The Breastplate of Faith and Love

But in the will there lieth much more, sometimes vain hopes, sometimes vain fears, sometimes one thing, sometimes another. If there be any inordinate lust after any creature, after any thing in the world, it lieth between God and us, and makes a separation between us; and till that be removed, God and we cannot come together, till there be an union we cannot fully love. Therefore if you would love the Lord, have your hearts circumcised, that is, have those things removed out of your understanding, and out of your will. Take away those obstacles that lie between God and you: And if you cannot do it your selves, go to Christ, it is he that circumciseth us with the circumcision made without hands.

But in the will there lyeth much more, sometimes vaine hopes, sometimes vaine feares, sometimes one thing, sometimes another. If there be any inordinate lust after any creature, after any thing in the world, it lieth betweene God and us, and makes a separation betweene us; and till that be removed, God and we cannot come together, till there be an union wee cannot fully love. Therefore if you would love the Lord, have your hearts circumcised, that is, have those things removed out of your understanding, and out of your will. Take away those obstacles that lie betweene God and you: And if you cannot doe it your selves, goe to Christ, it is he that circumciseth us with the circumcision made without hands.

¹Again, when you have done this, that you may grow in love to the Lord, learn to know the Lord; for the more you know him, the more you will love him. What is the reason that the Angels in heaven so love him? Because they know him. What is the reason that we shall love ⟨p. 109⟩him more in heaven than we do now, but because we shall know him more? Therefore when you read the Scriptures, and observe the works of Gods providence in every particular, learn by this to know God: as you know a man by his actions and carriage, learn to have such an Idea of God, as he hath described himself in his word, that he is true of his word, that he is full of goodness, that he is abundant in long-suffering and patience, that he is exceeding merciful beyond measure, &c. labour to see his wisdom, his goodness, and his mercy, labour to know God: for when you come to know him aright, by that we come to love him. Why do we love one man more than another, but because we conceive him under such a notion, we conceive his heart to be of such and such a frame, we think him to be a man of such and such a condition? when we thus conceive the Lord, it will teach us to love him more. Therefore this you must know, that for you only to look upon things that are beneficial to you, as forgiveness of sins, and adoption, and an inheritance in heaven, that is not love to the Lord. It is true, you should do all this, but that which you are principally to do, is to look to the essence of God, to see such excellencies in him, that thereby you may be led home to him: and therefore that you may know him the better, you must be taught of him. Again, you must not only know him, but you must likewise have assurance of his love to you: for when you know the excellencies of the Lord,