The real Christian, or, A treatise of effectual calling wherein the work of God…

One woman I knew, who was indeed ⟨p. 47⟩convinced of one sin, if you will call it Conviction; how she knew it to be a sin, you may easily conceive. One Lords day morning, the woman was spinning; going to her next neighbour to fetch fire, her neighbour asked her, what she meant to spin on this day? She asked her, what day was it? (it seems the woman had forgot the day) when the woman told her what day it was, O, said she, have I lived thus long, and never sinned against God, and must I sin against him now? She was above seventy years, near fourscore, I conceive when she spake this; but so long, it seems, lived without sin, till this Lords day morning, then she thought she had sinned.

Second Position. The Spirit convinceth not all of the same particular sin, though persons be guilty of the same sin.

I say, he convinceth not all of the same in the first work, he will do afterwards. Sins are various, and so is the Spirits work in Conviction at first; but this is sure, let him set home any sin, it shall be enough, he will do his work by it; he doth not always begin with that sin which is most obvious, which one would think should be, Conviction there being easiest to effect. I have marvelled to hear the sins that some Christians have told me God first convinced them by; it's true, they were fins, but such as those who are Christians, and we hope really so, do not much think upon: It seems God doth not judge of sins as we do; if he will show himself to a Soul, and show it any particular sin it is guilty of, that Soul shall see evil enough in that sin to cast it down: But let the Spirit convince of what particular sin he pleaseth, he convinceth them all of that in which all sin meets, of the punishment I mean, that the wages of sin is death.