A09950:65
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.
Secondly, If there be no mistake of the person, yet what is this taking? In marriage, there is a certain form to be observed, and if that form be mist of, there is a miss of the match. This taking therefore is nothing but this, So to take him, as to be divorced from all other Lovers; so to serve him, as you serve no other Master; so to be subject to him, that you be subject to nothing in the World besides. This is properly to take CHRIST; and this excludes the greatest part of men, they being ready to take Christ, but then they will love the World too: but GOD tells them, that if they love the World, the love of the Father nor the Son is not in them. You must have your affections weaned from every kind of vanity. Go through ⟨p. 20⟩the whole Universe, look on all the things that are, Riches, and Pleasures, and Honours, Wife, and Children, if your heart be not weaned from every of them, you take him not as a Husband.
Secondly, If there be no mistake of the person, yet what is this taking? In marriage, there is a certaine forme to be obserued, and if that forme be mist of, there is a misse of the match. This taking therefore is nothing but this, So to take him, as to be diuorced from all other Louers; so to serue him, as you serue no other Master; so to bee subject to him, that you be subject to nothing in the World besides. This is properly to take CHRIST; and this excludes the greatest part of men, they being ready to take Christ, but then they will loue the World too: but GOD tels them, that if they loue the World, the loue of the Father nor the Sonne is not in them. You must haue your affections weaned from euery kinde of vanity. Goe thorow ⟨p. 20⟩the whole Vniuerse, looke on all the things that are, Riches, and Pleasures, and Honours, Wife, and Children, if your heart be not weaned from euery of them, you take him not as a Husband.
Again, others will serve CHRIST and their riches too, their credit too, their own praise with men too; but CHRIST tells them no man can serve both; you must serve him alone, and be obedient to none but him: if you do so, you take him for your Lord indeed. So many will be subject to him as a King, but they will be subject to their lusts too; if their lusts command them, they cannot deny them, some they will reserve; and, you know, how many this excludes. Therefore you shall find that no man can take Christ and his wealth: you know, the young man was shut out, because he would not let go his possessions, which he must part with, or else have none of him. So,