A09950:615
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.
When thou hast any thing to do,1 if thou believe in God, that will make him ready to help thee, because then it is an acknowledging, and an attributing to his power. If he should do it in another case, he should lose his labour, he should lose his glory, men would not be built up in him by that which he did. Therefore, make use of faith, set faith on work, as I said. I should come to this now, to move you to trust in GOD in all cases. If I could persuade this, men would turn the courses of their lives, and would trust in him: for know, if thou trust in GOD, he never fails any that trust in him, as David saith, in Psal. 37. I never saw the righteous forsaken, &c. As if he should say, Ask all his servants, ask all men that ever have known him, all the men that have lived with him, that have finished their course with him; ask a servant of GOD, when he comes to dye, how GOD hath dealt with him, whether he hath failed him all his life; I am persuaded that there is not a servant of GOD, but will say that he never failed him; and, if he were to leave an exhortation behind him, he would exhort others, from experience of his trust; It cannot be that GOD should fail thee, if thou rest upon him. Thinkest thou that GOD can fail thee, when he saith himself so often, ⟨p. 174⟩he will never fail thee, nor those that trust in him? Will a man fail one that trusts in him? We use to say, Oh I will not fail him, for he trusts in me; and doest thou think that GOD will fail thee in such a case? If GOD should fail men in such cases▪ there is no man that would seek him. But, that men should be encouraged to serve him, he hath promised, not only, not to fail thee, but he is abundant in truth, he will be better then his word, he doth what he sayeth, and more too: If thou wouldest trust upon him in such a case, thou shouldst find that he will answer thee.
When thou hast any thing to doe,1 if thou beleeue in God, that will make him ready to helpe thee, because then it is an acknowledging, and an attributing to his power. If hee should doe it in another case, he should lose his labour, hee should lose his glory, men would not be built vp in him by that which he did. Therefore, make vse of faith, set faith on worke, as I said. I should come to this now, to moue you to trust in GOD in all cases. If I could perswade this, men would turne the courses of their liues, and would trust in him: for know, if thou trust in GOD, he neuer failes any that trust in him, as Dauid saith, in