A09950:368
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.
That is, it shall come effectually upon him, it shall abide with him, and save his soul for ever. So, I say, when there is so much humiliation wrought in the heart, when the Spirit so far convinceth a man of sin, that he comes thus to prize CHRIST, this is the first thing wherein effectual faith consists: for though it be not the very thing wherein believing consists, yet it is that preparation, without which faith can never be found sound and effectual.
That is, it shall come effectually vpon him, it shall abide with him, and saue his soule for euer. So, I say, when there is so much humiliation wrought in the heart, when the Spirit so farre convinceth a man of sinne, that hee comes thus to prize CHRIST, this is the first thing wherein effectuall faith consists: for though it bee not the very thing wherein beleeuing consists, yet it is that preparation, without which faith can neuer be found sound and effectuall.
Secondly,II when this is done, this is not all, when there is such a preparation made, that a man is willing to take CHRIST upon any conditions, yet now, if he shall not be ⟨p. 34⟩well built, if he see not just ground to take him, if his understanding shall not see the truth of the promise so clearly, that he can build on it, that he can rest on it, that all the arguments in the World cannot draw him from it again, his faith will not be effectual. Therefore the second thing wherein the effectualness of faith consists, is to have it well built in the mind and understanding of a man, when he clearly seeth the truth of the promise, that he can build upon it infallibly. For your better understanding of this,2 you must know that then a man is said to be well built, to be rooted and grounded in faith, when he hath the first ground right, that so he proceeds from one to another, that it is not a confused superficial knowledge, to assent to the truth, and promises that are delivered in the Word, but when he hath a sure ground, the first ground, and the next, and so he proceeds along.