Prima the first things, in reference to the middle and last things

But some object, Christ must work this sorrow, or it is good for nothing; now if Christ be in the soul working sorrow, then there is faith, therefore faith must go before sorrow.

I answer, although it is true that Christ cannot be in the soul, but in the same instant there is the habit of faith; yet it follows not that faith is before sorrow, for the habits of these graces are both together, and at once in the soul; or howsoever, it follows not that the soul is enabled by an act of faith to apply Christ to it self as soon as Christ is in the soul, or as soon as the habit of faith is infused into the soul: The question is, whether the soul in respect of us (who can only judge of the habit by the act) ⟨p. 30⟩cannot be said to have sorrow or repentance before faith? the question is not, which the soul hath first in respect of Gods gift, but which it acts first for our apprehension? Surely to us it first sorrows for sin, and then it acts or exerciseth faith by coming to Christ, and relying upon Christ for Salvation, &c. he grieves not only because he fears he must be damned (so Cain and Judas might) but because he knows he hath deserved to be damned: this is the more especial object of his sorrow, in that he is so wicked, so sinful, so rebellious, so contrary to God: this sin, I say, is it (wherein he was conceived, and born, wherein he hath lived, and continued) that makes him sob, and sigh, and sorrow, and mourn; and yet this sorrow is sometimes taken largely for the whole work of conversion; sometimes strictly for conviction, contrition, and humiliation; in like manner repentance is taken sometimes largely, and sometimes strictly: By this distinction it may easily appear how sorrow goes before repentance, and how repentance goes before faith. Indeed, for the latter is the great controversy, but some reconcile it thus: Repentance hath two parts, the aversion of the soul from Sin, and the conversion of the soul to God; the latter part of it is only an effect of faith, the former part of it, viz. the turning of the soul from Sin is also an effect, but not only an effect; for it is begun before faith, though it be not ended till our life end. Some object, that God works repentance and faith together: But we dispute not how God works them, but how the soul acts them; not which is in the soul first, but which appears out of the soul first: