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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sense_n	believe_v	faith_n	word_n	7,647	5	4.8713	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09950	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.	Preston, John, 1587-1628.; Sibbes, Richard, 1577-1635, ed.; Davenport, John, 1597-1670, ed.	1630 (1630)	STC 20208; ESTC S105956	328,230	606

of full assent As wee say of a Wall that is a little white it is white because it tends to full whitenesse and as we say water is hot that is a little hot so faith that is but in a little degree yet it may be true firme and substantiall But what is the least degree of faith the least assent the least beliefe of the promises without which it cannot bee said to bee faith I answer the least degree of faith is that which brings vs to CHRIST which makes vs willing to take him Marke this point for it will be of much vse to you when the promises of GOD are preached to you and made knowne vnto you when the arguments that moue you to come to CHRIST are declared and made manifest Now if a man stands and knowes not whether he were best to take him or no this is not faith such a man acteth nothing hee is such a one as is spoken of in Iam. 1. for that I take to be the meaning of that place a man that knowes not whether he should come to CHRIST or no that stands in a doubt and sometimes hee will goe and sometimes he will not hee is off and on to and fro such a man hath not faith such a one CHRIST rejects but now when there is so much waight as will cast the Ballance the right way though there be something left in the other end of the Ballance that is though there be some doubting some feare yet if I so farre beleeue the promises and the Word of GOD as that I am willing to take CHRIST for my Husband I am willing to rest on him to pitch on him to bestow my selfe vpon him this is faith though it come not to the full degree As for example if one be a spokesman for a Suitor he comes and tels the Spouse to whom he is a Suitor that such a man is of such parentage hath such honour and such wealth and is thus qualified now if she be but so farre perswaded as that she is willing to take him for her husband that is enough to bring her to make the match that perswasion will bring her to doe it afterward shee may come to know the thing more fully and to be better perswaded but that addes to the degrees So if there be but so much assent so much firmenesse of perswasion to bring vs to CHRIST to make vs willing to come to take him for our Sauiour and for our LORD that is the least degree of faith and though there be doubting left and though there bee some feares yet if there be but so much as will produce that it is faith Let mee exemplifie it in some other thing Take Hester when she was to come to the King she knew not what successe she should haue shee was fearefull as we may see by the manner of going about the businesse yet seeing there was so much as drew her to the action she comes and sayes If I perish I perish as if she had doubted she might haue perished yet she resolued to doe it this may be said to be an act of faith that put her on the worke Take a Martyr that comes to suffer hee hath many doubts and feares and yet if there be but so much perswasion as will produce the act in him as that hee is moued to doe the thing hee may properly bee said to doe it out of faith And so of all other actions The three Children GOD can deliuer vs if he will say they if hee doe not wee will not worship that Image that thou hast set vp There might be some doubting in them and yet because there was so much trust in GOD as to bring them to doe the thing here was faith enough to make them acceptable in the sight of GOD. So I say if there be so much faith as will bring vs to GOD and to CHRIST that is the least degree other degrees there are that may be added afterwards but this is thy comfort if thou haue but so much as will produce such an effect thou maist be sure that thou hast faith Secondly Faith admits degrees in regard of the difficulty and hardnesse of the things that are to be beleeued As for example Martha and Mary both beleeued in CHRIST when hee feasted with them but when Lazarus was dead and had beene in the graue foure dayes that put them to a stand Now if they had beene able to beleeue this there had beene a greater degree of faith And that was it that magnified Abrahams faith so that when there was so great difficulty that he must goe and offer his sonne the sonne in whom GOD had promised that his seede should be blessed who was called the sonne of the promise Now here was a great degree of faith because there was great difficulty Moses we see when he came to beleeue the promise of God in Numbers 11. that so many euen sixe hundred thousand should be fed with flesh and that they should be so fed a whole moneth together it set Moses at a stand he knew not what to say Not one day saith he not tenne dayes not twenty dayes but a whole moneth together and sixe hundred thousand people If all the Flockes and Heards should be killed and all the Fishes in the Sea should be gathered together how should this be done This was a great thing to beleeue and therefore GOD pittyed Moses GOD seeth when things are hard to be beleeued and pitties man GOD beares with Moses in that case because the thing was difficult and high there are some things which are aboue hope and in such cases GOD is willing that his people should aske him a signe he knowes their strength they had neede of something to confirme them And therefore in such a case when GOD comes in such manner if they aske him a signe GOD is willing to giue them a signe Indeede when men will aske a signe to tempt GOD an adulterous generation askes a signe that is for tryall or temptation not for loue of CHRIST and to be perswaded he is fit for them but an adulterous generation they did it not out of loue but I say when eyther the thing is high or else when the means of perswasion is weake and slender As we know CHRIST said vnto Nathaniel Doest thou beleeue this as if he should say This shewes thy faith is great that for so small a thing as this thou beleeuest I said no more but I saw thee vnder the Fig-tree And this shewed the weaknesse of Thomas his faith that hee would not beleeue vnlesse hee might put his finger into the print of CHRIST'S wounds and his hand into his side so that when a man beleeues by slender meanes or when he beleeues things of a higher nature which is more aboue hope when there is great difficulty in this sense faith admits degrees Thirdly Faith admits degrees in regard of the extent of it

then faith proues effectuall that is a man holds out hee goes thorow with the worke he cleaues so to Christ as that he will not part with him but for want of this because mens hearts are not circumcised because way is not made because the Mountaines are not brought downe because the Ministrie is not sharpe enough to prepare them hence it is that their faith is vaine and comes to nothing Fiftly and lastly the faith of men proues ineffectuall because it is not well grounded they take to themselues a perswasion of the remission of their sinnes vpon an vncertaine ground they are not built vpon the Rocke they take CHRIST but they are not well bottomed for there is a certaine false perswasion which is nothing else but a strong fancie which makes a man to thinke that his sinnes are forgiuen and that hee is in a good estate but when it comes to examination hee can giue no sound reason for it When men take CHRIST on this manner when they are perswaded their sinnes are remitted and yet haue no good ground for this perswasion and peace it holds not out it continues not Therefore to such as these Saint Paul speakes Eph. 4.10 Bee not children saith hee in vnderstanding to bee carried about with euery winde of doctrine As if hee had said Indeed you are such as haue embraced CHRIST but you must not doe as children doe that beeing not able to vse their owne judgement they see what other men doe and they heare what they say but saith hee you must learne to be men that you may vse your owne vnderstanding that you may see with your owne eyes or else you will bee like a Ship tossed and carried about with euery wind That is to say it was a false perswasion that draue you to CHRIST and another winde will driue you from him therefore bee not children in vnderstanding So I say when you haue a perswasion of the remission of your sinnes of beleeuing in Christ be not children in vnderstanding see that it bee soundly grounded That is a condition required by the Apostle Colos. 1.23 CHRIST hath reconciled vs to GOD the Father to be blamelesse and without fault But saith hee I must put in this condition If you continue grounded and stablished in the faith that you bee not moued from the hope of the Gospell As if he should haue said There is a certaine faith by which you may take Christ and so you may bee perswaded of reconciliation but saith he that will not doe vnlesse you bee grounded and stablished in the faith The word in the Originall signifieth Except you bee so built as a house is built vpon a sure foundation as a Tree that is soundly rooted when you are so pitched vpon Christ that when new objects come new temptations come things that you neuer thought on yet nothing can moue you from the hope of the Gospell If you be not grounded you may take a hope to your selues of reconciliation and of being without fault in the sight of GOD but it will neuer hold out vnlesse it be soundly grounded Hence you see therefore that if a man bee not well rooted if hee be not built vpon the Rocke if this perswasion of the remission of his sinnes bee not well bottomed that causeth him not to hold out but to fall off againe Whereas it is required of vs that we keepe so close to God in such a case our faith should be built on so sure a ground that nothing in the World should moue vs no not the most probable arguments that may bee brought in as wee see Deut. 13. saith Moses If a Prophet or a dreamer of dreames come and give you signes and wonders and the thing that he foretold come to passe that you could not answer any thing you can see no reason but that he should be a true Prophet saith he God will