The Hue and Cry of Conscience After Secure Sinners, Title page – To the reader

The Hue and Cry of Conscience After Secure Sinners · Title page – To the reader

THE HUE and CRY OF CONSCIENCE AFTER Secure Sinners; OR THE ALARM of CONSCIENCE In order to the Diſcovery of HIDDEN GUILT

The Heaven ſhall reveal his Iniquity, and the Earth ſhall riſe up againſt him.

Job 20.27

Thou haſt ſet our Iniquities before thee, our ſecret Sins in the light of thy Countenance

Pſal. 90.8.

By JOHN RYTHER Miniſter of the Goſpel.

LONDON, Printed by J. D. for Iohn White, at the Three Bibles in the Minories, 1680.

TO THE Serious and Impartial READER.

THe preſent Day cannot but be looked upon to be an evil Day, (even by thoſe who have but their Eyes half opened.) That which makes a Day evil, is the Sin of the Day; which brings on the dangers of the Day, and God's threatnings to cauſe our Sun to go down at Noon, and to darken the earth in the clear Day. And I will turn your Feaſts into Mourning, and all your Songs into Lamentations; and I will bring up Sackcloth upon all Loins, and Baldneſs upon every Head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only Son, and the end thereof as a bitter Day. Now when the evils of our Sins abound among us, and the evils of God's Threatnings impend over us, it is a ſeaſonable time to contribute to a check of the one, and to a preventing of the other; which muſt be by ſome awakening, or ſearching Calls and Crys to ſleepy and drowzy Conſciences, which is the ſole Deſign of this ſmall Treatiſe.

Three ſorts of Readers it is like to fall into the Hands of.

1. Of awakened or it may be ſtartled Conſciences, but half awakened. Or,

2. Into the hands of ſuch who are ſprinkled from an evil Conſcience. Or,

3. Into the hands of ſuch whoſe Conſciences are ſeared.

Now for the firſt of theſe, I would offer ſome things to ſerious Conſideration. 1. Whatever thou find'ſt here to concern thee, do not put it off: Know, is a renewed Call of God to thee, and ſay, as in that caſe, Lo this we have fearched, Job 5.27.Job 5:27ſo it is, hear it, and know it for thy good: [Or as it is in the Hebrew] for thy ſelf. Know it to a practical and profitable improvement of it. Doſt thou know what thou mayſt find in following the Search? Hadſt not thou better ſearch Truth, to ſet thee upon a diligent ſearch for Guilt, that hath laid long hid, than let God find it out to thy ſhame, ſorrow, and confuſion of Face? O, be not thou troubled that thy Conſcience is ſtartled, and begins to fly in thy Face! Know now, it is a Call of Chriſt,Epheſ 5.14.Eph 5:14 ſaying, Awake thou that ſleepeſt, and ariſe from the Dead, and Chriſt ſhall give thee Light. Little do Sinners know the danger of putting off Chriſt's renewed Calls.

2. Carry what concerns thee in this Treatiſe, to God in Prayer: Conviction looks well, when it puts upon Supplication. O, this is the great Reaſon, why ſo many awakenings by the Miniſtry of the Word, or by Providential Diſpenſations, die and come to nothing, becauſe they are not prayed over. O, how hard is it to bring guilty obſtinate Sinners upon their Knees! We find when Ephraim bemoaned himſelf, and lay under Conviction, he then preſently fell on praying:Jer. 31.18.Jer 31:18 Turn thou me, and I ſhall be turned; for thou art the Lord, my God. O Sinners! know that ſuch Convictions as are not attended with Prayer, will but prove aggravations of your Sin and Guilt another day. As ſoon as ever God had wrought throughly upon Paul, it was ſaid Behold, he prayeth. Prayer is the firſt breath of the new Creature.

3. What concerns thee here, conſider it well, weigh it in the ballance of the Sanctuary, prove whether it be according to the ſtandard of the Sanctuary. Poor Souls hear much, and it may be reade much, but this marrs all, they conſider little: Now it is the conſiderate Reader that is the profitable Reader. Conſider what thou readeſt, 2 Tim. 2.7.2 Tim 2:7and the Lord give thee underſtanding.

1. Conſider the Word thou heareſt, and thou readeſt, ſhall judge thee at the laſt Day: All thou haſt heard, all thou haſt read, ſhall come in as witneſs againſt thee; And canſt thou ſtand before ſuch a Teſtimony?

