One sin allowed, wallowed and tumbled in!

(Thomas Brooks, "A Cabinet of Choice Jewels" 1669)

To turn from some sins — but not from all, is gross hypocrisy!

One sin stripped the fallen angels of all their glory!
One sin stripped our first parents of all their dignity and excellency!
One fly in the box of precious ointment, spoils the whole box.
One thief may rob a man of all his treasure.
One disease may deprive a man of all his health.
One strong wind may blow down and blow away all a man's comforts.
Just so — one sin delighted and wallowed in, will make a man miserable forever!

One sin allowed, wallowed and tumbled in, is sufficient to deprive a man forever of the glorious presence of God! In the law, the person who had but one spot of leprosy in any one part of his body was accounted a leper, although all the rest of his body was sound and whole; and accordingly he was to be shut up, and shut out from the society of the people of God, Leviticus 13. Just so — one sin, one leprous spot, allowed and beloved — will forever shut a man out from the glorious presence of God!

One sin wallowed in, will as certainly deprive a man of the blessed vision of God, and of all the treasures, pleasures, and delights which are at God's right hand — as a thousand sins! What can be the outcome of this, but ruin and damnation?

It was a sore vexation to King Lysimachus, that he lost his earthly kingdom for one drink of water. O sirs! it will be an everlasting vexation to such, who for one lust shall at last lose not an earthly kingdom — but a heavenly kingdom!