446

Sect.

9.

5.

For the former was to be abolished, the latter to remain. Mofaick Law. For if that, which was, in its of Condemnation be Glory, Effects, only the Miniftration of Condemnation, tration of Righteoufnefs exceed in Glory.

2 Cor. III. pronouncing a Sentence of Death, in many Cafes without Mercy, and which at last certainly ended in leaving Perfons under Condemnation, as it was incapable of taking away the moral Guilt of any one Offence; [was attended with] fo bright a Glory (a); how much more fhall the Gospel, which may well be called the Miniftration of Righteousness, exceed in Glory? as it puts us into fo certain a Way to obtain Juftification and Life everlasting.

ΙΟ

For even that which was made glorious at its first Difpenfation, that is, the Law of Mofes, hath no Glory in this Refpect, by Reafon of the Glory that excelleth it by unutterable Degrees; fo that as the Sun fwalloweth up the Light of the Moon and the Stars, in like Manner is the Luftre of former Difpenfations fwallowed up, in II that of the Gofpel. For if that which was to be fo foon abolished, was nevertheless attended, as we have feen, with fome confiderable Degrees of Glory, to illuftrate its Divine Original and Authority, how much more glorious [must] that [be] which remaineth immutable thro' the remotest Ages (b).

much more doth the Minif

10 For even that which was made glorious, had no

Glory in this Respect, by
Reafon of the Glory that

excelleth.

II For if that which is much more that which redone away was glorions, maineth is glorious.

12 Seeing then that we

have

(a) Attended with Glory.] Dr. Whitby has taken a great deal of Pains to prove, that there is an intended Oppofition between the Glory, that is, the vifible Luftre on the Countenance of Mofes, (Compare Exod. xxxiv. 29. 30. where the Seventy ufe the Word dedogarai,) with the Glory which defcended on the Apoftles; (Acts ii. 3, 4.) and confiders each as an Emblem of the Difpenfation to be introduced, but with incomparable Advantage on the Side of the Gospel. But laboured as this Interpretation is, I cannot acquiefce in what is fingular in it; and had it been obvious to have objected to Verfe 11. that the cloven Tongues of Fire left no fuch lafting Luftre on the Face of the Apostles, as on that of Mojes.

(b) If that which was to be, &c.] Mr. Hallet would render it, if that which was "done away, was done away by Glory, how much more doth that which remaineth, "remain in Glory." But I think, this muft appear harth to every one that examines the Original; da dons, is literally by Glory, and may fignify, introduced by it, or attended with it, or confirmed by it; and in either of thefe Senfes may well be applied to the Shining of the Face of Mofes.

(c) And

have fuch Hope, we ufe great Plainnefs of Speech. 13 And not as Mofes,

which put a Vail over his Face, that the Children of Ifrael could not ftedfaftly

look to the End of that which is abolished.

14 But their Minds were blinded: For until this Day taken away, in the Reading of the Old Testament; which Vail is done away Chrift.

remaineth the fame Vail un

in

447 Sect. 5.

ar

2 Cor. III.

In this Confidence, he ufed great Plainnefs of Speech:
Wonder, that we ufe great Liberty of Address,
when we are fpeaking to you; And [are] not
herein concealed, as Mofes, [who] put a Vail upen
bis Face, (Compare Exod. xxxiv. 23.) (c), wherein
he was a Kind of Type and Figure of his own
Difpenfation; so that he might feem thereby to
intimate, that the Children of Ifrael could not di-
rectly look to the End of that Law, which he
brought, and which was, as I observed before,
to be abolished (d); But on the contrary, their 14
Understandings are evidently blinded, for until this
Day the fame Vail continues upon the Law, or
rather upon their own Hearts, and is ftill unre-
moved during the Reading of the Old Teftament;
which contains fuch diftinct Prophecies of Chrift,
and fuch lively Defcriptions of him, that one
would imagine it impoffible, that he should not
be immediately acknowledged and adored, by all
that profess to believe its Divine Authority:
Which [Vail] is taken away in those that receive
Chrift, who have in him the true Substance of
thofe Shadows, and the great End of its most
important Prophecies. But as to the unbe- 15
lieving Jews, as I faid before, the Vail which
they wear in their Synagogues, too aptly repre-
sents that which is upon their Heart when Mofes
is read, even to this Day in their Hearing; in
Confequence of which they can no more fee the
Mind of Mofes, than their Fathers could fee
his Face. But it shall not always be fo; the 16
House of Ifrael is intitled to a Variety of most ex-
cellent Promises, relating to the Bleffings of the
Meffiah's Kingdom; and as when Mofes went
in to the Lord, he laid afide his Vail, fo when it,
that is, the People of Ifrael, shall turn unto the
Lord, when the bleffed Period appointed for their
general

