Sins They are most dangerous because they go a great while undiscovered and the concealment of them often is an occasion of being hardned in them and putting off Repentance for them God often makes use of Shame upon discovery of some secret Sin to be a means to lead to Repentance 5. The longer Guilt lies hid the louder will it roar in the Conscience when discovered thus you see it did with Joseph's Brethren O now their guilty Consciences roar upon them though it had been hid so long O what work will Sin make in thy Conscience when it shall walk there after thou thoughtst it had been buried twenty or thirty years O then who would not stand off from secret Sins Third word of Counsel O then repent of sin if guilt stay behind after the Fact be committed Is it not then high time that your sin should be blotted out upon your Repentance I must tell you Sinners the guilt of sin is upon your Consciences until your Repentance You lie under Guilt if it be twenty years after What thâ— you have escaped the Revenging Hands of God hitherto yet the Guilt is upon you and that binds you therefore you see Repentance and Remission of Sin goes together O poor Sinners until you sincerely Repent all your Guilt is upon you Yea it is marked before the Lord and O how sad is this to have the guilt of all thy Sins that thou hast committed to this very day upon the back of thy Soul Fourth word of Counsel O then flie to the Blood of Chrâ—â— Guilt will walk in your Consciences when once awakened until the Blood of Christ be sprinkled upon them Until you by an eye of Faith behold the Lamb of God who takes away the Sins of the World What though Guilt hath laid long upon you What though the Sin be of old standing yet the Blood of Christ takes it away It cleanses from all Sin Heb. 12.24 new or old great or small Inormities or Infirmities sins against Light or sins against Love O then come Sinners come to the Blood of Sprinkling Fifth word of Counsel is O then do not lie long in your Guilt To fall into Sin is dangerous but to lie long when fallen is much more dangerous These Bâ—â—â—â—en of Joseph's laid long in their Sin and Guilt O poor Sinners when you fall by Sin make haste to get up by Repentance 1. What if you should be hardned in Guilt and do you not run the hazard of being hardned in Sin when you lie in it It may be before you commit it you think you may repent of it when you will but alas you may soon be hardned through the deceitfulness of Sin Dr. Preston speaking of the deceitfulness of Sin O says he Sin in the first temptation to the Sinner seems little commit but this once and thou mayst afterwards repent of it and thou needest never commit this Sin again But alas says he every Sin committed leaves the Spawn of another Sin upon the Soul and after once the Soul is easily led into another Act until it be hardned through the deceitfulness of Sin 2. What if you die in it You may lie in it and die in it O what if God say such a word to you in your Guilt unrepented of as he did to those Jews You shall die in your Sins O is not this a dreadful thing to die in Sin You think it sad to die in Debt to Men what is it then to die in Sin which is debt to God with all your sins upon the back of your Souls What if thou diest an unpardoned Sinner art thou not damned if thou hadst ten thousand Souls And O what a venture dost thou run that liest in Sin 3. O do not lie in Sin The longer it is laid in the harder it will be to repent of The longer a Sinner lies in his Fall the harder he is to Rise As the larger a Disease is upon a Person the more difficult is the Cure A Man feels not at first when he lies upon the Ground but if he lies a while he grows stiff and can very hardly rise Thus it will be with a Soul that lies long in Sin O then repent speedily of Sin GEN. xlii 21. Therefore is this Distress come upon us WE are now come to the second part of the Text viz. The Reflection or Accusation of Joseph's Brethren their Consciences now being awakened by their Affliction they now jointly draw up this Conolusion and Indictment against themselves O Therefore is this Distress come upon us 1. We have the Reflection it self O how quick was Conscience now What quick work sometimes doth sence of Guilt make O now they cry out with an Asseveration Verily we are guilty c. 2. We have the occasion of this Reflection viz. Their present Distress Now they were under Affliction For their being all this while in the hand of Joseph was an unknown Business to them Their distress and strait was great and now they as one Man conclude for their guilt this Distress was come upon them The Truth the Text presents us with is this In a day of Affliction Gonscience is very quick and active in its Reflections This is a profitable Truth and worth inquiring into such Days as these when so many are hardned in their sins Poor Sinners ruffle it out and stout it out against God in a a day of Prosperity O who but they with Pharaoh saying Who is the Lord Thus he swaggers it out but stay until an Hand of God be upon him and then you will find him of another mind O then Send for Moses to pray for me Then he confesses I and my People are wicked Thus the Prophet Jeremiah makes the wild Ass an Emblem and that very fitly of a wicked Man in his prosperous condition running on in Sin As the wild Ass snuffs up the Wind at her pleasure Jer. 2.24 All Counsel all Instruction all Advice is lost All that seek her do but weary themselves But stay until her Months of Affliction and Distress come and then they may be spoken with In their Months one shall find them O now Conscience begins to talk with them and call them to a serious debate concerning their past lives and Transactions God often sets Conscience to discourse with Sinners in the day of their Distress We have plentiful Instances of this Truth in holy Writ You may find it proved of the worst of Men as well as of God's own People The case of Gain what a quick Reflection was that of his All that meet me will slay me His sin and guilt walked in his Conscience Abel's Ghost as I may say he haunted Gain's Conscience Alas Who was in the World to slay him It was only the conclusion of his guilty Conscience Ahab had sinned highly against the Lord he was a Non-such for a Sinner 1 King 21.24 There was none like unto Ahab which did set himself to work wickedness
