An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and thirty-seventh chapters of…

How great is the good of affliction! But is there any good at all in sin? Upon all these considerations the Apostle saith, When God, the Father of spirits, afflicts his sons and daughters, he doth it for their profit, that they may be partakers of his holiness (Heb. 12.10, 11.) The Lord afflicts us for our profit, but he doth not say I have let you sin for your profit: For though the Lord is able to, and often doth, bring good out of sin, yet not instrumentally, but occasionally. Therefore the Scripture attributes no profit to sin, but speaking of sin, it saith, What fruit have ye of those things whereof ye are now ashamed (Rom. 6 21.) show your gain; what are your advantages? what the revenues which your lusts ⟨p. 330⟩have brought in? what have you got by your malice, by your wrath, by your conformity and compliance with the world? have these b ought you in any advantage? are you bettered by them? what fruit have you of those things, whereof you are now ashamed? Let us therefore often consider Moses's choice (Heb. 11.25.) Moses was a wise and a holy man; and what did he? He chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Herein try your spirits. Christ set two things before Moses; Come, Moses, here's affliction, you must be afflicted, and afflicted with the people of God (which are the greatest afflictions, you shall be sure to be lashed with the smartest so•rest Rod in their Company) or here is Egypt, and all the contentments that sin can give; which will you have Moses? O give me afflictions with the people of God (said Moses) Let the world ruffle and rant in the pleasures of sin for a season, for my part I will have affliction, O give me affliction. In this choice Moses approved himself a wise man, and understood his good. So did the Martyrs. Come, will you have a p•ison, or deny Christ? a Halter, or forsake the Faith? will you into this fire, or will you commit that iniquity? O say they, give us Prisons, Halters, Fires, rather than conform to your wickedness. Remember this Point, this is a needful Point for us at all times. I would add these three things further about it. Choose affliction rather than sin; why?