Little afflictions leave no wrinkles, no leanness behind them, we recover out of them, and nothing appears of them; as it is in sinning, some sins leave no mark, such are our daily infirmities, and common failings; but there are other sins, which leave a mark behind them, you cannot get them off suddenly, it may be you cannot claw off the marks of some sins as long as you live: though the sin be fully pardoned, yet the mark, the wrinkle, the leanness of it may remain to your dying day. David being defiled with adultery and murder, prays, Cause the bones which thou hast broken to rejoice: Those two were such sins as broke his very bones; they were to his soul, as the breaking of a bone is to the body: If a man break a bone, though it be well Set, yet it leaves a mark. David carried the scar of those sins to his Grave: Though God had forgiven those sins, and did not remember them, to impute them to David, yet when God had occasion to speak of David to his highest commendation, he could not forbear the mention of those sins (1 Kings 15.5.) David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah. The wrinkle or stain of that sin stuck upon Davids reputation, when the guilt of it was quite removed, and washed off from his person. 'Tis so with afflictions, some afflictions leave no mark, others go deep: Though all afflictions are light comparatively to the weight of glory, as the Apostle speaks (2 Cor. 4.17.) For our light affliction which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding, and eternal weight of glory: Yet afflictions being compared among themselves, some are light, and some are heavy: As a Cart that is heavy laden, cuts deep into the earth, and tells you where it hath gone; so doth the wheel of a heavy affliction drawn over body, soul, or state.
Little afflictions leave no wrinkles, no leannesse behinde them, vve recover out of them, and nothing appeares of them; as it is in sinning, some sins leave no mark, such are our daily infirmities, and common failings; but there are other sins, which leave a mark behinde them, you cannot get them off suddenly, it may be you cannot claw off the marks of some sins as long as you live: though the sin be fully pardoned, yet the mark, the vvrinkle, the leannesse of it may remaine to your dying day. David being defiled with adultery and murder, prayes, Cause the bones which thou hast broken to rejoyce: Those two vvere such sins as broke his very bones; they vvere to his soule, as the breaking of a bone is to the body: If a man break a bone, though it be vvell Set, yet it leaves a mark. David carryed the skarr of those sins to his Grave: Though God had forgiven those sins, and did not remember them, to impute them to David, yet when God had occasion to speake of David to his highest commendation, he could not forbeare the mention of those sins (1 Kings 15.5.) David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the dayes of his life, save onely in the matter of Ʋriah. The vvrinkle or staine of that sin stuck upon Davids reputation, when the guilt of it vvas quite removed, and vvashed off from his person. 'Tis so with afflictions, some afflictions leave no mark, others goe deep: Though all afflictions are light comparatively to the weight of glory, as the Apostle speaks (2 Cor. 4.17.) For our light affliction which is but for a moment, workes for us a farr more exceeding, and eternall weight of glory: Yet afflictions being compared among themselves, some are light, and some are heavy: As a Cart that is heavy laden, cuts deep into the earth, and tells you where it hath gone; so doth the vvheele of a heavy affliction drawne over body, soule, or state.