smiting him Aâ— David his Heart smote him when he cut off the Lap oâ— Saul's Garment Tendeâ— Consciences find this inwarâ— smiting either upon thâ— commission of Evil or thâ— omission of Good Ah! now how did Joseph's Brethren's Consciences smite them It is set forth by the poor Publican smiting on his Brest And sometimes with Ephraim's smiting upon his Thigh O now Sinners reflect upon their Sins as thaâ— word No Man repented and said what have I done 5. It is set forth by bringing again to mind which is the proper notion of Reflection Remember and shew your selves Men Isa 46.8 and bring it again to mind O ye Transgressors Therefore we have frequently such Expressions Remembring their evil ways 1 Kings 8.47 and if my People shall bethink themselves These are properly the Reflex Acts of the Mind and Conscience 6. It is set forth by Accusing The Conscience draws up an Accusation against the Sinner as here Joseph's Brethren did it Reflects when it Accuses We reade of the Gentiles who only had the Law of Nature and yet their Consciences did accuse them 7. It is set forth by Condemning which is higher than Accusing it passes Judgment as well as it witnesses If our own Hearts condemn us 1 John 3.20 God is greater than our Hearts viz. our Consciences We may spell out of all these some things of the nature of Reflection of Conscience Second Inquiry is What this awakened Conscience reflects upon For we must understand that Conscience doth never bear false Witness for in this case the voice of Conscience is the Voice God Conscience's Testimony holds true in the case of Joseph's Brethren 1. Conscience in a day of Affliction reflects upon matters of Fact It may be at the present commission of the Sin the Sinner takes no notice of it in an hurry and huff of Temptation all is forgotten O! but there is 〈◊〉 Book of Remembrance that Conscience keeps and all your Sins are registred there and though it be a sealed Book at present you know not â—ow soon it may be opened and you judged out of it according to what you have â—one O how many Sinners may now deny matter of fact but when Conscience â—hall be awakened to lay it â—ome and charge them plainâ—ith it saying as Nathan to David Thou art the Man Then there will be no denying of it The witness of â—â—es own Conscience is an â—deniable Testimony Cain â—ould not deny this Testimony therefore his Guilt cri'd all that meet me will slay me 〈◊〉 aoh could not deny this Testimony I and my People are wicked Judas could nodeny this Testimony I have sinned in betraying innocent Blood The People of God could not deny this Testimony when they cried out Our Iniquities testifie again us c. 2. Conscience doth no only reflect upon matter oâ— Fact but upon Circumstances and Aggravations of the Fact Conscience when awakened becomes tender and calls every particular Circumstance to remembrance that did heighten or any way aggravate the matter and thus did they in the Text Wherein lay the aggravation of the Guilt You have heard hinted before I that we saw the anguish of hâ—â— Soul and he besought us yet we would not hear 1. They saw the anguish of his Soul and yet their Eyes did not affect their Hearts 2. It was their Brother too 3. He besought us 4. They would not hear All of them great Aggravations Saw it The anguish of a Brothers Soul A beseeching Brother and would not hear Deasned their Ears to his lamentable Cries O how do their Consciences Reflect upon all these There are several things that Conscience when awakened reflects upon with reference to the Circumstances of matter of Fact 1. Sometimes Conscience tells the Sinner it is against Light Thou hadst so much Light as to conceive this before commission that it was a Sin that it was a Violation and Transgression of an holy Law and says Conscience this thou knewest yea this thou knewest before-hand and yet contrary to the discovery of this Light thou didst run violently into it and rebelledst against the Light as Job's phrase is Job 24.13 2. Sometimes Conscience tells the Sinner he hath sinned against Resolutions and this is an aggravating Circumstance O how often says Conscience hast thou broken thy serious Purposes and Vows when it may be you have been in imminent dangers and distresses Now Conscience registers and records the very Resolutions of poor Sinners it being privy to all the secret Purposes When some of you are at Sea ready to be swallowed up of the Belly of Hell as Jonah phrases it O then you pray to God and purpose against Sin if God will bring you off with your Lives at this time Or it may be others of you at Land upon a supposed Death-bed O if God will spare you How do you resolve against Sin yea against those Sins that sting your Consciences most But alas after all this do not you break your Bonds Now Conscience books all and at one time or other will remember you of all these things 3. Sometimes Conscience in its Reflections tells the Sinner of sinning against its Warnings and Dictates To sin against the dictates of Conscience is a very great Aggravation O Sinners how often hath Conscience warned you As you love your Peace as you love your Souls as you will answer it at the great Tribunal of God that you go not on in such a Course or that you commit not such a Sin at your Peril says Conscience but not withstanding all this the Sinner blunders on I tell you Sinners from the Lord there is never a Warning an awakened Conscience hath given any of you but it will rise up against you another Day either here or hereafter 4. Sometimes Conscience in its Reflections tells Sinners of their sinning against its Reproofs which is an aggravating Circumstance To run into Sin after long reproved hence you have that terrible word Proy 28.1 He that being of ten reproved hardens his Heart shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy O says Conscience is not this thy Case Hast thou not often been reproved Have not I often reproved thee and God often reproved thee and Ministers often reproved thee Yet hast thou gone on c. And will not every Reproof walk in your Consciences another day that you sin against now 5. Sometimes Conscience in its Reflections tells Sinners of sinning against Mercy which is another aggravating Circumstance How many Mercies says Conscience have you sinned against sparing Mercy at Sea and at Land preventing Mercy preserving Mercy O what a life of Mercy hath thy Life seen Nothing but a Series of Mercy a large Tract of Mercy a Line of Mercy and yet thou hast sinned against all This will grieve thee another Day when thou shalt have all thy Mercies as well as Sins set in order before thee Thirdly Conscience reflects upon the dishonour Sin brings to God as well
as upon the Fact and the circumstances of the Fact When Conscience begins to be enlightned and awakened O then it begins to think what dishonour Sin hath brought upon God for as Sin brings guilt upon the Soul so it brings dishonour upon the Name of God And thus David's Conscience reflects Against thee against thee have I sinned this laid uppermost on the Heart of David He sinned against his Soul he sinned against his own Body he sinned against Bathsheba he sinned against the whole Church of God but of all says he Against Thee against Thee have I sinned O says Conscience to the Sinner how hast thou opened the Mouths of the Enemies of God and his People to blaspheme and caused the Ways of God to be evil spoken of Thou hast wounded and stabb'd the Honourable and Blessed Name of God and should not the Honour of that God that created thee be dear to thee who hath preserved thee in a thousand Dangers and hath provided for thee in a thousand Wants should not his Honour lie near thy Heart Did not this make Joseph say How can I do this Wickedness and sin against God Fourthly Conscience when awakened reflects upon Times and junctures of Time in which Persons have sinned There is a great deal in the Time of Sin as well as the Act of Sin to reflect upon Therefore it was taken notice of in that black Brand upon Ahaz 2 Chron 28.22 This is that King Ahaz that sinned more and more in the time of his Distress O what a monstrous thing was it to sin then There are three Times that Conscience takes special notice to reflect upon when we sin in them 1. A time of common Calamity when God's Judgments are abroad To sin when God is smiting for Sin when God smites on and Sinners they sin on They returned not unto the Lord that smote them O now cries Conscience did not you commit such a Sin in the time of the Plague in the time of the Fire How durst you sin when God's Sword was drawn and sheathed in the Bowels of so many thousand Sinners This was to sin when the Judge was upon the Bench. And while he was passing Sentence against poor guilty Malefactors and O what impudence was this in Sinners 2. A time of Personal Affliction This is a Juncture of Time for an awakened Conscience to reflect upon and tell you of when any of you have laid under the Hands of God and what then to lift up your Heel against God This is not only Sinning but daring Sin and Conscience takes notice that that was your Sinning Time which should have been your Humbling Time for Sin 3. A Time of receiving eminent and particular Mercies from God then to Sin against God O! how will Conscience take its opportunity and tell you of it another Day For Hezekiah to sin against God when God had so lately raised him up and recovered him from a Sentence of Death O what will Conscience say to this when Hezekiah comes to be humbled for it What! for David to sin after God had brought him through all his Dangers and Difficulties and put him in possession of the Kingdom for him to say Thou hast made my Mountain strong and I shall not be moved O how will David's Conscience reflect upon this another Day 4. When God hath graciously visited the Soul with smiles of his Love then to sin Conscience will be sure to reflect upon this To return to Folly after God hath spoken Peace O! how will Conscience tell thee of this another Day and tell thee what Disingenuity and Ingratitude there was in it Is this a time to sin Is not this like a foolish People to requite the Lord with evil for so much Good as you have received from him 5. To sin after thou hast humbled thy self for Sin this is a time Conscience will Reflect upon What will Conscience say to these things Is this thou that lately wert upon thy Knees bemoaning thy Sin before the Lord What thou who hast so lately confessed and acknowledged thy Sin and now running into Sin yea into the same Sins you have mourned over and repented of O! how will Conscience sadly animadvert upon these things in the day of its dealing with you poor Sinners Fifthly Conscience when awakened will Reflect upon lost means and seasons of Grace Christ considered this when he preached that doleful Sermon to Jerusalem O! Luke 19.29 that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that concern thy Peace He knew it would cut to the Conscience to tell them of lost Seasons and lost Advantages for Heaven and Eternity And indeed this makes up much of the Torments of Hell These Reflections upon the last motions of the Spirit last convictions of Conscience last Sermons Ordinances and Sabbaths Nay when God comes to awaken Conscience how doth it reflect upon these things in this present Life As one said when a Ministeâ— came to comfort her Call Time again call Time again Implying she thought it was as impossible to apply Come for t to her as to call time again So poor Sinners how sad will this be for you another Day to cry Call Sabbaths again Ministry again a day of Grace again motions of the Spirit again Alas Sirs now you think these things may be dallied and trifled with and it is indifferent whether you lay hold of such opportunities to improve them or no. O but when they are gone how will these things sting A Man who hath been under good opportunities to arrive at a great Estate in the World and when he is brought by his bad Husbandry and Prodigality to Penury and Poverty O! how doth he then Reflect upon himself if he be sensible and upon his fair Opportunities that now are past recalling O then what a Mad-man was I What fair Opportunities have I lost Thus it is in this Case with Guilty Consciences when awakened O what a fair way was I once in for Heaven and eternal Life What Seasons had I to enrich my Soul in Grace O! what a Fool was I that had so many Prizes put into my Hand and had not an Heart to make use of them these will be sad Reflections Sixtly An awakened Conscience will Reflect in a day of Affliction upon the sad Effects and Consequences of Sin what Sin brings along with it what follows and treads upon the Heels of it 1. Sad effect of Sin Conscience reflects upon is God's displeasure O! who can bear it Angels could not it cast them out of Heaven Adam could not it cast him out of Paradice He drove out the Man Nay the most holy Servants of God could not bear it It made David cry out Psal 38.3 There was no rest in his Bones because of God's Anger Nay more It made the Lord Jesus Christ cry out when he endured it for our Sins My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And says Conscience can you bear it
that gets a â—ot but being warm at preâ—nt feels it not but afterwards the loss of Blood causes â—â—m to faint Persons engaged in their Temptations do â—â—t feel the fiery Darts that â—atan shoots at them O! but in cold Blood how do â—â—ey cry out When they â—ome to a feeling of themselves what they have done against God and against their own Souls Remember Siâ—ners what you commit 〈◊〉 your hot Blood you will 〈◊〉 pent in your cold and it wâ—â— walk in your Consciences afterwards Prov. 28.23 He that rebuketh Man afterwards shall fâ—â— favour more than he that flatereth with his Tongue say Solomon viz. When a Man is in cold Blood composed 〈◊〉 his Spirit then he cousider this friendly rebuke was 〈◊〉 Love 3. Reason Why Guilt often walks in the Conscience after the Fact is committed is Because the custom of Sin takes away the conscience of Sin Custom in Sin is a very hardniâ—â— thing when Sinners have gotten habits of Sin one 〈◊〉 being Drunk another of being Unclean another of being Proud now all sence of Sin is lost Jer. 13.23 Can the Ethiopian change his Skin or the Leopard his Spots No more can they that are accustomed to do evil do good O! but now when the Lord musters up the Sins of a poor guilty Wretch in order to bring him to Repentance then the Lord makes this Sin walk in his Conscience and the other Sin is brought to remembrance O! now the Soul crys out Men and Brethren what shall I do My Sin is ever before me O how was David haunted with his