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
in the sight of God Yet when this poor Wretch came to hear of God's Threatnings how quick was Conscience in making Reflections upon him he humbled himself before the Lord. Manasseh for all his Abominations when God brought him into the Briars then Conscience fell to work O now Manasseh came to know the Lord O now he humbled himself How ordinary is this How many wicked Men sometimes upon a supposed Death-bed sometimes upon a real Death-bed have confessed that guilt which hath laid dormant in their Consciences a very long time How have they had all their Sins set in order before their Eyes O how have all their former committed Wickednesses though never so secret taken hold of them Now for the Proof of it as to the Godly in particular they contribute witness abundantly to this Truth therefore when we find them under the Hand of God what confession do they make to God What supplications do they pour out to God at such times How do they mourn like Doves and as the Church saith roar like Bears accusing themselves now in a day of Distress Isa 59.12 13. As for our Iniquities they testifie against us c. It is said of Israel That God slew the fattest of them and smote the chosen Men of Israel O what did they then in this sad day Then they returned to the Lord. Psal 78.31 34. But alas all this was but while the Affliction was upon them David when under Affliction O how he Reflects There was no rest in his Bones because of God's Anger and his Sin And Jonah guilty Jonah when God had found him out how quick was Conscience with him For my sake is this evil come upon you Gast me over-board He acknowledges himself to be the Storm-breeder Now First We shall enquire what a Reflection of Conscience is Secondly What Conscience doth Reflect upon in a day of Distress Thirdly What kind of Reflections these reflections of guilty Consciences are Fourthly Why Conscience is so quick with Sinners in a day of Affliction and Distress Fifthly We shall improve all by way of Application First What a Reflection of Conscience is Here we must enquire what Conscience 〈◊〉 We reade often of it in Scripture Heb. 10.22 Having our Hearts â—rinkled from an evil Conscience Heb. 9.14 And Consciences purâ—â—ed from dead Works to serve the Living God I will not â—rouble you with any Nicity â—bout Conscience because â—he Truth is purely practical It is indeed disputed whether Conscience be a Power or in Habit or an Act only Some of late have called it an justinct or a Principle in Man impressing upon his Mind a future Judgment Dr. Barthog in his Causa Dei pag. 404. Or an Habit a Natural Habit. An Habit because it was at first in Adventitious Impression Natural because now it is Original and transmitted in â—he same way as other Natural Qualities thus one upon it But I will apply my self to those things that have no perplexity in them to understand Conscience is a very busie faculty in the Soul of Man or a Practick and Reflexive Power of the Mind and its Operations are these 1. It takes notice of Mens Actions what we do we do under the Eye of Conscience A Heathen could say It is God's Register and a strict Observer of our ways 2. It doth testifie either with us or against us so it acts the part of a Witness And so it is said to Excuse or Accuse Rom. 2.15 It speaks sometimes for poor Souls this is our rejoycing 2 Cor 1.12 the testimony of our Consciences I doth sometimes Accuse Thus it did in Joseph's Brethren then they cried out of their Guilt 3. It doth torment O what â—orment like that of a griping â—uilty Conscience How did Cain's Conscience torment him and Judas his Conscience torment him How did Spira his Conscience torment him This is a piece of Hells Torments begun here This Conscience in Men is Judge Witness and Executioner Now we must understand â—here is a two-fold Conscience 1. A seared Conscience Having their Consciences seared with an hot Iron 1 Tim. 4.2 Cauterized as hath been hinted before whereby it is made brawny and insensible Now while thus it is not a Reflecting Conscience Here is no walking Guilt though abundance of dormant and sleepy Guilt And for the present had no Joseph's Brethren seared Consciences when they did 〈◊〉 down to eat after such a Fact as casting their Brother into the Pit Gen. 37.25 And they took him and cast him into a Pit and the Pit was empty there was no Water in it And they saâ— down to eat Bread c. Her was little Sense upon them no Reflection yet upon them 2. There is a soft and tender Conscience and this is the Conscience that make Reflections Conscience is awakened before it be thus softned It must know iâ— hath doue evil before it say What have I done David's Conscience was thus tender when it smote him for cutting off the Lap of Saul's Garment Now for the better understanding what is meant by these Reflections of Conscience we must inquire by what Expressions the Scripture sets them out 1. Reflections of Conscience are set forth by Conviction We reade of them that brought the Woman to Christ taken in Adultery They were convicted in their Consciences John 8.9 they went out one by one It is a Law-term The Prisoner stands Convict Now these Persons applied Guilt to themselves They were