A09950:173
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.
First, I say, a man must be emptied of all §1opinion of worthiness in himself, of all conceit that he hath the least righteousness in himself; therefore when the young man came to CHRIST, and CHRIST told him that he must keep the Law, and he said he had done all those things from his youth, CHRIST knew that he was not yet fit, therefore, saith he, Go and sell all that thou hast: Christs end was nothing else but to discover to him his own unworthiness. If thou wilt be perfect, (saith CHRIST) take this trial, Canst thou be content to let thy wealth go, to follow me? Canst thou be content to suffer persecution? This showed that he was not perfect, but that he was still a sinful man; this was the way to prepare him for Christ, this course we see CHRIST always took: we see it expressed in the Parable of the Publican and of the Pharisee, the Publican went away justified, because he was wholly emptied of all conceit and opinion of worth in himself.
First, I say, a man must be emptied of all §1opinion of worthinesse in himselfe, of all conceipt that he hath the least righteousnesse in himselfe; therefore when the yong man came to CHRIST, and CHRIST told him that he must keepe the Law, and he said hee had done all those things from his youth, CHRIST knew that he was not yet fit, therefore, saith he, Goe and sell all that thou hast: Christs end was nothing else but to discouer to him his owne vnworthinesse. If thou wilt be perfect, (saith CHRIST) take this tryall, Canst thou be content to let thy wealth goe, to follow me? Canst thou be content to suffer persecution? This shewed that hee was not perfect, but that hee was still a sinfull man; this was the way to prepare him for Christ, this course we see CHRIST alwaies tooke: we see it expressed in the Parable of the Publican and of the Pharise, the Publican went away iustified, because he was wholly emptyed of all conceipt and opinion of worth in himselfe.
But the Pharisee was not justified, (not because he was not a juster man then the Publican, ⟨p. 72⟩