A09950:997
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.
2The second thing required in this love, wherewith I will end, is this, that you love the Lord with all your might. You will say, what is the meaning of that,2 to love the Lord with all my might,3 and with all my strength? For the understanding of this, you must know that God hath given different might and different strength to men; as a rich man hath more might than another: for he can rule more, and sway more, and command more than a poor man can. Again, a Magistrate, he can restrain by his power, and encourage men by his authority, and win them, yea compel them by his example. Again, a learned man, that is of great parts, that is of a stronger wit than another, he hath more might than another, he is able to do more than a man of weaker parts. Now to love the Lord with all our might, is to improve all the means we have, all the strength, all the ability that we have above others, to improve it so, that we may serve the Lord with it more than others, that even as thou exceedest any in these abilities, so thou mayest go beyond them in serving the Lord: This is to love the Lord with all thy might, that is, to love him so much more than a poor man, to bestow more on him, to do more for him, as thy riches make thee more able, and more strong than another. For thee to love him now as another man doth that hath less might, the Lord will not take this love at thy hands; but will say to thee as Landlords say to their Tenants, when they bring them less rent than they should, less ⟨p. 161⟩than is due, they will receive none; for they say, so much is due. The Lord will require this, that you love him with all your might. If thou be a rich man, if thou be a Magistrate, if thou be a man of such and such opportunities to serve the Lord, and do but a little, he will not accept it at all: thou must love the Lord with all thy might, for God requires this at thy hands, he leaves it not arbitrary. He saith, To whom much is given, of him much shall be required. He saith not, I leave it to him, to do more or less, but I require it, that is, I will exact it according to the measure he hath received. Therefore consider with thy self, what means thou hast, what power God hath put into thy hands, what ability thou hast more than others.