A09950:755
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 first, let this move you to love him, that he is worthy to be beloved, as David speaks, Psal. 18.3. The Lord is worthy to be praised: so we may say, the Lord is worthy to be loved: for what is it that makes any thing worthy of love, it is the excellency that we find there. Now in the Lord there is all kind of excellency: whatsoever there is that is amiable under the Sun, all that you shall find in him more abundantly: If ever you see any thing in any creature, any thing amiable in man, if ever you saw any beauty, any virtue, any excellency, all these must be more abundant in him that made these creatures. And therefore if you have a love, as there is no man without some love or other, some creature seems beautiful to you, think with your selves, this is more in the Lord. If ever you see excellency in any man, if ever you see any nobleness, any holiness, any excellency of disposition, know that it is more abundant in the Lord Jesus: Let these rivers lead you to that Ocean, to that abundance of excellency that is in the Lord. And if you love any creature, let it be with a little love, let your affection be proportionable to the object; as it ⟨p. 35⟩exceeds in the Lord, so let your love exceed towards him, to love him with all your soul and all your strength: And know this, that he hath not only that in an omnipotent manner, that is but sprinkled among the creatures, they have but a spark, but a drop of it; but also there is this in the Lord, that there is nothing in him but that which is amiable: every creature hath some imperfection in it, there is somewhat in it may cause aversation in you, there is no man but hath some weakness, but hath some infirmity, there is no creature but it hath some want, some defect in it: but in the Lord there is no want, there is nothing to put you off; but as the Church saith, Cant. 5. He is wholly delectable: that is, there is nothing in him but that which is amiable. That would be a very profitable thing for us in this case often to think on the Lord Jesus, to present him to our selves in our thoughts, as the Spouse doth, Cant. 5. she considers her well-beloved is the fairest of ten thousand: so we should behold the person of our husband.