger when to appearance there was least cause of fear. Lot, who was chaste in Sodom, fell into incest where there were none but he and his two daughters. He, whose righteous soul was vexed at their abomina- tions, how was his conscience cast asleep by security ! A child of God may f;ill into the grossest sins. David, whose heart smote him for cutting off the lap of Saul's garment, yet afterward fell into unclean- ness and blood, and his conscience falls asleep. Therefore there needs watching and praying to the last.