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of God's comfortable Presence from the Soul O! how did the Spouses Conscience Reflect when she said My Beloved hath withdrawn himself Sin makes God hide himself from his dearest Children And O what temptations are God's Children exposed unto when their Father is withdrawn O how easily then are they drawn in to think hardly of God to be jealous of God to question his Promise I might name many other sad Effects and Consequences of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
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
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
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
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
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
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