The remembrance of past and buried miscarriages and sins lies in the bosom of many afflictions. It was so with Job: 'You make me,' says he, 'possess the iniquities of my youth.' See his plea to that purpose (Job 13:23–7). In the midst of his troubles and distresses, God revived upon his spirit a sense of former sins, even the sins of his youth, and made him to possess them; he filled his soul and mind with thoughts of them and anxiety about them. This made him fear lest God was his enemy, and would continue to deal with him in all severity. So was it with Joseph's brethren in their distresses: