A09950:1042
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.
But perhaps thou regardest not this curse because thou regardest not grace and holiness from which it sequestereth thee,2 but yet there is another branch of it, thou shalt be separated from the presence of the Lord, that is, from the joy, from the influence, from the protection of God; and this is a very fearful curse. You know what it was to Cain in the fourth of Genesis, 2when the Lord had cursed him, saith he, I am hid from thy face: that was the great curse that was laid upon him, of which he was most sensible that he was separated from the presence of the Lord. And my brethren, this is no small thing, because God is the God of all comfort, and to be separated from his presence is the worst thing that can befall us in this life: It was Sauls case, when the Lord had ⟨p. 180⟩once cast him off, he was separate from the presence of God, so that when he came to ask counsel, the Lord would answer him no more, he would have no more to do with him: you know how fearful and how bitter this was to Saul. On the other side, see how much Moses magnifies this presence of God; Lord, saith he, if thou go not with us, carry us not hence: as if the presence of God were the greatest comfort in the world, as indeed it is. This is another thing wherein ye shall be cursed.
But perhaps thou regardest not this curse because thou regardest not grace and holinesse from which it sequestreth thee,2 but yet there is another branch of it, thou shalt be separated from the presence of the Lord, that is, from the joy, from the influence, from the protection of God; and this is a very fearfull curse. You know what it was to Cain in the fourth of Genesis, 2when the Lord had cursed him, saith he, I am hid from thy face: that was the great curse that was laid upon him, of which he was most sensible that he was separated from the presence of the Lord. And my brethren, this is no small thing, because God is the God of all comfort, and to be separated from his presence is the worst thing that can befall us in this life: It was Sauls case, when the Lord had