A09950:186
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.
To this we answer, the worthiness that is required here is nothing else but an ability to prize CHRIST, to set him at a high rate, to long after him, to hunger and thirst after his righteousness, your peace shall come upon such a man. That is, if there be a broken-hearted man that looks after CHRIST, whose heart yearns after him, that he is able to prize him aright, he shall be accepted: but if they be such men as will not receive you, such as will not set meat before you, such as will give you no respect, shake off the dust of your feet, &c. So that I say, such a complaint we may make, ⟨p. 76⟩If we find a want of desire after CHRIST; for that is required; but if we look upon any thing as a qualification in our selves, such a worthiness is not required, we must be driven out of all conceit of it, or else we cannot take Christ. So much for the Use, that seeing it is only faith whereby we lay hold of Christs righteousness, that then we have no reason to be discouraged, in respect of any want; nay, we must find a want of all things, before we can be made partakers of this righteousness.
To this we answer, the worthinesse that is required here is nothing else but an ability to prize CHRIST, to set him at a high rate, to long after him, to hunger and thirst after his righteousnesse, your peace shall come vpon such a man. That is, if there bee a broken-hearted man that lookes after CHRIST, whose heart yeranes after him, that he is able to prize him aright, he shall be accepted: but if they bee such men as will not receiue you, such as will not set meat before you, such as will giue you no respect, shake off the dust of your feete, &c. So that I say, such a complaint we may make, ⟨p. 76⟩If we finde a want of desire after CHRIST; for that is required; but if we looke vpon any thing as a qualification in our selues, such a worthinesse is not required, we must be driuen out of all conceit of it, or else we cannot take Christ. So much for the Vse, that seeing it is onely faith whereby wee lay hold of Christs righteousnesse, that then we haue no reason to be discouraged, in respect of any want; nay, we must finde a want of all things, before wee can be made partakers of this righteousnesse.