August 27

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.—2 Corinthians 3:18.

WHAT glory do we here behold, but that which a glass is able to represent? Now nothing can be seen in a glass but the image of that thing which sheds forth its visible representation thereupon: and therefore he immediately adds, "We are changed into the same image from glory to glory." And elsewhere he puts these two together, "Man is the image and glory of God:" for nothing can have any thing of God in it, any resemblance or form of him, but so far it must needs be glorious. But what is there of the glory of God in the gospel? And what effect is produced on those who behold this glory?

First. What is there of the glory of God in the gospel? 1. It contains the glory of God's wisdom, and that wisdom is "a manifold, and various wisdom," so speaks the apostle; who therefore calls Christ and his gospel by the name of wisdom: "We preach Christ crucified, to those that are called, the power of God, and the wisdom of God;" and "we speak wisdom amongst them that are perfect." Wisdom to reconcile his own attributes of mercy and truth, righteousness and peace,—which by the fall of man, seemed to be at variance among themselves. Wisdom is reconciling the world of obstinate and rebellious enemies unto himself; wisdom in sanctifying the whole creation by the blood of the cross, and repairing those ruins which the sin of man had caused; wisdom in incorporating Christ and his church, things in their own distinct natures, as unapt for mixture, as fire and water in their remotest degrees; wisdom is uniting the Jews and Gentiles, and reducing their former jealousies and disaffections into an intimate fellowship in the same common mysteries: in one word, wisdom above the admiration of the blessed angels, in finding out a way to give greater satisfaction to his offended justice, by showing mercy and saving sinners, than he could ever have received by either the confusion or annihilation of them.

2. The gospel, contains the glory of God's goodness and mercy, of that "good will" towards men, which brought glory to God, and to the earth peace: for the gospel is, as it were, a love-token or commendatory epistle of the Lord unto his church. God left not himself without witnesses of his care, and evidences of some love, even to those whom he suffered to walk in their own ways, without any knowledge of his gospel: he did them good, he gave them rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons: so even they had experience of some of his goodness, the goodness of his providence; for he is the Saviour of all men. But the gospel contains all God's goodness, as a heap and miscellany of universal mercy: "I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee, and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy." God's special and gracious mercy, the mercy of his promises in Christ, conveys to the soul an interest in all his goodness: nay, it makes all things good unto us; so that we may call them ours, as gifts and legacies from Christ. He hath given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, the world, and life, and things present, and things to come; "all are yours," saith the apostle. Death itself and persecutions are amongst the legacies of Christ to the church, and a portion of all that goodness, with which, in the gospel, she is endowed. And this goodness is dispensed by glorious power, for this also, is another ray of that glory of the Lord which beams forth from the gospel; for it is "the power of God unto salvation."

3. It contains the glory of God's grace—the grace of his favor toward us, and the grace of his Spirit in us. "The law was given by Moses, but grace came from Christ;" that is, favor instead of God's fury, and strength instead of man's infirmity. For because man was unable to fulfill the law, therefore the law came with wrath and curses against him; but in the gospel of Christ there is abundance, even a whole kingdom of grace: the apostle saith, that by Jesus Christ "grace reigned." There is grace to remove the curse of the law by God's favor towards us: so that on all sides the law is weak; unable, by reason of man's sin, to save; and unable, by reason of God's favor, to condemn. And there is grace to remove the weakness of man by God's Spirit in us: or though our own spirit lust to envy, or set itself proudly against the law of God; yet he giveth more grace, that is, strength enough to overcome the counterlustings of the flesh against his will, and to enable us in sincerity and evangelical perfection, to fulfill the commands of the law. Such is the glory of the Lord, which, by faith, with unvailed face, we may behold as in a glass, that is in the spiritual ministration of the gospel, having the vail of carnal stupidity taken away by the Spirit.

Secondly. What effect is produced on those who behold this glory? We do not only see the glory of the Lord in the gospel, but are withal, "as by the Spirit of the Lord," changed into the same image, even "from glory to glory." The meaning is, as I conceive from the allusion to a glass, that the glory of the Lord, shining upon the gospel, and from the gospel shining upon our hearts, changes them into the image of the same glory; even as the glory of the sun, shining upon a glass, and from that glass reflecting on a wall, therein produces a more extraordinary image of its own light. From the glory of the gospel, which is one glass of God's image, there is shaped the same glory in the heart, which is another glass of his image. This is that which the apostle calls, the "forming of Christ in the soul," and "the planting of it in the likeness of his death and resurrection."

"Finish then thy new creation; Pure and spotless let us be; Let us see thy great salvation, Perfectly restored to thee: Changed from glory into glory, Till in heaven we take our place,— Till we cast our crowns before thee, Lost in wonder, love, and praise."