through Christ, and manifesteth by us in every place the 15 odour of his knowledge. For we are to God a sweet odour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish : 16 To these an odour of death unto death; but to those an

odour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these 17 things? For we are not as many, who adulterate the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as from God, in the sight of God, speak we in Christ.

CHAP. III. 1 Do we again begin to recommend ourselves? unless we need, as some do, recommendatory letters 2 to you, or recommendatory letters from you? Ye are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by all men: 3 Manifestly declared to be the letter of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living

Verse 15. For we-The preachers of the gospel. Are to God a sweet odour of Christ-God is well-pleased with this perfume diffused by us, both in them that believe and are saved, treated of, 2 Cor. iii. 1; iv. 2; and in them that obstinately disbelieve and, consequently, perish, treated of, 2 Cor. iv. 3-6.

Verse 16. And who is sufficient for these things-No man living, but by the power of God's Spirit.

Verse 17. For we are not as many, who adulterate the word of GodLike those vintners (so the Greek word implies) who mix their wines with baser liquors. But as of sincerity-Without any mixture. But as from God-This rises higher still; transmitting his pure word, not our own. In the sight of God-Whom we regard as always present, and noting every word of our tongue. Speak we-The tongue is ours, but the power is God's. In Christ-Words which he gives, approves, and blesses.

Verse 1. Do we begin again to recommend ourselves-Is it needful? Have I nothing but my own word to recommend me? St. Paul chiefly here intends himself; though not excluding Timotheus, Titus, and Silvanus. Unless we need-As if he had said, Do I indeed want such recommendation?

Verse 2. Ye are our recommendatory letter-More convincing than bare words could be. Written on our hearts-Deeply engraven there, and plainly legible to all around us.

Verse 3. Manifestly declared to be the letter of Christ-Which he has formed and published to the world. Ministered by us-Whom he has used herein as his instruments: therefore ye are our letter also. Written not in tables of stone-Like the ten commandments. But in the tender, living tables of their hearts-God having taken away the hearts of stone,

God; not in tables of stone, but in the fleshly tables of the 4 heart. Such trust have we in God through Christ: Not 5 that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as from 6 ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God; Who also hath made us able ministers of the new covenant; not of the letter, but of the Spirit: for the letter killeth, but the Spirit 7 giveth life. And if the ministration of death engraven in letters of stones was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses because 8 of the glory of his face; which is abolished: Shall not 9 rather the ministration of the Spirit be glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation was glory, much more doth 10 the ministration of righteousness abound in glory. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this

Verse 4. Such trust have we in God-That is, we trust in God that this is so.

Verse 5. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves-So much as to think one good thought; much less, to convert sinners.

Verse 6. Who also hath made us able ministers of the new covenantOf the new, evangelical dispensation. Not of the law, fitly called the letter, from God's literally writing it on the two tables. But of the Spirit -Of the gospel dispensation, which is written on the tables of our hearts by the Spirit. For the letter-The law, the Mosaic dispensation. Killeth -Seals in death those who still cleave to it. But the Spirit-The gospel, conveying the Spirit to those who receive it. Giveth life-Both spiritual and eternal: yea, if we adhere to the literal sense even of the moral law, if we regard only the precept and the sanction as they stand in themselves, not as they lead us to Christ, they are doubtless a killing ordinance, and bind us down under the sentence of death.

Verse 7. And if the ministration of death-That is, the Mosaic dispensation, which proves such to those who prefer it to the gospel, the most considerable part of which was engraven on those two stones, was attended with so great glory.

Verse 8. The ministration of the Spirit-That is, the Christian dispensation.

Verse 9. The ministration of condemnation-Such the Mosaic dispensation proved to all the Jews who rejected the gospel; whereas through the gospel (hence called the ministration of righteousness) God both imputed and imparted righteousness to all believers. But how can the moral law (which alone was engraven on stone) be the ministration of condemnation, if it requires no more than a sincere obedience, such as is proportioned to our infirm state? If this is sufficient to justify us, then the law ceases to be a ministration of condemnation. It becomes (flatly contrary to the apostle's doctrine) the ministration of righteousness.

Verse 10. It hath no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excel

11 respect, because of the glory that excelleth. For if that which is abolished was glorious, much more that which 12 remaineth is glorious. Having therefore such hope, we use 13 great plainness of speech: And not as Moses, who put a

veil over his face, so that the children of Israel could not 14 look steadfastly to the end of that which is abolished: But their understandings were blinded: and until this day the same veil remaineth unremoved on the reading of the old 15 testament; which is taken away in Christ. But the veil

lieth on their heart when Moses is read, until this day. 16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall 17 be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where 18 the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. And we all, with

unveiled face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, leth-That is, none in comparison of this more excellent glory. The greater light swallows up the less.

Verse 11. That which remaineth-That dispensation which remains to the end of the world; that spirit and life which remain for ever. Verse 12. Having therefore this hope-Being fully persuaded of this. Verse 13. And we do not act as Moses did, who put a veil over his face -Which is to be understood with regard to his writings also. So that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly to the end of that dispensation which is now abolished-The end of this was Christ. The whole Mosaic dispensation tended to, and terminated in, him; but the Israelites had only a dim, wavering sight of him, of whom Moses spake in an obscure, covert manner.

