The saints guide, in three treatises

And further the Soul attending the word, and being ignorant and knowing no good, the Lord informs a sinner and sets up a light of wisdom in his mind to conceive of the nature of ⟨p. 31⟩sin, whereby he hath provoked God. He that yet never knew what sin was, now it stares him in his face, and he beholds it with amazement, and in some measure also comes to conceive of the nature of grace, he begins to see the excellency of Faith and Repentance, what it is to be in a Christ, what it is to want a Christ: the man is become an apprehensive man (saith God) I will cause the house of Israel to know their abominations. It is not sufficient to come and hear the word, and never attend it, or consider of it; But if God comes with it, it will make the Drunkard know what it is to be drunk, and the Dissembler what it is to deal falsely with God and ⟨p. 32⟩his truth, Job. 36.9. He shows them their works and their transgressions. God shows a man his iniquities, God shows a man his pride, his vanity of mind, the judgements threatened, the plague deserved. Oh then, The sinner saith, this is my sin, and this is the punishment due to me, that is, the Nature of my abomination, and that is the judgement of God for it. Thus I say the Lord takes hold of a sinner; And this is the first way by summons or Subpoena, If a sinner be secure, God brings him to the word; if then careless, God makes him attend; If ignorant, he informs him; As in a Law case, The man is not only attached to appear, but when he appears ⟨p. 33⟩there is a declaration of the fact; So the Lord shows the soul what his sins are, what need there is of Christ, grace, faith, and repentance, which he never knew of before.

And further the Soule attending the word, and being ignorant and knowing no good, the Lord informes a sinner and sets up a light of wisedome in his minde to conceive of the nature of ⟨p. 31⟩sinne, whereby he hath provoked God. He that yet never knew what sinne was, now it stares him in his face, and he beholds it with amazement, and in some measure also comes to conceive of the nature of grace, he beginnes to see the excellencie of Faith and Repentance, what it is to bee in a Christ, what it is to want a Christ: the man is become an apprehensive man (saith God) I will cause the house of Jsraell to know their abhominations. It is not sufficient to come and heare the word, and never attend it, or consider of it; But if God comes with it, it will make the Drunkard know what it is to be drunke, and the Dissembler what it is to deale fasly with God and