A09950:447
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.
One is by the promises, the sure Word, on which faith is built.
The second is by the fruits of sanctification in our selves.
The second is by the fruites of sanctification in our selues.
Now when we find these languishing, we should go to the first, and the other will be increased by it. Faith worketh in you sanctification, and maketh you to believe the promise; as exercise begets health,1 and we are made fit by health for exercise: or as acts beget habits, and habits are means to exercise those acts: So assurance, grounded upon the promise, it enableth, and enlargeth, and increaseth ⟨p. 77⟩sanctification, and sanctification increaseth assurance: but first see faith, and then the other as fruits of it. If you find a weakness in sanctification, labour to strengthen your faith, and that will increase it: for that is the ground of all.
Now when we finde these languishing, we should goe to the first, and the other will be increased by it. Faith worketh in you sanctification, and maketh you to beleeue the promise; as exercise begets health,1 and we are made fit by health for exercise: or as acts beget habits, and habits are meanes to exercise those acts: So assurance, grounded vpon the promise, it enableth, and enlargeth, and increaseth ⟨p. 77⟩