guilty in their Consciences Thus Joseph's Brethren were guilty and cried out as Men convict in their own Consciences Convictions say one is the light of the Understanding reflecting upon the Guilt discovered to it whereby it makes a deep impression upon the Spirit Sâ— that one piece of Reflection consists in conviction 〈◊〉 Guilt 2. Another expression setting forth the Reflections 〈◊〉 guilty Consciences is wounded Spirit It is now wounded Conscience Now Joseph's Brethren were wounded in their Consciences 〈◊〉 wounded Spirit Prov. 18.14 who can beaâ— or lift up as some reade it A Metaphor taken from Bodily Wounds O how will a Wound smart and throb So doth Guilt in an awakened Sinners Conscience when it makes Reflections O! now it is pained under the sense of Guilt Thus David Psal 38.5 My Wounds stink and are corrupt 3. Another expression setting forth the Reflections of guilty Consciences is the reproaching of Conscience My Heart shall not upbraid me as long as I live Job 27.6 or from my days Concerning my manner of Living my Heart shall take no shame from my Days says Mr. Broughton Viz. From those things I have done in my Days or from my whole Conversation He had lived in good Conscience before God and Man Acts 23.1 But now when Conscience reflects upon a Man under sense of Guilt it reproaches him it upbraids him it is always chiding him 4. Another expression setting forth the Reflections oâ— guilty Consciences is Thâ—â— Conscience
Murder It will out so we may say of other Sins They will out That is a great Text When the two Tribes and an half were to take up their Habitations on the other side Jordan Moses preaches a very home Sermen to them counselling them so and so and concludes But if you will not do so Numb 32.23 behold you have sinned against the Lord and be sure your Sin will find you out A Metaphor Expositors say taken from a Blood-hound that follows the Thief by scent and discovers him Ah Sinners Guilt is a Blood-hound that will pursue you and in time make a discovery of your Sins Psal 40.12 Mine iniquities says David take hold upon me that I cannot look up as a Blood-hound lays hold upon the Thief which hath stolen the Goods or as an Hue and Cry follows the Malefactor and apprehends him upon which he confesses the Fact It was said to Gain If thou dost well shalt not thou be accepted But if thou dost ill Sin lieth at thy Door Lurks as a Blood-hound ready to flie upon the guilty Thief as soon as he appears and many times it lies there a long time together Guilt lay at David's Door three quarters of a Year Considering David was a good Man considering his Fact to be so deliberate as it was it was a long time for such an heinous piece of Guilt to sleep in his Conscience whose Heart was once so tender that it smote him for the cutting off of Saul's Garment his implacable Enemy Conscience may reckon with poor Souls after a long time Christ may reckon with Souls many Years after It is said After a long time Mat. 25.19 the Lord of the Servants reckoned with them Long forbearance as we say is no forgiveness So Conscience may reckon with a Sinner and God may reckon with a Sinner after a long time It is true God may keep silence but yet says he I will reprove thee and set thy sins in order before thee Psal 50.21 viz. Thy Guilt shall come out I will discover all But before we proceed further I shall premise these things 1. Guilt may be hid from the World a long time it may lie incognito a long time the shame of many a Persons nakedness may not appear for many a Year Who can accuse them Many Murders have lain hid a long time together that God hath brought to light afterwards Hidden works of Darkness have been concealed long as here Guilt for many years lay dormant It is said at Paris There was a young Woman Brain'd with a Hammer A Smith from whom the Hammer was stolen was suspected and tortured till he was Lame But twenty Years after the Murderer was Arraigned and Condemned for another Offence and confessed this Murder Twenty years Guilt was here hid Many Instances might be given in our own Country but I forbear 2. Guilt may be hid from Conscience a long time Conscience may be silent stupid and insensible a great while together So was David So were these Brethren of Joseph's several Years This is evident until either God by his Word or Rod awaken Conscience and then it preaches cuttingly to the Soul of a guilty Sinner Didst not thou play the Wretch at such a time and was Drunk at such a time And didst not thou commit Filthiness at such a time O! Conscience is a most faithful Recorder Thy Sins may lie and lurk a great while in secret yet they will speak out one Day 3. Some Mens Sins are not discovered until the Revelation of the Great Day 1 Tim. 5.24 Some Mens Sins go before hand to Judgment and some follow after The Hypocrisy of the foolish Virgins was not discovered until Christ came 1 Cor. 4 5. We reade of the hidden things of Darkness then being made manifest Then are the secrets of Hearts judged Rom. 2.16 4. God when he hath a design of Pardoning-Grace and Mercy upon a poor guilty Sinner he will discover his Guilt 1. Sometimes to the World to shame him in order to humble him And O poor Sinner hadst not thou better be shamed here in