The truly blessed man

3. Hence there is a natural shame in men, that puts them upon hiding their sin. This shame is a proper result from the act of Conscience, telling them they have done things which ought not to have been done, and so have acted unbecomingly. It is natural for men to be ashamed of what they think to be unworthy of them, and to carry matter of reproach in it; so our first Parents, Gen 3.7, 9 And the operation of shame is to put men upon absconding. Impudence therefore is an high degree of wickedness, and therefore greatly aggravateth the sin, Jer. 6.15.

4. A natural pride makes men loth to take shame to themselves, by a free confession. Pride is one of the leading lusts in Original Sin, and such is the influence of it, that though men know they have done amiss, and are inwardly ashamed, yet they cannot tell how to stoop and abase themselves low because of it: so that all the cunning tricks, evasions, hidings which men use, are nothing else but the breaking out of pride in them, making them count it a disgrace to fall under Convictions, Jer. 13 15.

5. And carnal presumption encourageth them in keeping silence. And it hath its various actings in the man: he presumes of secrecy, he presumes of mercy; he promiseth himself to escape well enough; he thinks if he can but keep his own counsel there is no danger: and this ⟨p. 165⟩vain delusion prompts him to such courses whereby he grows secure and careless.