A09950:809
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 when you have done all this, I will add ⟨p. 66⟩that further, though you do bring your hearts to do it, yet are you willing to do it? do you do it cheerfully and readily? for why doth the Lord require that as a necessary condition, that whatsoever is done to him might be done cheerfully and willingly? For no other reason than this, but because he regards nothing but that which cometh from love, and if it come from love, we know, we do it cheerfully. Therefore consider whether thou art willing to do this cheerfully, and with a full hand, not niggardly and pinchingly; and by this you shall know whether you have this love to the Lord Jesus or no, whether you be bountiful, whether you seek the things of the Lord, and not your own things.
And when you have done all this, I will adde ⟨p. 66⟩that further, though you doe bring your hearts to doe it, yet are you willing to doe it? doe you doe it chearfully and readily? for why doth the Lord require that as a necessarie condition, that whatsoever is done to him might be done chearfully and willingly? For no other reason than this, but because hee regards nothing but that which commeth from love, and if it come from love, we know, we doe it cheerefully. Therefore consider whether thou art willing to doe this chearfully, and with a full hand, not nigardly and pinchingly; and by this you shall know whether you have this love to the Lord Iesus or no, whether you be bountifull, whether you seeke the things of the Lord, and not your owne things.
2In the second place, you shall find this to be one property of love (by which you may try your selves) it will be content with nothing but with love again from the party whom we love. If one love another, let him do never so much, let him be never so kind in his actions towards him, let him be never so bountiful to him, yet except he have love again, he is content with nothing. Indeed when we do not love a man, we can be content to receive profit from him, and it is no matter though his heart go another way so we enjoy it; but it is the nature of true love to desire to be paid in its own coin. Now if thou love the Lord Jesus, if thou mightest have all the blessings that he could bestow upon thee, if he should open his hand wide, and compass thee about with abundance, yet if thou lovest the