15 But even unto this Day, when Mofes is read, the Vail is upon their Heart.

16 Neverthelefs when it fhall

(c) And are not, &c.] All that follows from hence to the Beginning of the 18 Verfe, may be included in a Parenthesis.

(d) Which was to be abolished.] Such an oblique Manner of fpeaking on this Subject, makes the Argument from thefe Words peculiarly ftriking. It is taken for granted, as a Thing certainly known, and quite indifputable, that the Mofaick Difpenfation was to be abolished.

6

(e) Beholding

13.

448

Sect.

17.

5.

Since under the Gofpel, we clearly behold the Glory of the Lord.

a

Vail fhall be taken away.

17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty.

general Conversion fhall come, the Vail fhall be fhall turn to the Lord, the taken away, and the genuine Senfe of the facred 2 Cor. III. Oracles fhall break in upon their Minds with an irrefiftible Light. Now the Lord Jefus Chrift is that Spirit of the Law, of which I fpake before; to whom the Letter of it was intended to lead the Jews; and it is the Office of the Spirit of GOD, as the great Agent in his Kingdom, to direct the Minds of Men to it. And let him be univerfally fought in this View; for where the Spirit of the Lord [is,] there [is] Liberty; more liberal and filial Difpofition, to which, under the Influence and Operation of the Spirit, the Gospel brings thofe who are fubject to Bondage, under the imperfect Difpenfation of Mofes. 18 And in Confequence of the Liberty, enjoyed by Virtue of the gracious Oeconomy, we all, who have been fo happy as fuitably to welcome it, with unveiled Face, attentively bebolding as by a Glafs (e) or Mirror, the Glory of the Lord (f) reflected from his Word, are transformed into fomething of the fame refplendent Image of the bleffed Redeemer, whofe fhining Face we there fee; and the more ftedfaftly we behold this illuftrious and amiable Form, the more do we partake of it; proceeding gradually from Glory to Glory. And all this is as proceeding from the Lord the Spirit (g); for as the Lord Jefus Chrift

9

is

18 But we all with open

Face, beholding as in a
Lord, are changed in the
Glafs the Glory of the
fame Image, from Glory to
Glory, even as by the Spi-

rit of the Lord.

(e) Beholding as by a Glafs.] Some would render xalopouevos, reflecting as from a Glafs. But Elfner and Bos have abundantly proved, what indeed is evident to all verfed in the Language, that it has the Signification here affigned; and indeed the other Interpretation would obfcure and perplex the Sense.

(f) Beholding the Glory of the Lord. Here is one of the most beautiful Contrafts that can be imagined. Mofes faw the Shechinah, and it rendered his Face refplendent, fo that he covered it with a Vail, the Jews not being able to bear the reflected Light; we behold Chrift, as in the Glafs of his Word, and, (as the Reflection of a very Luminous Object from a Mirror, gilds the Face on which the reverberated Rays fall,) our Faces fhine too; and we vail them not, but diffufe the Luftre, which, as we difcover more and more of his Glories in the Gospel, is continually increafing.

ใ

κυριό,

κύριε

(g) By the Lord the Spirit.] As the Order of the Greek Words is unufual, not supalos Toxople, but xupis vevμalos, Dr. Whitby would render it by the Lord of the Spirit, that is, by Chrift, in whom the Spirit dwells, and by whom it is communicated according to his fovereign Will. But the Paraphrafe unites two Senfes, each I think more natural, tho' which of the two was chiefly intended, I cannot abfolutely determine.

Reflections on the Glory of the Chriftian Dispensation.

is the Spirit of the Law, fo the Divine Spirit under his Direction and Influences, is the Caufe of this noble and Divine Effect.

IMPROVEMENT.

