A12183:135
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.
That which we call free will,1 it is either taken for a natural power and endowment that God hath put upon the soul, and so ⟨p. 131⟩the will is alway free in earth, and in hell: the devils will is free so, free to evil, there is the natural freedom, for freedom it is a dowry upon the will, invested upon the will, that God never takes from it, to do it freely, that is upon reason that it sees, be it good or evil; so I mean not freedom, but I take freedom for ability and strength to that that is good:2 for any liberty, and ability to that that is good, is only from the spirit; and the defence of Luther's, 3and others that wrote of this freedom is sound, and good, that the will of man is slavish altogether, without ⟨p. 132⟩the Spirit of God, Where the Spirit is there is liberty. Liberty as it is taken for power and ability to do good. In a word, there is alway a liberty of the subject, of the person, a liberty of the understanding, but not of the object, to this or that thing, a liberty to supernatural objects comes from supernatural principles, nothing moves above its own sphere, nothing is acted above its own activity, that God hath put into it: now a natural man can do nothing but naturally, for nothing can work above it self, by its own strength, no more than a beast can work according ⟨p. 133⟩to the principles of a man, therefore the soul of man hath no liberty at all to that which is spiritually good, without a supernatural principle, that raiseth it above it self, and put it into the rank of supernatural things.
That which we call free will,1 it is either taken for a naturall power and indowment that God hath put upon the soule, and so ⟨p. 131⟩