A09950:1088
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.
Again,1 to take pains with our hearts, to master ⟨p. 210⟩our unruly lusts and affections is a good work. Do not you reckon it a work to break horses, to master colts? It is the trade of some men to do so: and is it not a good work for you to get victory over your lusts, to tame your unbridled natures, to curb your unruly hearts and affections in all the variety of occasions that ye pass through? It is a work to behave our selves as becomes Christians decently and comely, and holily, in poverty, in riches, in honour, and disgraces; to behave our selves under these things in a right manner, to carry our selves patiently and holily through them as becomes good Christians, this is a good work, and this belongs to every one, though his calling be never so mean.
Againe,1 to take paines with our hearts, to master ⟨p. 210⟩our unruly lusts and affections is a good worke. Doe not you reckon it a worke to breake horses, to master coltes? It is the trade of some men to doe so: and is it not a good worke for you to get victory over your lusts, to tame your unbridled natures, to curbe your unruly hearts and affections in all the variety of occasions that ye passe through? It is a worke to behave our selves as becomes Christians decently and comely, and holily, in poverty, in riches, in honour, and disgraces; to behave our selves under these things in a right manner, to carry our selves patiently and holily through them as becomes good Christians, this is a good worke, and this belongs to every one, though his calling be never so meane.
- 1In mastering our lusts.
When Paul stood at the bar, and Festus reviled him, and said he was a mad fellow, the suffering of this was a work in Paul: Mark his manner of carriage in it, I am not mad most noble Festus: there was a work in that. So I may instance in the things wherein you may seem to do the least; the standing still in some cases is a work the Apostle makes among the great works that are to be done by Christians, this to be the chief, To keep our selves pure and unspotted of the world, to pass through all occasions, & to be never the worse for them, to go through all defilements of this present life, & not be tainted: and if this be a work, how much more is it then to be still doing, to be in act and operation always? Therefore do not say you want when you shall always have occasion enough of that.