From these words many things might be observed. The main point is this, that it is the property of a gracious heart to choose the greatest affliction before the least sin. AYhen once it came to sin, Moses could abide in the court no longer. It was Moses' judgment he was not over- seen, for he is commended for it by tlie Spirit of God. We may learn
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450 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. LX.
also from hence other things, as that it is the usual lot and portion of God's people to be afflicted — ' He chose rather to suffer affliction/ We see here also the value of the communion of saints, what a great privi- lege it is ; he chose rather to suffer affliction ' with the people of God.' Again, learn hence the snare of pleasures, or worldly delights, how they draw off the heart from God ; and the transitoriness of these de- lights, it is but an enjoyment for a season. All these were so many ingredients in Moses' faith. Delights are a snare ; they are apt to draw our heart from God : and they are very transitory ; they are but for a season. But I shall speak only to the main point.
Doct. That it is the property of a gracious heart to choose the greatest affliction before the least sin.
Before I prove it, let me illustrate it a little. Take the emphasis of the point along with you. Put sin in one balance, the least sin, and conceive of it as having great advantages. The least sin is a trans- gression of God's law ; the greatest affliction that is, is but a diminu- tion of our happiness, or a breach upon our interest or outward welfare. The least sin is a violation of God's law : Mat. v. 19, ' Whosever shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven.' The least part of the law is of weighty and momentous consideration. The least sin is a sin, and it deserves hell : Kom. vi. 23, ' The wages of sin is death.' The apostle doth not say the wages of a great sin is death, but of sin ; that is, of every sin. The less the sin is, the more imprudence to break with God, and to offend God, and to hazard our own happiness for a thing of no value. Conceive, again, of this little sin as having great pleasures and honours annexed to it. So it was here in the case of Moses' tarrying at court. But whatever advantages sin hath, let it have all that it can have, though every man is not put upon such temptations, but let it have honours, riches, all kind of advantages annexed thereto, the greatest pleasure a court life can yield ; yet, Luke vi. 20-26, Christ pronounceth a woe against them that had worldly advantages in a sinful state. Though men had never such fulness, plenty, honour, and esteem in the world, yet still they are in a miserable condition, make the best of it that can be made, riches, honours, pleasure, applause ; and though we could ruffle it out in a bravery and fulness of outward comfort every day, yet all this will not make us happy. If wicked men should join all their forces to- gether, take what every man doth enjoy severally, and what they all jointly possess, yet a little and a good conscience is better — * A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked,' Ps. xxxvii. 10 ; Prov. xvi. 8, ' Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues without right;' Prov. xv. 16, 17, ' Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure and trouble therewith. Bet- ter is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.' A dinner w^itli herbs, poor, mean fare, coarse apparel, and hard life, yet with a good conscience this is a great deal better than all the conveniences of the world. But descend a step lower. If there were nothing to be enjoyed, take the greatest affliction ; if a man were wholly left destitute, and had nothing but labour and sorrow, and fell from the highest condition to the most afflicted state, as the Israelites now were muler great tyranny and slavery ; though we are loth to
VeR. 25.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. 451
descend and go backward, yet still it is a greater misery to be in a sin- ful state than in an afflicted state. Moses is far more happy among the people of God, that were now oppressed and held in hard slavery, than when he was in the court. So he judgeth, and so we should, if we would judge aright. All honours must be renounced for the most afflicted state that can fall upon the people of God. In managing and proving this point —
1. 1 shall show the reasons why the greatest afHiction is better than the least sin.
2. Why the people of God make such a choice as this is.
First, For the reasons why the greatest affliction is better than the least sin.