Of peace and contentment of minde. By Peter Du Moulin the sonne. D.D.

CHAP. XIX. Of shamefacednesse.

SHamefacednesse is such a compounded passi∣on that it may not be described in few words. It is a sadness out of the sense or apprehension of a dishonest evill. It is a selfe condemnation, espe∣cially about matters of love and desires which one would satisfie in secret. It is also a sudden amazement out of a diffidence of ourselves when we are surprized by some inopinate occurrence, where we feare that more will be expected of us then we can performe: And to give a more gene∣rall

character: It is a sad ressenting of ones owne infirmity with some inclination to good∣nesse.

It is a cowardly Passion, found onely in timo∣rous natures, yet in the more tender age and sexe it is pardonable, and usefull too, so it be not ex∣cessive, for by good instruction it may be formed into a vertue, but weake, and sutable to the capa∣city of the subject. Stronger spirits dyed with piety and wisedome abstaine not from evill out of Shamefacedness, but out of knowledge and re∣solution. But because strong spirits have bin weake when they were under age, and the bold∣est have bin timorous, unlesse they be altogether dull and bestiall by nature, there is a time to frame them to vertue by shamefac'dnesse, which may be called a necessary infirmity in the begin∣ning. And it is not expedient to remove it too soone from young minds by Stoicall precepts, least they wanting that naturall bridle of the appetite, and not being yet well trained and con∣firmed by reason, let themselves loose to evill.

Children in whom no marke of Shamefaced∣nesse appeares are perverse and ill natured, and though they be merry sparkes they shall never be good nor able men. Shamefaced children are towardly and disciplinable. But in con∣science is not the nature of men very weake and poore, since their best naturall dispositions are in∣firmities, and that there is need of those infirmi∣ties to bring them to some good?

Some natures are timorous in all the ages of their life by their native temper, therefore more obnoxious to Shamefacednesse; these are lesse capable of a great and heroicall vertue, which is a compound of righteousnesse meekenesse and magnanimity, but they are docible for a lesse eminent vertue: and their inclination to shamefacedness is a pliable subject for good disci∣pline. That disposition must be well managed, as the seed of modesty, and in women, the mo∣ther of pudicity, their chiefe vertue. How powerfull Shamefacednesse is with that sexe the knowne example of the Milesian Virgins shewes it.

There is another kind of shame recommended in Scripture. That of Daniel, O Lord righteousness belongeth unto thee but to us confusion of face. Dan. 9.7. That of Ezra, O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face unto thee. Ezra 9.6. And of the pe∣nitent publican, that stood a farre off, and would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven. Luk. 18.13. But that shame which is a godly contrition for sinne committed, and feare to commit more, is proper to a spirit fixt and confirmed in the love and feare of God, and hath nothing common but the name with the passion of shame, which with all her utilities is but a weakenesse of minde and a childish perplexednesse.

A wise and godly man must be ashamed of no∣thing but sin. The remembrance of the great∣nesse,

presence, justice, and holinesse of God, and the sense of our owne imperfection must keepe us in perpetuall respect and humility, which is that good shame of Daniel, Ezra, and the repen∣ting Publican. But for our conversation with men, when we are come to mans age, let us weane ourselves as much as we can from boyish Shamefacednesse, which dejecteth and perplex∣eth the spirit, and makes a man lose the fairest opportunities of doing good.