2. Conſider thy own Conſcience in that Day will be a thouſand witneſſes: And canſt thou then lift up thy Head when the Books ſhall be opened,Rev. 20.12.Rev 20:12 and amongſt the reſt, this ſealed Book of thy own guilty Conſcience? where thy Iniquity that hath been ſewed up, ſhall be brought to light;Job 14.1.Job 14:1 and thy Tranſgreſſion that hath been ſealed up in a Bag, ſhall be openly detected and diſcovered.

3. Conſider the Day is baſtening upon thee, that the iniquities of thy heels ſhall compaſs thee about. Pſal. 19.5.Ps 19:5O how wilt thou, poor Sinner, be entangled and perplexed with thy Sin and Guilt! Some underſtand by Heel, the laſt part of a Mans life towards his Death; And doth not ſuch a day haſten upon you? O what work will Guilt make in the Conſcience in a day of Diſtreſs! conſider by Joſeph's Brethren.

4. Conſider how thy Conſcience conſents as thou readeſt. Is not this true, ſays Conſcience? Haſt not thou found and felt it ſo, ſays Conſcience? Is not thy Conſcience put to ſilence as thou readeſt? Conſider that the Truths are commended to thy Conſcience.

5. Conſider how ſad it would be for all thy awakenings, all thy touches, all thy impreſſions, all thy Convictions to be loſt at laſt. O Sinners, how will ſuch be condemned out of their own Mouths! Can theſe be loſt, and your Souls ſaved? of all your loſſes you may reckon theſe among your grea eſt loſſes.

4. What concerns thee here, remark, and remember; you may read much, and remark little, and this marrs all you read: this remarking is Conſcience taking Notes, and making Animadverſions upon Truths. You do not bring your Conſciences to reade Books: ſay as you reade, O my Conſcience, mark this! this nearly concerns thee! You know Men mark and obſerve what concerns them.

The ſecond ſort of Readers this little Tract may fall into their Hands, are ſuch who are ſprinkled from an evil Conſcience, upon whoſe Door-poſts the Blood of the Paſchal Lamb is ſprinkled; who with Paul, daily exerciſe themſelves in all good Conſcience, both towards God and Man.

1. O do you reade, and bleſs God that you have to all Chalenges and Queſtions, the anſwer of a good Conſcience; that you can ſilence all your Objections and Accuſations by Faith in the Blood of Chriſt; and can ſing that triumphant Song even in your Militant State,Rom. 8.33.Rom 8:33 Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect? &c. Can every one ſay ſo? can every Profeſſon ſay ſo? can every Child of God ſay ſo? Are there not many that have been a long time learning to ſing this Song, and have not learnt it to this day?

2. Let this be your care to preſerve the tenderneſs of your Conſciences. You may by guilt (Sirs) benum your Conſciences, as you find by what you here reade: A ſmiting checking Conſcience is a very great Mercy, tho little priz'd, or eſteemed by the moſt.

3. Remember how bitter Sin was to you, before you came to know what peace of Conſcience meant, how many a bitter Tear it fetched from your Eyes? how many deep and bitter ſighs from your Hearts? yea, even to the breaking of your Loins? O what Gall and Wormwood was it to your Souls! How often did you ſay, will it not be bitterneſs in the latter end? How often did you take up that Language to your own Souls, This is thy way and thy doings? becauſe it is bitter, it reaches to thy Heart, &c. But yet as you reade, do you remember how ſweetly all this ended, in God's ſpeaking peace to your Souls, and you no more turning to Folly.

4. Tremble to think of loſing the Peace that God hath ſpoken to your Conſciences, under ſenſe of Guilt, when you meet with that guilt which concerns you. O, let the loſs of your peace be like Hell to your Souls! O, blot not that Pardon your Redeemer hath written ſo legibly in his own Blood! Blurring off your Pardon may coſt you dear.

5. Be afraid of the leaſt Guilt, the leaſt Sin, becauſe it is Sin. When Satan cannot prevail with you to venture upon greater Sins, then he will tempt to leſſer Sins: But know you not that the leaſt Sin is Soul. defiling, yea, the leaſt Sin is Soul damning, unleſs the Blood of Chriſt ſprinkle your Conſciences? How have many Souls groaned under the guilt of ſuch Sins for many Years, when God hath ſet them home upon your Conſciences?

