A12183:131
The excellency of the Gospel above the law Wherein the liberty of the sons…The excellencie of the Gospell above the law Wherein the liberty of the sonnes…
The excellency of the Gospel above the law Wherein the liberty of the sons of God is showed. With the image of their graces here, and glory hereafter. Which affords much comfort and great encouragement, to all such as begin timely, and continue constantly in the ways of God. By R. Sibbs, D.D. Mr. of Katherin Hall Cambridge, and preacher of Gray's-Inn, London. Begun in his life time, and published by T.G. and P.N.The excellencie of the Gospell above the law Wherein the liberty of the sonnes of God is shewed. With the image of their graces here, and glory hereafter. Which affords much comfort and great incouragement, to all such as begin timely, and continue constantly in the wayes of God. By R. Sibbs, D.D. Mr. of Katherin Hall Cambridge, and preacher of Grayes-Inne, London. Begun in his life time, and published by T.G. and P.N.
London: printed by Tho. Cotes and John Dawson, 1639
Excellency of the GOSPEL above the LAW. › PartExcellency of the GOSPEL above the LAVV. › Part
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.
And it frees not only from the fear of ill things,1 but it shows immunity, and freedom to good, liberty implies here two things, a freedom from ill, from a cursed condition, and likewise a liberty to a better, a liberty from ill, and to good, we must take it in the just latitude, because the benefits of Christ are complete, not only privative but positive, not only to free us from ill, but to confer ⟨p. 126⟩all good to us, as much as our nature is capable of, as much as these souls of ours are capable of, they shall be made free and glorious and happy in heaven, God will leave no part of the soul unfilled, no corner of the soul empty, by little and little he doth it, as we shall see in the next verse, when we are called out of Satan's kingdom we are not only called out of that cursed state, but we are made free of a better kingdom, we are made the members of Christ, we are enfranchised, and so in justification we are not only freed from damnation, from the justice and wrath of God, ⟨p. 127⟩but likewise we can implead our righteousness whereby we have title to heaven which is a blessed privilege, and prerogative, we are not only free from the curse of the law, but likewise we have other gracious prerogatives and privileges, we are not only freed from the dominion of sin, but we are likewise set at liberty by the spirit, to do that that is good, we have a voluntary free spirit to serve God with as great cheerfulness as we served our lusts before, and as we are freed from the rigour and curse of the law, so we have prerogatives to good answerable, ⟨p. 128⟩we are now by the Spirit set at liberty to delight in the law, to make the law our counsellor, to make the Word of God our counsellor, that that terrified and affrighted us before, now it is our direction,2 even as he that was a severe Schoolmaster to one in his under years, after when he comes to years, becomes a wise Tutor to guide and direct him, so the law that terrified and whipped us when we were in bondage, till we be in Christ, it scares us to Christ, that law after comes to be a Tutor, to tell us this we shall do, to counsel us, and say this is the best way, and we