2 Corinthians 3

First, when in the word the Spirit does quicken and raise the affections (Luke 24:32): "Did not our hearts burn within us?" Second, when the Spirit does transform the heart, leaving an impress of holiness upon it (2 Corinthians 3:8): "We are changed into the same image, from glo…

By reading other books the heart may be warmed, but by reading this book it is transformed. (2 Corinthians 3:3) You are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. The Word was copied out into their hearts, and th…

This is an honor to the ministry. (2 Corinthians 3:1): Need we as some others, letters of commendation? Though other ministers might need letters of commendation, yet Paul needed none: for when men should hear of the obedience of these Corinthians, which was wrought in them by P…

Therefore it is requisite before we come, to examine ourselves what knowledge we have in the main fundamentals of religion. Let it not be said of us, that to this day the veil is upon our heart (2 Corinthians 3:15). But sure in this intelligent age we cannot but have some insigh…

Hear and your soul shall live. God sometimes in the preaching of the word drops in that holy oil into the ear which softens and sanctifies the heart: The word preached is called the Ministry of the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:8), because the Spirit of God makes use of this engine to…

And therefore, the Lord made this promise to the time of the Gospel, long before; that the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters that cover the sea. And Saint Paul proves this performed, when he affirmeth of the Church of the new Testament, 2 Corinthian…

Answer: We may with reverence to his majesty in good manner say, that Christ was a sinner, and that truly: not by any infusion of sin into his most holy person; but because our sins were laid on him: thus says the Holy Ghost, he who knew no sin was made sin for us, and he was co…

2. He is held out as the foundation and groundwork of preaching, so that preaching without Him wants foundation, and is the building, as it were, of a castle in the air (1 Corinthians 3:10) — I have laid the foundation, and another builds thereon, but let every man take heed how…

1. Of an utter inability and deadness as to that which is good, dead in sins (Ephesians 2:1). We are not sufficient (says the Apostle, 2 Corinthians 3:5) of ourselves as of ourselves to think anything, not so much as a good thought. 2. The Scripture holds him out not only as una…

O, that you would consider, what a sin ignorance is; when the Devil appeared in the world, he made it a great part of his first work, to extinguish, and put out the light of knowledge, and by this means he labors still to keep folk in ignorance. Hence the Apostle says (2 Corinth…

Fourth, indeed, they believing in the Messiah to come were no more under the law and the dominion of sin than we are (Romans 6:6-9; Romans 7:1-7; Romans 8:1-2; Micah 7:18-19; Isaiah 43:25; Jeremiah 50:20; Psalm 32:1-2), but under grace, and pardoned, and saved by faith as we are…

2. To the sight Christ is a delightful thing; to behold God, in Christ, is a changing sight. 2 Corinthians 3:18. 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 (Ep…

How can Arminians depart from a spiritual communion, in both sacraments, all Jews and Gentiles in the visible body of Christ, externally called; now this is most absurd, that all and every one should be saved, to whom Apostles, and Pastors were sent to preach the Gospel — then n…

And therefore if God should never grant him more mercy, he could not but acknowledge he had done abundantly more for him already than he had deserved; he prays not in his own name, but in the name of another; and no man can pray in the name of Christ, but he must pray in humilit…

A man is said to have the Son, when he has the spirit of the Son. A man is said to have Christ when he has the Spirit, and therefore you may read, (2 Corinthians 3:17). Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, and the Lord is that Spirit, namely, He had spoken before o…

(1.) That as God is glorious in himself, so he makes him that comes to him partaker of his glory. For certainly all communion with God breeds some assimilation and likeness to God: it is clear in heavenly glory when we see him as he is, we shall be like him (1 John 3:2), and it…

When a soul has been with its God in a corner, the effects are so remarkable, that others shall take knowledge of him that has been with Jesus. And it must needs be so; for, conversing with God is of a transforming nature (2 Corinthians 3:18). But we all with open face beholding…

There some Moses must needs come between as a Mediator, and yet notwithstanding without any fruit, as I will declare hereafter. To this purpose serves that place in 2 Corinthians 3 concerning the covered face of Moses, where Paul out of the history of Exodus 34 shows that the ch…

Now, this form is given by the ministry of the word, as it is said (1 Corinthians 4:15): I have begotten you through the Gospel, that is to say, in spirit, that you might know Christ and believe in him. Also (2 Corinthians 3:3): You are the Epistle of Christ, ministered by us an…

Verse. 17. Is Christ therefore the minister of sin? This is a kind of speech used of the Hebrews, which Paul in (2 Corinthians 3) does also use: where he most divinely and plainly speaks of these two ministries, to wit, of the letter and the spirit, of the law and grace, or of d…

Hence we are taught to yield obedience to our rulers and teachers: because they that are our rulers and teachers, were separated from the womb to be so, and that by God himself, without the will of man. Hence we may gather assurance of God's protection, and assistance in our cal…

The knowledge whereby men know God, is either literal knowledge, or spiritual knowledge: Literal is when the doctrine of God, and his will is known, without reformation of life. Spiritual knowledge is when the mind is enlightened by the Spirit of God, with the knowledge of God,…

Therefore David prays, Establish me with your free spirit (Psalm 51:12). And Paul says, Where the Spirit is, there is liberty (2 Corinthians 3:17). And, The spirit of life which is in Christ frees us from the power of sin, and death (Romans 8:2).

5. In the effects. The Law is no instrumental cause, of faith, repentance, or any saving grace: it is the minister of death (2 Corinthians 3:7), causing wrath (Romans 3:15). But the Gospel causes life: it is the grace of God which brings salvation (Titus 2:11); for this cause Pa…

Then, I say, the Jews especially had a veil laid over their eyes; which was figured before in Moses, when the people could not endure to behold him, because of the brightness of his countenance. But this is truly fulfilled in Christ, to whom it pertains to take away and abolish…

Or what can we do, or offer to God? We are not sufficient of ourselves, but the Lord makes us sufficient, as Saint Paul says (2 Corinthians 3:5). His free election therefore is free, and is the very foundation of our salvation: and the service is but the end, which we of duty ow…

For albeit God can build up his church without the help of men, yet is he pleased to use their labors: and however he finishes the whole building himself alone, by the secret work of his Holy Spirit, yet he blesses the endeavors of his servants, that the same should not become a…

Let men make never so many laws, and that in the best form they can devise, yet they can not bring us to true righteousness: they may well bring us to some shadows of it, but they shall never attain so far as to express it to the life. He also therewithal shows the way how to pr…

Moreover, if God should only command us to do that he has enjoined us, he should therein show us the way indeed how to obtain life, but yet without any profit to us. For the law, as it comes forth of God's mouth, is the minister of death (2 Corinthians 3:7), but when he calls us…

Wherever Scripture applauds this efficacy in the ministry of men, let us learn to attribute it to the grace of the Spirit, without which the voice of man would have spent itself uselessly in the air. Thus, when Paul boasts that he is a minister of the Spirit, (2 Corinthians 3:6,…

It was proper that Christ should be surrounded by marks of divine grace and power — at least equally illustrious with those which were bestowed on Moses, that the majesty of the Gospel might not be inferior to that of the Law. If God bestowed singular honor on a doctrine which w…

We do not see Christ, and yet we see him; we do not hear Christ, and yet we hear him: for in the Gospel we behold him, as Paul says, face to face, so as to be transformed into his image, (2 Corinthians 3:18;) and the perfection of wisdom, righteousness, and life, which was forme…

Christ warns them of what will take place, that they may be prepared to endure it with patience; and, in the persons of two men, he addresses all his followers. For though many believers die a natural death, and without violence or shedding of blood, yet it is common to all of t…