The third ſort of Readers, into whoſe hands this little piece may fall, are ſuch whoſe Conſciences are ſeared (ſuch the Apoſtle mentions) theſe are in ſenſible,1 Tim. 4.2.1 Tim 4:2 Truths make no impreſſion upon them,Epheſ. 4.19.Eph 4:19 they are be nummed: The Apoſtle expreſſes it, by being paſt feeling. And when they are arrived at ſuch an height of Sin, what do ſuch do? The Text tells you, They commit all Uncleanneſs with greedineſs. Now to ſuch I would ſay,

1. The day is coming, thy ſeared and inſenſible Conſcience ſhall condemn, and riſe up in judgment againſt thee. And, O, then who can ſtand before the witneſs of an awakned Conſcience! You may as well think to dwell with everlaſting Burnings, and tormenting Flames, as avoid or evade the Teſtimony of a tormented and awakened Conſcience. Nay, know that ſometimes this Hell hath begun here. Will not Cain tell you, while he crys out, My puniſhment is greater than I can bear, No torment like the torment of a guilty Conſcience? Nay, ask Adam, and he will tell you when he was afraid, and hid himſelf from the preſence of God. O, Guilt, you know, cannot endure the preſence of the Judge. O, doth not Paſhur's caſe ſpeak forth this truth! What a terror to himſelf was he? Did not Judas preach this Doctrine when he cri'd out, I have finned in betraying innocent Blood. Nero, that Monſter, when he had killed his Mother Agrippina, and his Wife, and ſet Rome on fire; after all this Guilt, at laſt felt an Hell in his Conſcience, and could not reſt Day nor Night; ſo that when he died, he cried out, his Mother, Wife, and Father, all will'd him to die. Richard the 3d, O what a guilty tormenting Conſcience had he after the Murder of his Nephews in the Tower? and the Night before he was ſlain at Boſworth, he dreamed he thought all the Devils in Hell were halling him in moſt hideous and ugly Shapes. What ſays Judge Morgan to this caſe, after he had unrighteouſly paſſed Sentence upon the Lady Jane, afterwards feeling an Hell in his Conſcience, cried out, O, take away the Lady Jane, take away the Lady Jane! Which made one ſay,

The Guilt which from unſeen Pollution ſprings,

Pale ſweating Horror in the Boſom brings.

2. What tho your Conſciences, be ſeared upon the account of your Guilt being undiſcovered; Yet know, God many times hath found out Guilt, in an extraordinary way. Providence treads not always the ſame Paths in diſcovering hidden Guilt,Eccleſ. 10. ult.Eccl 10 he can cauſe a Bird of the Air to carry the Voice, and that which hath Wings to tell the matter. He can reveal In quity from Heaven. The Heavens ſhall reveal his Iniquity, Job 20.7.Job 20:7and the Earth ſhall riſe up againſt him. One of our**Lord St. John. Judges riding his Circuit of late Years, met with this Paſſage: One being Murdered, and the Murderer not being diſcovered, the Murderer being brought to the dead Corps, the Corps opened his Eyes at the Murderer, and fell into a Sweat. This the Judge related to a godly Miniſter then living. Hiſtory is full of ſuch Providential bringing hidden Guilt to light.

3. Know, poor Sinners, while your Conſciences are ſeared, you are Satans marked Slaves. In Ancient Times they uſed to mark their Slaves; and the Holy Ghoſt alludes to it, when we reade of the Mark of the Beaſt in the Forehead, or in the Hand. This Searing-Iron puts Satan's Brand upon you, you are his. And, O poor Sinners, did you but, as you reade this, believe it, what reſtleſs Days and Nights would you have, until you had ſome hopes of your eſcape from this Houſe of Bondage? Can you be content to live and die in the Devil's Drudgery? Can you be content to be his bored and marked Slaves, his Servants for ever? Then you muſt have the Wages of ſuch Servants, and ſuch a Service. The Wages of Sin is Death. Death Spiritual, Death Eternal.

