A09950:386
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.
The last thing I propounded, is to show how this is wrought,3 how our faith is made effectual. It is made effectual by the Spirit of God, it is not in our own power, we are not able to believe, nay, we are so far from it, that we strive against it, the spirit ⟨p. 48⟩in us resists it; so that, if GOD himself put not his hand to the work,2 no man is able to believe.
The last thing I propounded, is to shew how this is wrought,3 how our faith is made effectuall. It is made effectuall by the Spirit of God, it is not in our owne power, we are not able to beleeue, nay, wee are so farre from it, that wee striue against it, the spirit ⟨p. 48⟩in vs resists it; so that, if GOD himselfe put not his hand to the worke,2 no man is able to beleeue.
- 3How effectual faith is wrought,How effectuall faith is wrought,
- 2It is not in mans power to believe.It is not in mans power to beleeue.
You may think, when you see such general propositions as these, that Christ is offered to every creature under heaven, and that whosoever believeth shall be saved, you may think, I say, that it is easy to bring this home in particular, to say, Surely this pardon belongs to me. My Brethren, it is another thing for a man indeed to believe, for him to take CHRIST so as to deny himself for him, to take him so, as to mortify his lusts, so as to take up his cross, so as to obey CHRIST, to follow him in all things, this is a thing that no man is able to do, unless GOD enable him to it, with his almighty power. For the heart of every man, by nature, is so shut up against CHRIST, that it will give no entrance to him, he may stand and knock long enough; unless GOD himself shake off the bolts, and open the gates, and break open these everlasting doors, that the King of Glory may come in, we will not admit him, but keep him out.