2. * Faith in general is, a divine, supernatural ἔλεγχος, _evidence_ or conviction _of things not seen_, not discoverable by our bodily senses, as being either past, future or spiritual. Justifying faith implies, not only a divine evidence or conviction, that _God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself_ but a sure trust and confidence, that Christ died for _my_ sins, that he loved _me_ and gave himself for _me_. And at what time soever a sinner thus believes, be it in early childhood, in the strength of his years, or when he is old and hoary-hair’d, God justifieth that ungodly one: God for the sake of his Son; pardoneth and absolveth, him who had in him till then no good thing. Repentance indeed God had given him before: but that repentance was neither more nor less, than a deep sense of the want of all good, and the presence of all evil. And whatever good he hath or doth from that hour, when he first believes in God through Christ, faith does not _find_ but _bring_. This is the fruit of faith. First the tree is good, and then the fruit is good also.
3. I cannot describe the nature of this faith better, than in the words of our own church. “The only instrument of salvation” (whereof justification is one branch) “is faith: that is, a sure trust and confidence, that God both hath and will forgive our sins, that he hath accepted us again into his favour, for the merits of Christ’s death and passion.――But here we must take heed that we do not halt with God, through an inconstant, wavering faith. _Peter_ coming to Christ upon the water, because he fainted in faith, was in danger of drowning. So we, if we begin to waver or doubt, it is to be feared, that we should sink as _Peter_ did, not into the water, but into the bottomless pit of hell-fire.” Second sermon on the passion.
“Therefore have a sure and constant faith, not only that the death of Christ is available for all the world, but that he hath made a full and sufficient sacrifice for _thee_, a perfect cleansing of _thy_ sins, so that thou mayst say with the apostle, he loved _thee_ and gave himself for _thee_. For this is to make Christ _thine own_, and to apply his merits unto _thyself_.” Sermon on the sacrament, first part.
4. By affirming that this faith is the term or _condition of justification_, I mean, first, that there is no justification without it. _He that believeth not is condemned already_; and so long as he believeth not, that condemnation cannot be removed, but _the wrath of God abideth on him_. As _there is no other name given under heaven than that of Jesus of Nazareth_, no other merit _whereby_ a condemned sinner can ever _be saved_ from the guilt of sin; so there is no other way of obtaining a share in his merit, than _by faith in his name_. So that as long as we are without this faith, we are _strangers to the covenant of promise_, we are _aliens from the common-wealth of Israel, and without God in the world_. Whatsoever virtues (so call’d) a man may have (I speak of those unto whom the gospel is preached; for _what have I to judge them that are without_?) whatsoever good works (so accounted) he may do, it profiteth not; he is still a _child of wrath_, still under the curse, till he believes in Jesus.
5. * Faith therefore is the _necessary_ condition of justification. Yea, and the _only necessary_ condition thereof. This is the second point carefully to be observed; that the very moment God giveth faith (_for it is the gift of God_) to the _ungodly, that worketh not_, that _faith is counted to him for righteousness_. He hath no righteousness at all, antecedent to this, not so much as negative righteousness or innocence. But _faith is imputed to him for righteousness_, the very moment that he believeth. Not that God (as was observed before) thinketh him to be what he is not. But as _he made Christ to be sin for us, that_ is, treated him as a sinner, punishing him for our sins, so he counteth us righteous, from the time we believe in him: that is, he doth not punish us for our sins, yea, treats us as tho’ we were guiltless and righteous.