Works (Vol 4) - Sibbes - XIV - 'Excellency of the gospel above the law' continued

Required reading
The Works Volume 4 by Richard Sibbes (Available from Amazon or free here) - Continue 'The excellency of the gospel above the law' by reading up to the paragraph beginning 'Verse 18. 'But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.''

My summary
Today we continue Sibbes' exposition of 2 Corinthians 3:17-18: 'Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.'

This week Sibbes focuses on 'and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty'.

Firstly Sibbes teaches us that liberty is either:
(i) Christian;
(ii) evangelical.

Then we see that Christ redeemeth us to liberty in two ways:
(i) by paying the price;
(ii) by freeing us from bondage to Satan.

Next Sibbes gives us some reasons for why Christ gives liberty.

Then a good portion of the reading is taken up with how the Spirit sets us at liberty in the course and whole carriage of salvation, from beginning to end.  He sets us at liberty in:
(i) calling us;
(ii) justifying us;
(iii) sanctifying us;
(iv) glorifying us.

Finally Sibbes gives us uses that come from knowing about the Spirit's liberty.  We should:
(i) labor to have the Spirit of Christ, or else we have no liberty at all;
(ii) see what a blessed condition and comfort it is to have this spiritual liberty;
(iii) find out how we know whether we be set at liberty or not;
(iv) take heed by all means that we do not grieve the Spirit.

What grabbed me
I appreciated Sibbes' comments about the role of the Spirit in our salvation: 'And, beloved, unless the Spirit should do it, it would never be done ; for the soul of man is so full of terrors and fears and jealousies, that except the Spirit of God witness to my spirit, that God is reconciled in Christ, and that Christ's righteousness is mine, I could never be persuaded of it. For the soul it alway thinks God is holiness itself, and I am a mass of sin. What reason have I to think that God will be so favourable to such a wretch, to such a lump of sin as I am, were it not that God the Son hath satisfied God the Father ? God hath satisfied God ; and the Spirit certifies my conscience. So the Spirit, that searcheth the deep things of God, that knows what love is in the breast of God, and therefore he searcheth the heart, he searcheth the heart of God, and he searcheth my spirit. Except the Spirit should tell me that God the Son hath satisfied (and God the Father will accept of the satisfaction of God the Son), I should never believe it. Therefore God must stablish the heart in a gracious liberty of justification, as well as that God the Son hath wrought it. '

The Holy Spirit is absolutely essential if we are to be saved from sin.

Next week's reading
Continue 'The excellency of the gospel above the law' by reading up to the paragraph beginning 'And are changed. I shewed before how man's happiness stands partly in communion with God...'

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.