Ministers of a New Covenant

1Doe we begin to praise our selues againe? or neede we as some other, epistles of recommendation vnto you, or letters of recommendation from you? 2Yee are our epistle, written in our hearts, which is vnderstand, and read of all men, 3In that yee are manifest, to be the Epistle of Christ, ministred by vs, and written, not with yncke, but with the Spirite of the liuing God, not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.

4And such trust haue we through Christ to God: 5Not that we are sufficient of our selues, to thinke any thing, as of our selues: but our sufficiencie is of God, 6Who also hath made vs able ministers of the Newe testament, not of the letter, but of the Spirite: for the letter killeth, but the Spirite giueth life.

The Glory of the New Covenant
(Exodus 34:10–35)

7If then the ministration of death written with letters and ingrauen in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel coulde not beholde the face of Moses, for the glorie of his countenance (which glorie is done away.) 8Howe shall not the ministration of the Spirite be more glorious? 9For if the ministerie of condemnation was glorious, much more doeth the ministration of righteousnesse exceede in glorie. 10For euen that which was glorified, was not glorified in this point, that is, as touching the exceeding glorie. 11For if that which should be abolished, was glorious, much more shall that which remaineth, be glorious.

12Seeing then that we haue such trust, we vse great boldnesse of speach. 13And we are not as Moses, which put a vaile vpon his face, that the children of Israel should not looke vnto the ende of that which should be abolished. 14Therefore their mindes are hardened: for vntill this day remaineth the same couering vntaken away in the reading of the olde Testament, which vaile in Christ is put away. 15But euen vnto this day, whe Moses is read, the vaile is laid ouer their hearts. 16Neuertheles when their heart shall be turned to the Lord, the vaile shalbe taken away. 17Nowe the Lorde is the Spirite, and where the Spirite of the Lorde is, there is libertie. 18But we al behold as in a mirrour the glory of the Lorde with open face, and are changed into the same image, from glorie to glorie, as by the Spirit of the Lord.