lose it: but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul, or be cast away? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's and with the holy angels. For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. And he said unto them, Verily, I say unto you, that there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God come with power, the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

Alas, how prone are our foolish souls to relish and regard the things of men rather than those of God! How justly do we deserve the rebuke of our Lord, who, while he speaks to Peter with such abhorrence, after all the encomiums he had just been giving him, shews us with what indignation we should reject every motion that would lead us to prefer our own ease or temporal interest to the glory of God and the happiness of man.

We shall never act so mean a part, if we cordially digest the lessons which Christ hath here taught us, and consider of how much greater importance the salvation of the soul is, than the gain of the whole world when opposed to it. Let us steadily pursue this maxim of Divine wisdom, and with cheerfulness sacrifice every other interest to the views of an eternal felicity.

Does Jesus call us to deny ourselves for him? What difficulties should we not be ready to submit to, what pleasures should we not renounce for him, who pleased not himself, that he might shew his love to us; and took upon him the form of a servant, that he might make us kings and priests unto God! Does he require us to take up dur cross and follow him? What sufferings should we not be willing to endure for him; and whither should we not consent to follow him, who has borne the cross for us, and willingly expired on it for our sakes!

A sense of gratitude for past favours might bear us triumphantly through all the opposition we might be called to en

N

counter in his cause; how much more then may we be animated by the pleasing hope, that we shall another day be confessed by Christ in the presence of his Father and of his holy angels. Let us represent to ourselves that august presence, that awful day, whenever a regard to an adulterous and sinful generation would lead us to be ashamed of Christ and of his words. So shall we certainly be brought to see the kingdom of God in its glory and if it opens to us in the visions of the future state, we shall have no reason to be anxiously solicitous, though death should remove us from these lower regions, before the gospel hath that universal triumph, which the word of God encourages his church to expect.

SECTION VIII.

MATT. XVII. 1-13. MARK IX. 2-13.

28-36.

LUKE IX.

AND it came to pass after six days, (or, about an eight days after these sayings,) Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John his brother, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves to pray. And as he prayed, he was transfigured before them, and the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment became shining and glistering, exceeding white as snow, or as the light: so as no fuller on earth can white them. And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias; who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him. And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here; and if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias; not knowing what he said; for he wist not what to say, for they were sore afraid. While he yet thus spake, behold there came a bright cloud, that overshadowed them: and they feared as they

entered into the cloud. And, behold, there came a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces, and were sore afraid. And when the voice was past, Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. And suddenly when they had lift up their eyes, and had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead. And they kept that saying with themselves, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen, yet, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean. And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the Scribes that Elias must first come? And he answered and told them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, that Elias is indeed already come, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him: likewise shall also the Son of man suffer many things of them, and be set at nought, as it is written of him. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

How glorious and delightful was this view of our blessed Redeemer, which the apostles had, when he was transfigured before them, clothed, as it were, with the Divine Shekinah and shining with a lustre like that of the sun! How pleasing and how edifying must it be to them, to see with him Moses and Elijah, those two eminent saints, who had so many ages ago quitted our world, but whose names they had often read in the sacred records with wonder and reverence!

Well might Peter say, It is good for us to be here. Well might he be contented to resign his entertainments and his hopes elsewhere, that they might prolong these delightful moments, feasting their eyes with these Divine visions, and their minds with these more than human discourses. Nor can we wonder that the scene, transitory as it was, left so

abiding a savour on his spirits, that in an epistle which he wrote many years after, and but a little before his death, he should single this story from a thousand others to attest it as he does, and to argue from it. (Compare 2 Peter i. 1618.) But oh! how much more desirable is it to stand upon mount Zion, and to behold those brighter glories, which our Jesus wears in the heavenly regions! To behold, not merely Moses and Elijah, but all the prophets, the apostles, and martyrs, and, in a word, all the saints of God in every age, whether to us personally known or unknown, surrounding him in a radiant circle; and not only to behold them, but to converse with them. Lord, it is good for us to be there, in our desires at least, and in our meditations, till thou pleasest to call us to that happy world, and to take us thither, where no drowsiness will cloud our eyes, where no hurry will discompose our thoughts; but where the perfection of holiness and of love, shall cast out every degree of terror, as well as of sorrow.

In the mean time let us reverently attend to that Saviour who appeared in this majestic form, and who comes recommended to us with so many testimonials of his Divine authority. He was again declared by a voice from heaven to be the beloved Son of God as such let us hear him, receiving all his revelations with the assurance of faith, and all his commands with the obedience of love. If these sentiments govern our hearts and our lives, the thoughts of that departure from this world, which we are shortly to accomplish, will be no grief or terror to our souls. Like our blessed Muster, we may connect the views of it, and intermix discourse upon it, with the most delightful enjoyments and converse; nay, it will serve to render them yet more pleasing. For who would not long to be made conformable to Christ, even in his sufferings and death, if it may be a means of transforming us into the resemblance of his glories!

SECTION IX.

MATT. XVII. 14-21. MARK IX. 14-29. LUke ix. 37-43.

AND it came to pass, that on the next day, when they were come down from the hill, much people met him. And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the Scribes questioning with them. And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. And he asked the

Scribes, What question ye with them? And, behold, one of the multitude came to him, kneeling down to him, and cried out, saying, Master, I have brought thee my son. Lord, I beseech thee, have mercy on my son: for he is mine only child. He is lunatic, and sore vexed, and hath a dumb spirit. And, lo, a spirit taketh him, and wheresoever the spirit taketh him he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him, that he foameth again, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away; and bruising him hardly departeth from him. And I brought him to thy disciples, and besought them to cast him out, and they could not. Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? Bring thy son hither unto me. And they brought him unto him. And as he was yet a coming, when he saw him, straightway the devil threw him down, and tare him, and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. And often times it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose. And the child was cured from that very hour; and he delivered him again to his father. And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God.