Genesi 38:23

And Judah said, Let her take [it] to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.

Ver. 23. Lest we be shamed.] His care was more to shun shame, than sin. How much better that heathen! Satis nobis persuasum esse debet, &c.; this we should be fully persuaded of, saith he, that although we could conceal the matter from all, both gods and men, yet we should do nothing covetously, nothing unjustly, nothing against chastity, or common honesty. a Though I were sure, saith another philosopher, b that all men would be ignorant of what evil I do, and that all the gods would forgive it me; yet, for the filthiness that is in sin, I would not commit it.

Plato condemns the poets for saying, that it were no matter though men did commit sin, so they could hide it. c Si non caste, saltem caute. How much better the Christian poet! Turpe quid acturus, te, sine teste, time. "Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight," though none else saw thee? said God to David. 2Sa 12:9 And David, in his sorrowful confession, saith as much to God upon the matter; "Against thee, thee only, have I sinned"; viz., in respect of the secrecy of my sin; therefore it is added, "and done this evil in thy sight." Psa 51:4

Behold, I sent this kid, &c.] He comforts himself in the loss of his pledge, that yet he had been as good as his word: but not a word we hear of sorrow for his sin; which, if he can but keep secret, he rests secure. This is a piece of natural atheism; and it is general. d

a Nihil tamen avare, nihil iniuste, nihil libidinose, nihil incontinenter esse faciendum. - Cicero Offic.

b Si scirem homines ignoraturos, et Deos ignoscituros, tamen propter peccati turpitudinem peccare non vellem. - Sen.

c Wς λυσιτελει το αδικειν εαν λανθανη. - Auson.

d Quasi dicat, Ego steti promissis, hoc mihi sufficit.