guilt How did it now walk in his Conscience 4. Reason Sinners are ignorant of the sad effects and consequences of Sin until afterwards Alas many times Sinners know not what they do when they commit Sin 1. They know not what they do in sinning against God David in his heat of Temptation did not consider it until afterwards 〈◊〉 then he cried out Psal 50.4 Against thee against thee only have 〈◊〉 sinned The Prodigal did noâ— know what he did in the going from his Father but afterwards how did he cry out Luke 14.21 I have sinned against Heaven and in thy sight Now Guilt did walk in his Conscience Now Sinners cry out with them in the Prophet Isa 59.12 For our Transgressions are multiplied before thee and our Sins testifie against us for our Transgressions are with us 〈◊〉 and as for our Iniquities we know them 2. Now the Eyes of the Sinner being opened he sees the sad consequences of Sin that he hath sinned against his own Soul Pro. 8.36 He that sinneth wrongeth his own Soul O now what work is there in the Conscience when the poor Guilty Sinner sees how he hath wronged his own Soul yea without Mercy from God undone it for ever nay without Repentance thou hast not only wronged thy own Soul but damned thy own Soul O now the Sinner sees the reward and wages of Sin is Death The first Death and the second Death Temporal Death and Eternal Death and now it begins to appear in its proper Colours but alas this is not until afterwards 5. Sin walks after the Fact committed because the aggravations of Sin ordinarily do not appear until afterwards That which makes Sin stand up in the Conscience of a Sinner is the aggravation of Sin which is laid before it usually by Reflecting Acts therefore the work of Repentance is set forth by these Reflecting Acts O says the penitent Sinner Jer. 8.6 What have I done Alas a Sinner in an hour of Temptation doth not take time to deliberate upon it to look into the Aggravations of it but all these come in as After-claps These are Conscience's After-claps Oh! what aggravations undoubtedly did appear in this case of their Guilt against their Brother Joseph 1. They speak like Persons aggravating their Guilt O now they cry out Gen. 37.26 27. We are verily guilty concerning our Brother O now they see the aggravation of their Sin against their Brother against the Law of Relation To make a Slave of a Stranger had been a great Sin but to make a Slave of a Brother this was an higher aggravation and we find this consideration startled Judah Let not our hand be upon him for he is our Brother This was a sin against the Law of Nature and the Law of Relation as well as the Law of Religion 2. They have this aggravation of the matter of Fact it was committed against Warning Thus you see Reuben rubs them with it in their distress Gen. 42.22 Spake I not unto you saying do not sin against the Child and you would not hear therefore behold his Blood is required O now all comes out as we say to sin against Warning is a great aggravation O now says the guilty Conscience once awakened how fairly wert thou warned nay how frequently wert thou warned O says Conscience did not I speak to thee and tell thee solemnly thou shouldst answer for it and God would require it 3. There was this aggravation in it there was Theft yea the highest Theft in it it was Man-stealing as Joseph says himself I was stolen away out of the Land of the Hebrews Gen. 40.15 Now this kind of Theft was punishable by death Exod. 21.16 He that stealeth a Man and selleth him shall surely be put to death And O then what an aggravation of Sin was this to sell their own Brother 4. There was this aggravation of Guilt stood up in their Consciences it was a deliberate Act as was hinted before an Act of Counsel and Conspiracy the Text is express in it And when they saw him afar off Gen. 37.18 even before he came near them they conspired against him to slay him And as they joyned in their Conspiracy now upon guilt walking in their Consciences they in my Text joyn in their Consession O! so it is with Sinners when Sin is laid home to the charge of Conscience O but was it not a plotted piece of Guilt a contrived piece of Guilt a deliberate Act David tells us he said He would confess his Sin and God forgave the Iniquity of his Sin Psal 32.5 viz. The deliberateness of it it may be he points at that particular aggravation 5. Aggravation that stood up in the Consciences of Joseph's Brethren was their hiding of it and this put them upon dreadful Lying and Dissembling with their Father Gen. 37.30 And we will say Some evil Beast hath devoured him This have we found know whether it be thy Son's Goat or no. O what dreadful work was here This is the fruit of Sin to cover and hide all with Lyes to their own Father 6. Aggravation was there Cruelty and Hard-heartedness The Text tells you They would not hear when he besought them And now this cuts them to the Heart So will Conscience one day say to the guilty Sinner O! did not I beseech thee to hearken to me
be the space of â—â—ny Repentance 4. Take heed of flattering your selves that your Sins will never come out all because they have been a long time hid You see to the contrary Many have come at last to condign Punishment for long hidden and concealed Iniquities It may be Sinner God's time is not yet come to make a discovery of thy Wickedness It may be thou art not ripe enough in Sin It may be the Loâ—â—â— is all this while letting theâ— alone to fill up thy Measure It may be thy impunity from Temporal Judgments is thâ—â— Spiritual Judgment God iâ—â— his wrath threatens some Thâ— he will not punish their 〈◊〉 and Daughters Hos 4.14 when they comâ—â— mit Adultery Sinners youâ— think it a brave thing foâ— God to let you alone in youâ— Sin and spare you And alas all this he may do in the hottest Wrath and Displeasure 5. Take heed of sinful excusing and covering your Sinâ—â— He that covereth his Sin shall not prosper Prov. 28.13 but he that confesseth and forsaketh his Sin shall find Mercy O! now Joseph's Brethren do not excuse and cover their Sin O! now conscience is awakned they â—ead guilty with one consent III. The next improveâ—ent of the Truth is this â— word of Counsel and Exâ—ortation Then let us all â—and clear of Sin if it leave Sting behind it O! then â—aâ—â—â— in awe and sin not O â—ay this with Joseph in the â—ase of his Mistress Gen. 39.9 How can â— do this great Wickedness and â—in against God 1. Stand clear of Sin it â—eaves that behind will torment you Alas poor Sinners they consult at present only the pleasure of Sin only the satisfaction of a present Lust and the profit of Sin but they do not consider the guilt of Sin Did the Thief consider O! but this sin will leave a Sting behind it and it will expose him to the danger of 〈◊〉 Law it will end in Tyburâ— O! how this would awe 〈◊〉 check him so did but S 〈◊〉 ners argue with themselvâ— O this wicked Trade of miâ—â— this sinful Course of miâ—â—â— what will it end in â—ill not end in Hell Doth not expose me to the