A09950:381
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.
And therefore it is GODS usual manner, when men seem to take CHRIST, and to believe in him,1 he puts them to the trial, to see what they will do, whether their faith will work or no. Thus he did with Abraham, when he would prove him; he was a faithful man before, God had experience of him before, but yet he would prove Abraham by offering his son, and when he saw he did it, he concluded that he had faith: indeed it was a strong faith, for it endured the trial. I say, GOD will put men to it. So likewise those in Joh. 12.42.2 Many of the chief Rulers believed in him, but they durst not confess him, for fear of the Jews, lest they should be cast out of the Synagogue. There was a faith in them, a taking of Christ, but when it came to the trial, it held not out, they durst not confess him, because they feared to be cast out of the Synagogue: that is, when they came to suffer a little for Christs sake, when they came to such an action as confessing his Name, when they came to endure but such ⟨p. 47⟩a thing as to be cast out of the Synagogue, they forsook him, which showed that their belief was ineffectual. So that, let a man seem to have all the other three, yet when the praise of men shall come in competition with any command of GOD, when God shall put him to do any thing, to part with any thing that is dear to him, as he did Abraham, if his faith work not, if his faith hold not out in the trial, but start aside, like a broken Bow, it is not effectual faith. So you see the things wherein the efficacy of faith consisteth.
And therefore it is GODS vsuall manner, when men seeme to take CHRIST, and to beleeue in him,1 he puts them to the tryall, to see what they will doe, whether their faith will worke or no. Thus he did with Abraham, when hee would proue him; hee was a faithfull man before, God had experience of him before, but yet he would proue Abraham by offering his sonne, and when he saw he did it, he concluded that he had faith: indeede it was a strong faith, for it endured the tryall. I say, GOD will put men to it. So likewise those in