He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
The danger of covering our sins
I. The danger.
1. In respect of God. Sin cannot be covered, cannot admit of excuse. So far as sin may be covered or excused, so far it is not sin, at least not liable to punishment. Notice the difference betwixt moral and commercial laws. Ceremonies are arbitrary; laws, as a rule of life, are real and eternal. Those sins which break moral laws receive no cover or palliation. To imagine that God will admit of excuse for the breach of such law as is eternal were to turn His justice into iniquity, and His wisdom into folly. The two attributes of God, His wisdom and His power, are the highest attributes which He hath. God is more jealous of His wisdom than of His power. He that committeth sin dallieth with His power; but he that covereth and palliateth sin playeth with His wisdom. God forgiveth the greatest sins when they are laid open and confessed, but casteth an angry look and layeth a heavy hand upon those sins which would hide and cover themselves with excuses. What a dangerous thing it is to study to cover a sin! “That must needs be the greatest sin which maketh every sin greater.” In denial and concealment, though we deny the fact, yet we acknowledge it to be evil.
2. In respect of ourselves. There is no sin to which our nature more strongly inclineth us than this of covering and excusing our sin. It is the very nature of sin, not only to infect the soul, but to bewitch it, that it shall either not feel it or not be willing to evaporate and expel it. Though God hath set up a tribunal in our hearts, and made every man a judge of his own actions, yet there is no tribunal on earth so much corrupted and swayed from its power and jurisdiction as this. No man is so well pleased with any cheat as that which he putteth upon himself. Our conscience checketh us, and we silence it; sin appeareth, and we cover it. This covering of sin is more natural than any sin beside. We cannot name any that agreeth with all natures and complexions as this doth. Excuse, as a servant, waiteth upon all, and is officious to offer attendance on the foulest. God hath imprinted upon man a natural shame of sin. God left this impression of shame upon us to keep us within compass, that we should not commit sin. But, too often, what was made as a means to prevent sin is made a cloak to cover it. Shame is a good buckler to oppose against sin.
II. The remedy. Penitential confession reaching even to the mercy-seat. Sin is never less deformed in the eye of God than when it is in its own shape. Sin is never more sin, hath never more in it, than when it is covered. He that confesseth his sin hath found a plaster for it. (A. Farindon, B.D.)
Covering sins
Men’s sins are often well known, when they flatter themselves that they are unknown, and the attempt to conceal deceives none but themselves. Sin is in itself too odious to appear without some disguise, and most men wish to be thought better than they are; but the policy is both weak and dangerous. To attempt to hide our sins from the eye of God is atheistical and vain. The mantle of Divine love is sufficient to cover all iniquity, and the interposing blood of atonement to secure from the inflictions of eternal wrath. There is also a love among brethren which covers a multitude of sins, and forms an amiable part of the Christian character. A truly good man will be tender towards every one’s failings but his own. The charity we exercise towards others is, however, very different from those excuses which we are too apt to form for ourselves.
I. Who are they who may be said to cover their sins?
1. Those who endeavour to conceal themselves under falsehood, as did the servant of Elisha.
2. Those who palliate and excuse themselves in sin, by endeavouring to shift the blame on others, belong to the same class.
3. The attempt to dissemble and disguise sin, by specious pretences, is another way of covering it.
4. There are some who even justify and plead for sin, and these certainly can need but little disguise.
5. Sin is sometimes covered by vain and ineffectual endeavour to satisfy and atone for it.
II. Consider the folly and danger of every false disguise. “Shall not prosper.”
1. His hopes shall be disappointed, and the end he had in view defeated. It is of no use to deny, to palliate, or in any other way to hide our sins, for God hath set them all in the light of His countenance.
2. Artifice and disguise shall not prosper, even as to our temporal interests.
3. Those who indulge in any manner of deceit shall be utter strangers to spiritual prosperity. Sin is the distemper of the soul; and covering it with false disguises only tends to increase the evil, and make it more dangerous.
4. A course of dissimulation will end in utter ruin and despair. God will neither be deceived nor mocked. Learn--
(1) How carefully we should avoid what will be attended with such tremendous consequences.
(2) As we are not to cover our own sins, so neither should we cover the sins of others, any farther than prudence directs or Christian charity allows.
(3) That we may not be tempted to use any other coverings, let us seek after those which are recommended to us in the gospel. (B. Beddome, M.A.)
