A09950:816
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.
1I answer, it is true, there may be a backwardness even in the Saints, but you must know upon what ground it is. A spouse that is to marry a husband, no question but she would be glad to ⟨p. 73⟩be handsome, and to be prepared for his coming, and though she may desire his company exceedingly, yet because things are not so ready as she would have them, or for fear that he may find that which may divert and turn away his eyes from delighting in her, perhaps she desires not his coming at that time. There is a certain negligence and unpreparedness in mens hearts, which breeds an unwillingness in them sometimes, and makes them afraid of seeing the Lord, and yet there may be a true and inward love after him.
1I answer, it is true, there may be a backwardnesse even in the Saints, but you must know upon what ground it is. A spouse that is to marrie a husband, no question but shee would be glad to ⟨p. 73⟩be handsome, and to be prepared for his comming, and though shee may desire his companie exceedingly, yet because things are not so readie as she would have them, or for feare that he may finde that which may divert and turne away his eyes from delighting in her, perhaps shee desires not his comming at that time. There is a certaine negligence and unpreparednesse in mens hearts, which breedes an unwillingnesse in them sometimes, and makes them afraid of seeing the Lord, and yet there may be a true and inward love after him.
- 1Answ. 1.
Besides, you know, there is flesh as well as spirit,§2 and the spiritual part desires, as Paul did, to be at home, and to be with the Lord, and to enjoy his presence, but that flesh that is in us is always backward to it. Therefore in