A09950:681
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.
And therefore I say to thee in this case, as Saint James saith; Know ye not what end the Lord made with Job? So mark what end the Lord makes, as with Job, so with all the Saints; know what is their ends. And otherwise take all the evil men, as Jeroboam and Saul, and see what end the LORD made with them; their prosperity was as a pleasant Dream, which was soon gone; as the flower of the grass upon the house top, which withereth: Look to the end of things. I cannot stand on it.
And therefore I say to thee in this case, as Saint Iames saith; Know ye not what end the Lord made with Iob? So marke what end the Lord makes, as with Iob, so with all the Saints; know what is their ends. And otherwise take all the euill men, as Ieroboam and Saul, and see what end the LORD made with them; their prosperity was as a pleasant Dreame, which was soone gone; as the flower of the grasse vpon the house top, which withereth: Looke to the end of things. I cannot stand on it.
Secondly, though the wicked prosper, yet their prosperity hurts them as much as affliction ⟨p. 206⟩and adversity doth good to the godly, their prosperity slayeth them, whereas the afflictions of the other benefits them: if thou find this to be thy case, that thou prosper, and that thou seest thou goest on in sin, thou hast no cause to rejoice in this; or if thou seest other men prosper, think them not happy for this, it is out of mistake, It is the miserablest condition in the world; you know what GOD did to Hophni and Phinehas, he did not afflict them, he let them go long, he sent them no disease, he interrupted not their course: What was the reason? He had a purpose to destroy them.
Secondly, though the wicked prosper, yet their prosperity hurts them as much as affliction ⟨p. 206⟩and aduersity doth good to the godly, their prosperity slayeth them, whereas the afflictions of the other benefits them: if thou finde this to be thy case, that thou prosper, and that thou seest thou goest on in sinne, thou hast no cause to reioyce in this; or if thou seest other men prosper, thinke them not happy for this, it is out of mistake, It is the miserablest condition in the world; you know what GOD did to Hophni and Phineas, he did not afflict them, he let them goe long, he sent them no disease, hee interrupted not their course: What was the reason? Hee had a purpose to destroy them.