TILL doth this glorious Glafs of the Gospel stand full in our View,

STI

from which the Luftre of the Redeemer's Countenance is reflected. Ver. 18. Let us daily behold his Image there, and contemplate it with an attentive Eye, as those who are solicitous, that we may wear fome of those Rays; yea, that we may wear them with ftill increafing Luftre; that we may be transformed from Glory to Glory, and reflecting those Rays, fhine as Lights in the World.

Let us endeavour to raise our Minds to this laudable Temper, by frequently reflecting on the Excellence of the Chriftian Difpenfation, as a Difpenfation of the Spirit, and of Life; whereas the Law was the Mini- Ver. 7, ftration of Death; and while, from the Glory attending the Law, we infer, with the Apostle, the fupereminent Glory of the Gospel, let us learn also the superior Obligation it brings us under, to regard and obey it, and the proportionably greater Danger of despifing it. The Law of Mofes Ver. 11. was foon to be abolished; the Gospel still remains, and shall remain to the End of Time. Let us pray for its Profperity, and do our utmost to promote it. And let us earnestly plead with GOD, that, whereas there is now a Vail upon the Face of the Jews even to this Day, when their facred Ver. 14. Records are read among them, they may turn unto the Lord, and find the Ver. 16. Vail taken away; that fo by the Converfion of Ifrael as a Nation, there may be a glorious Acceffion of Evidence to Chriflianity; and that the Jews themselves may be happy in the Bleffing of him, whom their Fathers crucified, and whom they continue contemptuously to reject.

Let the Minifters of the Gospel, while defending fo divine a Cause, and enforcing fo important a Meffage, ufe all becoming Plainness of Ver. 12. Speech; and may all Chriftians know more of that Liberty, which the Spi- Ver. 17. rit of the Lord gives, that God may in all Things be glorified, thro' Jefus Chrift. Amen.

8.

VOL. IV.

L11

SECT.

450

Sect. 6.

2 Cor. IV. I.

The Apoftle declares, that having obtained Mercy, be fainted not:

SECT. VI.

The Apostle declares his Courage, and difclaims all finifter
Views and all Diftruft of Success, in pursuing the glorious
Miniftry he had defcribed; being perfuaded, that fuch a
Gofpel, could not be rejected, but in Confequence of the
moft fatal Prejudices. 2 Cor. IV. 1,---6.

SUCH

2 CORINTHIANS IV. I.
CH are the diftinguished Glories of the
Gofpel-difpenfation, and its Effects on the
Hearts of thofe who fincerely embrace it. And
therefore having been entrusted with fuch a Minif-
tration, as we have obtained Mercy [of GOD] to
be thus honoured, we faint not under any of
thofe Difficulties, we are called out to encounter;
nor in any Degree defift from our glorious En-
2 terprize (a). But we have renounced, and fet
at Defiance, the hidden Things of Shame (b); in
which the Priests of Paganifin deal fo much, in
order to impofe on the People over whom they
prefide, practifing in their Myfteries fo many
impure, and fo many foolish Rites. We need
not any of their Artifices; not walking in Crafti-
nefs, as fome would infinuate that we do, nor de-
ceitfully corrupting and difguifing the Word of
GOD; but by the Manifeftation of the genuine
and unfophifticated Truth, recommending our felves
to every Man's Confcience, we fteadily and con-

2 CORINTHIANS IV. 1.

Therefore feeing we have

this Miniftry, as we have received Mercy, we faint not:

2 But have renounced the

hidden Things of DifhoIn nefty, not walking in Craftinefs, nor handling the Word of God deceitfully, but by Manifestation of the felves to every Man's Confcience in the Sight of GOD.

ftantly

Truth, commending our

edi

(a) Defift from our glorious Enterprize.] Exxax naturally expreffes the drawing back from fome ftrenuous Undertaking, in what we often call a daftardly Manner, on Account of fome Difficulties attending it.

(b) Renounced the hidden Things of Shame] Dr. Whitby understands this of lewd Practices; but the Oppofition between this Claufe, and the following, feems much more to favour the Paraphrafe; tho' to be fure the Phrafe may extend to all dishonest Artifices of falfe Teachers. The Word awausa, which we render renounce, does not imply, they fave had any to do with Jes ever had any Thing to do with thefe Things; but the Words, "fet them at Defiance," feem ftill more literally to exprefs the Original.

2

(c) If