A09950:753
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.
THE last trial of our love to Christ was its constraining virtue, love will constrain you to serve him, you cannot choose but do it, it so constrains a man, as the weight of a stone compelleth it to go to the centre, as the lightness of the fire compels it to ascend up: for such a thing is love, a strong inclination of the heart, when the soul puts it self on any thing from an inward principle, from a bottom of its own, when it is carried on with no other motive but the amiableness of the object.
THE last tryall of our love to Christ was its constraining vertue, love will constraine you to serve him, you cannot choose but doe it, it so constraines a man, as the weight of a stone compelleth it to goe to the center, as the lightnesse of the fire compells it to ascend up: for such a thing is love, a strong inclination of the heart, when the soule puts it selfe on any thing from an inward principle, from a bottome of its owne, when it is carried on with no other motive but the amiablenes of the object.
Now to conclude this, we must beseech you to consider your own condition, and examine your selves by these rules, that you may be able to say as Peter said, Lord thou knowest I love thee: that is, to have such an assurance, that your hearts may be well affected towards Christ Jesus, that you may love him, that you may be able to say to God, who knows our hearts, searcheth our reins, that knows all the windings and turnings of your souls, Lord thou knowest that I love thee. Since it is a matter of such moment, we should be careful to examine, if we find that we have not yet this love: for we must know, that all that we have, all that we do, it will nothing avail us, but faith which worketh by love. And if you object, why do ye preach damnation to us? do you tell us we are in an evil condition for want of this love? I answer, it is profitable for you, while you are in such a condition, to have it preached, it is good for you to speak this damnation to your selves, that while yet there is hope you may seek to be healed, that you may be translated into another condition, that you may not perish in the evil day, when there shall be neither hope nor help for you. For you must know, that when we deliver you these signs of examining your selves, our end is not to grieve you, this doctrine tends not to destruction, but to discover to you your own hearts, that you may know your own condition, that if you want it, you may seek after it. If therefore you find a want of this love, that we will do next, shall be to show you what