A09950:455
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.
Therefore you shall observe in Christs answer to the Woman of Canaan, in her earnest prayer, in her coming to Christ, her fighting and striving against the Devil, her tenderness to her Daughter, her holding out so long as she did; all this Christ looks over: But when he comes to give his censure of her work, of her carriage, Oh Woman, great is thy faith, saith he. That was it that set a great price upon her work: Matth. 15.26, 27.1 ⟨p. 81⟩So, take the most excellent, the greatest work that can be performed, GOD sets them at no higher a price then he finds faith in them; he weighs them by that: so much faith as is in them, so far he accepts them, so far he regards them. Look in Heb. 11.2 you shall find many glorious works set down. All the great works that Sampson did, all the works that David did, the works that Gideon did, the works that Baruc did, the works that Moses did, and so along, you shall see there, that there was nothing in all these works that was regarded, but their faith: all is imputed to faith. And therefore, when you go about any thing, labour to see faith set you awork; and know, that as much faith as there is in any work, so much GOD regards it, and no further. Jacob had done many good things, that pleased GOD, yet GOD, when he would put a mark of his favour upon him, when he would call him Israel, when he would change his name, it was for that great work of faith, when he prayed all night, when he would not give over, when he would not let him go, when he prevailed with God by faith; now, saith God, thy name shall be called Israel. (As if he should say) Now I will put a name of honour upon thee. Why so? Not because there was more in that work, simply considered, as it was a work: but because there was more faith in it. And it must needs be so: for GOD doth ⟨p. 82⟩not as men do, who accept the giver for the gift. (If a man come to you with a great gift, you will accept his person for it.) But GOD accepts the gift for the givers sake:3