A09950:551
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.
Consider now therefore if thy Joy be right; If it be a sign of faith, if it be good and sound, if it be a Joy that is spiritual and unspeakable; that is, if it be a Joy that is so great as that it exceeds all other joys; if this Joy do but hold out in tribulation, it is a certain sign thy faith is good.
Consider now therefore if thy Joy be right; If it be a signe of faith, if it be good and sound, if it be a Joy that is spirituall and vnspeakable; that is, if it be a Joy that is so great as that it exceedes all other joyes; if this Joy doe but hold out in tribulation, it is a certaine signe thy faith is good.
4Now, last of all, the last concomitant of Faith is Humility. If thy Faith be right, it will bring that with it, to make thee humble and vile in thine own eyes: For what is true faith? It is that which brings CHRIST into the heart, as you have heard oftentimes; that which knits Christ and the soul together, it is that which causeth him to come and dwell with thee. Now wheresoever Christ comes to dwell, he comes with a light, he shows the creature his vileness, he makes a man see his sin, he makes him see what creature he is; whereas another that hath great hope, and professeth that he hath much assurance, his heart is lifted up, and not cast down. Such are not men which think themselves vile, and naked, and miserable, but they think themselves better then other men, they are forwarder then others in any thing, they think other men are not like them. And therefore they are ready to be more bold and venturous in any thing, they are ready to take up opinions, they are ready to strike out this way or that way. But now a true Christian is humbled with it, because when Christ comes into the heart, he makes a man to see his vileness. As, you know, when GOD drew near to Job, when he came near him indeed, then he abhorred himself in dust and ashes, then he saw what a one he was, he saw not before, he thought the contrary, but when GOD drew near indeed, that made him manifest.
4Now, last of all, the last concomitant of Faith is Humility. If thy Faith be right, it will bring that with it, to make thee humble and vile in thine owne eyes: For what is true faith? It is that which brings CHRIST into the heart, as you haue heard oftentimes; that which knits Christ and the soule together, it is that which causeth him to come and dwell with thee. Now wheresoeuer Christ comes to dwell, he comes with a light, hee shewes the creature his vilenesse, he makes a man see his sinne, he makes him see what creature he is; whereas another that hath great hope, and professeth that he hath much assurance, his heart is lifted vp, and not cast downe. Such are not men which thinke themselues vile, and naked, and miserable, but they thinke themselues better then other men, they are forwarder then others in any thing, they thinke other men are not like them. And therefore they are ready to be more bold and venterous in any thing, they are ready to take vp opinions, they are ready to strike out this way or that way. But now a true Christian is humbled with it, because when Christ comes into the heart, he makes a man to see his vilenesse. As, you know, when GOD drew neere to Iob, when he came neere him indeed, then he abhorred himselfe in dust and ashes, then hee saw what a one he was, he saw not before, he thought the contrary, but when GOD drew neere indeed, that made him manifest.