A09950:578
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.
6. Dost thou think that Christ came from heaven, and took flesh, and suffered death, to forgive small sins? No, it was to forgive the greatest; the work is large enough to match with the greatest sins. These, and such like reasons thou shouldest labour to bring to heart, that thou mayest believe perfectly and throughly, and give not over till thou have done it. Let not thy faith trust in Christ by halves, but trust throughly. Thou shouldest come to this disjunction: If I be out of the Covenant, why do I believe at all? why do I receive any comfort? If I be in the Covenant, why do I not believe perfectly? I say, give not over till thou have brought thy heart to a full assurance. Thus a ⟨p. 152⟩man should do that yet doubts whether his estate be good, whether CHRIST be his, when he is his. For when a man is once in the Covenant, that the match is made between him and thee, why doest thou doubt? If thou be in the Covenant once, doubt not then that a sin or two, or daily failings, shall break the Covenant between GOD and thee, it is impossible. Thou must know that thou often breakest the Covenant; but except there be a quite turning back, except thou altogether forsake GOD, except thou leave GOD, and choose thee a new Master, (this indeed breaketh the Covenant) otherwise, if it be but a failing, if it be but a sin of infirmity, from day to day, when as yet thou keepest GOD in thy heart, thou cleavest fast to him, thou intendest to serve him, and not to forsake him and give him over; think not that those sins, although they be great, break the Covenant. And therefore, Psal. 41.7. said the People of GOD there:1 Although these things be befallen us, yet have we not forgotten thee, nor dealt falsely concerning thy Covenant. Why; We have not turned back; although we have failed, and done many things amiss, yet have we not dealt falsely concerning thy Covenant. That is, we are not Hypocrites, our hearts are sincere.
6. Dost thou thinke that Christ came from heauen, and tooke flesh, and suffered death, to forgiue small sinnes? No, it was to forgiue the greatest; the worke is large enough to match with the greatest sinnes. These, and such like reasons thou shouldest labour to bring to heart, that thou mayest beleeue perfectly and throughly, and giue not ouer till thou haue done it. Let not thy faith trust in Christ by halues, but trust throughly. Thou shouldest come to this disjunction: If I bee out of the Couenant, why doe I beleeue at all? why doe I receiue any comfort? If I bee in the Couenant, why doe I not beleeue perfectly? I say, giue not ouer till thou haue brought thy heart to a full assurance. Thus a