Works (Vol 4) - Sibbes - XV - '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 'And are changed. I shewed before how man's happiness stands partly in communion with God...'

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 discusses what is meant by the words:
(i) 'the glory of God' (it is the glory of his mercy and love in Jesus Christ);
(ii) 'as in a glass' (the gospel is the glass wherein we see this glory of the Lord);
(iii) 'beholding' (God puts a spiritual eye by his Spirit into all true believers whereby they behold this excellent glory);
(iv) 'with open face' (we behold God's glory with the veil of ignorance removed and we behold God's glory with a spirit of boldness);
(v) 'we all' (Jews and Gentiles where the gospel is preached see the glory of God).

What grabbed me
I liked this advice for when we are depressed about our sin: 'Again, let us stay ourselves, when we walk in darkness, with the consideration of the gloriousness of God's mercy in Jesus Christ, here called ' the glory of the Lord.' It is no less mercy than glorious mercy that will satisfy us, when we are in distress of conscience ; and if this will not, what will ? Let Satan aggravate our sins as much as may be, and join with conscience in this business ; yet set this glorious mercy against all our sins, make the most of them, they are sins of a finite creature. But here is infinite mercy, triumphing and rejoicing over justice, having gotten the victory over it. Oh beloved, when the time of temptation comes, and the hour of death, and conflict with conscience, and a confluence and concurrence of all that may discourage, Satan will bestir himself; and he is a cunning rhetorician to set all the colours upon sin, especially in the time of despair; be as cunning to set all colours upon mercy, glorious mercy. If God were glorious in all other attributes, and not in mercy, what would become of us ? The glory of other attributes without mercy tends to despair; glorious in wisdom to find us out; glorious injustice to deal with us in rigour. These affright, but that that sweeteneth all other attributes is his mercy. '

You sin is finite, God's mercy is infinite.  Now that is a glorious truth to consider.

Next week's reading
Continue 'The excellency of the gospel above the law' by reading up to the paragraph beginning 'From glory to glory.  By glory is meant especially grace here, and that which accompanies the grace of God, the favour of God'

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