But they conclude that he is Christ, not simply from the bare sign that his word was efficacious to inflame their hearts, but because they ascribe to him the honor which belongs to him, that when he speaks with the mouth, he likewise inflames their hearts inwardly by the warmth…

For sure it is he was brought up as a child in the doctrine of the law: but that was a literal divinity, which does not humble its disciples. For as he says in another place, the veil was interposed, that the Jews could not see the light of life in the law (2 Corinthians 3:14):…

That believing on Christ, which accompanies a Title to everlasting Life, is a seeking the Son, and believing on him, John 6. 40. True Faith in Christ is never exercised, any further than Persons behold as in a Glass, the Glory of the Lord, and have the Knowledge of the Glory of…

All gracious Affections do arise from a spiritual Understanding, in which the Soul has the Excellency and Glory of divine Things discovered to it, as was shown before. But all spiritual Discoveries are transforming; and not only make an Alteration of the present Exercise, Sensat…

Sect. 11 Secondly; The great work of the Holy Ghost in the Dispensation and Ministration of the Gospel to all the Ends of it, is another evidence to the same Purpose. Hence the Gospel it self is called the Ministration of the Spirit, in opposition to that of the Law, which is ca…

Sect. 3 2. The Ministry of the Gospel whereby we are begotten again that we should be a kind of first Fruits of his Creatures to God, is from his promised Presence with it and Work in it, called the Ministry of the Spirit, even of the Spirit that gives Life, 2 Cor. 3. 6. And it…

Gal. 4. 19. Tit. 2. 11, 12. 1 Cor. 3. 11. 2 Cor. 3. 18. This Foundation being laid, without which it has as it were nothing to do with the Souls of Men, nor will proceed to any other thing, with them by whom this its first Work is refused, it then grafts all Duties of Moral Obed…

The principle of holiness itself, not merely its fruits, passes over into glory — those graces whereby holiness is constituted and wherein it consists, for the substance of them as they contain the image of God and by them we are united and adhere to God in Christ, shall in thei…

The holiness of God absolutely considered is not the immediate ground and motive unto holiness in us — under that consideration we can make no conclusion but that of Joshua: he is an holy God, a jealous God, he will not forgive their iniquities nor spare; no creature is capable…

It assimilates the Nature to the divine Nature, and changes the Soul into an Image of the same Glory that is beheld. 2 Cor. 3.18. 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…

For answer to that I say, the "not" there is not an absolute prohibition of renting the garment, it is not so much a negation, as a direction — rent your hearts and not your garments, that is, rent your hearts rather than your garments, or rent your hearts more than your garment…

But now the returning soul, has never more freedom, liberty and amplitude of spirit, than when he is in the acknowledgement of those things whereof he is most ashamed. And this is no small evidence that it proceeds from that spirit which is attended with liberty, for where the S…

First, the truth is in Jesus; then it is expressed in the word; this word learned, and believed, becomes grace in the heart, every way answering unto the Lord Christ his Image from whom this transforming truth did thus proceed. Nay, this is carried by the apostle yet higher, nam…

4. That except she were drawn, she would come short of both. 5. A cheerful engaging to be forthcoming to his honor and the good of others, and to undertake what he shall call to, and fit for; these go well together, that when we see and are sensible, that we of ourselves, as of…

Seventhly, and lastly, it is said that when Moses came down from the mount after his long converse with God, his face shone with such a divine and heavenly luster, that the Israelites were dazzled with the brightness, and could not steadfastly look upon him; and that therefore h…

Our Savior tells his disciples (Luke 10:24) that many Prophets and Kings had desired to see the things which they saw and had not seen them, and to hear the things which they did hear, and had not heard them; for indeed this mystery was hid from ages and generations which God th…

The Apostle Paul therefore takes notice, that the Prophet Esaias is very bold, Romans 10:20. That is, as the meaning of the word, as used in the New Testament, is very plain, he speaks out very plainly and fully; so being "very bold" is used 2 Corinthians 3:12. We use "great pla…