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

Secondly, The second effect is this: by this work of the Spirit there is made a further and fuller conviction of a mans misery. God drives the nail home to the head: he was convinced of a miserable state before, but now it is confirmed with a witness: for though by the former conviction he saw himself to be bad, yet not so bad, it may be, but he might have some good: he thought he could do something to help himself, set some good works against his bad ones; but now he seeth he was mistaken; he is convinced with Paul, In me (that is, in my flesh) dwells no good thing, Rom. 7. He doth not say, there dwells but a little good, but no good; he did not think he had been so wicked, so vile, void of any thing that good is, though he had read, The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately ⟨p. 106⟩wicked, Jer. 17.9. yet he did not believe the Text to be true, till his own heart became a Comment upon Gods Text, and proved it.

Thirdly, Now those Qualifications mentioned in the Gospel, Luke 19.10. weary and heavy laden, Mat. 11.28. are known experimentally: others can prate of them, but this Soul feels them: Laden he is with the burden of his guilt, and woeful wicked heart, a burden too heavy for him, Psal. 38.4. The man labours also under this, would fain get rid of his load, but he finds all is labour in vain, no ease, no rest comes, but undone he is; not withstanding all the duties he hath done, or can do, now he is lost: though in his first conviction he saw he had gone astray from God, and was going to hell, yet he thought he could find the way home to God again by the compass of his own good duties, repentance, and reformation; the new and living way he knew not, nor thought there was any need of it: but now he seeth he is bewildered, quite lost: when he hath walked a great while, he seeth the Lake of hell fire before him still; a way to hell he can find, but no way to God: Satan that Lion roars, Conscience that affrights him in this Wilderness where he is wandering; and what an afflicted condition that is, lost Souls experience.