The Excellency of the Gospel Above the Law, Treatise · Part 3
VERSE. XVIII.
But we all as in a glass, with open face behold the glory of the Lord, and are changed into the ſame Image, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.
AS the Sunne riseth by degrees, till he come to shine in glory, so it was with the Sonne of righteousnesse, hee discovered himselfe in the Church by little and little: the latter times now are more glorious than the former▪ and because comparisons give lustre, the blessed▪ Apostle to set forth the excellency of the administration of the covenant of grace under the Gospell, he compares it with the administration of the same covenant in the time of the law, and in the comparison prefers that administration under the Gospell, is more excellent.Difference betweene the Law, and the Gospell. Now besides other differences in the Chapter, he insists upon three especially,
they differ in
Generality.
Evidence.
Efficacie.
First in regard of the generalitie We all now with open face &c. In the number.Moses onelyonly beheld the glory of the Lord in the Mount, but We all, not all men, but all sound Christians that have their eyes opened, all sorts of beleevers, behold this glory:no envy in Spirituall things. In Spirituall things there is no envie, every one may be partaker in solidum, intirely of all. Envie is in the things of this life, where the more one hath, the leſſe another hath, it is a matter of glory, and excellencie, the more are partakers of Spirituall things: the Iewes rejoyced that the Gentiles should be called, and wee now rejoyce in hope, and ſhould rejoyce mervelouſly, if we could see it effected, that the Iewes should be taken in againe; the more the better, Wee all.
And then for evidence, We behold with open face, In the evidence.that is, with freedome, and boldnesse, which was not in the time of the law, for they were affraid to looke upon Moyses, when hee came downe from the Mount, his cou…enance was so majesticall and … rible, but We all with open face, freely, boldly, and cheer…fully, looke, upon the glory of God in the Gospell; the light of the Gospell is an alluring com…rting light, the light of the law was dazelling and terrifying.
As in, a Glasse, they beheld God in a glasse, but it was not so cleere a glasse, they beheld him as it were in the water, wee behold him, in Christ…ll, we see God in the glasse of the Word, and Sacraments, but they in a wor… of Ceremonies, Chriſ… was to them swadled, and wrapped up in a great many types.
And then for the power and efficacie, the Gospell is beyond the law,Efficasie. the law had not power to convert, to change into its owne likenesse, but now the Gospell, which is the ministry of the Spirit; it hath a transforming, changing power, into the likenesse of Christ, whom it preacheth, we are changed From glory to glory▪ it is a graduall change, not all at once, but from glory to glory, from one degree of grace to another, for grace is here called glory, we are changed from the state of grace, till he come to heaven the state of glory.
And then the cause of all, It is by the Spirit of the Lord; The Spirit runnes through all, it is by the Spirit of the Lord, that we behold, it is the Spirit of the Lord that takes away the vayle, it is by the Spirit, that we are changed from glory to glory.
Thus you see how many wayes the administration of the covenant of grace now, is more excellent than the administration of the Covenant of grace was then:Foure excellencies in the covenant of grace since Christ. In a word i… hath foure excellencies especially as,
First,Freedome. liberty and freedome, from the bondage of ceremonies, and of the law, in a great part they had little Gospell, and a great deale of Law mingled with it, we have much Gospell, and little Law, wee have more freedome, and liberty.
And thereupon we have more clearenesse,Clearnesse. wee see Christ more clearely, with open face wee behold the glory of the Lord.
And thirdly, there is more intenti…n of grace,Intention. the spirit workes more strongly now, even to a change, the ministery of the Gospell hath the Spirit with it, whereby wee are changed from the hear… roote inwardly, and thorowly.
And l…stly, in the extension, it is more large,Extention. Wee all, Gentiles, as well as Iewes, Behold, &c.
Hence, let us seriously and fruitfully consider, in what excellent times the Lord hath cast us, that we may answer it with thankfullnesse, and obedience, God hath reserved us to these glorious times, better then ever our forefathers saw.
There are three m…ine parts of the Text,Three parts of the Text. our communion and fellowship with God in Christ, wee all now in a glasse, Behold the glory of the Lord.
And then our conformity thereupon, by beholding, we are changed into the same Image.
The third is the cause of both, the cause why wee b…hold the glory of God, and why by beholding we are changed from glory to glory, it is the Spirit of God.
This Text hath many theames of glory, all is glorious in it; there is the glorious mercy of God in Christ, who is the Lord of glory, the Gospel in which wee see the grace of God, and of Christ, The glorious Gospell, the change by which wee are changed▪ a glorious change, from glory to glory, and by a glorious power, by the Spirit of …, Lord, all here is glorious. Therefore blessed be God, and blessed be Christ, and blessed be the Spirit, and blessed be the Gospell, and wee blessed that live in these blessed and glorious times, but to come to the words.
But we all as in a glasse, &c.
The happinesse of man consists especially in two things,Happinesse of man in two things.
In Communion with
In Conformity to
God.
The meanes how to attaine them, both, are laid downe in this Verse.
I shall speake of them in order. First, of our communion with the chiefe good: And then of the conformity wr…ught upon that communion.
And in the Communion first of Gods discovering of himselfe by his Spirit.
And then of our apprehension of him, by beholding.
We all with open face, behold the glory of the Lord, &c.
In the glasse of the Gospell, we see Christ, and in Christ the glory of God shining, especially of his mercy.
The point then here is, that,Doct.
The grace and free mercy of God is his glory, The merciemercy of God his glory.Now in our falne estate, the glory of God is especially his mercy shining in Iesus Christ.
What is glory?
Glory implyeth these things.Glory what?
First excellency,Excellency. nothing is glorious but that that is excellent.
Secondly, evidenceEvidence. and manifestation, for nothing is glorious, (though it be excellent) if it appeare not so, therefore Light is said to bee glorious, because the rayes of it appeare, and runne into the eyes of all as it were, and therefore we call things that are glorious by the name of Light, illustrissimus, and Clarissimus, tearmes taken from light, because where glory is, there must be manifestation, thus light, it is a creature of God that manifests it selfe and other things.
Thirdly, victoriousnesse,Victory. in glory there is such a degree of excellency, as is victorious, and convincing that it is so indeed: conquering the contrary, that opposeth it, Light causeth darkenesse to vanish presently, when the Sunne which is a glorious creature appeares, where are the Starres? And where are meaner men in the appearance of a glorious Prince? they are hid, the meaner things are shaddowed by glory.
Againe,Witnesse. usually glory hath with it the suffrage, and approbation of others or else it hath not its right end, that is, why doth God create such glory in nature as Light, and such like? but that men may behold the Light? and why are Kings, and great men glorious at certaine times, but that there bee beholders? if there were no beholders there would bee no glory
Now to apply this to the point in hand, The glory of the Lord, That is, his attributes, especially that of grace, mercy, and love in Christ, that especially is his excellency.
And there is an evidence and manifestation of it, it appeares to us in Christ, The grace of God hath appeared, Christ is called grace, hee is the grace of God invested, and cloathed with mans nature, when Christ appeared, the grace, and mercy, and love of God appeared.
Then againe it is victorious, shining to victory, over all that is contrary: For alasse beloved, what would become of us? if there were not grace above sinne, and mercy above misery, and power in Christ Iesus, above all the power in Sathan, and death.
And then they have a testimony of all that belong to God, for they have their eyes opened to behold this glory, and by beholding are transformed from glory to glory, as we shall see after.
So that whatsoever may be said of glory, may bee said of this glory, whence all other glory indeed is derived.