A09950:524
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.
Again,4 if it be out of false, slender, and slight grounds; when stronger reasons and objections come, that faith ceaseth likewise. But now then, when thou findest that thy faith holds out, when all these are past, when all these are taken away, when the fear is ⟨p. 120⟩gone, when such an offer is made, when all the objections are made that can be, this argues that faith is sound and good. Consider therefore, whether thy faith cleave fast, and constantly to CHRIST, or no; whether it hold out, when those flashes and good moods will not; whether it overcome, when it is assaulted by the Gates of Hell coming against it. That is, when a mans faith is good, it is built upon the Rock, upon such a Rock, that if the Devil himself, and principalities and powers come, with all their strength, and all their wit, with all their temptations, and devises, if faith be sound, it will hold out, the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it. The Woman of Canaan, she had a shrewd trial, when CHRIST tells her she was a Dog, in plain terms, and when it came from Christ himself; and yet when her faith was good indeed, she could not choose but she must cleave to him, she would not give over, there was a strong faith, that did knit her heart secretly unto CHRIST, there was the ground that she held out, notwithstanding all objections; although, it may be, she knew not how to answer them, yet she let not go, and that was a sign her faith was good: So, consider whether thy faith hold out when thou art put to such trials as these.
Againe,4 if it be out of false, slender, and slight grounds; when stronger reasons and objections come, that faith ceaseth likewise. But now then, when thou findest that thy faith holds out, when all these are past, when all these are taken away, when the feare is ⟨p. 120⟩gone, when such an offer is made, when all the objections are made that can be, this argues that faith is sound and good. Consider therefore, whether thy faith cleaue fast, and constantly to CHRIST, or no; whether it hold out, when those flashes and good moodes will not; whether it ouercome, when it is assaulted by the Gates of Hell comming against it. That is, when a mans faith is good, it is built vpon the Rocke, vpon such a Rocke, that if the Deuill himselfe, and principalities and powers come, with all their strength, and all their wit, with all their temptations, and deuises, if faith be sound, it will hold out, the Gates of Hell shall not preuaile against it. The Woman of Canaan, she had a shrewd tryall, when CHRIST tels her she was a Dog, in plaine termes, and when it came from Christ himselfe; and yet when her faith was good indeed, she could not chuse but she must cleaue to him, she would not giue ouer, there was a strong faith, that did knit her heart secretly vnto CHRIST, there was the ground that she held out, notwithstanding all objections; although, it may be, she knew not how to answer them, yet she let not goe, and that was a signe her faith was good: So, consider whether thy faith hold out when thou art put to such tryals as these.