The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

Secondly, They deceive themselves hereby, for they Judge that although they cannot as yet shake off their Sin, yet they will continue still to love God, and abound in the Duties of his Worship. They will not become Haters of God and his Ways, and Persecutors for all the World, and therefore hope that notwithstanding this one Zoar, this lesser Sin, which their Constitution and their Circumstances engage them in, that it may be well with them at the last. This also is a false Notion, a mere Instrument in the hand of Sin to act its Deceit by. For no man that willingly liveth in any Sin, can love God at all, as is evident in that Rule, 1 Joh. 2.15. It is but a false Pretence of Love to God, that any man hath, who liveth in any known Sin. Where God is not loved above all, he is not loved at all: And he is not so where men will not part with one Cursed Lust for his Sake. Let not your Light deceive you, nor your Gifts, nor your Duties, nor your Profession; if you live in Sin, you love not God.

Secondly, They deceive themselves hereby, for they Judge that although they cannot as yet shake off their Sin, yet they will continue still to love God, and abound in the Duties of his Worship. They will not become Haters of God and his Wayes, and Persecutors for all the World, and therefore hope that notwithstanding this one Zoar, this lesser Sin, which their Constitution and their Circumstances ingage them in, that it may be well with them at the last. This also is a false Notion, a meer Instrument in the hand of Sin to act its Deceit by. For no man that willingly liveth in any Sin, can love God at all, as is evident in that Rule, 1 Joh. 2.15. It is but a false Pretence of Love to God, that any man hath, who liveth in any known Sin. Where God is not loved above all, he is not loved at all: And he is not so where men will not part with one Cursed Lust for his Sake. Let not your Light deceive you, nor your Gifts, nor your Duties, nor your Profession; if you live in Sin, you love not God.

Thirdly, They determine that at such or such a Season on time, after such Satisfaction given unto their Lusts or Pleasures, they will utterly give over, so as that Iniquity shall not be their Ruin. But this is a false Notion also, an effectual Instrument of the Deceitfulness of Sin. He that will not now give over, who will not immediately upon the Discovery of the Prevalency of any Sin, and warning