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AFFLICTION
THE PROPER
SEASON TO
CONFESS SIN.
5î5
dernnable
in him,
it
is
implied
in
the request. And
though
he could
appeal
to
God,
"
Thou
knowest
that
I am
not
wicked,"
yet
afterwrds
he
acknowledges
to
God
that
he
was a
sinner
;
"
I
have sinned,
what
shall
I
do
unto
thee
?
The
saints in
scripture are not
called
wicked
that
is
a
word which belongs
only to those
,who.
are afar
off
from
God. Though
he
had
not
this
character, yet
he
says,
"
I
have sinned,
what.
shall
I
do, &c."
Job,
I
must con-
fess, was
a
rare
instance
in
respect of
his
carriage
to his
fellow-
creatures
;
for
he
was
a
man
on
whom
God
bestows the
best
character
that
ever he did
on
man;
"
There
is
none
like
him."
And therefore,
although
Job
might
say,
"
Thou
knowest
that
h
am
not wicked,' and
could
say,
"
I
am
innocent
from
the accusations
of
vil-
lainy and hypocrisy;" yet,
who
of
us
can
speak
as.
Job
did,
and vindicate
all
our
actions
that
fall
under
the cog-
nizance.
of
mane?
Yet
this
man,
as
holy
as he
was,
acknowledges
his
sins
were
many to
God, and
gives
God
an acknowledgment
of
his
right and
power
tó,con
-.
demn, and
intreats
he would
not
exercise
it.
Doc.
4. The time
of
affliction
is
the
most
proper
sea
-.
son
to
review sin
and
confess
.guilt.
-
-"
in
the
time
of
prosperity
rejoice,
but
in
the
time
of
adversity
consider:"
Consider
wherein thou
hast
walked
astray and done
amiss
;
then indeed
it
is
most
natural
we
should reflect
upon
sin
too
:
for
sin and
affliction follow
each
other
as
cause
and
effect,
and the first cause
of
all afflictions
was
sin.
It
is
most
proper
to be
humble
when
God's
hand
is
lifted over
us
and
fallen
upon
us,
whatever thoughts
we may
have had
of
sin before.
What
slight thoughts
of
dishonoring God
in
a
time
of
health
!
yet
when
sick-
ness
and the hand
of God
is
upon
us, we
cannot
then help
thinking
sin
a dreadful
thing,
if
we
have any
sense.of
it.
Then,
as
the
Psalmist
says,
"
Deep
calleth
unto deep
;"
and
depths
of
sorrow
bid me
remember the depths of
sin.
I might
give
many reasons
why
a season
of
affliction
is.
a
proper
season to
review
sin in,
but
I
go on
to.
Doc.
5.
Pardon
in
the
sight
of
God
is
the
first
and
greatest
mercy
that
a suffering
saint
can desire.
--7"
I
will say unto
God,
Do nòt
condemn me."
The
children
of
God
are.
more
afraid of
sin
than
of,
sorrow
;
this
is
but
the
effect,
that
the
cause:
therefore,
they-desire
to
have
sin
first
removed.
Sin
must
first
be