"Dead conscience has two degrees. The first is the slumbering (or benumbed) conscience; the second is the seared conscience. The benumbed conscience is that which does not accuse a man for any sin unless it is grievous or capital, and not always for that, but only in the time of some grievous sickness or calamity. Joseph's brethren were not much troubled in conscience for their villainy in selling their brother till afterwards when they were afflicted with famine and distressed in Egypt (Gen. 42:2). This is the conscience that commonly reigns in the hearts of drowsy Protestants, of all carnal and lukewarm gospellers, and of such as are commonly termed civil honest men, whose apparent integrity will not free them from guilty consciences. Such a conscience is to be taken heed of as being most dangerous. It is like a wild beast, which so long as he lies asleep, seems very tame and gentle and hurts no man. But when he is roused, he then awakes and flies in a man's face, and offers to pull out his throat. And so it is the manner of [a] dead conscience to lie still and quiet, even through the course of a man's life. And hereupon a sickness or death approaches, it, being awakened by the hand of God, begins to stand up on its legs, and shows its fierce eyes, and offers to rend out even the very throat of the soul. And heathen poets, knowing this right well, have compared evil conscience to Furies pursing men with firebrands." pg. 83 William Perkins 'A Discourse of Conscience' The Works of William Perkins Volume 8