A09950:495
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.
My brethren,1 be not deceived in it: you must know, that prayer is not a work of the memory, or a work of the wit. A man that hath a good wit, or a ready invention, or a voluble tongue, may make an excellent prayer, in his own esteem, and in the esteem of others,2 but this is not to pray. Prayer is the work of a sanctified heart, it it the work of GODS Spirit: There is a double prayer,3 Rom. 8. there is one prayer,4 which is the voice of our own spirit; there is a second prayer, which is the voice of Gods Spirit in us:5 that is, when the Holy Ghost hath so sanctified the heart, when he hath put it into such a whole frame of grace, that the heart comes to speak as it is quickened, as it is acted and moved from GODS Spirit. Now, saith the Text there, God knows the voice of his own Spirit: ⟨p. 106⟩for that makes requests according to his will, he hears that prayer: But now the prayers which are made by the voice of our own spirit, he knows not the meaning of them: that is, he hears them not, he hearkens not to them. Consider whether thy prayer be such or no; consider whether thy prayer be the voice of Gods Spirit in thee.
My brethren,1 be not deceiued in it: you must know, that prayer is not a worke of the memory, or a worke of the wit. A man that hath a good wit, or a ready invention, or a voluble tongue, may make an excellent praier, in his owne esteeme, and in the esteeme of others,2 but this is not to pray. Prayer is the worke of a sanctified heart, it it the worke of GODS Spirit: There is a double prayer,