A09950:1007
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.
Besides, if we should not reckon him as the §2chief good,1 and so prise him above all, some thing would offer it self one time or another to us, and draw our affections to it, and then we should leave the Lord, and take that: Therefore I say, it is required that we love the Lord above all. For every kind of love is not sufficient, as we see it in other things; that love that will serve a servant, or a common friend, will not serve for a wife, it is another kind of love; that love that will serve for one will not serve for another: A Parent, a King, and a Master, as they have different relations, so they must be love with different kinds of love. Now then consider what love it is that belongs to the Lord, he must have all, he must have a love that answers him: otherwise if thou come with a little pittance of love, and say, Lord, I am willing to bestow this upon thee, the Lord will refuse it, he will answer, I will take none of these things at your hands: Even as landlords do with their tenants,2 when they bring not all their rent, they refuse it and reject it, because it is not that which they require, and which is due. Even so the Lord deals with ⟨p. 166⟩us, as he did with the young man in the Gospel, saith he, Go and sell all that thou hast: My brethren, it was not the act of selling, but it was the affection that was required. Therefore Christ did but try his affection by it; and it was performed by the wise Merchant that sold all, this the Lord requires that we love him above all.
Besides, if wee should not reckon him as the §2chiefe good,1 and so prise him aboue all, some thing would offer it selfe one time or another to us, and draw our affections to it, and then wee should leaue the Lord, and take that: Therefore I say, it is required that we loue the Lord aboue all. For every kinde of loue is not sufficient, as we see it in other things; that loue that will serue a servant, or a common friend, will not serue for a wife, it is another kinde of loue; that loue that will serue for one will not serue for another: A Parent, a King, and a Master, as they haue different relations, so they must be love with different kindes of loue. Now then consider what loue it is that belongs to the Lord, he must haue all, he must haue a loue that answers him: otherwise if thou come with a little pittance of loue, and say, Lord, I am willing to bestow this upon thee, the Lord will refuse it, hee will answer, I will take none of these things at your hands: Even as landlords doe with their tenants,