Hebrews 11:25

Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

Ver. 25. Choosing rather to suffer] The happiest choice that ever the good man made. It was a heavy charge that Elihu laid upon Job, that he had chosen iniquity rather than affliction, Job 36:21. The Church is said to come from the wilderness (of troubles and miseries), leaning on her beloved,Song of Solomon 8:5. The good soul will not break the hedge of any commandment to avoid any piece of foul way. Quas non oportet mortes praeeligere? saith Zuinglius. What deaths had we not better choose, what punishment undergo, yea, what hell not suffer, rather than go against our consciences rightly informed by the good word of God?

The pleasures of sin for a season] Job fitly calleth sparks the sons of fire, being engendered by it upon fuel, as pleasures are by our lusts upon the object. But they are not long lived, they are but as sparks, they die as soon as begotten, they perish with the use, Colossians 2:22. Good God, saith Lysimachus, for how short pleasure how great a kingdom have I lost! May not the voluptuous epicure say so much better? Oh, what madmen are they that bereave themselves of a room in that city of pearl for a few carnal pleasures in this land of Cabul, or of dirt, as Hiram called the cities that Solomon had given him, 1 Kings 9:13 .