Sin turns all God’s grace into wantonness: it is the _dare_ of his justice; the _rape_ of his mercy; the _jeer_ of his patience; the _slight_ of his power; and the _contempt_ of his love. Take heed of giving thyself liberty of committing one sin, for that will lead thee to another; till by an ill custom it become natural. To begin sin is to lay a foundation for a continuance; this continuance is the mother of custom, and impudence at last the issue. The death of Christ giveth us the best discovery of ourselves; in what condition we were, so that nothing could help us but that; and the most clear discovery of the dreadful nature of our sins. For if sin be such a dreadful thing as to wring the heart of the Son of God, how shall a poor wretched sinner be able to bear it? OF AFFLICTION. Nothing can render affliction so heavy as the load of sin; would you therefore be fitted for afflictions, be sure to get the burden of your _sins_ laid aside, and then what afflictions soever you meet with will be very easy to you. If thou canst hear and bear the rod of affliction which God shall lay upon thee, remember this lesson, thou art _beaten_ that thou mayst be better. The Lord useth his _flail_ of tribulation to separate the chaff from the wheat. The school of the cross is the school of light; it discovers the world’s vanity, baseness, and wickedness, and lets us see more of God’s mind. Out of dark affliction comes a spiritual light. In times of affliction we commonly meet with the sweetest experiences of the love of God. Did we heartily renounce the pleasures of this world, we should be very little troubled for our afflictions; that which renders an afflicted state so insupportable to many, is because they are too much addicted to the pleasures of this life; and so cannot endure that which makes a separation between them. OF REPENTANCE AND COMING TO CHRIST. The end of affliction is the discovery of sin; and of _that_ to bring us to the Saviour; let us therefore, with the prodigal, return unto him, and we shall find ease and rest. A returning penitent, though formerly bad as the worst of men, may by grace become as good as the best. To be truly sensible of sin, is to sorrow for _displeasing_ of God: to be afflicted, that he is displeased _by us_ more than that he is displeased _with_ us. Your intentions to repentance, and the neglect of that soul-saving duty, will rise up in judgment against you. Repentance carries with it a _divine rhetoric_, and persuades Christ to forgive multitudes of sins committed against him. Say not to thyself, to-morrow I will repent; for it is thy duty to do it daily.