A09950:472
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.
First, a man must know that there may be many delusions in this kind: many Hypocrites ⟨p. 93⟩may have great raptures, they may have great joy, as if they were lift up into the third heaven, they may have a great and strong persuasion that their estate is good. Satan is very apt to delude us in this kind, to put a counterfeit upon us in stead of true faith; Therefore we will not content our selves with this, but give other marks, that will not deceive. At this time you are to consider, you that come to the Sacrament, Is it not a main thing to consider whether you have faith or no? What do you here else, you have nothing to do with Christ, you have no interest in him; and if you have no interest in him, what do you with the Elements which represent his body and his blood? And therefore you have cause to attend to it. First, therefore, if thou find such a work in thy heart, (for if thou conclude that there is no such work, thou needest not examine further, thou mayest be sure that thou hast not faith, but if thou have such a work) if thou wouldst know whether it be really and truly, or whether it be a fancy or delusion, consider:
First, a man must know that there may be many delusions in this kinde: many Hypocrites ⟨p. 93⟩may haue great raptures, they may haue great ioy, as if they were lift vp into the third heauen, they may haue a great and strong perswasion that their estate is good. Satan is very apt to delude vs in this kinde, to put a counterfeit vpon vs in stead of true faith; Therefore wee will not content our selues with this, but giue other markes, that will not deceiue. At this time you are to consider, you that come to the Sacrament, Is it not a maine thing to consider whether you haue faith or no? What do you here else, you haue nothing to doe with Christ, you haue no interest in him; and if you haue no interest in him, what doe you with the Elements which represent his body and his blood? And therefore you haue cause to attend to it. First, therfore, if thou find such a worke in thy heart, (for if thou conclude that there is no such worke, thou needest not examine further, thou maist be sure that thou hast not faith, but if thou haue such a worke) if thou wouldst know whether it be really and truly, or whether it be a fancie or delusion, consider: