A09950:379
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.
But yet add this again, a man may take Christ, and seem to draw near to him, when it may be, it is done out of fear, it may be, out of love to his, and not out of love to him, it may be done out of mis-information, and mistake; but when we draw near to GOD, and do it out of love,1 (put these two together) that we so take Christ, as that there is an union made between us and him, and when it is done out of love; as that condition is put in, in 1 Tim, 1.5.2 The end of the Commandment is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience, and faith unfeigned. As if he should say, There is a double kind of faith, a false faith, and a faith that is not hypocritical, that is the word used in the Original. Now, saith he, the end of the Commandment is love, &c. That is, all that God looks for, is such a love as comes from a faith that is unfeigned, that is not counterfeit. Herein is faith seen not to be counterfeit, if it beget love, and out of that love we cleave to Christ. So that this is the third thing that makes faith effectual.
But yet adde this againe, a man may take Christ, and seeme to draw neere to him, when it may be, it is done out of feare, it may bee, out of loue to his, and not out of loue to him, it may be done out of mis-information, and mistake; but when wee draw neere to GOD, and doe it out of loue,1 (put these two together) that we so take Christ, as that there is an vnion made betweene vs and him, and when it is done out of loue; as that condition is put in, in 1 Tim, 1.5.2 The end of the Commandement is loue out of a pure heart and a good conscience, and faith vnfeigned. As if hee should say, There is a double kinde of faith, a false faith, and a faith that is not hypocriticall, that is the word vsed in the Originall. Now, saith hee, the end of the Commandement is loue, &c. That is, all that God lookes for, is such a loue as comes from a faith that is vnfeigned, that is not counterfeit. Herein is faith seene not to be counterfeit, if it beget loue, and out of that loue we cleaue to Christ. So that this is the third thing that makes faith effectuall.