4. Know, poor Sinners, there is not ſo much as one ſeared Conſcience in Hell; they are ſadly awakened that are awakened with Hells flames about their Ears. If you could hear the Crys and Shrieks of tormented Souls, you would ſay Hell is full of ſenſe of Guilt. But alas, now it is too late, then Repentance is too late. They are all ſaying, This and this hath their own Ways and Doings procured unto them. O, it is bitter! O, it reaches to their Heart! But, O Sinners, this ſhould have been ſooner!

5. Know, poor Sinners, what you reade here, if you go on in Sin, you will feel another day for an aggravation of Sin, yea, and Condemnation too. What, reade what may prevent your Ruine, and yet run on! What, ſplit your Souls upon theſe Rocks and Sands, you ſaw ſuch Seamarks before to keep you off? O, is not this to be wilful in your Perdition? Is not this to run headlong to Deſtruction? O Sinners, hear God calling out of Heaven to you by his Servants Preaching to you, Printing for you, why will you die? why will you periſh? why will you run on in Sin, when you know that when Luſt hath conceived, it brings forth Sin,Jam. 1.15.Jas 1:15 and Sin when it is finiſhed, bringeth forth Death. O then, poor Soul, Reade, and Hear, and Pray, that thou may'ſt proſit by all, bleſs God for all, and bring forth the Fruits of all.

Thus prays thy Servant for thy Soul, J. R.

p. 1Gen. 42.21.

And they ſaid one unto another, Verily we are guilty concerning our Brother, in that we ſaw the anguiſh of his Soul, when he beſought us, and we would not hear: therefore this diſtreſs is come upon us.

THe Text refers to the Tragical ſtory of Joſephs ſale by his Brethren. The occaſion of which ſeverity towards him, you have mentioned, (viz.) Their envy to him upon the account of the Dream he had of his Advancement and Preferment above them. And likewiſe their way they took to p. 2prevent the accompliſhment of his Dream, (viz.) Their ſelling of him, tho this was the way to bring it to paſs: Therefore (ſays he) it was not you, but God that ſent me hither.— It is to be obſerved, that the Ways and Methods God takes many times to bring to paſs his Deſigns, are ſtrange and improbable to us. This was a moſt unlikely way in an Eye of Reaſon to Joſeph's advancement, yet it was God's way.

When Joſeph was advanced, the Lord brings a Famine upon Canaan, the Land of his Father and Brethren, and they came now down to Egypt to buy Corn; and little did they know it was their ſold Brother Joſeph that they bowed to for Bread, according p. 3to his Dream, in the bowing of the Sheaves. God now brings Affliction upon them, and Joſeph he deals roughly with them, by way of Probation and Temptation, and now they find themſelves bryer'd, and plunged into a pit of Diſtreſs. They all joyntly reflect upon themſelves, to ſearch and make a diſcovery of the Matter, as the Text tells us.

In which we have 1. Their Reflection.

2. We have the Occaſion of it.

1. We have their Self-Reflection and Accuſation: And they ſaid one to another, We are verily guilty, &c. (As one ſays well upon it). We have here the force of Conſcience, and the fruits of Affliction. p. 4Conſcience calling old Sins to a new Reckoning; faithful in Recording, and fearful in Accuſing.

2. We have the occaſion of it. Joſeph handling them ſeverely, and putting them in Ward three days, and binding them to the terms of bringing down their younger Brother: which they knew were hard Terms, becauſe their Father's Life was bound up in him.

3. We have farther in the Text, their Juſtification of God in all this: Therefore this Diſtreſs is come upon us.— O now the Lord hath found us out, and is reckoning with us for our guilt, and all his Procedures with us are very Righteous, in what he ſuffers to come upon us.

p. 5The Reflection is that part of the Text, I principally aim at.

I. We have the Reflection it ſelf: In that we ſaw the Anguiſh of his Soul, when he beſought us. O now Conſcience is buſie and active! O now their Guilt lies uppermoſt, and they preſently reflect upon it.— As if they ſhould ſay, O what hard Hearts had we to him in his diſtreſs! O what bloody cruel Brethren were we to him! What Wretches were we to ſin againſt the Law of Nature, againſt the Law of God, againſt our own Conſciences! Here is an Aſſeveration in the Accuſation, Verily we are guilty; and it hath a Verily written upon the head of it. They no ways heſitate, or doubt p. 6in the leaft about it.

