A09950:662
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.
Again, it is not so bad, (I say) but it may be best for thee, it may do thee good: for our nature is so rebellious, and so set upon things of this world, that except God should take this course, to work a weariness in the World, to mortify our lusts, if GOD should not take such courses, our nature would be ready to rebel: therefore GOD dealeth so with men. Sometimes he afflicts thee with sickness, sharp sickness, which is irksome to thee; but know, that if that disease were taken from thee, thou knowest not what thy heart would do. Some men be afflicted ⟨p. 193⟩with enmity of others; thou knowest not, if thou wert friends with all men, how thou shouldest be. Thou art afflicted in the world, in thy wife, in thy children, in thy neighbours, in thy name, in thy estate, and though thou think with thy self, If I were free from this, I should be happy, I should be humble, I should serve GOD the better; I say unto thee, thou knowest not what thou shouldest be: A mans mind doth not know what it would be in another estate, only he knows the present. If thou haddest such and such circumstances, if thou haddest wealth, if thou haddest such crosses removed, if all things should go well with thee, Oh then thou wouldest be happy: but thou knowest not what thou shouldest be. You know what the Prophet said to Hazael: (saith he) Doest thou know what thou shalt be when thou art King of Aram? Thou knowest how thou art affected now, but thou knowest not how thou shalt be then, when thou art a King, then thou wilt be answerable to thy state and condition. So much for the second Objection.
Againe, it is not so bad, (I say) but it may be best for thee, it may doe thee good: for our nature is so rebellious, and so set vpon things of this world, that except God should take this course, to worke a wearinesse in the World, to mortifie our lusts, if GOD should not take such courses, our nature would bee ready to rebell: therefore GOD dealeth so with men. Sometimes he afflicts thee with sicknesse, sharpe sicknesse, which is irksome to thee; but know, that if that disease were taken from thee, thou knowest not what thy heart would doe. Some men bee afflicted ⟨p. 193⟩with enmity of others; thou knowest not, if thou wert friends with all men, how thou shouldest be. Thou art afflicted in the world, in thy wife, in thy children, in thy neighbours, in thy name, in thy estate, and though thou thinke with thy selfe, If I were free from this, I should be happy, I should bee humble, I should serue GOD the better; I say vnto thee, thou knowest not what thou shouldest be: A mans minde doth not know what it would be in another estate, onely he knows the present. If thou haddest such and such circumstances, if thou haddest wealth, if thou haddest such crosses remoued, if all things should goe well with thee, Oh then thou wouldest be happy: but thou knowest not what thou shouldest be. You know what the Prophet said to Hazael: (saith he) Doest thou know what thou shalt be when thou art King of Aram? Thou knowest how thou art affected now, but thou knowest not how thou shalt be then, when thou art a King, then thou wilt be answerable to thy state and condition. So much for the second Objection.