A09950:988
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 the Sabbath, so I may say of this commandment, and all the rest, it was made for man, and not man for this, that is, for the profit of man, for the advancement of man, thy loving the Lord is for thy advantage, thou gainest by it; as it is, Deut: 5.29. Oh, 1saith he, that there were a heart in this people, to love me, and to fear me, as they have promised, then it should go well with them, and their children after them. Not that I might be a gainer, and you lose, but that it might go well with you and your ⟨p. 155⟩children for ever. So, if you love the Lord, when you think with your selves, I shall be a loser by it, I shall lose much liberty, and much contentment and delight, I shall lose the giving satisfaction to many of my desires and lusts: No, thou shalt lose none of this, though a man seem to lose this when he gives his heart to the Lord, but thou gainest all this, that is, the Lord gives thee thy heart again, and gives thee leave to dispose of it, he gives thee leave to love thy friends, to love thy wife and thy children, and even to love thy recreations; he gives thee leave to dispense and to distribute thy heart to this or to that, as long as thou doest it lawfully, only thou must do it at his command.
as it is said of the Saboth, so I may say of this commandement, and all the rest, it was made for man, and not man for this, that is, for the profit of man, for the advancment of man, thy louing the Lord is for thy advantage, thou gainest by it; as it is, Deut: 5.29. Oh, 1saith he, that there were a heart in this people, to love me, and to feare me, as they have promised, then it should goe wellwith them, and their children after them. Not that I might be a gainer, and you lose, but that it might goe well with you and your ⟨p. 155⟩children for ever. So, if you love the Lord, when you thinke with your selves, I shall be a loser by it, I shall lose much libertie, and much contentment and delight, I shall lose the giving satisfaction to many of my desires and lusts: No, thou shalt lose none of this, though a man seeme to lose this when he gives his heart to the Lord, but thou gainest all this, that is, the Lord gives thee thy heart againe, and gives thee leave to dispose of it, he gives thee leave to love thy friends, to love thy wife and thy children, and even to love thy recreations; he gives thee leave to dispense and to distribute thy heart to this or to that, as long as thou doest it lawfully, onely thou must doe it at his command.