2. Here is in the Reflection, or Accuſation, the aggravation of their Guilt. 1. In that it was to their own Brother; and now this they reflect upon.— We are guilty concerning our Brother. It was their own Brother, and ſo a piece of Unnatural Guilt for one Brother to do thus by another. It is not only Guilt, but circumſtances of Guilt, that will fly in the faces of our Conſciences in a day of Diſtreſs.

II. Aggravation in it was, that their Eyes did not affect their hearts. We ſaw the anguiſh of his Soul. O! now it riſes in their Conſciences.

3. Aggravation of Guilt in their Reflection: He beſought us. His cries and prayers p. 7ſhould have pitied and melted their Hearts.

4. Aggravation, We would not hear. They turned a deaf Ear to their Brother's crys. O! now all this comes freſh to their Minds, in the day of their Diſtreſs.

5. Aggravation. It was a deliberate conſulted Caſe. Come let us kill him. It was an adviſed Act.

III. As we have the Reflection it ſelf, and the Aggravations of it; So alſo we have obſervable, that it was by joynt conſent. This Reflecting, it was not one or two of them, but They ſaid one unto another. It was a joynt confeſſion (Nemine contradicente) they differed not in the caſe, their Sentiments were the ſame; therefore they p. 8jointly conclude, that they were all Guilty concerning their Brother.

IV. The occaſion of this joynt Reflection, and Accuſation, was their diſtreſs; Therefore is this diſtreſs come upon us.

The whole of the Text reſolves into theſe two Practical Truths.

Firſt, That Guilt will walk in Sinners Conſciences a great while after the Fact committed.

Secondly, That in a Day of Affliction, Conſcience is often quick and active in its Reflections. Thus it was with them; Therefore is this Diſtreſs come upon us.

1. Guilt will walk in the p. 9Conſciences of Sinners a great while after the Fact committed.

This is plain from the Text. Joſeph had been a great while ſold by his Brethren. Joſeph did certainly ſpend many Years in Potiphar's Houſe. Some ſay ten Years, ſome ſay eleven Years, before he was caſt into Priſon. It is true, it is ſaid (Chap. 39.7.) after theſe things, his Maſter's Wife caſt her Eyes upon Joſeph.— (It is thought by ſome Expoſitors, it is a miſtake to reade it) After theſe things. The Latine Tranſlation reads it, After many days. It muſt be reckoned thus, He was 17 years of Age when he was ſold, Gen. 37.2. And, He was 30 years of Age when he expounded Pharaoh's Dream, and p. 10was delivered by him. So that that time was 13 Years [or 14, as you reckon the 17th Year when he was ſold either begun or ended] Gen. 41.46. During which time it is ſuppoſed he ſpent 10 or 11 in the Houſe of Potiphar, and 3 in the Priſon. Now to theſe 13 Years, from the time of his Sale, to the time of his Advancement by Pharaoh, you muſt add the 7 Years of Plenty that was in the Land of Egypt before the Famine began, (the time when his Brethren came to him for Corn, and when he dealt thus with them, (as in the Story) and this diſtreſs was upon them, mentioned in the Text.) So that the whole, from the Sale to this time, was 20, or 21**As Dr. Lightfoot, and others, Years, (if p. 11you reckon the 17th Year of his Age but to be begun when he was Sold, and the time of this their Diſtreſs, to be the firſt year of the Famine) and 22,**As Mr. Burroughs and others. if the firſt year of Famine was expired (as ſome think) ſo that it was now 20 Years at the leaſt, or 22 at the moſt, that this Guilt had ſlept in their Conſciences, and now God awakens it.

Guilt now riſes and walks in their Conſciences after ſo many Years being forgotten. As we ſay of 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 p. 12them ſo and ſo, and concludes: But if you will not do ſo,Numb. 32.23.Num 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.Ps 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 p. 13ill, 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.Matt 25:19the Lord of the Servants reckoned with p. 14them. 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.Ps 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 p. 15works 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 p. 16is 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. 5.24.1 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 5.1 Cor 4:5 We reade of the hidden p. 17things of Darkneſs, then being made manifeſt: Then are the ſecrets of Hearts judged.Rom. 2.16.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 p. 18the 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.Eph 4:16 that at preſent it is paſt feeling (as we reade of ſome) and then the Sinner goes on merrily; queſtions nothing, p. 19all is well with him, he is faſt ſleep, like Jonah, with all …s Guilt upon him. But now …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 … awaken Conſcience, to ſet …s Guilt before it: I will ſet by Sins in order before thee. Pſal. 50.21.Ps 50:21and now the Conſcience be…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 …leeds!