order to be humbled than damned hereafter Ah! many Sinners had gone on in Sin to the far end it may be as far as Hell if God had not found them out and shamed them 2. He always when he hath a design of Pardoning-Grace and Mercy discovers hidden Guilt to the Soul it self he searches for it and finds it out For the Lord sets before us even our secret sins Thus now he set the Consciences of Joseph's Brethren at work Now our Work will be to enquire into the grounds to evince this truth That Sin and Guilt often walk in the Consciences of Sinners long after the Fact is committed 2 Rim. 4.2 1. Because when the Fact is committed the Conscience is seared We reade of seared Consciences a Metaphor taken from that part which is Cauterized by an hot Iron and so made brawny and insensible Alas poor Sinner it may be Satan's Searing-Iron hath cauterized thy Conscience Ephes 4.16 that at present it is past feeling as we reade of some and then the Sinner goes on merrily questions nothing all is well with him he is fast sleep like Jonah with all â—s Guilt upon him But now â—â—e Day comes that God hath design of Grace it may be upon him or however a design of Glorifying himself and now he finds out a way â— awaken Conscience to set â—â—s Guilt before it I will set by Sins in order before thee Psal 50.21 and now the Conscience beâ—ins to be tender and relent and confess Sin and say as they in the Text Verily we are guilty concerning our Brother O! now Sin begins to heigh heavy upon the Soul and the Sinner begins to be restless being prickt in the seart Now being prickt in the Conscience O! how it â—leeds 2. Reason is Because when the Sin was committed was in hot Blood as we say O! many a poor Soul committeth that in hot Blood 〈◊〉 repents of in cold By hâ— Blood I mean an Hurry and heat of Temptation â— in the hot blood of Passion Is not this hot Blood In tâ—â— hot blood of Lust Is nâ—â— this hot Blood O! whâ—â— hot Blood was David in wheâ—â— he in Anger boiled so again Nabal And what hot Blood was he in when he boyleâ— so in Lust against Bathsheha But when in cold Blood hâ—â— was another manner of Maâ— Men in cold Blood are confederate compos'd and calâ— in Spirits and Thoughts Now the Guilty Sinner take himself to his second thought and upon a review of the Fact O then Sin begins 〈◊〉 appear in its proper coâ—â—urs and as in Paul's phrase Rom. 7.9 Revives hath a Resurrection in the guilty Man's Consence And now as a pectrum it appears and â—alks and haunts the Sinner â—â—at he cannot be quiet Night or Day It is with Sinners 〈◊〉 this respect as it is with a â—an in a Fight
Did not I beseech thee not to do this abominable thing which God hates Did not I tell thee the sad effects of it but thou wouldst not hear 7. Aggravation it was their envy to their Brother They hated him because of his Dream of their Sheaves bowing to his and now they see the fruit of this their Envy O now when the aggravations of Sin are set home by God upon the Conscience O then Sin appears as the Apostle phrases it to be exceeding sinful Sin appears as a walking Ghost or Spectrum that haunts the Soul Now I shall proceed to the improvement of this Practical Truth Then 1. It affords us this Instruction that Sin leaves its sting behind it It may be the sting of Sin doth not appear at first It may seem to the Sinner to be an harmless thing but it always leaves some thing behind it that will torment the Soul at one time or another and this Sinners is a thing called Guilt There is a Worm that is bred by Sin and this is a guilty Conscience And the Worm O how terribly doth it gnaw No Torment like the gnawing of a guilty Conscience it is no less than an Hell on Earth it is to be in Hell's flames before-hand If you could ask Cain he would tell you what a Torment an awakened guilty Conscience is If you could ask Joseph's Brethren they would tell you If you could ask Francis Spira he would tell you If you could ask Judas he would tell you whether Sin after its commission doth not leave a sting behind it Nay to come down to your latter Times ask Butler the penitent Murderer Nay ask Savage and they will tell you that Guilt walks in the Conscience afterwards O how hath this sting of Guilt made many poor Souls cry out and roar again We all mourn like Doves and roar all like Bears What was the matter Isa 59.72 Their iniquities testified against them O what dispair it hath brought many into Therefore it was good Counsel of the Philosopher Look not upon Pleasure coming but going And as he said when askt so much for lying with a famous Harlot I will not buy Repentance at so dear a Rate O! Will not such Philosophers shame thousands of Christians O! What a dear bargain will your pleasurable or profitable Lusts be to you either here or hereafter 2. Learn we hence that though Conscience be dumb and silent now yet it will not always be so It may be thy silent Conscience is a seared Conscience but the day may come as silent as it is now it will open at thee though it now be a sleeping Lion yet it may be a Roaring Lion Joseph's Brethren had their Consciences silent many Years twenty Years together but now it speaks to them and charges their guilt home upon them and they could not stand before the Charge and