(7.) There are many encouragements to suffer affliction. God himself suffers with us, Isa. Ixiii. 9., " In all their afflictions he was afflicted." God will strengthen us in our sufferings, Ps. xxx^ni. 39., " lie is their strength in the time of trouble." Either God makes our burden lighter, or our faith stronger. He will compensate and recom- pense our sufferings. Mat. xix. 29., " Every one that hath forsaken houses or lands for my name's sake, shall receive a hundred- fold, and inherit life everlasting." Here are encouragements to suffer affliction, but there is no encouragement to sin. God hath brandished a flaming sword of threa- tenings to deter us from sin, Ps. Ixviii. 21., " God shall wound the hairy scalp of such an one as goes on still in his trespasses." There is a flying roll of ciu'ses which enters into the house of a sinner, Zech. v. 4., " If a man sin, be it at his peril ; Dent. xxxii. 42., " I will make mine arrows drunk with blood." (iod will make men neary of their sins, or he will make them weary of their lives. Tims sin is worse tlian af- fliction ; there are encouragements to suf- fer aftliction, but no encouragement to sin.
(8.) When a person is afflicted, only he himself suffers ; but by sinning openly he doth hurt to others. 1. He doth hurt to the unconverted; one man's sin mav lav a stone in another man's way, at M-hich he may stumble and fall into hell ; O the evil of scandalous sin ! Some are discouraged, others hardened ; thy sinning may be the
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c(l than Alexander the conqueror. Thus afflictions maj^^nify a person, but sin doth not magnify hut vilify him. When Eli's sons had sinned and profaned their ])ricst- hood, they turned their glory into shame ; the text saith, " They made themsolves vilo," 1 Sam. iii. 13. Sin casts an indelible blot (m a man's name, Prov. vi. 32, 33., " Who- so commits adultery with a woman, a wound and dishonour shall he get, and his reproach shall not be wiped away."
(11.) A man may suffer affliction, and bring honour to religion. Paul's iron chain made the gospel we.ir a gold chain ; suffering credits and propagates the gospel, but committing of sin brings a dishonour and scandal upon the ways of God. Cy- prian saith, when in the primitive times a virgin, who vowed herself to religion, had defiled her chastity, totum ecclesice ccclinn er- ubescere, — shame and grief filled the face of the whole congregation. When scandidous sins are committed by a few, they bring a reproach upon all them that profess ; as three or four brass shillings in a sum of money make all the rest suspected,
(12.) When a man's afflictions are upon a good account, when he suffers for Christ, he hath the prayers of God's people. 'Tis no small privilege to have a stock of prayer iroin<'': it is like a merchant that hatli a ])art in several ships ; suffering saints have a large share iu the ])rayers of others, Acts xii. 5., " Peter was iu j)rison, but prayer was made without ceasing of the church to (iod for him." What greater ha])))ines8 than to have (iod's promises, and the •saints' prayers ? But when a man sins presinnjitu- ouslv ami scandalously, — he hath the saints bitter tears and just censures, — he is a l)nr- den to all that know him, as Dayid sjteaks ill another case, Ps. xxxi. 11., " They that did see me without, fled from me." So a scandalous sinner, the people of God flee deals with you as sons." Every print of j from him, he is like an infected person, e- the rod is a badge of honour. 2. As the very one shuns and aA'oids him. Bufferings of the godly have raised their (13.) Affliction can hurt a man only fame and renown in the world; the zeal i while he is living, but sin doth hurt him and constancy of the martyrs in their suf- i when he is dead. As a man's virtues and ferings have eternized their name. O how alms may do good when he is dead, so a eminent was Job for his patience ! James man's sins may do him mischief wlien he V. 11., "Ye have heard of the patience of is dead. When a spider is killed, the poi- Job." Job the sufferer was more renown- \ son of it may do hurt ; so the poison of an
cause of another's damning, Mai. ii. 7, 8. The priests going wrong caused others to stumble. 2. lie doth Imrt to the convert- ed ; by an open scandalous sin he offends weak believers, and so sins against Christ, 1 Cor. viii. 12. Thus sin is worse than af- fliction, because it doth hurt to others.