wraâ—â— of a Righteous God 〈◊〉 would not such a considerâ—tion cool the boyling heâ— of many a Sinner's Lust is the misery of Sinners the look not to an afterwardâ— but only at present consuâ—â— either their Pleasure or the Profit 2. Stand clear of Sin fâ—â— it will be very terrible to yoâ—â— when it shall haunt youâ— Consciences There is 〈◊〉 such terrible Spectrum in thâ—◠〈◊〉 â—orld as the walking of â—pardoned Sin in the Conâ—ence O what horrour and â—azement did this Sin of Joâ—â—h's Brethren make in their â—onsciences And O what â—â—ad case was David in when 〈◊〉 said My Sin is ever beâ—â—re me As if he had seen â—â—me Spectrum or Apparitiâ—â— haunting him You would â—â—ot live in an haunted House â—â—nd yet how many Sinners â—â—ve with haunted Conscienâ—â—es They are Magor-missaâ—â—bs Terrours to themselves â—â—â—ea and to those that stand â—bout them O! how did Judas's guilt haunt him And Spira his guilt haunt him 3. Stand off from Sin for â—â—ne Sin will beget another Thus did the Sin of Joseph's Brethren they now must câ—â—â— ver it with his Coat they noâ—â— must lye to their aged Father and say an evil Beast hath dâ—â— voured him O! where wiâ—â— Sin have an end Sinners you know the beginning 〈◊〉 Sin but who knows the enâ—â— thereof Who knows wheâ—â— Sin will stop Sinners yoâ—â— know not what you do wheâ—â— you meddle with Sin Sin'â—â— chain hath many Links and they all depend one upon anâ— other And I must tell youâ— one Sin is so close linkt to another that they lead one to another Thieving leads to Lying Lying to Denying with Appeals to God and so on to Swearing and from Swearing on to Hardning 4. Stand clear of Sin forâ— God will visit your Sin upon â—ou sooner or later Though it â—as long first yet you see God punishes this Sin of Joâ—ph's Brethren now God â—as visiting for it O Sirs â—â—e visiting of God for Sin is terrible thing Do you not â—ear the Lord say Jer. 5.9 Shall I not â—isit for these things O poor â—inners though God let â—ou alone at present yet the â—ears of your Visitation shall â—ome 5. Stand clear of Sin there â—s a worse thing than all this follows it viz. Wrath to â—ome O may it not be said â—o any one of you nay to every one of you John 5.14 as was said to her Go your ways sin no more lest a worse thing come unto you A worse thing O what can that be Wrath to come Hell and eternal Torments the Worm thaâ— never dies the Fire that nâ—â—ver goes out Second Counsel is to stanâ—â— clear of secret Guilt the moâ—â— covert Guilt whatsoever This Sin of Joseph's Brethreâ—â— was a covered Sin for manâ—â— years together This is 〈◊〉 that tempts many a poor Soâ— to sin Who seeth it Whâ— knoweth it It shall neveâ— come to light All will bâ— wrapt up in clean Linneâ—â— and rest in darkness and 〈◊〉 lence all my days And uâ—on this very account manâ— poor Souls they fall into thâ—â— Snares because laid in thâ— dark and secret for them 1. Consider poor Sinnerâ— God looks on when you comâ— mit secret Sins there is noâ— thing hid from him He 〈◊〉 all Eye He is an Omniscient God O poor Sinner Didst but thou think God looks on O how would this startle thee in the act of Sin Shall the Eye of Men make Sinners afraid and shall not the Eye of God much more Would Joseph's Brethren thus secretly and perfidiously have sold their Brother if they had considered God saw them at the Bargain making if they had considered God looked on 2. Poor Sinners stand off from secret Sins for the eye of Conscience looks on and Conscience is a thousand witnesses Conscience in Joseph's Brethren could very well remember their Guilt O Sirs Conscience hath a strange Memory O if a Sinner did but solemnly debate the Matter with himself and say O but if I commiâ—â— this sin never so secretly my Conscience is Witness and will tell me of it another day and gripe me for it another day O how would these thoughts be an Impediment in the way of many Sinner 3. Poor sinners stand oâ— from secret sins for secreâ— sins have many times strangâ—ly come to light Eccles 10.20 A Bird the Air shall tell the Matteâ— says Solomon viz. Sin shaâ—â— be discovered by improbabâ— and unlikely means Wâ— reade of others that Heaveâ— shall reveal their Iniquity The Heaven shall reveal hâ—â— iniquity and the Earth shaâ—â— rise up against him Job 20.27 Rather than it shall be hid Heaven and Earth shall conspire to bring it to light God hath of late given us notable Instances in deceiving wicked Mens Plots and Projects against these poor Nations 4. Stand off from secret
can you stand under his Anger According to thy Power so is thine Anger 2. Conscience reflects upon the Soul's Pollution and Defilement another sad effect of Sin That a Soul which came out of the Hand of God so pure so spotless a Being should be so deformed and defiled O how sad is this 3. Another sad effect of Sin that the awakened Conscience reflects upon in a day of Affliction is the withdrawment of God's comfortable Presence from the Soul O! how did the Spouses Conscience Reflect when she said My Beloved hath withdrawn himself Sin makes God hide himself from his dearest Children And O what temptations are God's Children exposed unto when their Father is withdrawn O how easily then are they drawn in to think hardly of God to be jealous of God to question his Promise I might name many other sad Effects and Consequences of Sin that awakened Consciences Reflects upon But I will forbear The Third Query is this What kind of Reflections these Reflections of awakened Consciences are 1. These Reflections are home Reflections O Sinners when Conscience Reflects and charges it home this was the case of my Text it was a home charge Verily we are guilty concerning our Brother O how quick was Conscience now with them And so when David reflected upon his Sin charged upon him by Nathan Thou art the Man says Nathan I have sineed says David It may be for the present your Consciences say little to you are very silent but stay until God shall awaken them O then until your Sin be pardoned it will be a Terror to you and cause you to mediate Terror What though this Lion sleep day will come that God will rouze him up and then he will be a Roaring Lion O what an home Reflection was that of Judas I have sinned in betraying innocent Blood And surely Peter's Conscience charged him home when he went out and wept bitterly 3. These Reflections of awakened Consciences they are just and righteous Reflections O! Conscience doth not reflect without a Cause doth not accuse or sting without a Cause Was then not a Righteous Cause for this Reflection in the Consciences of Joseph's Brethren Was there not great Guilt a the bottom Did Cain's Conscience afright him without a cause had not he killed hâ— Brother Abel Did David Conscience smite him with out a cause when he cried out I have sinned Did Judâ— his Conscience torment him without a cause when he cri'd out I have sinned in betraying Innocent Blood Oh Sinners When you look into your past Lives and turn over the Book of your