A12183:476
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.
Therefore let those that are on the growing hand, ⟨p. 522⟩though they be short of many that are before them, let them not be discouraged with their overlittle beginnings,1 for it is Gods Ordinance & course in this world, to bring his children by little and little through many stations, as they were led in the wilderness from standing to standing, and from place to place, so God brings his children by many standings to Heaven, and it is one part of a Christians meekness, to subject to Gods wisdom in this kind, and not to murmur, that they are not so perfect as they would be, or as they shall be, but rather to magnify the mercy ⟨p. 523⟩of God that there is any change, in such defiled and polluted souls, that he hath vouchsafed any spiritual light of understanding, any love of good things, that the bent of their affections are turned to a contrary course, then they were before, that God hath vouchsafed any beginnings, rather magnify his mercy, then quarrel with his dispensation, that he doth not this all at once, and indeed,2 if we enter into our own hearts, it is our fault that we are not more perfect, but let us labour to be meek, and say, Lord since thou hast ordained that I shall grow from glory to glory, from ⟨p. 524⟩one degree of grace to another, let me have grace to magnify thy mercy, that thou hast given me any goodness, rather then to murmur that I have no more, and be content in the use of means, and endeavour to grow further, though we have not so much as others have:3 Nay we may not be discouraged, because of the weakness of grace, but we may not be discouraged with a seeming interruption in our spiritual growth; God sometimes works by contraries, he makes men grow by their puttings back, and to stand by their falls: sometimes, when God will have a man ⟨p. 525⟩grow, he will suffer him to fall, that by his fall he may grow in a deeper hatred of sin, and in jealousy over his own heart, and a nearer watchfulness over his own ways, that he may grow more in love with God for pardoning of him, and grow more strong in his resolution for the time to come, that he may grow more in humility, none grows so much as those that have their growth stopped for a time: Let none be discouraged when they find a stop;