A09950:435
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.
1I answer, there is end enough, there are motives enow:2 Is not love a ground strong enough to bring forth good works? When this objection was made to Paul, Rom. 6. If Grace abound,3 why may we not sin the more; for Grace aboundeth, as sin aboundeth? he might easily have answered,1 Except you do good works, you cannot be saved; but he saith, How can we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? That is, when a man is once in CHRIST, there will be such a change wrought in him, that he shall find CHRIST killing sin in him, and he shall be raised again to newness of life, insomuch that he must of necessity do it; there will be love in his heart, that will set him awork, that will constrain him: therefore, saith he, are you not baptized into Christs death? That is, when a man is in CHRIST, he is dead to sin, as CHRIST dyed for him: so that, ⟨p. 71⟩though there be no such motive, as for a man to get Heaven by his works; yet, upon the taking of Christ, there is a love planted in the heart, there is a change wrought in the heart, so that there is an aptness in it to do good works; so that now a man delighteth in the Law of God concerning his inward man, he desires nothing more then to be employed in it, it is his meat and drink to do the will of GOD. Is not this enough to move us?