2. Reaſon is, Becauſe when p. 20the 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 h… Blood (I mean) an Hurry and heat of Temptation, … in the hot blood of Paſſion. Is not this hot Blood? In t… hot blood of Luſt? Is n… this hot Blood? O! wh… hot Blood was David in, whe… he in Anger boiled ſo again Nabal! And what hot Blood was he in, when he boyle… ſo in Luſt againſt Bathſheha But when in cold Blood, h… was another manner of Ma… Men in cold Blood are confederate, compos'd, and cal… in Spirits and Thoughts. Now the Guilty Sinner take himſelf to his ſecond thought and, upon a review of the p. 21Fact; O then Sin begins … appear in its proper co…urs, and, as in Paul's phraſe,Rom. 7.9.Rom 7:9 Revives, hath a Reſurrection in the guilty Man's Conſence. And now as [a pectrum] it appears and …alks, and haunts the Sinner …at he cannot be quiet Night or Day. It is with Sinners … this reſpect, as it is with a …an in a Fight, that gets a …ot, but, being warm, at pre…nt feels it not; but afterwards the loſs of Blood cauſes …m to faint. Perſons engaged in their Temptations, do …t feel the fiery Darts, that …atan ſhoots at them. O! but in cold Blood, how do …ey cry out! When they …ome to a feeling of themſelves, what they have done againſt God, and againſt their p. 22own Souls. Remember Si… ners, what you commit … your hot Blood, you will … pent in your cold; and it w… walk in your Conſciences afterwards:Prov. 28.23.Prov 28:23 He that rebuketh Man, afterwards ſhall f… 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 hardni… thing, when Sinners have gotten habits of Sin; one … being Drunk, another of being p. 23Unclean, another of being Proud; now all ſence of Sin is loſt.Jer. 13.23.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 p. 24afterwards. 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.Ps 50:4 Againſt thee, againſt thee only have … ſinned. The Prodigal did no… know what he did, in the going from his Father; but afterwards how did he cry out,Luke 14.21.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.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 p. 25know 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.Prov 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.

p. 265. 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.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 p. 27Brother Joſeph! 1. They ſpeak like Perſons aggravating their Guilt. O now they cry out,Gen. 37.26, 27.Gen 37:26Gen 37:27 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 p. 28in their diſtreſs:Gen. 42.22.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.Gen 40:15 Now this kind of Theft was puniſhable by p. 29death.Exod. 21.16.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.Gen 37:18even 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 p. 30piece 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.Ps 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.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 p. 31Hard-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) p. 32to 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; p. 33it 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 p. 34Doves, and roar all like Bears: What was the matter?Iſa. 59.72.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 p. 35ſeared 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.Ps 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 p. 36Sin 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.Ezek 22:14 Ah Sinners! What Hearts can endure, or what Hands can be made ſtrong in p. 37the 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.Ps 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.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.

p. 385. 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!

p. 39The 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 p. 40brought to light? Are they not ſins againſt Light? Yea, againſt the Light of Nature? Could you ſin without controul of Conſcience, if you… 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 p. 41…ink at it: Many do ſo.Pſal. 50.22.Ps 50:22 Becauſe (ſays God) I kept ſi…nce, thou thoughtſt I was altogether like thy ſelf. Like …noſe,Eccleſ. 8.11.Eccl 8:11 that Becauſe Sentence …as not ſpeedily executed, their …rts were fully ſet in them to …. Whereas they ſhould …nake this uſe of it: God's for…earance is to be the ſpace of …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 p. 42in Sin. It may be the Lo… is all this while letting the… alone to fill up thy Meaſure It may be thy impunity from Temporal Judgments, is th… Spiritual Judgment. God i… his wrath threatens ſome, Th… he will not puniſh their … and Daughters, Hoſ. 4.14.Hos 4:14when they com… mit Adultery. Sinners, you… think it a brave thing fo… God to let you alone in you… 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 Sin… He that covereth his Sin ſhall not proſper, Prov. 28.13.Prov 28:13but 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 p. 43…ead guilty with one conſent.

