face the glory of the Lord," some of the divine rays may linger with us, so that "we may be changed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by a Lord who is Spirit." In comparison with this Spiritual dispensation of Grace and Truth, the distinction of the Jewish Law was but as the temporary lustre that streamed from the face of Moses when he came down from the Mount, a reflected and evanescent glory. And even that brightness, the kindling of a soul that had just been elevated into communion with God, making the dark body the transparent medium of the inward light, the dull-souled people demanded, in terror, to be veiled from their sight; and whilst "Moses talked with the children of Israel, and gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken," he kept a veil upon his face. No unsuitable emblem, suggests St. Paul, of the figurative and unreal character of the Mosaic Dispensation, which revealed God only by symbols, and was but a shadow of good things to come, the light of His glory streaming faintly through a veil of Forms. And still in St. Paul's time, and until this day, is it a custom with the Jews for the person who reads the Law in their Synagogues to put a veil upon his face. A fitting emblem, again suggests the Apostle, of the veil that is upon their hearts, so that, blinded by the outward forms, they could not see beyond the material letter, nor penetrate to the vital and everlasting spirit. Now, when Moses turned away from the people, and went in again before the Lord, he took the veil * Exodus xxxiv. 29, et seq. For from his face; and so, when the Jew shall turn to Christ, the veil shall be taken away from his heart, and with open face he shall behold the glory of God, not struggling darkly though emblems, but embodied in the divine glory of His well-beloved Son. the Lord, the divine and saving Christ, is the spirit and highest result of every Law, whatever may be its Letter. And where the spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty; for whoever has penetrated to that spiritual Reality, to communion with the living mind of God's Son, and thence been lifted to God Himself, has got beyond all external veils in Religion, whether of words, or forms, or creeds, as Christ's spirit rent the Temple veil, and laid open to all the Holy of Holies; and whoever with open face gazes on that brightness of the Word made Flesh, of the Image of the Father, is "transfigured into the same image, from glory to glory, as by a Lord who is spiritual.” SECTION III. PURE GUIDES ST. SENSIBILITY TO HUMAN OPINION; ITS MORALITY. TRANSFIGURE SUFFERING AND MORTALITY. 1 CHAP. IV. 1-18. WHEREFORE, having this Ministry, as we have obtained 2 mercy, we faint not: but we have renounced the concealments of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor adulterating the word of God, but by manifestation of the Truth commending ourselves to all consciences of men, in the 3 sight of God. And if our Gospel be veiled, it is veiled 4 to those who are losing themselves; among whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, so that the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who 5 is the image of God, doth not shine clearly. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and our6 selves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who com 7 manded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the ex cellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 8 We are pressed, but not reduced to straits; perplexed, 9 but not in despair; persecuted, but not deserted; cast 10 down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the killing of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be 11 made manifest in our body. For we while living are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 12 So that death works in us, but life in you. And having 13 the same spirit of Faith, according as it is written, “I believed, and therefore have I spoken,' we also be14 lieve, and therefore speak: knowing that he who raised up the Lord Jesus, will raise us up also through Jesus, 15 and will present us together with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the grace which hath abounded may, through the thanksgiving of many, redound to 16 the glory of God. Wherefore, we faint not; but even if our outer man perish, yet the inner man is renewed 17 day by day. For our present light afflictions work for us, 18 ever exceedingly, an eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: - for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. THE love of popularity, a desire for approbation, when made a principle of Action, is perhaps the most corrupting and the most disappointing of all the affections of our Nature. It is corrupting, because it turns the regards of the mind in a selfish direction, defiles the motives by substituting the love of Praise for the love of Praiseworthiness, * Psalm cxvi. 10. and destroys Truth and simplicity of Soul by introducing among the inward sources of Life temptations of a foreign and worldly character, that either interfere with the pure and natural movements of the mind, or dishonor and deform them by bringing to their aid the alien supports of selfish ends. A man desiring, on any question, to see where Right and Principle would lead him, can no more bring his own accommodation and indulgence into the foreground of his thoughts without corrupting his moral sight, than a man can introduce the love of commendation into the consultations of his soul, without at once insulting and silencing the divine oracle of his spirit. The praise of God is the only Praise the love of which can influence a pure mind; for there only the two motives, the love of approbation, and a supreme regard for the highest Truth of the Conscience, cannot interfere. We do not say that it is the only Praise which, when it comes as a Reward, is pure or sweet, but that when regarded as a Motive, as one of the determining influences of the character, it is, for Adults, the only Praise that is safe and holy. And the desire for estimation is disappointing, as it is defiling. It is one of the ret ributions of God, that if the rewards of Virtues are suffered to occupy that place in the affections, which in a genuine and holy mind is given only to the Virtues themselves, the self-seeking becomes transparent, and the end is lost. Honor and Love must follow us: we must not follow them. If we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, these are some of the things which are "added unto us." |