A09950:377
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.
First, I will show it in the general: it is a ⟨p. 42⟩point that we have often mentioned heretofore, but to all that I have said, I will add that in Heb. 10.22.1 Let us draw near with a true heart, and assurance of faith. Mark it, first there must be an assurance of faith, that is in the understanding and mind of a man, and to that must be added drawing near, and that is an act of the will: for when we are assured of the truth of the promises, and have appropriated them to our selves, then follows the act of the will;2 therefore in vers. 38. of that Chap. it is said, The just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. That Antithesis, that opposition, that is made in that withdrawing of a mans self from God, is opposed to faith, to drawing near to him; when a man not only believeth the promises, but accepts and receives them. Now to do this in a right manner, is that wherein the efficacy of faith doth principally consist. Now what is that? It is to take Christ, to draw near to him in a right manner; and then it is done, when you so take him, that you bring Christ into your hearts, to dwell there, as it is expressed, Eph. 3.17.3 that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith. That is, when there is an union made between Christ and us, when he comes into the heart, when he dwells in us, and we in him; when Christ is so brought into our hearts, that he lives there, and when we are so united to him, that we live in him; when he grows in us, ⟨p. 43⟩as the Vine in the branches; and we grow in him, as the branches in the Vine: when faith hath done this, then it is an effectual faith, when it knits and unites us to CHRIST, as he saith,4 I will come in, and sup with him. That is, I will continue with him, I will live in him, and rule over him.