A09950:1012
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.
1Yes my brethren, and there is good reason for that too,2 because in so doing we provide best for our selves; it is not so with the creature, if you set your love upon it, if you love any creature above your selves, it may be the destruction of your selves: But the Lord can provide for you and repair you again when the creature is destroyed for the Lords sake, when a man is a loser for any thing that he doth for the Lord, he is a great gainer by it; for it is the rule that God hath appointed the creature, and the perfection of every creature is in coming near to ⟨p. 167⟩the rule. Now when the Lord hath appointed this to love him above our selves, in so doing we cannot choose but provide best for our selves, because therein lies our excellency and perfection. This is therefore another property of this love, we must love God above all, above all riches, above all profits, above all honour and credit, above all learning and delight, above our selves and our lusts: Therefore you shall find it in the phrase of Scripture how it runs, those that love pleasures more than God, those that love the praise of men more than God, those that love wealth more than God, you see how they are excluded.
1Yes my brethren, and there is good reason for that too,2 beeause in so doing we provide best for our selues; it is not so with the creature, if you set your loue upon it, if you loue any creature aboue your selves, it may be the destruction of your selves: But the Lord can provide for you and repaire you againe when the creature is destroyed for the Lords sake, when a man is a loser for any thing that he doth for the Lord, he is a great gainer by it; for it is the rule that God hath appointed the creature, and the perfection of every creature is in comming neere to ⟨p. 167⟩the rule. Now when the Lord hath appointed this to loue him aboue our selues, in so doing we cannot chuse but provide best for our selues, because therein lies our excellencie and perfection. This is therefore another property of this loue, we must loue God aboue all, aboue all riches, aboue all profits, aboue all honour and credit, aboue all learning and delight, aboue our selues and our lusts: Therefore you shall finde it in the phrase of Scripture how it runnes, those that loue pleasures more than God, those that love the praise of men more than God, those that loue wealth more than God, you see how they are excluded.