A09950:158
The Breastplate of Faith and Love
The breast-plate of faith and love. A treatise, wherein the ground and exercise of faith and love, as they are set upon Christ their object, and as they are expressed in good works, is explained. / Delivered in 18 sermons upon three several texts, by the late faithful and worthy minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston, Dr. in Divinity, chaplain in ordinary to his Majesty, Master of Emmanuel College in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolns Inn.The breast-plate of faith and love. A treatise, wherein the ground and exercise of faith and love, as they are set upon Christ their object, and as they are expressed in good workes, is explained. / Delivered in 18 sermons upon three severall texts, by the late faithfull and worthy minister of Iesus Christ, Iohn Preston, Dr. in Divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to his Maiesty, Master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolnes Inne.
London: printed by W. Jones for Nicolas Bourne, 1630London: printed by W. Iones for Nicolas Bourne, 1630
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Again, the first act admits of no degrees; for when a man is once in CHRIST, he is always CHRIST'S, when he is once married to him: Marriage, you know, admits of no ⟨p. 64⟩degrees; so Justification is equal to every man, it admits of no degrees, it is always the same; we are not now less justified▪ and then more, but we are alway alike justified, being once justified: but the other act of faith, whereby I am assured that I have taken CHRIST, that admits of degrees, a man may have sometimes more comfort, sometimes less; and therefore righteousness is said here to be revealed from faith to faith.
Againe, the first act admits of no degrees; for when a man is once in CHRIST, hee is alwaies CHRIST'S, when he is once married to him: Marriage, you know, admits of no ⟨p. 64⟩degrees; so Justification is equall to euery man, it admits of no degrees, it is alwaies the same; we are not now lesse iustified▪ and then more, but we are alway alike iustified, being once iustified: but the other act of faith, whereby I am assured that I haue taken CHRIST, that admits of degrees, a man may haue sometimes more comfort, sometimes lesse; and therefore righteousnes is said heere to be reuealed from faith to faith.
Lastly, the first act of faith, whereby we take CHRIST, and those privileges by him, as the Wife takes the Husband, that is founded upon the sure Word of GOD, GOD hath tendered it to us upon his Word and promise, and he must perform it, it cannot be altered nor changed; he that builds upon it, builds upon the corner-stone, that will not fail him: But now the second act, whereby I come to know that I have done this, that is grounded upon experience: Indeed, we are helped by the Holy Ghost to know it, but it is chiefly grounded upon our own experience: for it is no more but the act of a mans own heart, reflecting upon what he hath done, when he considers, Have I taken CHRIST, or no? as a Lord, and as a Saviour as a Priest, to save me; as a King, to live by his Laws; this is a looking upon an act of mine own, therefore the understanding and knowing of it must come from experience.