A09950:560
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.
It is a general Rule in all things, and as true in this, If a man have an estate, what is he the better to have it, if he do not use it? To have a friend, what is a man the better if he do not use him? Shall a man be a Favourite of a Prince, and get nothing by it? Faith makes a man a Favourite of GOD, a friend to GOD; and will you make no use of GOD? It is that which he expects at your hands; will you have GOD in vain? Shall he be your GOD, and will you make no use of his power, of his wisdom, of his ability to hold you up, to help you upon all occasions? You should make use of him; all that is his, is yours, if you make use of it by faith.
It is a generall Rule in all things, and as true in this, If a man haue an estate, what is he the better to haue it, if he doe not vse it? To haue a friend, what is a man the better if he doe not vse him? Shall a man be a Fauourite of a Prince, and get nothing by it? Faith makes a man a Fauourite of GOD, a friend to GOD; and will you make no vse of GOD? It is that which he expects at your hands; will you haue GOD in vaine? Shall hee be your GOD, and will you make no vse of his power, of his wisdome, of his ability to hold you vp, to helpe you vpon all occasions? You should make vse of him; all that is his, is yours, if you make vse of it by faith.
Again, shall men have such privileges as we have by faith, and shall not we comfort our selves by them? What is it for a man to have great estates, great Titles of Honour, and Houses, and Lands, if a man do not think upon them, that these considerations may cheer him? We should do so with faith, this is the use of faith.
Againe, shall men haue such priuiledges as we haue by faith, and shall not wee comfort our selues by them? What is it for a man to haue great estates, great Titles of Honor, and Houses, and Lands, if a man doe not thinke vpon them, that these considerations may cheere him? We should doe so with faith, this is the vse of faith.