A09950:548
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, consider the greatness thereof: you know those words are added, 1 Pet. 1.8.1 rejoicing with Joy unspeakable and glorious. If it be right Joy, it will be such a great Joy, it will exceed all other, it will be like to that joy in Harvest, as Isay speaks, it will be a Joy unspeakable for the greatness of it; such a Joy, that at the least is so great, that whatsoever comes, yet it exceeds it. ⟨p. 133⟩the other temporary Christian may have joy, but it is not so great, but some other joy will come, and overcome it, and drown it, and put it out.
Againe, consider the greatnesse thereof: you know those words are added, 1 Pet. 1.8.1 reioycing with Ioy vnspeakable and glorious. If it bee right Joy, it will bee such a great Joy, it will exceede all other, it will be like to that ioy in Haruest, as Isay speakes, it will be a Joy vnspeakeable for the greatnesse of it; such a Joy, that at the least is so great, that whatsoeuer comes, yet it exceedes it. ⟨p. 133⟩the other temporary Christian may haue joy, but it is not so great, but some other joy will come, and ouercome it, and drowne it, and put it out.
Therefore, in the second ground, as their humiliation was slight, so was their Faith, they had a little humiliation for their sins, and they took CHRIST in a more remiss manner. And as their Faith was, so was their joy, all slight. But now, when Faith is sound and good, that Joy is accordingly great; it is a great Joy, that, at the least, overcomes all other; that, take what joy you will, if a man could have an earthly Kingdom here, if a man could have as great pleasure here as mans nature is capable of, if he had never so much praise, and glory of men, (these things we naturally rejoice in) a right Christian, that hath Faith indeed, will not so rejoice in these, but that he will rejoice in CHRIST above them. If thy Joy therefore be so great, that it overcome and exceed all other, be sure that Joy is good. But yet we must have one thing more in Joy. In whom, though you have not seen, yet you joy with Joy unspeakable and glorious. That is, if it be such a Joy as is right indeed, which is a testimony of faith, that it is a sign thou believest, it is a Joy that is glorious, it is a Joy that is glorious and spiritual. Now an hypocrite may rejoice, he may rejoice in Christ, he may rejoice in the Kingdom of GOD, and the assurance he hath of it,