A09950:612
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.
Our nature is so backward, and so exceeding deceitful,1 that we cannot till other helps are gone. I will leave among you a sort of poor people, and they shall trust in my Name. (As if he should say) When men are brought to that, that all other things are taken away, and till then they will not trust in him. Indeed, till then it is not trusting. And therefore in 1 Tim. 1.5.2 She that is a Widow is left alone, and trusts in GOD. Till she be left alone, till the other props be taken away, a man cannot trust in GOD. Hence it is, that commonly when men are brought to the lowest, they are nearest to GOD, they have best access unto him; because when they are brought to such an exigent, then a man will pray best; and when he prays best, then he speeds best, then faith is set on work, and it works best when it is alone, when it is stripped of all other helps. And therefore you shall find in the Book of GOD, when men were lowest,3 they had nearest access to GOD. •sa, when he was come against with many thousands, he trusted upon GOD, though he went against them with half the number, and God delivered him, because he prayed and sought to GOD, and saw that he was not able to do any thing, he trusted in GOD. Another time, ⟨p. 172⟩when Asa had forgotten GOD, when he was strong, when he thought himself more able, when he was to deal with one that had a weaker Army a great deal, the King of Israel, he was overthrown, and shut up that he could not stir, because he sent to the King of Aram for help. It is GODS manner to defer sending of help till a man be brought to the Mount, as he did with Abraham; he might have done it before; but, you know how he did with Abraham, he brought him to the last cast. And David, he was brought to the very point of perishing by the hands of Saul, before he delivered him. And so he did with Jacob, Esau comes against him with four hundred men, (with a full resolution to destroy him) before he would deliver him. It is GODS manner to do thus. And so he did with Job, and other servants of his; his fashion is to do so, to bring men unto the very brow of the hill, till their feet be ready to slip, when they are even going, and then he delights to appear and deliver them. Therefore, in such cases, trust GOD, put all upon GOD;