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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.)

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KJV: He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

WEB: He who conceals his sins doesn't prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.