Verse 14. The same veil remaineth on their understanding unremovedNot so much as folded back, (so the word implies,) so as to admit a little, glimmering light. On the public reading of the Old Testament-The veil is not now on the face of Moses or of his writings, but on the reading of them, and on the heart of them that believe not. Which is taken away in Christ-That is, from the heart of them that truly believe on him.

Verse 16. When it-Their heart. Shall turn to the Lord-To Christ, by living faith. The veil is taken away-That very moment; and they see, with the utmost clearness, how all the types and prophecies of the law are fully accomplished in him.

Verse 17. Now the Lord-Christ is that Spirit of the law whereof I speak, to which the letter was intended to lead. And where the Spirit of the Lord, Christ, is, there is liberty-Not the veil, the emblem of slavery. There is liberty from servile fear, liberty from the guilt and from the power of sin, liberty to behold with open face the glory of the Lord.

Verse 18. And, accordingly, all we that believe in him, beholding as in a glass-In the mirror of the gospel. The glory of the Lord-His glori

are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.

CHAP. IV. 1 Therefore having this ministry, as we 2 have received mercy, we faint not; But have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor deceitfully corrupting the word of God; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's 3 conscience in the sight of God. But if our gospel also is 4 veiled, it is veiled to them that perish: Whose unbelieving minds the god of this world hath blinded, lest the illumination of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of 5 God, should shine upon them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for

From one degree of this glory to another, in a manner worthy of his almighty Spirit.

What a beautiful contrast is here! Moses saw the glory of the Lord, and it rendered his face so bright, that he covered it with a veil; Israel not being able to bear the reflected light. We behold his glory in the glass of his word, and our faces shine too; yet we veil them not, but diffuse the lustre which is continually increasing, as we fix the eye of our mind more and more steadfastly on his glory displayed in the gospel.

Verse 1. Therefore having this ministry-Spoken of, 2 Cor. iii. 6. As we have received mercy-Have been mercifully supported in all our trials. We faint not-We desist not in any degree from our glorious enterprise.

Verse 2. But have renounced-Set at open defiance. The hidden things of shame-All things which men need to hide, or to be ashamed of. Not walking in craftiness-Using no disguise, subtlety, guile. Nor privily corrupting the pure word of God-By any additions or alterations, or by attempting to accommodate it to the taste of the hearers.

Verse 3. But if our gospel also-As well as the law of Moses.

Verse 4. The god of this world-What a sublime and horrible description of Satan! He is indeed the god of all that believe not, and works in them with inconceivable energy. Hath blinded-Not only veiled, the eye of their understanding. Illumination-Is properly the reflection or propagation of light, from those who are already enlightened, to others. Who is the image of God-Hence also we may understand how great is the glory of Christ. He that sees the Son, sees the Father in the face of Christ. The Son exactly exhibits the Father to us.

Verse 5. For-The fault is not in us, neither in the doctrine they hear from us. We preach not ourselves-As able either to enlighten, or pardon, or sanctify you. But Jesus Christ-As your only wisdom, righteousness, sanctification. And ourselves your servants-Ready to do the meanest offices. For Jesus' sake-Not for honour, interest, or pleasure.

6 Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to enlighten us with the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the 8 excellence of the power may be of God, and not of us. We

are troubled on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, but 9 not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; thrown down, 10 but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the

dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be 11 manifested in our body. We who live are always delivered unto death for the sake of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal body. So then death 12 worketh in us, but life in you. Yet having the same spirit

Verse 6. For God hath shined in our hearts-The hearts of all those whom the god of this world no longer blinds. God who is himself our light; not only the author of light, but also the fountain of it. To enlighten us with the knowledge of the glory of God-Of his glorious love, and of his glorious image. In the face of Jesus Christ-Which reflects his glory in another manner than the face of Moses did.

Verse 7. But we-Not only the apostles, but all true believers. Have this treasure-Of divine light, love, glory. In earthen vessels-In frail, feeble, perishing bodies. He proceeds to show, that afflictions, yea, death itself, are so far from hindering the ministration of the Spirit, that they even further it, sharpen the ministers, and increase the fruit. That the excellence of the power, which works these in us, may undeniably appear to be of God.

Verse 8. We are troubled, &c. -The four articles in this verse respect inward, the four in the next outward, afflictions. In each clause the former part shows the "earthen vessels;" the latter, "the excellence of the power." Not crushed-Not swallowed up in care and anxiety. Perplexed -What course to take, but never despairing of his power and love to carry us through.

Verse 10. Always-Wherever we go. Bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus-Continually expecting to lay down our lives like him. That the life also of Jesus might be manifested in our body-That we may also rise and be glorified like him.

Verse 11. For we who yet live-Who are not yet killed for the testimony of Jesus. Are always delivered unto death-Are perpetually in the very jaws of destruction; which we willingly submit to, that we may "obtain a better resurrection."

Verse 12. So then death worketh in us, but life in you-You live in peace; we die daily. Yet-Living or dying, so long as we believe, we