Growing Nearer to God (2)

(4) Observe and check the first motions of sin in our hearts. You, O man of God, Ay from the lusts of youth' (2 Tim. 2:22). Rebuke the first motions, before they come to delight or action. God abhors the one who gives liberty and license to his thoughts, more than the one who falls into a grievous sin through a strong temptation. The latter will find comfort sooner of the pardon of their sins, for they realize their offences to be heinous, and so have grounds to abase themselves. But the former, thinking their sins to be small, or at least that God is not much offended with thoughts, fill themselves with contemplative wickedness, and chase away the Spirit of God, who cannot endure an unclean mind and heart. The least sin in thought, if it be entertained, eats out the strength of the soul, so much so that it can receive nothing good from God, nor be close to him, 'If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear my prayer' (Psa. 66:18). This is why there is so little good from the ordinances of God. Men bring their lusts along with them. They neither know nor desire the sweetness of the presence of God's Spirit. It is a true rule that every sin has intrinsically in it some punishment; but it is not the punishment that is the proper venom of sin; but this, that it hinders the Spirit of God from us, and keeps us from him, and unfits us for life or for death. Let men profess what they will, but when they go to lewd company and filthy places, where corruptions are shot into them by all their senses, they can neither take delight in drawing near to God, nor can God take any delight in drawing near to them. By their actions they proclaim to the whole world that they say to God, 'Depart from us, for we will have none of your ways' (Job 21:14). So as God draws away from them, they draw away from him.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
The Saint's Happiness Works, vol. 7, pp. 73-74
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