It is Better to Be Afflicted Than to Sin

Tonight Thomas Watson's book on the Lord's Prayer, studying the second part of the sixth petition, -but deliver us from evil-, we compare and contrast affliction with sin and see it is better to be afflicted than to sin, because- -I-- Sin is the cause of affliction, and the cause is more than the effect- -2- God is the author of affliction- -3- Affliction reaches the body only, and makes that miserable, but sin makes the soul miserable- -4- Afflictions are good for us but sin is not for our good- -5- In affliction, conscience may be quiet- but when a man commits a presumptuous, scandalous sin, conscience is troubled- -6- In affliction we may have the love of God, but when we commit sin God withdraws his love- -7- There are many encouragements to suffer affliction--God himself suffers with us- -8- When a person is afflicted, he suffers alone- but by sinning openly he hurts others- -9- In affliction the saints may rejoice, but sin is a matter of shame and grief, not of joy- -10- Affliction magnifies a person -more on this in the next study-.