[4.] The state of Adam, and God's dealing with him therein, is the best representation of the order and method of these things. As he was after the fall, so are we by nature, in the very same state and condition. Really he was utterly lost by sin, and convinced he was both of the nature of his sin and of the effects of it, in that act of God by the law on his mind, which is called the " opening of his eyes." For it was nothing but the communication unto his mind by his conscience of a sense of the nature, guilt, effects, and consequents of sin; which the law could then teach him, and could not do so before. This fills him with shame and fear; against the former whereof he provided by fig-leaves, and against the latter by hiding himself among the trees of the garden. Nor, however they may please themselves with them, are any of the contrivances of men, for freedom and safety from sin, either wiser or more likely to have suc- cess. In this condition God, by an immediate inquisition into the matter of fact, sharpeneth this conviction by the addition of his own testimony unto its truth, and casteth him actually under the curse of the law, in a juridical denunciation of it. In this lost, forlorn, hope- less condition, God proposeth the promise of redemption by Christ unto him. And this was the object of that faith whereby he was to be justified.
Although these things are not thus eminently and distinctly trans- lated in the minds and consciences of all who are called unto believ- ing by the gospel, yet for the substance of them, and as to the pre-
CAUSES AND OBJECT OF FAITH. 77
viousness of the conviction of sin unto faith, they are found in all that sincerely believe.
These things are known, and, for the substance of them, generally agreed unto. But yet are they such as, being duly considered, will discover the vanity and mistakes of many definitions of faith that are obtruded on us. For any definition or description of it which hath not express, or at least virtual, respect hereunto, is but a deceit, and no way answers the experience of them that truly believe. And such are all those who place it merely in an assent unto divine revelation, of what nature soever that assent be, and whatever effects are ascribed unto it. For such an assent there may be, without any respect unto this work of the law. Neither do I, to speak plainly, at all value the most accurate disputations of any about the nature and act of justify- ing faith, who never had in themselves an experience of the work of the law in conviction and condemnation for sin, with the effects of it upon their consciences; or [who] do omit the due consideration of their own experience, wherein what they truly believe is better stated than in all their disputations. That faith whereby we are justified is, in general, the acting of the soul towards God, as revealing himself in the gospel, for deliverance out of this state and condition, or from under the curse of the law applied unto the conscience, according to his mind, and by the ways that he hath appointed. I give not this as any definition of faith, but only express what hath a necessary in- fluence unto it, whence the nature of it may be discerned.
(2.) The effects of this conviction, with their respect unto our jus- tification, real or pretended, may also be briefly considered. And whereas this conviction is a mere work of the law, it is not, with re- spect unto these effects, to be considered alone, but in conjunction with, and under the conduct of, that temporary faith of the gospel before described. And these two, tempoi'ary faith and legal convic- tion, are the principles of all works or duties in religion antecedent unto justification; and which, therefore, we must deny to have in them any causality thereof. But it is granted that many acts and duties, both internal and external, will ensue on real convictions. Those that are internal may be reduced unto three heads: — [1.] Dis- iMcency and sor^^oiu that we have sinned. It is impossible that any one should be reaUy convinced of sin in the way before declared, but that a dislike of sin, and of himself that he hath sinned, shame of it, and sorrow for it, will ensue thereon. And it is a sufficient evidence that he is not really convinced of sin, whatever he profess, or what- ever confession he make, whose mind is not so affected, Jer. xxxvi. 24. [2.] Fear of imnishnient due to sin. For conviction respects not only the instructive and preceptive part of the law, whereby the being and nature of sin are discovered, but the sentence and curse of it also,
78 ON JUSTIFICATION.
whereby it is judged and condemned, Gen. iv. 13, 14. Wherefore, where fear of the punishment tlireatened doth not ensue, no person is really convinced of sin ; nor hath the law had its proper work to- wards him, as it is previous unto the administration of the gospel. And whereas by faith we "fly from the wrath to come," where there is not a sense and apprehension of that wrath as due unto us, there is no ground or reason for our believing. [3.] A desire of deliver- ance from that state wherein a convinced sinner finds himself upon his conviction is unavoidable unto him. And it is naturally the first thing that conviction works in the minds of men, and tliat in various degrees of care, fear, sohcitude, and restlessness; which, from experi- ence and the conduct of Scripture light, have been explained by many, unto the gi-eat benefit of the church, and sufficiently derided by others. Secondly, These mternal acts of the mind will also pro- duce sundry external duties, which may be referred unto two heads : — [1.] Abstinence from knoiun sin unto the utmost of men's power. For they who begin to find that it is an evil thing and a bitter that they have sinned against God, cannot but endeavour a future absti- nence from it. And as this hath respect unto all the former internal acts, as causes of it, so it is a peculiar exurgency of the last of them, or a desire of deliverance from the state wherein such persons are. For this they suppose to be the best expedient for it, or at least that without which it will not be. And herein usually do their spirits act by promises and vows, with renewed sorrow on surprisals into sin, which A\dll befall them in that condition. [2.] The duties of re- ligious worship, in prayer and hearing of the word, with diligence in the use of the ordinances of the church, will ensue hereon. For without these they know that no deliverance is to be obtained. Re- formation of life and conversation in various degrees doth partly consist in these things, and partly follow upon them. And these things are always so, where the convictions of men are real and abidinof.