Conversations Page by Page Leaf by Leaf and observe Page and Margin well you will sind both full of causes for these Reflections May not you charge your selves for this Sin and the other for this unknown Guilt to the World and the other O then you will say it is a righteous thing that Conscience should Condemn and that the Sentence thereof is a just and righteous â—entence We reade of him that had not on the Wedding Garment his Mouth was stopt he stood speechless So will it be in this Day with all poor guilty Sinners they will not have a word to say for themselves why Sentence should not be Executed upon them Rom. 2.19 Every Mouth must be stopt that all the World may become Guilty before God 3. These Reflections are full of Horrour and Dread Fear naturally results from them and you know Fear hath Torment in it These Reflections become great Torments to guilty Consciences the inward gnawings of this Worm are very terririble Alas what can arise out of Guilt Sinners but Dread and Horror Guilt we say makes a Man affraid of his own Shadow O what a torment is this when a Man â—omes to be dogg'd and haunted where-ever he goes with with his own guilty Conscience He needs no other Executioner or Tormentor The â—ase of Spira is a dreadful â—anding Instance Herod heard â—f the Fame of Jesus and â—id unto his Servants Mat. 14.2 3. This 〈◊〉 John Baptist he is risen â—â—m the Dead therefore might Works do shew themselves in 〈◊〉 What was the matter â—ith Herod that he was thus â—â—â—tled and crys it was â—â—hn He had killed John â—â—d now John though dead â—â—lk'd in his guilty Conscience and as a Spectrum â—eadfully affrighted him 4. These Reflections of â—â—ty awakened Conscience are not easily quieted Conscience is not easily pacified Luther hath this passage It is as hard a thing tâ— comfort an afflicted Conscienceâ— as it is to create a World God says he Isa 57.19 created the fruits of the Lips Peace peace viz. in his Minister's Mouths when they are Barnabasses Sons of Consolation to troubled Souls O! Who caâ— speak Peace to a Woundeâ— Conscience but God Hâ— only can say to poor Souls iâ— danger of being Shipwrackâ— with these Storms of Conscience's Troubles Peace and bâ— still The Lord Jesus can only command these Wind and Storms to obey him Thus it was with David thâ— the Lord had sent Nathaâ— the Prophet to him to teâ— him God had put away hâ—â— Sin yet all this would not do until the Lord told him so himself which occasioned that Prayer of his Lord make the Bones which thou hast broken to rejoyce Psal 51.8 Make thou me to hear the Voice of Joy and Gladness 5. These Reflections of awakened Consciences are such as constrain the Sinner to seek out for ease Poor Souls now dwell in little ease they are disquieted and distressed and therefore look out for a Remedy A wounded Spirit who can bear Wounded Men you know groan for ease So do these wounded Souls Hence it was that Cain under the horrour of his awakened Conscience begins to build Cities to divert the rage of his throbing Conscience Many Sinners when awakened and troubled they go to the Musick with Saul to play the evil Spirit down It is said of Charles the 9th King of France after that dreadful Massacre in Paris which was in his Reign He never durst awake out of his sleep without Musick So many go to sinful Company and sinful Recreations to make use of them as a sleepy Sop to allay the rage of an accusing tormenting Conscience as tho they had a design to Conjure down the Guilt that walks in their Consciences But now when a poor Soul is truly awakened with a clear sight of Guilt in the Glass of the Gospel O then he begins to pray to seek out after Christ to enquire what he shall do to be saved to be pardoned O! how do such poor Souls like the stung Israelites under the smart and pain of the Wound run up and down to look towards the Brazen Serpent for Healing And like those prickt in the Heart cry out Men and Brethren what shall we do First Reason Why Conscience in a day of Affliction is quick at Reflections Because days of Affliction are days of Remembrance Conscience sets Memory now at work and now
Memory turns over the whole past Life of a Sinner O says Conscience in the day of Distress Didst not thou commit such a Sin at such a time in such a place Dost thou not remember it And didst not thou think thou shouldst never hear of it again though I told thee and warned thee to the contrary but now I am come to call thy Faults into remembrance this day In a day of Affliction Conscience is our Monitor and Remembrancer It remembers the Sinner of two things 1. Of his past Convictions 2. Of his broken Resolutions And it is upon this account that Repentance is called A remembring of our evil ways You have Sinners committed many a Sin and forgotten it and buried many a piece of Guilt in the grave of Oblivion and because you had forgotten these things you thought God had forgotten them too and Conscience had forgotten them but you will find your selves mistaken When a day of Affliction comes then Conscience will remember you of all and set all in order before your Eyes David calls some of his Psalms Psalms of Remembrance To call to Remembrance So Conscience will sing you a sad Song of Remembrance as I may say it will remember some of you how often you were Drunk and where how often others of you have been Unclean and where with all the Circumstances of matters of Fact Secondly Because in a day of Affliction Conscience is awakened at other times it is asleep and so cannot be quick and active Men lull Conscience asleep with their Enjoyments or with their Affairs and Employments but now in a day of Affliction the Lord takes them off these They then are at leisure to reckon with their Consciences as they awake they begin to call themselves to an Account Afflictions are great Awakeners It may be the poor Sinner is like Peter asleep between two Souldiers when the Angel came and smote him So Conscience doth with Sinners O! how quick is Conscience with them when they are awakened O! what a sleepy Fit for three quarters of a Year did David fall into until God made use of Affliction to awaken him Joseph's Brethren what a Lethargy were their Consciences in for many years together until this Affliction awakened them And so How did Manasseh his Afflictions awaken his guilty Conscience Thirdly Because a day of Affliction is a day of serious Consideration Men go on inconsiderately in the Ruffe of their Prosperity while they are as I may say in their hot Blood but when they consider with themselves better then they change both their Minds and Courses I considered my Ways Psal 119.59 and turned my Feet to thy Testimonies But now What brings in this day of Consideration Is it not a day of Affliction In a day of Adversity Eccles 7.14 consider What brought the poor inconsiderate Prodigal to a stand and so to a return was it not a day of Affliction His consideration is exprest by this He came to himself Now Conscience being awakened Sinners begin to