Q. Then do you count it better for a man to see his condition by nature than to be ignorant thereof?—A. Better a thousand times to see it in this world than to see it in hell fire, for he must see it there or here: now if he sees it here, this is the place of prayer; here is the preaching of the word, which is God's ordinance, to beget faith. Besides, here God applieth promises of mercy to the desolate, and Christ also hath protested that he that cometh to him he 'will in no wise cast out' (John 6:37).
Q. I am convinced that I was once without faith, and also that I cannot fetch it, but pray tell me the way of its coming?—A. 'Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God' (Rom 10:17).
Q. How by hearing?—A. God mixeth it with the Word when he absolutely intendeth the salvation of the sinner (Heb 4:2; Acts 13:48).
Q. And how do men hear when faith is mixed with the Word?—A. They hear the Word, 'not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the Word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe' (1 Thess 2:13).
Q. Pray tell me now the manner of its coming?—A. It comes through difficulty, it comes gradually.
Q. What are the difficulties which oppose it at its coming?—A. Sense of unworthiness, guilt of conscience, natural reason, unbelief, and arguments forged in hell, and thence suggested by the devil into the heart against it (Luke 5:8; Mark 9:24; Isa 6:5; Rom 4:18-21).
Q. How doth faith come gradually?—A. Perhaps at first it is but like a grain of mustard-seed, small, and weak (Matt 17:20).
Q. Will you explain it further?—A. Faith, at first, perhaps may have its excellency lie in view only, that is, in seeing where justification and salvation is; after that it may step a degree higher, and be able to say, it may be, or who can tell but I may obtain this salvation? again, it may perhaps go yet a step higher and arrive to some short and transient assurance (Heb 11:13; Joel 2:13,14; Zeph 2:3; Psa 30:7).[16]
Q. But doth faith come only by hearing?—A. It is usually begotten by the word preached, but after it is begotten, it is increased several ways. It is increased by prayer (Luke 17:5; Mark 9:24). It is increased by christian conference (Rom 1:12). It is increased by reading (Rom 16:25,26). It is increased by meditation (1 Tim 4:12-16). It is increased by the remembrance of former experiences (Matt 16:8,9).
Q. What do these things teach us?—A. They teach us, that the men of this world are very ignorant of, and as much without desire after faith: they neither hear, nor pray, confer, nor read, nor meditate for the sake of faith.