[Conscience, stupified or seared, often forgets to execute its office ; nor speaks, till God, by his providence or grace, awaken it. Sometimes years elapse before it reproves our iniquities h : sometimes it testifies to our face as soon as our sin is committed1. Whenever it thus condemns us, our sins may be said to find us out. But the expression in the text imports rather the visitation of God for sin. There is a punishment annexed to every violation of God's lawk ; and sin then finds us out effectually when it brings that punishment upon us.]
That it will find us out, we have the fullest possible assurance —
[ The perfections of God's nature absolutely preclude all hope of impunity. If he be omnipresent, he must see; if omniscient, remember; if holy, hate; and if just, punish the violations of his law. If he be possessed of veracity and power, he must execute the judgments he has denounced.
The declarations of his Word abundantly confirm this awful truth1. Sin leaves a track which can never be effaced; and evil, however slow-paced, will surely overtake itm. How- ever scoffers may exult in their security, their ruin is fast approaching".
The remarkable instances of sin being detected and punished in this world afford a strong additional testimony. David and Gehazi, though so studious to conceal their guilt, had their iniquity marked in the punishment inflicted for it0. When, according to human calculations, it was above two millions to one that Achan would escape, the lot fell on him by an infal- lible direction p. How much more then shall the most hidden things be brought to light hereafter!
The appointment of a day of final retribution puts the matter beyond a possibility of doubt. For what end can there be such a period fixed, but that the actions of men may be judged? And for what end can they be judged, but that every man may receive according to his deeds q? We may then emphatically say to every sinner, " Be sure your sin," &c]
Infer,
1. How earnest should we be in searching out our own sins!
[We think little of evils which have been committed by us
* Gen. xlii. 21, 22. ! Matt. xxvi. 74, 75. and xxvii. 3, 4.
k Ezek. xviii. 4. l Isai. iii. 1 1 . Rom. ii. 9. Ps.xxi. 8. Prov. xi. 21.
mProv. xiii. 21. Ps. cxl. 11.
n 2 Pet. ii. 3. and iii. 4, 9. and Deut. xxix. 19, 20.
0 2 Sam. xii. 9—12. 2 Kings v. 26, 27.
p Josh. vii. 14 — 18. <J Eccl. xii. 14.