The works of Ephesus explained in a sermon before the honourable House of Commons…The workes of Ephesus explained in a sermon before the honovrable House of Commons…

Thirdly, the duty of this day calls us to Self abasement and blushing, to shame and confusion of face before the Lord. Thus Ezra in the day of his mourning cries out, O my God I am ashamed, and blush to lift up ¹my face to thee. So Daniel in his Fast, O Lord to us belongeth ²confusion of face; that is, (as I conceive) we have great reason to be ashamed and blush: For those natural tinctures of the face, the white and the red are so confounded in a blush, that while it lasts no man can distinguish the Complexion. The present doctrine calls us to this graceful shame, and becoming confusion of face. Shame ariseth two ways, first from the doing of somewhat against common light, and ordinary Principles. Secondly from an apprehension that what we have done, is known. The very sight of a man, who ⟨p. 9⟩(to our knowledge) knows such a thing by us, fetches a blush from bare ingenuity. How should this make us ashamed this day, while we consider our selves in his presence, who knows every sin of our Lives, or rather our whole Lives to be a sin: Who knows all the error of our works, or rather all our works to be an error: Who knows the lightness and vanity of all our ways, or rather all our ways to be but lightness and vanity. Any, but a whores forehead, a forehead steeled with impudence, will be ashamed of such works as these, when we hear God knows them: For none can hear and believe, and not be ashamed. O let not the show of our countenance witness against us (as it did ³against those Jews) that we have this day declared our sin as Sodom. If we be not ashamed, it will; there was no show of shame in their countenance, and that was to declare like Sodom. To confess sin in the sight of God, and not be ashamed, is an act of impudence not of repentance. It is better to hide our sins for shame, then not to be ashamed of them, when they are not hid. O let the show of our countenance witness for us, that we have this day declared our sins as Zion, as the mourners in Zion. Let us be ashamed, that we may never be ashamed.

Thirdly, the duty of this day cals us to Self abasement and blushing, to shame and confusion of face before the Lord. Thus Ezra in the day of his mourning cryes out, O my God I am ashamed, and blush to lift up