A09950:1031
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.
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:
Now my brethren, there remaines but one thing more, wherewith wee will conclude this point, that is, now I have beene so large in shewing you what this love is, wherein you cannot blame us if we presse you to it, because it is one of the greatest and most radicall vertues, faith and love, therefore we have beene the larger in describing it to you; I say now you have heard what it is, what remains but this, to shew you the great danger in not loving? and that we wil make to be the last consectary that we will draw from this doctrine:
I say, consider how dangerous a thing it is to neglect it; the Lord you see requires it upon pain of damnation, whatsoever you have, yet notwithstanding if you have not this love, you are not in ⟨p. 175⟩Christ,1 and so you shall be excluded. Let no man think that this is exaction, that it is a hard thing that the Lord requires it with this exaction: for what is it that he requires? If he had required of you to offer sacrifice, as he did in the old law, then the poor man might have objected, he had not where withal; if he had required us to fight battles,1 the weak man might have said he could not do it, he was not able: but now young and old, rich and poor, all can love.