You are a helpless sinner in yourself - William Mason

‎"Farther; though you are a believer in Christ, yet you are a helpless sinner in yourself. "What!" say some, "a converted person, a believer, a child of God—and yet a helpless sinner?" Yes! Infancy itself is not more helpless in natural things, than a believer is in spiritual things. Where then is the difference between a believer and an unbeliever? Essentially in this. The latter is insensible of his own weakness, therefore proudly trusts in, and vainly glories of his own strength. He is under this malediction, "Cursed is the man who makes flesh his arm," Jer. 17:5, "his heart departs from the Lord." But the believer knows and feels, that he is not of himself sufficient to think or do anything holy. He sees constant need of being strengthened by the Spirit's might in the inner man. For blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord; whose hope the Lord is. But do we not grow stronger in ourselves, and find more help and power from ourselves, to withstand our enemies, to fight our good fight, to run our race, and to perfect holiness? No! If we think so, it is plain that we are not growing up into Christ—but growing down into self. If the Lord has given me to know anything of this matter, after being upwards of twenty years in precious Christ, I sincerely declare, that I find myself to be, just that weak, helpless sinner I was when I first came to Jesus with, "Lord help me! Lord save me—or I perish!" Yes, I find myself more helpless now—than I thought myself then. I see more constant need to put on Christ, and to say, truly in the Lord (not in myself) I have strength." (William Mason - The Believer's Pocket Companion)