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made to abhor its object; but when it would prevail against reason, and carry<br />
us to sin against God, instead of Scripture being the rule, and reason the<br />
master, and sense the servant, this disorder and evil the will abhors. <strong>The</strong><br />
misery also, which sin hath procured, is not only discerned, but bewailed. It<br />
is impossible that the soul should now look either on its trespass against God,<br />
or yet on its own self-procured calamity, without some contrition. He that<br />
truly discerns that he hath killed Christ, and killed himself, will surely in<br />
some measure be pricked to the heart. If he cannot weep, he can heartily<br />
groan and his heart feels what his understanding sees. <strong>The</strong> creature is<br />
renounced as vanity, and turned out of the heart with disdain: not that it is<br />
undervalued, or the use of it condemned; but its idolatrous abuse, and its<br />
unjust usurpation. Can Christ be the way, where the creature is the end? Can<br />
we seek Christ to reconcile us to God, while in our hearts we prefer the<br />
creature before him? In the soul of every unregenerate man the creature is<br />
both God and Christ. As turning from the creature to God, and not by Christ,<br />
is no true turning; so believing in Christ, while the creature hath our hearts, is<br />
no true believing. Our aversion from sin, renouncing our idols, and our right<br />
receiving Christ, is all but one work, which God ever perfects where he<br />
begins. At the same time, the will cleaves to God the Father, and to Christ.<br />
Having been convinced that nothing else can be his happiness, the sinner<br />
now finds it is in God. Convinced also that Christ alone is able and willing to<br />
make peace for him, he most affectionately accepts of Christ as his Savior<br />
and Lord. Paul's preaching was "repentance toward God, and faith toward<br />
our Lord Jesus Christ." And life eternal consists, first in "knowing the only<br />
true God;" and then "Jesus Christ, whom he hath sent." To take the Lord for<br />
our God is the natural part of the covenant; the supernatural part is, to take<br />
Christ for our Redeemer. <strong>The</strong> former is first necessary, and implied in the<br />
latter. To accept Christ without affection and love, is not justifying faith: nor<br />
does love follow as a fruit, but immediately concurs; for faith is the receiving<br />
of Christ with the whole soul. "He that loveth father or mother more than<br />
Christ, is not worthy of him," nor is justified by him. Faith accepts him as<br />
Savior and Lord: for in both relations will he be received, or not at all. Faith<br />
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