Indictment but plead Guilty David's Conscience was strangely benummed for three quarters of a Year together as you have heard But when it was awakened O how it roared upon him Psal 38.8 I am feeble and sore broken I have roared by reason of the disquietness of mine heart 3. Learn we hence that the worst is not past because Sin at present is not discovered Many poor Sinners think O! their guilt is so secret and concealed that the World knows not of it their Christian Acquaintance know not of it their near and dear Relations know not of it by this they flatter themselves and think the worst is past O poor Sinners consider with your selves God knows of it and Conscience knows of it and it will and must come out sooner or later O then the worst is to come when Sin shall either be charged upon you by an awakened Conscience or by a Revenging God Ezek. 22.14 Ah Sinners What Hearts can endure or what Hands can be made strong in the day the Lord shall deal with you 4. Learn hence God is not only an Holy God but an Omniscient God he is Holy and by no means will he clear the Guilty This is a piece of his Name But he is also an Omniscient God knows where all the Sinners secret Guilt lies Psal 90.8 Our secret Sins are set before the Light of his Countenance The Lord saw all this secret Guilt of Joseph's Brethren it was as is said laid up with him Deut. 32.33 and hid amongst his Treasures What poor Sinners though your Relations see it not nor the World see it not yet God sees it Conscience sees it you can do nothing out of the sight of Conscience 5. Learn we hence the reason of that sorrow that many times follows Sin so that the Sinner knows not where to rest Thus Butler the penitent Murderer Thus poor Savage whose Case was the greatest Sermon ever preacht at Ratcliff-Gross The reason of this Sorrow is the guilt that sticks in the Conscience this fills the Soul with Horrour and Sorrow O now the Soul becomes a terrour to itself and it may be a terrour to all that are round about him When you are tempted to Sin O that you did but think this Sin will end in sorrow Will it not be bitterness in the latter end O how would this tend to the breaking of the power of a Temptation The 2d Improvement of the Truth is by way of Caution If Sin leave Guilt behind O then take heed of Sin Then poor Sinners this may well be a Sermon to you against Sin O then 1. Take heed of Sins that make deep Wounds in the Conscience such Sins as do Vastare Conscientiam make havock of Conscience sins against Light against the Light of Nature as thy own Conscience will accuse thee of if thou didst not sit under the Light of the Gospel Joseph's Brethrens was such a Sin David's was such a Sin And O how did it therefore break his Bones What are your secret Drunkennesses Uncleanness your secret Night-haunts will they not all come out one day and be brought to light Are they not sins against Light Yea against the Light of Nature Could you sin without controul of Conscience if youâ— did not put your Finger in the Eye of Nature 2. Take heed then of secret Sins also be they never so hidden they will walk in your Consciences another day Take heed of the works of Darkness they will come to light Did Joseph's Brethren think when they sold their Brother it would have come out thus Let not Satan and your own Hearts flatter you to think your sins will always be hid because at present they are so 3. Take heed of being hardened in sins Because God seems by his Providence to â—ink at it Many do so Psal 50.22 Because says God I kept siâ—nce thou thoughtst I was altogether like thy self Like â—â—nose Eccles 8.11 that Because Sentence â—â—as not speedily executed their â—â—â—rts were fully set in them to 〈◊〉 Whereas they should â—nake this use of it God's forâ—â—earance is to
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
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
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
prove a Remedy Will not this make the Wound to bleed so much the more To run into sinful Company when wounded in your Consciences will not this inflame the Reckoning Is not this to run so much the more upon the score with God O Sinners let me tell you all these Arrears must at the long run be reckoned for 2. Others they run to lawful Comforts and Enjoyments and so labour to stifle the Reflections of their guilty Consciences 3. Others they run to their lawful Employments as Cain did to build Cities so some go to their Trades to their Shops on purpose to drown the convictions of their own guilty Consciences 4. Others go to their sinful Recreations Carding and Dicing and Gaming 5. Others make Charms of their Duties and Forms as Papists go to their Pater Nosters and their Ave Marys nay may not this piece of refined Popery be in the Heart of such as call themselves Protestants But alas all these cannot bear down an awakened Conscience when God sets Guilt on The Third Use Is a word of Exhortation to poor guilty Sinners O! then yield an Ear to the Reflections of your own Consciences Many a Man's Conscience cannot be heard by him it checks him and chides him and reproves him but yet all this while the Sinner stops his Ear as the deaf Adder of which some write That she claps