A09950:1030
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.
Lastly, we must be diligent in keeping his commands; ⟨p. 174⟩wilt thou say thou lovest God, and yet doest disobey him and rebellest against him from day to day? The Lord careth for no such love, for indeed love cannot be otherwise judged of than in obeying: to say thou lovest him, and keepest not his commands, it is but a dead love, and a picture of love, it is not love indeed, it is but as the Apostle saith, to do it in word, and not in truth; for when you love him in deed, you do the things he would have you to do: Therefore so much diligence in keeping his commands, so much love, he that doeth most loveth most. And so you see the conditions that are required in this love, what a kind of love it is that God will have at your hands, or else he will not take it of you.
Lastly, wee must be diligent in keeping his commands; ⟨p. 174⟩wilt thou say thou lovest God, and yet doest disobey him and rebellest against him from day to day? The Lord careth for no such love, for indeede love cannot be otherwise judged of than in obeying: to say thou lovest him, and keepest not his commands, it is but a dead love, and a picture of love, it is not love indeede, it is but as the Apostle saith, to doe it in word, and not in truth; for when you love him in deede, you doe the things he would have you to doe: Therefore so much diligence in keeping his commands, so much love, he that doeth most loveth most. And so you see the conditions that are required in this love, what a kinde of love it is that God will have at your hands, or else he will not take it of you.
Now my brethren, there remains but one thing more, wherewith we will conclude this point, that is, now I have been so large in showing you what this love is, wherein you cannot blame us if we press you to it, because it is one of the greatest and most radical virtues, faith and love, therefore we have been the larger in describing it to you; I say now you have heard what it is, what remains but this, to show you the great danger in not loving? and that we will make to be the last consectary that we will draw from this doctrine: