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 the comeliness and beauty of Gospel worship, consisteth in its relation to God by Jesus Christ, as the merciful high-Priest over his house, with the glorious administration of the spirit therein. The order also of it lies in the due and regular observation of all that Christ…

With such a one no not to eat. (3.) In admonishing of him (2 Corinthians 3:15), admonish him as a brother, which may be done (1) Occasionally, by any member of the church (2) On set purpose by the consent and appointment of the whole church; which admonition is to contain, (1.)…

The means whereby preventing grace is given, is the voice and preaching of the Gospel, by which being heard and thought upon, the Holy Ghost does show forth his efficacy and power. For hence it is that the Gospel is called the ministry of the spirit (2 Corinthians 3:6), and that…

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…

Howbeit the best among them were much in the dark, as to their proper use and signification. For the vail was so on the face of Moses, that the Children of Israel could not look stedfastly to the end of that which was to be abolished (2 Corinthians 3:13). This he now doctrinally…

The plain revelation of these things which could not be made before their actual accomplishment is a great part of this gospel-perfection. This the Apostle disputes at large (2 Corinthians 3, from ver. 7 to the end of the chapter). 3. The inward spiritual light of the minds of b…

(3) He gave a substantial representation of the eternal idea of his wisdom and grace, in the incarnation of the Son, in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwelt substantially, and in the discharge of his work of mediation. (4) An exposition of the whole is given us in the Gospel, w…

And the greatness of the priviledge of the Church herein is not easily expressed. For hereby with open face we behold the glory of God in a glass, and are changed into the same image (2 Corinthians 3:18). The man whose eyes the Lord Christ opened (Mark 8:23, 24) represents these…

With respect hereunto the first Covenant is usually called the Old Testament. For we intend not thereby the books of Scripture, or oracles of God committed to the Church of the Jews (which yet as we have observed are once called the Old Testament, 2 Corinthians 3:14) but the Cov…

With respect to these things among others in another place, he affirms that the ministration of divine worship under the Law was glorious. But withal he adds that it had no glory in comparison of that which does excel; namely, the spiritual ministration of divine worship under t…

It was the whole of what God designed in our creation to his own glory and our everlasting blessedness. What was in the tables of stone was nothing but a transcript of what was written in the heart of man originally; and which is returned there again by the grace of the new Cove…

Although these things agreed in their general nature, from where a comparison is founded; yet were the one incomparably more glorious than the other. Hence elsewhere although he allows the administration of the Law to be glorious, yet he affirms that it had no glory in compariso…

The efficacy of the Blood of Christ being through believing communicated to them, takes away all this dread and fear. And this is done principally by his bestowing on them the Holy Spirit, which is a Spirit of liberty, as our Apostle shows at large (2 Corinthians 3). Therefore w…

For though it transiently affect the mind with some glances of the beauty, glory, and excellency of spiritual things, yet it does not give that direct, steady, intuitive insight into them, which is obtained by grace. See (2 Corinthians 3:18; chap. 4:4, 6). Neither does it renew,…

Howbeit although the Books of Moses, the Psalms, and the Prophets were read to them, and among them continually, as they are to this day, they neither understood, nor do yet understand the things that are so plainly revealed in them. And as the great reason hereof is the veil of…

But when faith comes, he is both a real something, and a great nothing. And this, as I said, is a great mystery; a piece of unintelligible nonsense to a carnal heart (2 Corinthians 3:5). Before faith comes a man's self sufficiency is gone, and all his sufficiency is of God; he h…

They have heard much of Christ and tasted much of Christ, and they love him much, but yet they have not seen him; they know him by hearsay, and by spiritual experience, but never saw his person, whom having not seen you love, &c. They have seen his picture crucified before your…

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…

Make not a light matter of the revelation and offer of Christ in the Gospel: it is essentially requisite to saving faith. In the day of grace when the Spirit, by its powerful operations, works saving faith in the soul; it does it by opening the eyes of the understanding, to see…

It is not lawful to make such a Covenant as the Church-Covenant, because it is not in our power to keep it, and we do not know whether God will give us power. This ground is very true, that no man has power of himself to anything that good is, but all a man's power and ability m…

There is no liberty to do holy actions, but this liberty of the life of grace: the Spirit of life adds liberty to do the actions of life. (2 Corinthians 3:17) Where the Spirit of God is, there is liberty, to do things which before we could not do; as one having an art can do thi…

For our knowledge of God is not the express image of that infinite divine knowledge (which is proper to the Son alone as a partaker of the divine nature, Hebrews 1:3), so that it could be called ectypal in relation to it; nor can we know anything of God by its power or virtue, e…

XVIII. By the light and aid of these principles, that great foundation, the cornerstone, Jesus Christ, the promised seed of Adam and of Abraham, occupied His place in that Israelitic church. And from this flowed the glory and dignity of that church, with God moreover rendering i…

He is the image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4); the image of God (Colossians 1:15); the radiance of glory and the exact imprint of His nature (Hebrews 1:3). The gospel, moreover, is the "image" of Christ — or His "face" — in which "the glory of the Father shines" (2 Corinthians 4:6)…

Christ dismissed all external splendor and all carnal adornment, however resplendent with visible glory, by newly appointing to His worship very few ceremonies, and those simple ones. See (John 4:23; 2 Corinthians 3:6-11; Hebrews 9:1-12). But as long as it pleased God to employ…

The study of theology, therefore, is nothing other than the effort, directed according to the norm of the divine word, to promote the saving light and the spiritual gifts in which this heavenly wisdom consists in the mind of the theologian. This Scripture itself teaches us every…

To obtain Christ, two means are ordained. The Law and Gospel preached (2 Corinthians 3:5-6). By these two instruments, the Holy Ghost works two things necessary to be in us, for the obtaining of Christ.

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…