A09950:742
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 take heed herein that you deceive not your selves, for it is the manner, when we press the love of Christ upon them, they are ready to say, I hope I love the Lord, I hope I am not such a miscreant as not to love him; yea but consider whether thou do or no: it is true, thou mayest deceive me or another man when thou professest love to God, but in this thou canst not deceive thy self; for a man knows what he loves, love is a very sensible and quick affection.1 When a man loves any thing, when he loves his wife, loves his friend, loves his son, loves his sport, his recreation, he knows he loves it, he hath the sense of that love in himself. Therefore consider with thy self whether thou hast any such stirring affection towards the Lord Jesus or no; doest ⟨p. 25⟩thou feel thy heart so possessed with him?1 art thou sick of love, as the Spouse saith in the Canticles, I am sick of love? That is, are you grieved when he is absent? are you glad when you have him? when you can get into his presence? for there is a kind of painfulness in love: and all painfulness is of a quick sense. When it is said, the Church was sick of love, sickness is painful: And therefore when you want the Lord, when there is a distance between him and you, when he doth not look on you as he was wont, there will be painfulness in it and grief.
And take heede herein that you deceive not your selves, for it is the manner, when we presse the love of Christ upon them, they are ready to say, I hope I love the Lord, I hope I am not such a miscreant as not to love him; yea but consider whether thou doe or no: it is true, thou maist deceive me or another man when thou professest love to God, but in this thou canst not deceive thy selfe; for a man knowes what he loves, love is a very sensible and quick affection.1 When a man loves any thing, when hee loves his wife, loves his friend, loves his sonne, loves his sport, his recreation, he knowes he loves it, he hath the sense of that love in himselfe. Therefore consider with thy selfe whether thou hast any such stirring affection towards the Lord Iesus or no; doest ⟨p. 25⟩