Of the Dissolution

Psal. 139. z. Yet such is the hypocrisie ofMankind, that they cIq for the most. partmore reverence the Eyes of Men, than ofGod : and will venture to do that in his pre-sence, which they would be ashamed the Eyesof Man should see them doing. You willfay, Is it not better to be modest, than to beimpudent ? Is it riot better to conceal, thanto publilh ones shame ? Is it not better to re-verence Man, than neither God nor Man?Doth not the Scripture condemn a Whore’sFore-head ? Is it not a true Proverb, PatfShame , Vast Grace ? Was it not good Adviceof a Cardinal ( as I remember) Si mucastkytamen cause ? He that hath devoured shame,what bridle is there left to restrain him fromthe worst of evils > I answer, That it seemsindeed to me, that publick fins of the lamenature, are more heinous than secret; andthat impudence in finning, is an aggravationof sin. For open sins dare God, and bid de-fiance to Heaven, and leave the Sinner unre-claimable, and are of more pernicious influ-ence. I do not now speak of the hypocrisieof feigning holiness to serve our own ends,which is rightly esteemed duplex iniquitas,but that of concealing and hiding viciousactions, to avoid the shame of Men. Anc!yet there is a great obliquity in this too. Be-cause even this is a flighting and undervalu-

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