Then repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, are the very groundwork of religion; and are more than all burnt offerings. For He taketh no delight in sacrifices and offerings, but a contrite heart is always acceptable with Him. What is repentance but a sorrow for sin, and the forsaking of sin for our love to God. Love to God, because He first loved us. God loves us. He wills our salvation; and draws us to Him by the cords of love. We feel a sorrow in our hearts; a weariness of sin, a dread of coming vengeance; we begin to consider, and finally to ask, "What shall I do to be saved." Then comes the promise: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." What then is faith but believing in Him who was sent; believing that he came to save; believing that He is willing to save; believing that He will save; because the Father sent Him for this purpose. Him hath the Father sanctified, and sent unto the world to save the world. Believe that He is able to save; "thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given Him." (John xvii, 2.) Believe that He is willing. "I lay down my life for the sheep." Then, we can go to God pleading these promises, and God will _justify_ us through this faith, and Christ will apply the _sanctifying blood_ that seals the covenant. For, by His own blood He has entered, once for all, into the Holy place, having obtained "eternal redemption for us." And as every law and every precept was sprinkled with blood, so has Christ sealed every promise and every covenant, with His own precious blood. Then it surely follows, we cannot believe without being justified; and we cannot be justified without being sanctified. "Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ," and this peace we can only have by being one in Christ and abiding in Him. It is a peace the world cannot give nor take away; a peace that subdues all evil passions, a peace that keeps us patient and cheerful under difficulties; that keeps us humble and truthful under trials and temptations. This is the grace that must prevail in a distressing hour; and, filled with the sweet peace, we can sing "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want, etc.," and this sanctifying grace makes us heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, who owns us for brethren and writes our names in the Book of Life.