Mercy magnified on a penitent prodigal, or, A brief discourse

3. Inasmuch as Repentance is a change of the affections, which are the feet of the soul, carrying it from and to its object; and hence is a fixing them upon some other object than ⟨p. 323⟩they formerly dwelt upon; where also the prime affections mainly discover themselves viz. Love and hatred. It necessarily prerequires to this act, a gracious disposition infused into these affections. In Repentance the soul is made to hate Sin, which before it loved as its life; and it loves God, whom before it hated; and the one of these strengthens the other: He hates Sin, because he loves God, &c. Now the setting those affections on work, and moving them to their proper object, implies a sanctified change in them; and no other reason can be given of their so acting.

4. The affections being hand-maids of the will, hence a change in them implies a change in the will, and evidenceth that that is turned: it signifies that the heart is altered from what it was; for the will exerts it self in and by the affections: When therefore we see a man truly to hate Sin and love God, we know that his will is set, fixed, his choice is certainly made: and where the will is changed, there is conversion wrought: where the soul hath indeed chosen God, there is saving grace. David therefore asserts his grace from this evidence, Psal. 73. 25.

4. The affections being hand-maids of the will, hence a change in them implies a change in the will, and evidenceth that that is turned: it signifies that the heart is altered from what it was; for the will exerts it self in and by the affections: When therefore we see a man truly to hate Sin and love God, we know that his will is set, fixed, his choise is certainly made: and where the will is changed, there is conversion wrought: where the soul hath indeed chosen God, there is saving grace. David therefore asserts his grace from this evidence,