A09950:844
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
Part › Sermon 4: THE FOURTH SERMON.Part › Sermon 4: THE FOVRTH SERMON.
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.
Look whatsoever it is that a man loveth, where he finds any impediment in the prosecution of it, he is angry, he desires with as much earnestness to remove that impediment, as he loves the thing.
Looke whatsoever it is that a man loveth, where he findes any impediment in the prosecution of it, hee is angry, hee desires with as much earnestnesse to remoove that impediment, as hee loves the thing.
Take any man even of the mildest disposition, if in any thing that he loveth much, and intendeth much, there be an intercurrent impediment that shall interrupt him, he is angry, though otherwise he be of a most meek disposition. For anger is but earnestness to remove the thing out of the way that hinders us: whatsoever a man loveth, he is angry with the impediments that hinder him in it. Come now and examine your love to the Lord by your anger: that anger that proceeds from love to the Lord, we call zeal: will you profess that you love the Lord, and yet your hearts are not moved when he is dishonoured? Think with thy self when thou art wronged in thy name, or some body miscalleth thee, misreports of thee, and prosecutes thee with evil speeches and revilings, is not thy wrath kindled in thee against such a one? Well, if thou love the Lord Jesus as thy self, as thou oughtest to love him above thy self, why are not thy affections stirred in thee, when thou hearest him dishonoured, when thou knowest that his Name is ill spoken of? If a man should take from thee thy wealth, or any thing that is dear to thee; if a man should come and violate thee with ill terms, thou wouldest be angry with him, and be ready to fly in the face of such an one. If you be thus affected to the Lord, and to his glory, why do you not do the like for him? You know, David did the same: Mine eyes gush out (saith he) with rivers of water because men keep not thy Law. Therefore know that, if you find ⟨p. 89⟩not your hearts affected with the things that belong to God, that there is no anger stirred up, it is a sure argument that you love him not. It is observable that is said of old Ely,