A09950:356
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.
This point you must mark; when I say it is effectual it is no more but when it thus pitcheth on CHRIST,1 though there be some doubting: It is so far from being true that faith must be without all doubting, that we may boldly say, it is not faith, except it have much doubting, unless there be some fears, unless there be some troubles within, that resist this faith, and strive against it; otherwise it is no faith: for certainly, there is no ⟨p. 26⟩man that hath perfect faith, especially at the first, or afterward either, so as to set his heart fully at peace, and then if it be not perfect faith, if there be no doubting, there must be perfect flesh, that is, there is nothing but flesh, and if there be some faith which is imperfect, alway in the beginning there must needs be doubting, because there is some flesh, and some spirit, there is fire and water, and therefore there must needs be striving. We may say of doubting,2 in this case, as we say of Thistles; they are ill weeds, but the ground is fat and good where they grow: so doubting is a thing that resists faith, it is bad, but it is a sign the heart is good where it is.3 So that, where there is all peace, where there is no questioning, where the heart is not perplexed and troubled, and complains not, it is a sign that the strong man possesseth the House wholly; it is a sign there is nothing but flesh there. Therefore mark this point to your comfort, that if there be but so much faith as will produce this work of taking CHRIST, though there be some doubtings mingled with it, yet it is properly effectual faith, because it doth the thing, though not perfectly. That is the first acception of the word effectual, a thing is said to be effectual, when it doth the proper function of it, though it do it not perfectly, and throughly, yet, if it do it, it is said to be effectual: so faith, if it pitch upon CHRIST, though not ⟨p. 27⟩so perfectly as afterwards it may, it is effectual.
This point you must marke; when I say it is effectuall it is no more but when it thus pitcheth on CHRIST,