A09950:339
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.
The manner of these men is to seek mercy and not grace.1 If they can be but assured that it shall go well with them, that they shall be freed from the fears they might have of Hell, that they may have some hope of being in a better condition, this is that they look for: but as for grace, for repairing the Image of GOD in their hearts, to be enabled to obey Christ in all things, this is a thing that they desire not, this is a thing they long not for: therefore the secret inquisition of their heart is, What good shall we get by it? They enquire not, what excellency, and what beauty there is in CHRIST, what manner of one he is, that they may love him; but what good shall we get by him? what advantage will it be to us? Contrary to that in Cant. 5.12.2 when the Spouse is there asked what the reason was that she followed her Beloved so much? and that she magnified him so much? She doth not tell them, because I shall have such ⟨p. 14⟩things by him, or he is thus wealthy, or I shall have this honour by matching with him; but mark her answer; My beloved is white and ruddy, the chief among ten thousand, his head is as the most fine Gold, his looks are black as a Raven, his eyes are as the eyes of Doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk and fitly set: and so she goes along in a holy delectation; This is my beloved, oh ye Daughters of Jerusalem. I say, so it is with those that take CHRIST in good earnest, that look upon the excellencies of CHRIST, as he is considered in himself: not that the other is excluded: for we may look at the advantages,3 and commodities that we have by him, but not upon that alone; but, mark, in her answer she describeth what a one he was, and therefore she loved him. My Beloved is white and ruddy, the fairest of ten thousand, such a one is my Beloved, therefore, Chap. 1. Vers. 2. she describes him to be such a one as he is; and (saith she) therefore the Virgins love thee: as if she had said, there is a Harlots love, that looks only what they shall have by him: but none but Virgins, that is, those that have chaste and good affections, those that have holy and right affections, indeed the Virgins love thee; but the others do not: for they have adulterous and Harlot-like affections, (as we may call them, when a man looks not unto GOD himself, but to his own advantage and profit.)