A12183:99
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.
A man till he be in Christ is a slave, not of one man or of one lord over him, but he hath so many lords, as he hath so many lusts. There are but two Kingdoms1 that the Scripture speaks of, that is, the kingdom of Satan, and darkness, and the Kingdom of Christ, all therefore that are not in the Kingdom of Christ, in that blessed liberty, they must needs be shoaled under the other kingdom of Satan. This is a ground, therefore I speak shortly of it, as an incentive, and provocation, to stir us up, to get ⟨p. 88⟩into Christ, to get the Spirit of Christ, that we may have this spiritual liberty, or else we are all slaves, notwithstanding all our civill liberties whatsoever they be. Now where the Spirit of Christ is, there is liberty, there is freedom from that bondage, that we are in by nature, and which is strengthened by a wicked course of life, for though we be all slaves by nature, borne slaves, yet notwithstanding by a wicked course of life, we put our selves into bonds and tangle our selves,2 so many sins and so many repetitions of sin, so many cords, the longer a man lives, the greater slave he is; Now ⟨p. 89⟩when the Spirit of Christ comes, it frees us from all; both from the natural, and from the customary slavery.
A man till he be in Christ is a slave, not of one man or of one lord over him, but he hath so many lords, as hee hath so many lusts. There are but two Kingdomes1 that the Scripture speaks of, that is, the kingdome of Sathan, and darknesse, and the Kingdome of Christ, all therefore that are not in the Kingdome of Christ, in that blessed liberty, they must needes be shoaled under the other kingdome of Sathan. This is a ground, therefore I speake shortly of it, as an insentive, and provocation, to stirre us up, to get ⟨p. 88⟩into Christ, to get the Spirit of Christ, that we may have this spirituall liberty, or else we are al slaves, notwithstanding all our civill liberties whatsoever they be. Now where the Spirit of Christ is, there is liberty, there is freedome from that bondage, that we are in by nature, and which is strengthened by a wicked course of life, for though we be all slaves by nature, borne slaves, yet notwithstanding by a wicked course of life, we put our selves into bonds and tangle our selves,