A09950:487
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.
So I say, If thou find not in faith this effect, this operation upon thy heart, that it works not this general change in thee, that it fires not thy soul with love to CHRIST, if thou find not life in it, and that it bring forth such fruits, if thou find it not grow, that it put another taste upon the whole soul, that it leavens it throughout; know that thou art deceived, rest not in it, cast it away, get a right faith, such as will not deceive thee. But I cannot stand upon this. This is the first sign of effectual faith.
So I say, If thou finde not in faith this effect, this operation vpon thy heart, that it workes not this generall change in thee, that it fires not thy soule with loue to CHRIST, if thou finde not life in it, and that it bring forth such fruites, if thou finde it not grow, that it put another taste vpon the whole soule, that it leauens it throughout; know that thou art deceiued, rest not in it, cast it away, get a right faith, such as will not deceiue thee. But I cannot stand vpon this. This is the first signe of effectuall faith.
Before I come to the second thing,1 know this, (by the way) you that receive the Sacrament, That, if you be unworthy receivers, you cannot do your selves a worse turn, then to offer to come to the Sacrament without ⟨p. 102⟩faith, to provoke GOD more, to eat and drink your own damnation. Now examine your selves by such rules as this:2 If you have changed your life; If you have received it heretofore, and continue still in your sins; If you say, it is true, I have done it, I have returned again to my gaming, I have returned again to my swearing, to my looseness, to my company-keeping; but yet I had a good meaning, I intended it at that time, well, that is not enough. If thou hadst faith, thou wouldest do it indeed; do not say, I had a good meaning: for, if thou hadst faith, it would not only work a good meaning in thee, but it would work power in thee to do this,