"The devil torments the soul with that doctrine [total depravity], and he says, 'See what a depraved creature you are; you know how dreadfully you have sinned against God; you have gone astray ten thousand times. See,' he says, 'there are your old sins still crying after you;' and he waves his wand, and gives a resurrection to past iniquities, which rise up like ghosts and terrify the soul. 'There, look at that midnight scene; remember the deed if ingratitude; hark! do you not hear that oath echoed back from the walls of the past. Look at your heart; can that ever be washed? Why, it is full of blackness. You know you tried to pray yesterday, and your mind roved to your business before you were half through your prayer; and since you have been seeking God you have only been half in earnest, knocking at the door sometimes, and then afterwards giving it up. It is impossible you should ever be forgiven; you have gone too far astray for the shepherd to find you; you are altogether become filthy; your heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, and you cannot be saved.' Many a poor soul has had a most terrible tearing with that doctrine. I have felt something of it myself, when I have verily thought that I must be rent in pieces by the dread remembrance of what I had been. The devil throws the sinner down and pulls him almost limb from limb, by persuading him that his guilt is heinous beyond parallel, and his iniquities are far beyond the reach of mercy, and his death-warrant is signed. Ah! poor soul, get up again; the devil has no right to throw you down. Your sin cannot be too great for God's mercy." (The Comer's Conflict with Satan)
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