A09950:399
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.
It is true, we ought to do this, and every man is bound to look to the Word: for, faith cometh by hearing; and to hearken to ⟨p. 55⟩the Ministry; for it is Gods ordinance to breed faith in the heart, but yet till there be a work of the Spirit, a man shall never be so persuaded, as to have any sure and sound comfort by it.
It is true, we ought to doe this, and euery man is bound to looke to the Word: for, faith commeth by hearing; and to hearken to ⟨p. 55⟩the Ministery; for it is Gods ordinance to breed faith in the heart, but yet till there be a worke of the Spirit, a man shall neuer be so perswaded, as to haue any sure and sound comfort by it.
Now all this is done by the Spirit, it is the wonderful work of GOD: for when CHRIST is propounded to men, when he is offered, (as we have often offered him to you, we have showed you what access you have to him, that no man is excluded, that he is offered to every creature under heaven, we have showed you the generality of the promise, that it takes in all, that you are contained under it, that you may apply it to your selves; I say, when all this is done) yet when a man comes to perform this, to apply it to himself, he is no more able to do it, then a dead man is able to stir himself. Therefore the same power that raised CHRIST from the dead, is required to work faith in our hearts, as it is in Eph. 1.19.1 According to his mighty power which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead. So that it is as great a work, to move a mans heart to CHRIST, as to put life into a dead man; we are as unapt and backward to it, as a dead man is to receive life. For what else is the reason, that when we preach CHRIST to you, when he is offered to you, that there be so few that are affected with him, that there be so few that take him? doth it not show that you