The Breastplate of Faith and Love

Again, Why should you look for righteousness in your selves? The work of faith (and it hath nothing else to do) is to take ⟨p. 69⟩that righteousness of Christ, that is none of your own: so that there is nothing else at all required; for all that faith hath to do, is only to take from Christ that righteousness that we want our selves: so that I say there is no reason why any man should be discouraged in his first coming, for any want that he finds in himself, or for any condition that he is in, because faith only is that that makes us partakers of a righteousness to justify us, because we our selves have it not. I say, faith is so far from requiring any thing to be added to it, to help it in the act of justifying, that of necessity it excludes all things else: for faith hath this double quality, not only to lay hold of Christ offered, but to empty a man of all things else whatsoever. As for example, Faith is not only the believing of a truth which is delivered, from the authority of him that doth deliver it; but it is a resting upon Christ, a casting of our selves upon him. Now when a man leans upon any other thing, he stands not upon his own legs, he stands not upon his own bottom; for if he did, he could not properly be said to lean. If a man trust and depend upon another, he provides not for himself, but he that so looks to himself, that he provide so as to make him self safe if another should fail him, so far he trusts himself; so that, beloved, if you trust CHRIST, it is of necessity required that you must be unbottomed of your selves, you ⟨p. 70⟩must altogether lean upon him, you must cast your selves wholly upon him: For faith hath such an attracting virtue in it, that it fills the heart with CHRIST. Now it cannot fill the heart with CHRIST, unless the heart be emptied first. Therefore I say, faith hath a double quality,¹ not only to take, but to empty; and they are reciprocal, the one cannot be without the other.

Againe, Why should you looke for righteousnesse in your selues? The worke of faith (and it hath nothing else to doe) is to take ⟨p. 69⟩that righteousnesse of Christ, that is none of your owne: so that there is nothing else at all required; for all that faith hath to doe, is onely to take from Christ that righteousnesse that we want our selues: so that I say there is no reason why any man should bee discouraged in his first comming, for any want that he findes in himselfe, or for any condition that he is in, because faith onely is that that makes vs partakers of a righteousnesse to iustifie vs, because we our selues haue it not. I say, faith is so farre from requiring any thing to be added to it, to helpe it in the act of iustifying, that of necessity it excludes all things else: for faith hath this double quality, not onely to lay hold of Christ offered, but to empty a man of all things else whatsoeuer. As for example, Faith is not onely the beleeuing of a truth which is deliuered, from the authority of him that doth deliuer it; but it is a resting vpon Christ, a casting of our selues vpon him. Now when a man leanes vpon any other thing, hee stands not vpon his owne legges, hee stands not vpon his owne bottome; for if hee did, hee could not properly be said to leane. If a man trust and depend vpon another, he prouides not for himselfe, but he that so lookes to himselfe, that he prouide so as to make him selfe safe if another should faile him, so farre he trusts himselfe; so that, beloued, if you trust CHRIST, it is of necessity required that you must bee vnbottomed of your selues, you