A09950:721
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.
Now this natural love hath two other loves hanging on both sides of it:
Now this naturall loue hath two other loues hanging on both sides of it:
One is a vicious and sinful love, that carries ⟨p. 11⟩it the wrong way to love sinful things.
One is a vicious and sinfull loue, that carries ⟨p. 11⟩it the wrong way to loue sinfull things.
The second is a spiritual love, which sets limits to this natural love, that sets banks, as it were, to the stream of natural affection, that suffers it not to run over, and not so only, but gives a higher rise to this natural love, and pitcheth it on higher ends, it elevates natural love, and makes it an holy love. So that all natural love is to be subordinate to this, otherwise it is not good; for natural love is but given us to help us to go that way that spiritual love should carry us, even as the wind helps the ship, whereas otherwise it should have been driven with oars: And therefore the Lord, to help us to love our selves, and to love our children, and to love those things that are suitable and convenient to us, he hath in mercy, and for a help to us, put a natural affection into our hearts, which yet is to be guided by spiritual love, that we are now to speak of.
The second is a spirituall loue, which sets limits to this naturall loue, that sets bankes, as it were, to the streame of naturall affection, that suffers it not to runne over, and not so onely, but gives a higher rise to this naturall loue, and pitcheth it on higher ends, it elevates naturall loue, and makes it an holy loue. So that all naturall loue is to be subordinate to this, otherwise it is not good; for naturall loue is but given us to help us to goe that way that spirituall loue should carry us, even as the winde helpes the ship, whereas otherwise it should haue beene driven with oares: And therefore the Lord, to helpe us to loue our selues, and to loue our children, and to loue those things that are sutable and convenient to us, hee hath in mercie, and for a helpe to us, put a naturall affection into our hearts, which yet is to be guided by spirituall loue, that we are now to speake of.