Breast-Plate of Faith and Love
John Preston's treatise emerged from his preaching ministry at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and Trinity Church during the height of Puritan influence in early seventeenth-century England. As one of the most prominent Reformed theologians of his generation, Preston wrote this work to address the practical dimensions of Christian assurance and sanctification, drawing its title from Paul's military metaphor in Ephesians 6. The treatise reflects Preston's concern that believers understand how faith and love function together as spiritual armor against doubt and sin.
Preston argues that faith and love operate as twin protections for the Christian heart, each reinforcing the other in the believer's spiritual warfare. He demonstrates how saving faith necessarily produces love, while genuine love confirms and strengthens faith, creating what he describes as an unbreakable breastplate over the believer's affections and will. The work carefully distinguishes between temporary faith and true saving faith, showing how authentic faith inevitably manifests itself through love toward God and neighbor. Preston develops his argument through detailed exposition of relevant biblical passages, particularly from Paul's epistles, while addressing common objections and pastoral concerns about assurance of salvation.
The treatise has endured as a classic statement of Reformed pastoral theology, valued for its precise theological distinctions and practical wisdom about the Christian life. Preston's integration of doctrinal precision with pastoral sensitivity has made this work particularly influential among those seeking to understand the relationship between justification and sanctification in Reformed thought.
Who should read this: Students of Puritan theology and pastors working through questions of assurance will find Preston's careful biblical exposition invaluable. Those looking for devotional reading or introductory material should seek more accessible works, as Preston assumes familiarity with theological terminology and Reformed categories.