A09950:825
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.
As it is said of faith, It is dead without works, so love is dead without works, the Lord regards it not, it is a dead carcass, without motion. We know it is the nature of love to be diligent: if you do love Christ, it will make you diligent.
As it is said of faith, It is dead without workes, so love is dead without workes, the Lord regards it not, it is a dead carkasse, without motion. Wee know it is the nature of love to be diligent: if you doe love Christ, it will make you diligent.
And as you will be ready to do much, so you will be ready to suffer much also: these two I put together, because suffering is a kind of doing, only it is a doing of things, when there is difficulty and hardness. Now if you love the Lord Jesus, see what you will suffer for his sake; those that we love, we are exceeding ready to suffer for. A husband that loves his spouse, is exceeding ready to suffer any thing to enjoy her love, he is willing to suffer any displeasure of parents, of friends, to suffer the loss of his estate, he cares not for discredit in the world, he is ready to break through thick and thin, and to do ⟨p. 78⟩any thing, so he may obtain her love at the last: So if you love the Lord Jesus, you will suffer any thing for his sake. It was an excellent testimony of Davids love, in 2 Sam. 6.21.1 when David there dancing before the Ark was scoffed at by Michal his wife, see what an answer he gives her, It is, saith he, before the Lord: as if he should say, I am willing to bear this at thy hands, for it is to the Lord who hath chosen me rather than thy father and all his house: As if he should say, seeing it is the Lord, for whose sake I endure this rebuke at thy hands, I care not for it, I am willing to do it, yea I will do it more, and be more vile in mine own eyes, and expose my self yet to more scorn and derision, since it is to the Lord who hath chosen me rather than thy fathers house; so I say, when any thing comes to be suffered for any good action, for any good cause, (as indeed commonly such actions have sufferings joined with them) if you love the Lord, you will be ready to go through it, and that with cheerfulness, because it is to the Lord who hath chosen you, and passed by so many thousands. And therefore it was the commendation of those in