one Ear to the Earth and covers the other with her Tail O hear Sinners then what Conscience hath to say Hearken to the Preacher in your Bosoms Turn you about Sinners once before you die and listen to this Preacher 1. Sinners if you will not hear it now you must hear it whether you will or no hereafter And O how sad will it be to hear it there Where the Worm never dies and the Fire never goes out This Worm is the guilty Conscience which Sinners must hear in Hell if they will not hear it here Guilty Consciences preach in Hell and the Sermon is as long as Eternity it self Maak 9.44 and happy were the Damned if they could run away from these Sermons O Sinners you cannot stop your Ears in the other World against your guilty Consciences as you do in this 2. Sinners hearken to the Reflections of your own Consciences for your hearing them will be in order to the getting of your Sins pardoned Its Reflections are in order to your Repentance and your Repentance will be in order to your Remission They are both put together and preached in the Name of Christ together And would not you be glad to have your Sins pardoned Would not you be glad to have your Sins washed away in the Blood of Christ Would not you be glad to have this heavy and insupportable burden of Guilt removed off the back of your Consciences Are your Sins gone over your Heads as a Burden yea as too heavy a Burden for you to bear and would not you rejoyce to be led to Safety and Rest under all your Loads and Pressures 3. Be sure you attend to the Reflections of your Consciences for the Rod joyns issue with Conscience the Rod sets Conscience on work and they preach the same Doctrine Therefore we are called and strictly charged to hear the Rod. It may be Sinners Mic. 6.9 God hath tried other Preachers and they have done little good to make you sensible of your Guilt then God commissions these Preachers Conscience and the Rod. If a Man cannot come abroad and hear a Minister then Affliction shall preach to him at Home Now the Rod is assistant to Conscience Job 24.13 the Preacher in your Bosoms 4. Sinners be not deaf to the Reflections of your Consciences this is to sin against your Light nay to â—ebel against your Light And is not this sad and the guilt of this Rebellion you will be charged with another day 5. Poor Sinners Be not deaf to the Reflections of your own Consciences usually God follows such with his severest Judgments 1. Sometimes Temporal Many times God makes that threatning good upon such I will wound the hoary Scalp of every one that goes on in his Trespasses Psal 68.21 If Men will walk on in their Sins contrary to all checks and convictions of Conscience let them look for some severe blow of the Hand of God upon them sooner or later for tho the Sentence be not speedily executed it is not said it never shall Tho Execution day be for a while deferred yet it will come 2. Spiritual Judgments which are the worst and saddest of Judgments Many times Sinners deaf to their Consciences are given up to a seared Conscience to a reprobate Mind to vile Affection to their own Lusts to hardness of Heart And is not the judicially hardned Sinner the half-damned Sinner The Second Branch of Exhortation is To such as have Reflecting tender Consciences O then bless the Lord for such awakened Consciences It is a greater Mercy than you think of to have such a Monitor and Remembrancer in your Bosoms 1. Is it not a Mercy to be way-laid in a sinful Course To be prevented in Sin To be stopt in a Carreer and full Gallop for Hell This this is the end why God sets Conscience at work with a poor Sinner Had not many poor Sinners run headlong to utter Destruction and Damnation else May not many a poor Sinner say to Conscience as David did to Abigail Blessed be the God of Israel 1 Sam. 25.32 33. that sent thee this day to prevent me from shedding innocent Blood When thou hast had rebukes of Conscience hast thou not said Numb 22.34 as Balaam to the Angel in his way to stop him If my way be perverse before the Lord and displease thee I will get me back again And is not this a Mercy 2. Is it not a Mercy to be raised to Re entance after falling into Sin The Sinner's Sinning is his Fall the Sinner's Repentance is his Rising And are not all Conscience's Reflections when it is awakened in order to Repentance as hath been already hinted and is not this a Mercy to be pluckt as a Firebrand out of the midst of the burning O! how doth Conscience give many a pull at some Sinners to get them out of the Fire lest it should prove the Fire that never goes out 3. Is not this a Mercy to have thy Soul lie in the way of a Pardon Canst thou O poor Sinner expect Remission without Repentance Hast thou any Promise for it in all the Bible Produce it if thou canst O! whoever told thee so but Satan and thy own deluding Heart Do not all Offenders that receive Pardons from their Princes receive them upon their Knees Whither is it thy awakened guilty Conscience would send thee but to the King of Israel that Merciful King with Sackcloth upon thy Loins and an Halter about thy Neck in order to the receiving of thy Pardon Third Branch of the Exhortation O then bless the Lord for days of
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