Precious faith considered in its nature, working, and growth

Secondly, There is a conviction of sin in its guilt: The sinner comes to see that whilst he is in his sin, he is but a condemned man; and sin, unless pardoned, will chain him to hell and eternal wrath. God seems to speak to him, as once to Abimelech, behold thou art but a dead man, thou catest and drinkest and sleepest, but all the while under wrath; thou art jolly abroad among the creatures, but fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest hangs over thy head. God makes the sinner know where he is, as the Syrians, when their eyes were opened, saw themselves in the midst of Samaria; so he, when his mind is enlightened, sees himself at the brink of hell and death; without such a sense of wrath, man is too proud to resign: he is naturally a Manasseh, a forgetter of God, and will not turn till he be in chains. Laish-like, he sits quiet and secure, till Dan the judgment come; hell must drive him to heaven or else he will never come there; the fiery Law must melt him, or else he will never run into the Gospel-mould.

Secondly, There is a conviction of sin in its guilt: The sinner comes to see that whilest he is in his sin, he is but a condemned man; and sin, unless pardoned, will chain him to hell and eternal wrath. God seems to speak to him, as once to Abimelech, behold thou art but a dead man, thou catest and drinkest and sleepest, but all the while under wrath; thou art jolly abroad among the creatures, but fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest hangs over thy head. God makes the sinner know where he is, as the Syrians, when their eyes were opened, saw themselves in the midst of Samaria; so he, when his mind is inlightned, sees himself at the brink of hell and death; without such a sense of wrath, man is too proud to resign: he is naturally a Manasseh, a forgetter of God, and will not turn till he be in chains. Laish-like, he sits quiet and secure, till Dan the judgment come; hell must drive him to heaven or else he will never come there; the fiery Law must melt him, or else he will never run into the Gospel-mould.

Thirdly, There is a conviction of the filthiness of sin; the soul in every turn from God loses its ⟨p. 72⟩