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convinced of the creature's vanity, and our very deceiver is undeceived.<br />
<strong>The</strong> people of God are likewise convinced of the absolute necessity, the<br />
full sufficiency, and perfect excellency of Jesus Christ: as a man in famine is<br />
convinced of the necessity of food; or a man that has heard or read his<br />
sentence of condemnation, of the absolute necessity of pardon; or a man that<br />
lies in prison for debt, of his need of a surety to discharge it. Now the sinner<br />
feels an insupportable burden upon him, and sees there is none but Christ can<br />
take it off: he perceives the law proclaims him a rebel, and none but Christ<br />
can make his peace: he is as a man pursued by a lion, that must perish if he<br />
finds not a present sanctuary: he is now brought to this dilemma; either he<br />
must have Christ to justify him, or be eternally condemned; have Christ to<br />
save him, or burn in hell for ever; have Christ to bring him to God, or be shut<br />
out of his presence everlastingly! And no wonder if he cry as the martyr,<br />
"None but Christ! none but Christ!" Not gold, but bread, will satisfy the<br />
hungry; nor will any thing but pardon comfort the condemned.<br />
All things are counted but dung now, that he may win Christ; and what<br />
was gain, he counts loss for Christ. As the sinner sees his misery, and the<br />
inability of himself and all things to relieve him, so he perceives there is no<br />
saving mercy out of Christ. He sees that though the creature cannot, and<br />
himself cannot, yet Christ can help him. Though the fig leaves of our own<br />
unrighteous righteousness are too short to cover our nakedness, yet the<br />
righteousness of Christ is large enough: ours is disproportionate to the justice<br />
of the law, but Christ's extends to every tittle. If he intercede, there is no<br />
denial; such is the dignity of his person and the value of his merits, that the<br />
Father grants all he desires. Before, the sinner knew Christ's excellency as a<br />
blind man knows the light of the sun; but now, as one that beholds its glory.<br />
5. After this deep conviction, the will manifests also its change. As, for<br />
instance, the sin which the understanding pronounces evil, the will turns<br />
from with abhorrence. Not that the sensitive appetite is changed, or any way<br />
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