Works (Vol 4) - Sibbes - XVII - '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 '"Even as by the Spirit of the Lord". "As" here is taken according to the phrase in the Greek...'

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 explains what is meant by the words, 'from glory to glory'.

He teaches us that there are four degrees of the glory of a Christian:
(i) initial glory, in his first conversion, and thereupon, the knowledge of his deliverance from that cursed and damnable state that he is in; the knowledge, likewise, of his title to life everlasting;
(ii) then, as a Christian grows, there is a further degree of glory in assurance of his salvation and further friendship with God, and further peace and joy and comfort;
(iii) the next degree of glory is when the soul enjoys the presence of God in heaven;
(iv) then the upshot and conclusion, the closure and consummation of all, at the day of judgement when body and soul shall be united again, then is perfect glory.

Sibbes then explains these degrees of glory in greater detail, while answering objections and providing uses of the doctrines.

What grabbed me
A recurring helpful theme was the comfort that glory brings when considering death: 'Again, if the state of God's people be thus sweet and comfortable, and full of well-grounded hopes, that glory shall go further on to glory, and end in glory, then why should we be afraid of death ? For grace will but end in glory. A mean glorious estate will but even be swallowed up of a truly glorious estate. Indeed grace is swallowed up of glory, even as the rivers are swallowed up of the ocean. Glory takes away nothing, but perfects all better by death. Why should we be afraid of death ? We are afraid of our glory, and of the perfection of our glory. '

To be afraid of death is to be afraid of glory.

Next week's reading
Conclude 'The excellency of the gospel above the law'.

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