"There is the accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel; thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you." --- Joshua 7:13.
"Having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." --- 2 Peter 1:4.
The entertaining of any worldly lust and indulgence of any known wilful sin, is an accursed thing, by which we are deprived of the power of God, and cannot stand before our enemies. Behold, therefore, the severity of God, Joshua 7:24-26, and be more earnest. Make all haste to flee from the lust of the world, especially from the lust of the eye, which is the love of money. What more needful than to break off even from the most subtle and specious bands of unrighteousness? Unless the splinters of unjust mammon be taken out, the wound cannot heal up.
Nay, examine thyself closely in other things, and whatever sinful lust harbours in thy breast, be faithful to put it off, and flee from it, else you must not wonder at your being so weak in spirit. He that does not resist the sinful motions of his heart, will very easily give a loose to his hands and tongue; but he that immediately subdues the inward corruptions, will certainly be preserved from their breaking out in sinful actions. O Lord, deliver me from all accursed things, and keep my heart always under thy closest inspection and discipline. Amen.
Why should my passions mix with earth,
And thus debase my earthly birth?
Why should I cleave to things below,
And let my God, my Saviour, go?