The Excellency of the Gospel Above the Law, Title page – Table of contents
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 are to be sold b… Iohn Bartlet, at his shop, at the Signe of the gui… Cup, neere S. Austins gate. 1639.
The Contents.
VVHats meant by Spirit. 15.
Christ. †. 1. Hath the Spirit. 16.
1. In himselfe. ib.
2. In greater measure than any other. 17.
Quest. When was the fullest measure of the Spirit in Christ? 24.
†. 2. Giveth the Spirit. 25.
1. To Ordinances. 25.
2. To Persons. 27.
He worketh all by the Spirit. 28.
He communicates the Spirit to us diverse wayes. 34.
Influence. ib.
Merit. 35.
Example. 37.
Quest. Why the Spirit was given in greatest abundance after the resurrection. 38.
Vse 1. How to recon…ile Scriptures. 44.
Vse 2. Why the Ordinances are no more effectuall. 45.
Vse 3. Of comfort from the exaltation of our nature in Christ.
Formality is the sinne of this age. 50
Vse 4. Comfort that Christ hath fulnesse of the Spirit. 52.
Why Christians are so darke spirited. 54
Vse. 5. We must labour to be in Christ that we may get the Spirit. 57.
Motives to get it. 57. 58. &c.
The Spirit is the Soule of the Soule. 63.
How to know if we have the Spirit. ib. &c.
The Spirit compared to fire. 65. 66
It convinceth and what it is to convince. 67. 68
It makes us like unto Christ. 69
Directions how to get the Spirit. 70. 71, &c.
1. The knowledge of Christ makes all things comfortable. 73, 74
2. We must not trust to any performance without Christ. 75
3. We must be carefull of the meanes. 76, 77
The Spirit workes Liberty. 78
And Liberty is desired of all men. 79
There is Liberty
1. Christian. 81
2. Evangelicall. 82
We are in bondage without the Spirit. 89
The more Liberty without Christ the more Slavery. 85
Liberty wrought by Christ, applyed by the Spirit. 89
How the Spirit worketh Liberty. 89, 90
As
1. By Correction. 90
2. By Faith. ib.
3. By Love. ib.
Christ redeemeth a wayes, 1. By Price. 91
2. By strong hand. 92
All that Christ redeemes, he frees by his Spirit. 93
The reasons are foure.
1. Because wee are saved as Men. 91
2. We are freed to be friends with God. 93
3. Else we cannot love God. 95
4. Else wee cannot be fitted for heaven. 96.
The Spirit sets us at liberty in all the course of Salvation, from the beginning to the end. 96
Instances hereof
1. In our Vocation. 97
2. In our justification. 102
3. In our Sanctification. 110
4. In our Glorification.
No benefit by Christ without Vnion. 103
The heart is full of feares without the Spirit. 106
Why men of great parts, without the Spirit are in great feares. 108, 109.
Sanctification springs from Iustification. 110
Sanctified Christians esteeme basely of all things but Christ. 113.
The Liberty of Sanctification is not a liberty of freedome from all conflicts. 116
Comforts against the dullnesse of flesh. 117.
Christians are Kings over their lusts. 122
As appeares
1. By their freedome from the consequents of sinne. 124
2. By their freedome in good 4. Witnesse. 236
Pretty short, but sweete uses of these. 237, &c.
Why men are enemies to Gods free grace. 240, &c.
The glory of God greater in the Gospell then in
1. Adam. 242, 243, &c.
2. It is above that in Creation. 244
3. Than to Angels. 245
The Vses of it. 249, 250, &c. 257, &c 262, &c.
How to thinke of mercy in temptation. 264
Often offences exclude not mercy. 266
The Gospel discovers Christs mind to us. 271. and his love. 274, 275
We cannot see divine things but in a glasse, that is darkely. 280
How our soules are helped by our senses. 289
The Sacraments are Gods glasses to see Gods love in Christ. 290, 291, &c.
Wee see God diverse wayes:
1. In his creatures. 297
2. In his word. ibid.
3. In Christ in the flesh. 298
4. By faith. 299
Faith compared to sight foure wayes.
1. As the noblest sense. 301
2. As the largest. ibid.
3. As the surest. 302
4. As the most working. 303
How to keepe the eye of the Soule cle…re. 305
What the vai…es are, that hinder our beholding of Christ. 314, 315
A twofold use of a Vayle.
1. Of subjection;
2. Of obscurity. 316
Wee have boldnesse in the Gospel. 319, &c. 321, &c.
How to recover boldnesse with God. 326, 327
The Church inlarged by Christs comming. 332
A necessity of our change. 338, &c.
And why? 340, 341, &c.
This change twofold,
1. Reall, …. Graduall. 345
Christ the patterne of this change. 358
And why? 362, &c.
Christians musts study Christ 372, &c.
How to reade the life of Christ in the Gospell. 38…
The more we are like Christ, the more wee are beloved of God. 389
How to become like Christ. 391
Three things comfortable to us in Christs death. 395
How to know that wee are changed to Christs Image 401, &c.
Motives to stir us up to get Christs Image. 406, 407
Christ in this change is all in all. 414, 415
Every good thing in man, is in Christ first. 418
The excellencie of the glasse of the Gospell.
Three sights most efficacious and comfortable.
1. To see God in Christ.
2. Christ to see us in God.
3. Wee to see our selves in Christ. 430, &c.
How to know that we see the glory of God as we ought. 434
Love works imitation. 436
No saving knowledge without a change. 440
The glory of a Christian very large. 444
Foure degrees of it. 445
Christs Image is grace and glory. 452
The glorious condition of a Christian enlarged. 451. 460. 472. 476
Why the world despiseth those that are gracious. 465, 466, &c,
We must labour for grace, that we may be glorious. 474
Why men maligne those that are good. 479, 480, &c.
Wee must not blemish our grace by sinning against conscience. 481
Grace will cheere us against the disparagements of the world. 483, &c.
The esteeme of grace, a note of grace. 486
Grace and Glory goe both under one name. 490, &c.
Grace is of a growing condition. 498, 499. 503. 518.
No change in Heaven. 531 &c.
There be degrees in the glory of a Christian. 536
Tis a part of Heaven to know the glory of it. 541
Growth in grace notes the truth of grace. 542
Its growth insensible. 548
Christians compared to the best things. 558
A wicked man cannot desire heaven. 560
Comforts against death and reproaches. 559. 565
Christians must thanke God for glory to come. 568, 569, &c.
All good in us by the Spirit. 574, &c.
Notes wherby we may know that we have the Spirit. 609, 6…0, &c.
All good in us from the Spirit. 624
Hence learne to give the Spirit his due. 633, 634, &c.
FINIS.