A09950:820
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.
You know, it is natural for every man to abound in the speeches of the things they love, of what nature soever they be. Mariners are delighted to talk of their voyages, and soldiers of their battles, and huntsmen of their games. If you delight in the Lord, certainly your tongues will be much in speaking of him, you will be ready to do it upon all occasions. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh: and if love to the Lord do abound in your hearts, this love will be expressed in your tongues, upon all occasions: and therefore, at the least, you may judge of the measure of your love by this. He that speaks much of loving God, and yet hath his speeches, empty, vain, and unprofitable, surely we may guess that he loves him not at all: and this is a mark that will not deceive us.
You know, it is naturall for every man to abound in the speeches of the things they love, of what nature soever they be. Mariners are delighted to talke of their voyages, and souldiers of their battells, and huntsmen of their games. If you delight in the Lord, certainly your tongues will be much in speaking of him, you will be ready to doe it upon all occasions. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh: and if love to the Lord doe abound in your hearts, this love will be expressed in your tongues, upon all occasions: and therefore, at the least, you may judge of the measure of your love by this. Hee that speakes much of loving God, and yet hath his speeches, empty, vaine, and unprofitable, surely we may guesse that he loves him not at all: and this is a marke that will not deceive us.
And now what will you say for your selves, that you speak no more upon those several occasions that you meet withal in the world? is it because you are ashamed, because you are bashful, and fearful to express your selves, and to make an open profession of that holiness that is in your hearts? Certainly it is a sign that you love not the Lord Jesus: for he that loveth, is never ashamed; because, whom a man loveth, he magnifieth, he prizeth much, he hath a high esteem of: and therefore that bashfulness and fearfulness that you object, will not keep you back, if you did love the Lord in truth and sincerity.