put you to such trials to proue you to see if you be soundly grounded All that are saued hee will haue them so fixed hee will haue them take their saluation vpon so good a ground vpon such infallibility that whatsoeuer shall bee brought against them they shall keepe them close to GOD. This is that that wee should labour for and for want of this when men haue a confused perswasion that their sinnes are forgiuen and thinke it enough if their hearts bee quiet if they haue rest in their consciences that they be not troubled and neuer examine what the grounds are I say for want of this it is that in temptation they fall away when other men come and preach other doctrines then they are plucked away with the errour of the wicked as Peter saith 2 Pet. 3.17 Bee not plucked away with the errour of the wicked but grow in knowledge As if hee should haue said If you haue but some perswasion but some good opinion that Christ is yours and that it is best for you to cleaue to him this will not hold you will bee plucked away with those errours that other men are plucked away with This is the first thing which wee haue done with to shew the causes of the ineffectualnesse of faith In the next place I am to declare vnto you what it is that maketh faith effectuall wherein the effectualnesse of faith consists In this we will shew you 3. things First in what sence it is called effectuall faith for the very opening of this word which the Apostle vseth will open a Window to vs it will open a creuice of light to see into the nature of the thing it selfe Secondly we will shew you particularly and distinctly wherein this effectualnesse of faith consists Thirdly wee will shew you how it is wrought how this faith is made effectuall in vs and when wee haue done these three you will fully vnderstand what effectuall faith is First for the opening of this very appellation this name effectuall faith you shall finde that a thing is said to bee effectuall in 4. respects First we say a thing is effectuall when it doth its office when it exerciseth that proper function that belongs to that quality or that grace or that gift or that creature whatsoeuer it is and when it doth not that then we say it is ineffectuall when it doth not the thing that we looke for from it In this sence faith is said to be effectuall when it doth the thing for which faith is when it doth the thing that God expects of faith that is the proper function of faith and what that is you heard before namely to take Christ If faith take Christ it is effectuall faith Now for the opening of this a little further to you to shew you what this proper function of faith is It is when a man is so far peswaded of the truth of the Scriptures of the truth of the promises and doth so far appropriate them to himselfe that hee is willing

the foundation vpon the word of a man you are not built vpon this Doctrine that I teach meerely because I teach it but you are built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles that is you see the Prophets and Apostles deliuer this Doctrine I but one may seeke a further ground then that What foundation haue the Prophets and Apostles Saith he Christ is the chiefe corner stone on which they are built So that when you haue this tract of consequence I see the promise is sure Why Because it is built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets they haue affirmed it But how shall I know that they are sure Because Christ himselfe hath spoken by them hee is the chiefe corner stone when faith is thus grounded then we are truely said to bee built and rooted and grounded in faith Therefore as the Samaritanes said Ioh. 4 44. We beleeue not because thou told●st vs not for thy words but wee haue heard him our selues and wee know that hee is the Messias and Sauiour of the World Now if those Samaritanes had onely beleeued because the Woman brought that relation their faith might haue fayled them but when they heard CHRIST themselues vvhen they saw him vvith their owne eyes when they could say in good earnest out of their owne knowledge wee know that this is CHRIST the Sauiour of the World that is such a faith as will hold out So when a man doth onely take a perswasion out of the generall preaching of the Word without a certaine ground it prooues ineffectuall faith but when men beleeue because themselues haue seene and out of that knowledge can say they know CHRIST to bee the Messias when they know CHRIST to bee theirs when they know CHRIST to bee the Sauiour of the World and so by consequence of them which are a part of the World then they may be truely said to bee built to bee rooted and grounded in faith This is that that Saint Iohn saith 1 Ioh. 1.19 Wee know that wee are of GOD and that all the World lyeth in wickednesse Wee know that wee are of GOD that is it is not a thing that we are vncertainely perswaded of but it is a thing that wee know as certainely as any man knowes a thing that is before his eyes as a man knowes a thing of which hee doubts not wee know that although all the World be against vs though all the World runne another way though all the World condemne vs for