A09950:851
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.
It is good (my beloved) to be secure out of confidence upon God, and therein, the more security the better; but to be secure for any outward help, either in the number of men or ships, or strength or policy, or because we are compassed about with the walls of the Sea, or whatsoever it is wherein we think our safety consisteth, the more confidence in this the worse. The Lord smote the people for this security in Davids time.
It is good (my beloved) to be secure out of confidence vpon God, and therein, the more securitie the better; but to be secure for any outward help, either in the number of men or ships, or strength or policie, or because we are compassed about with the walls of the Sea, or whatsoeever it is wherein wee thinke our safetie consisteth, the more confidence in this the worse. The Lord smott the people for this security in Dauids time.
Another cause is, the unworthy receiving of the Sacrament. Many are sick among you (saith the Apostle) and many are dead, because you receive the Sacrament unworthily. The Lord is ⟨p. 93⟩pleased to punish that particular sin of receiving the Sacrament unworthily, with some sickness or other, whether the plague or no, we cannot say, but this we may be sure of, that this was the cause why so many were sick and dead. You know that passage in the book of Chronicles concerning Hezekiah, when the people had not prepared themselves aright as they ought, he prayed to the Lord, and it is said, The Lord healed the people: we cannot say what the Lord healed them of, but yet it makes it evident that the Lord had some way smitten them. Moses for the omission of the Sacrament the Lord would have slain him, that is, he would have sent something upon him, whether some disease, as is most probable, or some other thing which should have taken away his life in the end. The omission and negligent receiving of the Sacrament I put together, which moveth God to anger, and to inflict plagues upon a people.