[2.] Secrecy was necessary to his transfiguration, for Christ was about a business which he would not have presently to come abroad, and therefore it was to be confined to the knowledge of a few, who were to be called up from the rest into an high mountain : ver. 9, Jesus ' charged them that they should tell the vision to no man till the Son of man was risen from the dead ;' and what was done before many will hardly be concealed. The due time for the general and public manifestation of the divine glory was not yet come, therefore he would not have it unseasonably divulged. And hereby he teacheth us modesty. Christ was crucified in the city before all, but transfigured in the mountain only before a few.
2. The other action, of prayer, doth very weU agree with height and secrecy.
[1.] For height: Though God heareth us everywhere, where- soever we ' lift up pure hands, without wrath and doubting,' yet a mountain is not altogether disagreeable to this duty. It is good to be as near heaven as we can. I am sure it is good to get up the heart there. We have a freer prospect of heaven from a mountain, and may look up to those blessed regions where our God is ; therefore Christ often chose a mountain to pray in, not only now, but at other times : Mat. xiv. 23. Certainly when we pray Ave should turn our backs upon all earthly things, and have our hearts and minds carried up to him to whom our prayers are directed, and that place where he dwelleth.
[2] Secrecy is necessary for this duty, partly to avoid ostentation : Mat. vi. 6, ' When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and shut thy doors.' Public prayer must be performed before others, but not private, for fear of hypocrisy ; so also to increase fervency. Secret prayers are usually most ardent. Ille dolet vere qui sine teste dolet. ' My soul shall weep sore in secret places,' Jer. xiii. 17. And Peter went out and wept bitterly,' Mat. xxvi. 75. And Jacob wrestled with God alone. Gen. xxxii. 24. Frequency of objects draws away the mind, obstructeth our affections, abates the vehemency of our zeal, fiUs us with carnal thoughts ; therefore Christ retireth him- self and his three disciples, that being separated from all distractions, they might attend the prayer and the vision without interruption.
Fourthly, The preparative action. In Luke it is, ' He went into a mountain to pray.' Christ had two ends ; he told his disciples the one, but concealeth the other. He spake only of prayer, the more to hide the thing from the rest of the apostles, which would soon be evident enough to those whom he took along with him. Now this telleth us that every weighty business should be begun with
340 Christ's transfiguration. [Ser. L
prayer. When we go about the performance of Aveighty and serious duties, we should withdraw ourselves from all occasions which may liinder us and distract us therein, as our Lord, being to give himself to prayer, goeth apart into a mountain.
In this introduction I shall only take notice of two things : —
1. The choice of his company.
2. His preparative action : he prayed, and whilst he prayed he was transfigured.
1. Of the choice of his company : he took Peter, James, and John. That Christ doth not use all his servants alike familiarly in every- thing, partly because he had his liberty ; for in matters of free' favour it is not acceptance of persons to pass by some and admit others — no, not in the most necessary spiritual dispensations : Mat. xi. 27, ' All things are delivered to me of my Father, and no man knoweth the Son but the Father, and he to whomsoever the Father will reveal him.' The plea of the Lord of the vineyard will ever hold firm and valid : Mat. xx. 15, ' Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own ?' But this is a thing of another nature. The dispensing of his arbitrary respects, acceptance of persons in judgment, is a viola- tion of justice, but not in matters of free favour, partly because he would consecrate and hallow spiritual friendship, and commend it to us by his own example ; and, therefore, though he loved all his dis- ciples, yet he chose out some for intimacy and special converse. These were eKXenrcov eKXeKTOTepoc, the flower of the apostles, either because, of their suitableness, he had a special inclination to them, or, for their sincerity and eminency in grace, he delighted in them more than in the rest. Sicut se Jiahet simpUciter ad simpliciter, ita magis, ad. magis: if I love all that are godly, I love those most who are most godly. Now as Christ consecrated holy friendship in his own jDcrson, so was it exemplified in his disciples, for 1 find a great friendship between two of these mentioned in the text, John and Peter. You find them mostly together: John xx. 2-4. Mary Magdalene runneth and cometh to Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved ; Peter went forth and the other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. So Acts iii. 1, ' Xow Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer :' John xxi. 7, ' The disciple whom Jesus loved said unto Peter, It is the Lord ;' and John xxi. 21, 22, ' Peter, seeing the disciple whom Jesus loved, said, Lord, and what shall this man do?' as willing to know the future state of his friend. So Acts viii. 14, Peter and John go to Samaria to confirm the dis- ciples. See John xviii. 15, ' And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so ■did another disciple, and that other disciple was known unto the high priest,' meaning himself. So that in these and other places you still find Peter and John together as very near and fast friends: they always keep together, possibly for spiritual assistance ; for Peter was of an hot temper, John the disciple of love ; Peter hasty and of a military valour, John all for lenity and peace. Well, then, though we ought to seek peace with all men as much as is possible, Piom. xii. 18, and there should be special concord and communion^ with all Christians — ^tXaSeX^ia riseth higher than Ajdirr], 2 Pet. i. 7 — yet friendship and inward conversation should only be with a few,