come to themselves and then they say Jer. 8.6 What have I done Whither have I been going O! what will follow upon this Course of mine what will be the effects of this Sin and Guilt If Men did consider these things and ask their Souls such Questions how would it be a means to stop them in their carreer and course of Sin O now 1. A Sinner begins to think how he hath dishonour'd God 2. How he hath displeased God 3. How he hath wounded his own Conscience 4. How he hath led others into Sin by his example 5. How he hath aggravated his Sin by sinning against Mercies and Deliverances These and many more Considerations are called over in the Conscience when awakened in a day of Distress and Affliction Fourthly Because a day of Affliction is a Day that puts the Sinner upon a diligent search O how quick is Conscience upon the search Now Sinners are set upon searching trying their ways with the Church Let us search and try our ways and turn again unto the Lord. Lam. 3. This put Heman upon a diligent search I communed with my own Heart Psal 77.5 6. and made a diligent search As the Woman did seek for her lost Groat did sweep the House and lighted a Candle So now the Soul in a day of Affliction seeks and searches for this Sin and the other Surely says the awakened Conscience there is some Provocation there is some Wedge of Gold some allured Thing some right Eye some right Hand which puts the Lord upon contending with me and upon thus afflicting of me Thus Josepb's Brethren they search and find out their Guilt in the day of their Distress and Affliction Fifthly Because a day of Affliction is a Day of plain and impartial dealing with ones own Soul We are prone to be Partial at other times and flatter our selves but now Conscience being awakened it deals faithfully as the Matter requires O! now Conscience in the day of Affliction tells the Sinner a plain story Sinner thou hast sinned and thou canst not deny it and thou must repent of it or else perish to all Eternity Except you repent you shall likewise perish Now this is a plain Sermon and thus did Joseph's Brethren Their Consciences in their Affliction told them a very plain Story We are verily guilty concerning our Brother c. And ah Sinners had not your Consciences better be plain with you now than be plain with you in Hell O what plain Sermons doth Conscience preach to the Damned You will not many of you bear plain Preaching now But O remember what a plain Preacher Conscience will be when awakened in a day of Affliction Now we come to the Improvement of what hath been said upon all the Doctrinal part Application Is it so that Conscience is so quick and active in a day of Affliction Then 1. Learn we hence that many Souls have great cause to bless God for Afflictions They may say with David Before they were afflicted Psal 119.67 they went astray Joseph's Brethren for any thing I know had died under this Guilt if God had not brought them into this Distress Had not Manasseh cause to bless God for his Affliction They were blessed Bryars he was caught 〈◊〉 Hath not the Lord oâ—ened the Ears of many by Affliction and commanded â—hem to return from Iniquity Yea great Persons when they have been bound in Fetters Job 36.8 9 10. â—nd holden in Cords of Affliction then God sheweth â—hem their Work and their Transgressions that they have exceeded O! what a Mercy was it to the Church when God hedged up her Ways with Thorns Is it not a merâ—y to be kept from drowning 〈◊〉 a Pit though it be by a Thorn Hedge How many â—inners had gone on in Sin â—nd had been drowned in â—ell if God had not stopt â—hem by a sharp Thorn Hedg of Affliction O! What would have become of the Prodigal in
Affliction and Distress Because these are the especial times when Conscience makes such q â—ck Reflections upon Souls Are not such afflictions great Mercies as are sanctified means in the Hand of God to awaken poor guilty Souls Had not you better be awakened by Afflictions than perish in your Sins O how many poor Souls had run headlong to Hell if a Thorn Hedg of smarting Affliction had not stopt them as hath been noted already Are not Afflictions Mercies which are means to awaken sleepy Consciences which otherwise might have slept on to Hell else Is it not a Mercy to be rouzed out of our Security Suppose a Man sleep upon the Bank of the River had not he been better awakened tho it be by pinching than sleep on until he drop in and be Drowned Is not this the Case There are many poor Souls that lie asleep on the brink of the Pit one turn by Death on the other side and the Sinner is gone and gone for ever But me-thinks I hear a poor Soul say What shall I do what Course shall I take The guilt of my Conscience lies like an heavy Load and Weight upon me I am dogg'd with the sense of my guilt Day and Night My Sin is ever before me Let such troubled Consciences take these Directions 1. Freely confess thy guilt to God Thus Joseph's Brethren did in the day of their Distress Thus all Consciences when wounded should bleed by Confession Thus David I have sinned c. Thus the poor Prodigal Father I have sinned against Heaven and against thee c. The Promise runs to confession of Sin Prov. 28.13 He that confesseth and forsaketh his Sin shall find Mercy 1 John 1.9 If we confess our Sins God is Faithful and Just to forgive us our Sins 2. Be much upon your Knees praying for Pardon O what will make a Man pray if sense of Guilt will â—ot Need any put words â—nto the Mouth of a condemned Malefactor to beg the â—udge to be good unto him How ready is he to cry Good â—y Lord have Mercy O â—hat Petitioning will there â—e to the Judge O poor â—uilty Sinner see this Course â—â—ken by David Lord have â—dercy upon me c. 3. O run believingly to â—â—e Blood of Christ Your â—onfessions your Prayers â—ur Tears will not do without the Blood of Christ thou must get further viz. To the Blood of Sprinkling This is the Blood that cleanseth from all Sin and all Unrighteousness Here here is the Fountain for guilty and for filthy Souls to wash in 4. Defer not your Repentance this is dangerous when under sense of Guilt You can say in other Cases there is danger in delays O why do not you say so in this O poor Sinners sleep not in your Guilt A wounded Spirit must be taken betimes aâ— well as a Wound in the Body the Wound will get winâ— else and will fester thiâ— will make dreadful work iâ— once Guilt gangreen and fester O how hard will gangreen'd Conscience be tâ— Cure 5. Direction is Lay hold by an hand of Faith upon your precious Promises in the Gospel held out to you O poor guilty Sinners are all for application of Threatnings and alas this makes the Wound deeper and wider O how do such Sinners when they neglect Gospel-Promises Hath Christ purchased such precious Promises to lie by you O what a sin is Unbelief to null the Promises of God! to make them void and of none effect Are these Cordials provided for Sin-sick Souls and will they not so much as taste of them Will not God take this ill at your Hands Is not a Gospel-Promise a proper Plaster for a wounded Conscience O that all guilty Sinners were well studied in Gospel-Promises Might not they then espie a door of Hope Isa 1. concerning their pardon of Sin and Guilt Yea tho their Sins were as Scarlet such were Joseph's Brethren in my Text yet they should be as white as Snow And the they were as Crimson they should be as white as Wooll O what a Mercy poor Sinners would this be to be awakened by the Reflections of your own guilty Consciences in a day of Affliction and for all to end and issue in Remission and Pardon FINIS
