A systeme or body of divinity consisting of ten books : wherein the fundamentals and main grounds of religion are opened, the contrary errours refuted, most of the controversies between us, the papists, Arminians, and Socinians discussed and handled, several Scriptures explained and vindicated from corrupt glosses : a work seasonable for these times, wherein so many articles of our faith are questioned, and so many gross errours daily published / by Edward Leigh.

This about Shame should have come in among the compound Affections after Zeal, BOOK VI. Pag. 578. and was sent heretofore, but came too late.

That I may not emit any main Affection (though I mentioned before but three compound Affections) I shall adde something of Shame.

Of Shame.

IT is sometimes a vertuous habit and disposition in the minde, consisting in a me∣diocrity* 1.1 between two extreams, Impudence, Ier. 8. 12. and Bashfulnesse or Co∣wardise, Luke 9. 26. so men are said to be modest or shamefac'd, Ephes. 5. 12.

2. A perturbation of the minde, when our hearts smite us for some grievous sin, Ezra. 9. 6.

3. It is taken for infamy and publick disgrace, when a man is made a spectacle of shame and derision to others, Zeph. 3. 11. so men are ashamed, put to shame, Hab. 2. 10, 11.

Shame is a meer confusion, as the Hebrew word signifies, a jumbling together of passions. It is a stirring of grief, fear, hatred, distrust, anger, against some reproachful thing in regard of our selves or others, therefore shews it self by blush∣ing, weeping. It makes a man hide himself, and he dare not look upon another.

We must be ashamed of,

• 1. Foul, sinfull and unclean deeds.
• 2. The company and fellowship of sinners.
• 3. The deserved punishment of sin.
• 4. The shews and appearances of sinne.

We must not be ashamed:

• 1. Of good deeds, as Paul was not of the Gospel.
• 2. Of reproaches for well-doing, we should contemn such contempt.
• 3. Of good men suffering such punishments and reproaches▪ as O••esip••••rus was* 1.2 not of Paul, Phil. 4.
• 4. Of poverty or affliction.

Notes

• * 1.1

  There is, 1. A holy shame, which is anin∣gredient into true repent∣ance, the ob∣ject of this is sin, Eze. 16. 61 2. Sinfull shame, when we are asha∣med of Christ and his word, and people, Mark 16. ult. 2 Tim. 1. 8. Pudor à rebus putidis. Scal. It is the blush∣ing of the face upon the ap∣prehension of doing some∣thing unseem∣ly.
• * 1.2

  Shame is de∣fined by Ari∣stotle, a grief and trouble of minde arising from such evils as tend to our disgrace▪ l. 2. Rhet. c. 9. Pudor est metus quida•• infamiae. Arist. ••thic. 4. ••. 15.