Covering sin
Certain great iron castings have been ordered for a railway-bridge. The thickness has been calculated according to the extent of the span and the weight of the load. The contractor constructs his moulds according to the specification, and when all is ready, pours in the molten metal. In the process of casting, through some defect in the mould, portions of air lurk in the heart of the iron, and cavities like those of a honeycomb are formed in the interior of the beam; but all defects are hid, and flaws are effectually concealed. The artisan has covered his fault, but he will not prosper. As soon as it is subjected to a strain the beam gives way. Sin covered becomes a rotten hollow in a human soul, and when the strain comes the false gives way. (W. Arnot, D.D.)
A false covering and a safe refuge
I. The false and deceptive refuge. “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper.”
1. This is the course which men usually adopt when they enter on a course of sin. They are conscious that they are doing wrong, and they try to cover and conceal what they are doing. They resort to a variety of expedients. Some flatly deny them. Others cover their sins by evasion, or they shift the blame off upon others. Some plead their weakness, and the circumstances in which they were placed. Many plead the practice of others. It is the custom of the trade. The vilest class attempt to cover their sins by glorying in them.
2. Note the folly of such conduct. Such a man shall not succeed in the attempt to cover his sins. And he shall not escape from the consequences of his sins, however he attempts to conceal them. Sin brings its own punishments to the man who commits it.
II. The more excellent way which is here commended.
1. The condition of forgiveness. We must confess our sins. We must forsake them.
2. These conditions are not the only ground of forgiveness. In God there is not only provision made for forgiveness, but also for our help to resist sin, and escape from it. (A.Clark.)
The consequences of covering sin
I. In reference to others. He who covers sin is a hypocrite, who always wears a mask. He conceals bad principles under an avowed zeal for good ones; bad purposes under a noisy reprobation of such purposes; and a bad system of iniquity under the mask of extraordinary purity and piety.
II. In reference to ourselves. Man possesses the astonishing, but awful power of practising deceit upon himself, and concealing his sins from his own view. This he does--
1. By decreasing their number. This is done by rejecting the Divine law as the standard, and by adopting as the standard the lax notions of worldly and irreligious men.
2. By diminishing their enormity. This is done by pleading the impetuosity of the passions; the strength of temptation; as a set-off against bad works the multitude of good ones. But he who hides his sins from others shall not eventually prosper. And he who hides his sins from himself cannot prosper.
Now, consider the nature and advantage of confessing and forsaking sin.
1. Our confession must be spiritual.
2. Our sin must be confessed as a great evil.
3. Our sin must be confessed as deserving special punishment.
From hence we learn that the prospect of those who cover their sins, either from themselves or others, is most appalling; that no sinner, however guilty, and depraved, and miserable, need despair, for he may yet be saved. (Sketches of Four Hundred Sermons.)
Sin covered or confessed
I. Covered sin and no prosperity.
1. What is the meaning of covering sin?
2. How do men cover sin?
(1) By palliation.
(2) By dissembling.
(3) By practising sin in secret.
(4) By self-righteousness.
3. Covered sin a failure. Shall not prosper. This does not refer to temporal, but spiritual prosperity. This is not an arbitrary arrangement. The same power by which night and day succeed each other has promulgated, and will enforce the law that says, “Bad lives, unpardoned, shall be punished.” Sin cannot be successfully cloaked, but will be discovered and punished.
II. Confessed and forsaken sin and mercy.
1. “Whoso confesseth and forsaketh them.” Prompt confession, followed by prompt forgiveness. Confession involving forsaking. Profession attended with consistent practice. The reform of the outward life, and the healing of the soul.
2. “Shall have mercy.” This is not a subject of doubt. It was the experience of the psalmist (Psalms 32:5). The apostle believed and taught it (Romans 4:5). John has put it beyond speculation (1 John 1:8-9). Mercy is yours if you will fulfil the conditions. (J. E. Hargreaves.)
Man’s treatment of his own sins
1. All men have sins.
2. All men have something to do with their sins.
3. All men deal with their sins either foolishly or wisely.
I. The foolish treatment of our sins. “He that covereth his sins.”
1. By denying them. Thus Cain, Rachel, Joseph’s brethren, Peter, Ananias and Sapphira, endeavoured to hide their sin.
2. By extenuating them. Men plead excuses.
3. By forgetting them. They endeavour to sweep them from the memory by revelry, by sensuality, worldliness, and intemperance. Sins must reveal themselves sooner or later.
II. The wise treatment of our sins. “Whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” (D. Thomas, D.D.)
A serious contrast
I. Man’s covering, and its failure. There are many ways in which men try to cover their sins. Excuse-making is the commonest trade under heaven. Some cover by secrecy and some by falsehood. Some think their sin has been hidden away by lapse of time.
II. God’s covering, and its success. By the atoning sacrifice which was presented by the Lord Jesus. Before God covers sins He unveils them. The covering is as broad as the sin; it completely covers, and for ever covers. (C. H. Spurgeon.)