Q. Are not they happy that see not themselves in this condition?—A. Yes. If they have seen themselves delivered therefrom by a work of faith in their souls, else not.
Q. How do you mean?—A. I mean if they have seen themselves delivered from this state, by being by the Word and Spirit of God implanted into the faith of Christ (Rom 11:17-19).
Q. Are not they happy that are never troubled with this sad sight of their condition?—A. They are just so happy as is that man who lieth fast asleep in his house while it is on fire about his ears. Can a man be happy, that is ignorant that he is without God and Christ, and hope? Can a man be happy that is ignorant that he is hanging over hell by the poor weak thread of an uncertain life? For this is the state of such an one.[15]
Q. But may not faith come to a man without he see himself to be first in this condition?—A. It is God's ordinary way to convince men of this their sad condition before he revealeth to them the righteousness of faith, or work faith in them to lay hold of that righteousness (John 16:9-11; Gal 3:23-25).
Q. How then do you conclude of them that never saw themselves shut up by unbelief under sin and the curse of God?—A. I will not judge them for the future, God may convert them before they die; but at present their state is miserable: for because they are shut up and held prisoners by the law, by their lusts, and by the devil, and unbelief; therefore they cannot so much as with their hearts desire that God would have mercy upon them, and bring them out of their snares and chains.
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.