A09950:498
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.
And this, me thinks now, when we consider, we should not defer our repentance, and think with our selves, I will repent when I am sick, I will go to GOD in the time of extremity. Well, it may be thou mayest do it; but alas, canst thou come to speak to God now as to a friend, when as thou hast been a ⟨p. 107⟩stranger to him, and he to thee, all thy life? Certainly thou canst not. And when thou comest and prayest earnestly, when some great cross is on thee, in some great exigent, in the day of death, in the time of thy sickness; know, that though thou pray never so fervently, although thou add fasting to quicken it, yet it is doubtful whether it be acceptable prayer at all in that exigent. The Scripture gives it another term, in Hosea 7.14.1 Saith he, You prayed not to me with your hearts, but you howled upon your beds: it came not out of any love to me, nor from any change of heart, it came not out of a holy disposition in you. Therefore you prayed not to me, when you howled upon your beds: that is, as if he should say, they were no more but howlings. Will not a dog, or a beast, or any other unreasonable creature, when they are pinched, when they are in extremity, will they not cry, will they not moan for help? Your prayers were no more, they were but howlings upon your beds. And what were they for? They were to be delivered from the present affliction, they were to have Wine and Oil in that great dearth that was upon them: And so in those cases, your earnest prayers are but howlings upon your bed. And therefore think not that this is prayer, be not deceived in it. And therefore it is the manner of the Saints, if you would know it, when they come to pray, they come boldly ⟨p. 108⟩to GOD, they come boldly to the Throne of Grace, as the Apostle saith, Eph. 3 7.2 By faith we have boldness, and entrance with confidence. Another man he prays earnestly, but examine his heart, and he must needs say, Indeed, GOD is a stranger to me, I cannot be confident; it may be he hears me, it may be he hears me not. Whereas we are required to lift up pure hands in every place, without wrath or doubting; we are required to come with boldness: