A soul given up to sin

(Brooks "Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices")

It is the greatest judgment in the world to be left to sin.
O unhappy man--when God leaves you to yourself, and
does not resist you in your sins! Woe, woe to him at
whose sins God winks at. When God lets the way to hell
be a smooth and pleasant way--that is hell on this side
hell, and a dreadful sign of God's indignation against
a man; a token of his rejection, and that God does not
intend good unto him.

That is a sad word, "Ephraim is joined to idols--let him
alone!" (Hosea 4:17) Ephraim will be unteachable and
incorrigible; he has made a match with sin--and he shall
have his bellyful of it!

And that is a terrible saying, "So I gave them up unto
their own hearts' lusts, and they walked in their own
counsels." (Psalm 81:12). A soul given up to sin is
a soul ripe for hell--a soul hastening to destruction!

Ah Lord! this mercy I humbly beg--that whatever You
give me up to, You will not give me up to the ways of
my own heart! If You will give me up to be afflicted,
or tempted, or reproached--I will patiently sit down,
and say, It is the Lord, let Him do with me what seems
good in His own eyes. Do anything with me, lay what
burden You will upon me--but do not give me up to
the ways of my own heart!

Augustine says, "Deliver me, O Lord, from that evil
man--myself!"