The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Corinthians — Section 84

attainment. But the truth lies here, that, as we receive out of Christ's fulness grace for grace, so are we transformed into his likeness from glory to glory, the licrht of the Lorcl gaining upon us and dispelling all the darkness until we are "light''in the Lord.'· 3. While this change follows a law of moral influence, it is produced by the 11ctivo operation of a Divine power-" as by the Lord the Spirit." The reference is to the Lord Jesus as "a quickening Spirit," who is here brought into contmst with Moses, the minister of the killing "letter." At the same time, wo know from other Scriptures th11t the Lord pervades his Church on earth and renews men in his own im11ge by the gracious presence and work of the Holy Ghost. Without this doctrine of spiritual operation, both direct and indirect, we fail to apprehend the transformin~ power of a pure Christi1111ity. Note iu conclusion: 1. The connection between faith and character. Some raise II cry that faith leads to mysticism 11nd genders dispute, while nothing is wanted, nothing is to be valued, but an exemplary character and a good life. But what if such character anrl. life are best attained by the habit of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? It might as well be said that it is of little consequence whether a man can see or is blind, so long ns he walks and works well. He cannot walk or work well unless he can see. No more can one walk or act like Christ unless he looks to him in faith. Others raise a different cry. 'l'hey are all for faith, and yet show no conformity to Christ. All such boasting is vain. The effect of beholding the glory of the Lord is to be changed into the samo image. If there is no such change the faith is only in ima~ination, not in henrt. 2. The far reach of the principle of assimilation to what we habitually and willingly behold. In this way are Christians conformed to Christ in this present time. Dut the principle carries much further. It is thus that the saints will be glori fled with Christ at his appenring. "We know that, when he shall appear, we shnll bo like him ; for we shall see him as he is.'' 3. The evil ca,e of those who see in Christ " no beauty that he shcnJd be desired." They miss both the way of peace o.nd the way of holiness. Alas I when the gospel is set before them, the veil lies upon their hearts. They can see something to be admired in the wisdom of snges and tbo courngc of heroes, a.nd yet see nothing in the Son of God. They may look on nature with admiring eye, and see•• the glory in the grass and splendour in the flower;" but Jesus Christ is to them "as a root out of a dry ground." Lord, remove the veil I Shine into tbcso hearts with power !-F. Vera. 1--3.-The best commendation. It was an early custom in the Christian Church for teachers to carry with them "letters of commendation" when they pnssed from town to town. Of this custom wo have an indication in Acts xviii. 27, "When Apollos wns disposed to pass into Achaia rCorinth], the brorhren rof Ephesus] wrote, exhorting tho disciples to receive him." Ancl the thirteenth canon oi tho Council ofCho.lcedon ordnincrl thnt "clergymen coming to a city where they were unknown, should not ho nllowcd to officiate without letters commendatory from their own bishop." It seems to hnvo bean made a chnrge ngainst the apostle that he never presented nny credentials, but ossunied an authority for which he had no warrant. The apostle is here replying to such o. chnrge, and hie pico is that, having so manifestly received the greotor commcmlation of God's witness with his work, he in no senso can need man's good word. His converts woro the beat possible commendation. His letters wore those written by God ns truth on human hearts. From tho Christian standpoint the only satisfactory 11roof of coll to ministry is tbo Divine seal sot on the work of the ministry. It was tho pion of St. Peter, when accounting for hie admitting tho Gentiles into tho privilogcs of tho Christian Church, that the" Holy Ghost had fallen upon them, ovon as upon us o.t tho bcginnin;;." And that was folt to be an all-sufficient attestation of tho work which St. Peter hml done. In the same way St. Paul pleads that spiritual results had followod his ministry among the Corinthians. Ood 1,ad sot bis seal upon it, and that was his wholly so.tis- factory commendation, and tho basis or any authority ho claimed. Spcnking in a figure he says, "The Uorinthin.ns aro an epistle." He regards Christ ns the Author, nn<l himself as the amanuensis. ·rho characters of this opistlo wero preserved by no visible or perishable metium, but by the invisible operation of the Spirit. Wo consider- I. TBE USEFULNESS OF HUMAN COMMENDATIONS. Such are found to bo necessary in the intercourse of nations. 'fhe ambassador is dulr. furnished with his credentials; nn,l the representative of the buHiness fir01 carries with him his authority to net in the  THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORlN'l'HIANS. [cH. m. 1-18.