III. The next improve…ent of the Truth, is this, … word of Counſel and Ex…ortation: Then let us all …and clear of Sin, if it leave Sting behind it; O! then …a… in awe, and ſin not. O …ay this with Joſeph, in the …aſe of his Miſtreſs:Gen. 39.9.Gen 39:9 How can … do this great Wickedneſs, and …in againſt God?

1. Stand clear of Sin, it …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 p. 44him to the danger of … Law, it will end in Tybur… O! how this would awe … check him: ſo did but S… ners argue with themſelv… O this wicked Trade of mi… this ſinful Courſe of mi… what will it end in? …ill not end in Hell? Doth not expoſe me to the wra… of a Righteous God? … would not ſuch a conſider… tion cool the boyling he… of many a Sinner's Luſt? is the miſery of Sinners, the look not to an afterward… but only at preſent conſu… either their Pleaſure or the Profit.

2. Stand clear of Sin, f… it will be very terrible to yo… when it ſhall haunt you… Conſciences. There is … ſuch terrible Spectrum in th… p. 45… …orld, as the walking of …pardoned Sin in the Con…ence. O what horrour and …azement did this Sin of Jo…h's Brethren make in their …onſciences! And O, what …ad caſe was David in, when … ſaid, My Sin is ever be…re me! As if he had ſeen …me Spectrum, or Appariti… haunting him. You would …ot live in an haunted Houſe, …nd yet how many Sinners …ve with haunted Conſcien…es? They are Magor-miſſa…bs, Terrours to themſelves, …ea, and to thoſe that ſtand …bout them. O! how did Judas's guilt haunt him? And Spira his guilt haunt him?

3. Stand off from Sin, for …ne Sin will beget another. Thus did the Sin of Joſeph's p. 46Brethren, they now muſt c… ver it with his Coat, they no… muſt lye to their aged Father and ſay, an evil Beaſt hath d… voured him. O! where wi… Sin have an end! Sinners you know the beginning … Sin, but who knows the en… thereof? Who knows whe… Sin will ſtop? Sinners, yo… know not what you do, whe… you meddle with Sin. Sin'… chain hath many Links, and they all depend one upon an… other. And I muſt tell you… 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, for… God will viſit your Sin upon p. 47…ou ſooner or later. Though it …as long firſt, yet you ſee God puniſhes this Sin of Jo…ph's Brethren; now God …as viſiting for it. O (Sirs) …e viſiting of God for Sin, is terrible thing! Do you not …ear the Lord ſay,Jer. 5.9.Jer 5:9 Shall I not …iſit for theſe things? O poor …inners! though God let …ou alone at preſent, yet the …ears of your Viſitation ſhall …ome.

5. Stand clear of Sin, there …s a worſe thing than all this follows it, (viz.) Wrath to …ome. O, may it not be ſaid …o any one of you, nay, to every one of you,John 5.14.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 p. 48Torments, the Worm tha… never dies, the Fire that n… ver goes out.

Second Counſel is to ſtan… clear of ſecret Guilt, the mo… covert Guilt whatſoever This Sin of Joſeph's Brethre… was a covered Sin for man… years together. This is … that tempts many a poor So… to ſin. Who ſeeth it? Wh… knoweth it? It ſhall neve… come to light: All will b… wrapt up in clean Linne… and reſt in darkneſs and … lence all my days. And u… on this very account, man… poor Souls, they fall into th… Snares, becauſe laid in th… dark and ſecret for them.

1. Conſider poor Sinner… God looks on when you com… mit ſecret Sins, there is no… thing hid from him. He … p. 49all 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 p. 50Sinner did but ſolemnly debate the Matter with himſelf and ſay, O, but if I commi… 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 o… from ſecret ſins, for ſecre… ſins have many times ſtrang… ly come to light:Eccleſ. 10.20.Eccl 10:20 A Bird the Air ſhall tell the Matte… (ſays Solomon); viz. Sin ſha… be diſcovered by improbab… and unlikely means. W… reade of others, that Heave… ſhall reveal their Iniquity The Heaven ſhall reveal h… iniquity, and the Earth ſha… riſe up againſt him. Job 20.27.Job 20:27Rather p. 51than 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 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, p. 52now 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 th… you have eſcaped the Revenging Hands of God hitherto, p. 53yet 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 Chr…! 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 p. 54upon 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.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 B…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 p. 55hardned 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 p. 56a 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 p. 57feels 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.