vaine men idle men for trusting in CHRIST crucified yet we know that we are of GOD and that all the World lyeth in wickednesse I say when a man holds out thus when hee is put to the tryall when a man knowes in his owne knowledge that it is so as Peter saith to CHRIST Ioh. 6.68 many had taken CHRIST that went away againe Saith CHRIST to his Disciples Will you also goe away Marke the answer that Peter giues No saith he Whither should wee goe thou hast the words of eternall life I know and beleeue that thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing GOD. As if he should say It is impossible that I should goe away for I know and beleeue that is I know vpon good ground I haue another manner of ground then they had If I had no more ground then the rest I should goe away as well as they but I know and beleeue that thou art CHRIST the Sonne of the liuing GOD therefore it is impossible that I should euer forsake thee although all should forsake thee This is to bee rooted and grounded in faith in this second sense when we see an infallible ground a sure Rocke vpon which our faith is built and we are willing to aduenture our selues vpon it to aduenture our goods our name our life our liberty that if a man bee brought to Martyrdome hee can aduenture himselfe and put all that hee hath vpon it This ground will hold out I say when the vnderstanding of a man is thus built vpon the Word when a man is examined euery way when hee is able to answere all arguments and all objections that may be brought against it This is the second thing wherein the effectualnesse of faith consists I should adde more but I must deferre them till the afternoone FINIS OF EFFECTVALL FAITH The Second Sermon 1. THESS 1.3 Remembring your effectuall Faith c. THe third thing wherein the efficacy of faith is seen is when we take CHRIST this is the action of the will when wee take him in a right manner when we take him so as to hold him when we take him in such a manner as that we are knit and vnited to him That this is required First I will shew it in the generall it is a point that wee haue often mentioned heretofore but to all that I haue said I will adde that in Heb. 10.22 Let vs draw neere with a true heart and assurance of faith Marke it first there must be an assurance of faith that is in the vnderstanding and minde of a man and to that must be added drawing neere and that is an act of the will for when we are assured of the truth of the promises and haue appropriated them to our selues then followes the act of the will therefore in vers 38. of that Chap. it is said The iust shall liue by faith but if any man draw backe my soule shall haue no pleasure in him That Antithesis that opposition that is made in that withdrawing of a mans selfe from God is opposed to faith to drawing neere to him when a man not only beleeueth the promises but accepts and receiues them Now to doe this in a right manner is that wherein the efficacy of faith doth principally consist Now what is that It is to take Christ to draw neere to him in a right manner and then it is done when you so take him that you bring Christ into your hearts to dwell there as it is expressed Eph. 3.17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith That is when there is an vnion made betweene Christ and vs when he comes into the heart when he dwels in vs and we in him when Christ is so brought into our hearts that hee liues there and when wee are so vnited to him that we liue in him when he growes in vs as the Vine in the branches and we grow in him as the branches in the Vine when faith hath done this then it is an effectuall faith when it knits and vnites vs to CHRIST as he saith I will come in and sup with him That is I will continue with him I will liue in him and rule ouer him Now when Christ is in the heart he is not there to no purpose but as Paul saith I liue in Christ and he in me I say when our taking of CHRIST shall proceede so far as to make this vnion betwixt vs

and this is the curse upon his soule in this respect in regard of exclusion from grace which is to the soule as an obstruction in the liver is to the body as a theefe in the candle is to the candle which causeth it to waste and consume and weare away so it is in this curse when God shall lay it upon the soule of any man he shall not thrive in grace his inward man shall not prosper at all he shall be still in the wearing hand the Lord shall take away from him that which hee seemes to have when the Lord shall say to thee as to the figtree Never fruit grow more on thee that is a fearefull curse when the Lord shall curse and say to a man though thou hast some leaves upon thee there are some things that seeme to be good in thee yet because thou hast not love never fruite shall grow upon thee more What a curse is it thinke you that shall make the soule of a man to wither as the figtree withered after the speech of Christ that is when every thing shall drive a man off from that which is good and carry him on to destruction whatsoever befalleth him in poverty in prosperity riches and friends or enemies every thing shall breed his hurt hee shall