Four excellencies in the covenant of grace
(2.) And then for evidence. 'We behold with open face,' that is, with freedom and boldness, which was not in the time of the law. For they were afraid to look upon Moses when he came down from the mount, his countenance was so majestical and terrible. But 'we all with open face,' freely, boldly, and cheerfully, look upon the glory of God in the gospel. The light of the gospel is an alluring comforting light; the light of the law was dazzling and terrifying.
'As in a glass.' They beheld God in a glass, but it was not so clear a glass. They beheld him as it were in the water, we behold him in crystal. We see God in the glass of the word and sacraments, but they in a world of ceremonies. Christ was to them swaddled and wrapped up in a great many types.
(3.) And then for the power and efficacy, the gospel is beyond the law. The law had not power to convert, to change into its own likeness; but now the gospel, which is the ministry of the Spirit, it hath a transforming changing power, into the likeness of Christ whom it preacheth. 'We are changed from glory to glory.' It is a gradual 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 we* come to heaven, the state of glory.
And then the cause of all. It is 'by the Spirit of the Lord.' The Spirit runs through all. It is 'by the Spirit of the Lord' that we behold. It is the Spirit of the Lord that takes away the veil. It is by the Spirit that we are changed from glory to glory.
Four excellencies in the covenant of grace Thus you see how many ways the administration of the covenant of grace now is more excellent than the administration of the covenant of grace was then. In a word it hath four excellencies especially, as,
First, Liberty and freedom from the bondage of ceremonies and of the law. In a great part they had little gospel and a great deal of law mingled with it. We have much gospel and little law. We have more freedom and liberty.
Second, And thereupon we have more clearness. We see Christ more clearly. 'With open face we behold the glory of the Lord.'
Third. And thirdly, there is more intension of grace. The Spirit works more strongly now, even to a change. The ministry of the gospel hath the Spirit with it, whereby we are changed from the heart-root inwardly and thoroughly.
Fourth, And lastly, in the extension. It is more large. 'We all,'
Gentiles as well as Jews, 'behold,' &c.
Hence, let us seriously and fruitfully consider in what excellent times the Lord hath cast us, that we may answer it with thankfulness and obedience. God hath reserved us to these glorious times, better than ever our forefathers saw.† There are three main parts of the text: Our communion and fellowship with God in Christ. 'We all now in a glass 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 we 'behold 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 themes 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 we see the grace of God and of Christ; 'The glorious gospel,'
1 Tim. 1:11, the change by which we are changed, a glorious change 'from glory to glory,' and by a glorious power, by 'the Spirit of the