a far Country it the Lord had not found him out by Affliction It is said There is an antipathy betwixt the Serpent and the Nightingal and while the Serpenlies in wait for the Nightingal she sets a sharp Thorn to her Brest lest she should sleep and so be surprized and when ever she is heavy the Thorn pricks her and make her sing with renewed Chearâ— fulness O poor Souls how many have cause to bless God for putting a sharp Thorn to their Brests to keep them awake lest they should be surprized by the wily Serpent that lies in wait for precious Souls 2. Learn we hence not to conclude because Conscience sleeps at present that it will always do so Though it sleep now a day of Affliction will come and then it may awake and tell you many a sad story You think poor Sinners all is well after the Fact is committed if Conscience say nothing to you But alas the worst is to come the Reckoning Day is yet to come Stay until God bring thee into the Bryars or upon a Death-bed and it may be thou wilt then tell another story The longer Conscience sleeps the louder will its Noise be when once it awakes But what if it do not awake at all here Then it will awake hereafter it will awake in Hell There is not one sleepy Conscience science there But O Sinners had not your Consciences ten thousand times better awake here when and while there is Hope 3. Learn we hence what a sad Judgment a seared Conscience is which makes no Reflection at all which never smites a poor Sinner but lets him run headlong to Hell O what Wrath like this what Plague like this to have an hardned Conscience a Conscience past feeling Such as can boast of Sinning and their Conscience never trouble them God hath said to such as once to Ephraim He is joyned to Idols Hos 4.17 let him alone And O what a Judgment is this for God to wink at Sinners Damnation as Luther says Wo to that Man whose Sins God winks at 4. Learn we hence what a Mercy a tender Conscience is a Conscience that reflects in a day of Affliction that smites a Man for what he doth These Smitings and Reflections are great Mercies for they are in order to bring Souls to Repentance whereas you might else have died in your Guilt unpardoned O! Bless God when your Consciences recoil upon you and tell you you have Sinned It was the commendation of Josiah that he had a tender Heart 2 Chron. 34.27 5. Learn we hence the Reason why many Sinners have confessed that under Affliction that they never did nor never would confess before Conscience would not let them alone they could not be quiet Guilt was like Poyson to them if the Party do not Vomit he dies for it all comes out in a day of Affliction that lay hid before Afflictions are great Discoverers Nay how do some guilty Sinners in this case like Sea-men that cast that over-board in a Storm that they wish for again in a Calm O do not many confess and discover that in a storm of Conscience that they wish they had concealed and kept in Horror of Conscience extorts many a Confession from guilty Sinners The second Use Is it so that Conscience is very quick and active in its Reflections in a day of Distress and Affliction Then it is a word of Caution 1. Take heed of not heartening in a day of Affliction â—o the voice of Conscience O take heed of turning a deaf Ear to a speaking Conscience If ever it will speak in this Life it will speak then when thou art in a day of Affliction Do not as these Brethren did who heartened not to the anguish of their Brother's Soul when he besought them O do not so with your Consciences O do not say in this matter as he did to Paul Come again at a more convenient time and I will hear thee O poor Sinners there can be no more convenient time in the World than a day of Affliction 1. Sinners know if you hear it not now it may be it will speak no more Hearken to it while it is to Day the Oracle will be silent to Morrow O! What if this should be the last time the lasâ— words that ever your Conscience will speak to you and yet you should be deaf to it would not this be sad 2. Sinners what if thâ— next time that Consciencâ— should speak to you it should be in another World What iâ— thou shouldst hear a voicâ— from the Damned say aâ— was said to Saul To Morrow thou shalt be with us What if thou shouldst not live tilâ— to Morrow and thou be deaâ— to Conscience to day Had not you better hear youâ— Consciences now than heaâ— them in Hell 3. Sinners know the Voice of Conscience is the Voice of God it hath its Commission from God He hath bid Conscience speak to you convince you warn you caution you smite you Go says God to Conscience and talk with such a poor Sinner who hath wronged and wounded his own Soul and dishonoured my Name and warn him from â—e And tell him from Me Except he repent he shall â—erish in his Sins And will â—ou refuse to hear such a â—â—essage from God in a day â—f Affliction 4. Sinners know this It â—ill aggravate your Guilt exceedingly to be deaf to â—â—e Voice of Conscience in a â—y of Affliction Indeed it is so at any time but much more in a day of Distress Such Reflections as you have turned a deaf Ear to will be great Aggravations against you another day John 15.22 If I had not come and spoken to them says Christ they had not had Sin Their Sin had not been so circumstantiated as may be said in this case If Conscience had not Reflected upon you convinced you reproved you you had not had Sin but now your Sin remains 5. Sinners if you hearken not unto your Consciences in a day of Distress it iâ— an argument you are hardned in your Sins if thus deafned then hardned If 〈◊〉 deafned Wretch thou wilâ— prove an hardned Wretch O now if Sinners would put all these together they would see need of this Caution to take heed lest they should turn a deaf Ear to Conscience in a day of Distress Second Branch of the Caution Take heed of stifling and strangling the Reflection of Conscience in a day of Affliction This is very dangerous and yet very ordinary The Lord made Man Righteous but he hath found out many Inventions And some of these Inventions are to stisle and strangle Conscience to overlay the Reflections of awakened Conscience as the Woman overlaid the Child O how many Sinners have overlaid their Convictions Some go to their Comforts some to their Cares some to their Pleasures and all to smother Conscience Some Sinners take these following Courses to murder their Convictions 1. They run further into Sin Will this ever