have riches when he is most ready to abuse them he shall have adversity then when it is worst for him to be in adversity that shall be to him as the lopping of trees out of season hee shall be as an unthrifty sonne set him to a trade in the Citty there he goes downe the winde put him to husbandry in the Country that thrives not with him such is the case of every one that loves not Christ. So my brethren when Christ is preached to you when you will not receive the doctrine but refuse it you see the doome here saith the Apostle let him be accursed this causeth men to goe away from the Lord Because they receive not the love of the truth therefore he gives them up to beleeve lies because that men receive not Christ in the love of the Gospell hee gives them up to a reprobate sense from one degree to another till there be no remedy We see by experience are there not many that are given up to the sinne of drinking and idlenesse and company-keeping and others to other sinnes you see many plod on in an olde tracke of sinne some lying a long time in a dead sottish course so as the most powerfull ministery in the world will not stirre them which is an evidence that the Lord hath cursed such therefore the ministry can doe them no good And this is the first curse upon men that love not the Lord Iesus But perhaps thou regardest not this curse because thou regardest not grace and holinesse from which it sequestreth thee but yet there is another branch of it thou shalt be separated from the presence of the Lord that is from the joy from the influence from the protection of God and this is a very fearfull curse You know what it was to Cain in the fourth of Genesis when the Lord had cursed him saith he I am hid from thy face that was the great curse that was laid upon him of which he was most sensible that he was separated from the presence of the Lord. And my brethren this is no small thing because God is the God of all comfort and to be separated from his presence is the worst thing that can befall us in this life It was Sauls case when the Lord had once cast him off he was separate from the presence of God so that when he came to aske counsell the Lord would answer him no more hee would have no more to doe with him you know how fearefull and how bitter this was to Saul On the other side see how much Moses magnifies this presence of God Lord saith he if thou goe not with us carry us not hence as if the presence of God were the greatest comfort in the world as indeede it is This is another thing wherein ye shall be cursed Againe there is yet another branch of it yee shall not onely be separated from grace and from the presence of the Lord but there shall be a curse upon your outward estate It is said of Cain in the same chapter Thou shalt be cursed from the earth it may be many that heare of being cursed from grace and of separation from the presence of the Lord are of that minde that they care not for it that they regard it not it may be you care not to be cursed from heaven but to be cursed from the earth is that which goes neere to you and that is a thing which the most earthly-minded man in the world is sensible of Now you must know that whosoever loves not the Lord Iesus shall be cursed from the earth that is there shall be a curse upon you in all earthly things in all things that belong to this present life whatsoever they are But you will say wee see it quite otherwise we see such men as they described to be men that abound in outward wealth in outward blessings It may be so in outward shew but yet there is a curse upon them notwithstanding Abimelech had the kingdome yet there was a curse that never ceased till hee was rooted out of the kingdome The Israelites had the quailes but yet there was a curse with them Ahab had the vineyard but it was a curse to him So all these things that are of themselves blessings and mercies in their owne nature yet if the Lord will mingle them with a curse yee shall finde no ease from them at all and this is a thing that is well knowne by experience if the hearts of men will speake what they know This is the case of those that love not the Lord The earth shall not give her increase you shall not have that sound comfort that sweetnesse that influence of comfort from earthly blessings though you have the creatures about you which naturally have blessings in them yet they shall not give downe that milke for your comfort you shall not be satisfied with them you shall see a constant emptinesse in them they shall be to you as the shell without the kernell and so much more shall ye be miserable because ye shall finde the least comfort in them when you most expect it the Lord meetes thus with those that love him not in earthly blessings But last of all there is one branch of this curse which exceedes all the rest that is the eternall curse that shall be upon men for ever while yee live here in this life there is a certaine shew a certaine twilight of comfort that the Lord sometimes affords even to evill men but then there shall be a perfect midnight then the Sunne of comfort shall set upon you altogether and rise no more in that