Use. Well, then. Christian religion is true, Christ's death necessary, eternal life certain. Oh let our time, and hearts, and care be taken up aboiit these great and glorious things ; meditate on them, seek after them. First begin with the sureness of Christian doctrine, that you may lay a good foundation ; that Christ is the teacher of the church, who hatli ' brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,' 2 Tim. i. 10 ; then penitently sue out your pardon, in the- name of Christ, depending on the merit of his death ; and make this eternal life and happiness your choice, and the scope of your life and conversation : 2 Cor. iv. 18, ' 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.'
VOL. I. 2 a
370 Christ's transfiguration. [Ser. IV.
SERMON IV.
Then ansivered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to he here : if thou ivilt, let us make here three tabernacles ; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. — Mat. XVII, 4 ; with,
But Peter and they that were loith him were heavy with sleep : and ivhen they were aioake, they saiu his glory, and the two men that stood with him. And it came to pass, as they departedfrom him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to he here: and let us make three tabernacles ; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias : not knowing ivhat he said. — Luke IX. 32, 33.
We are upon the adjuncts of Christ's transfiguration.
The first was the appearance of Moses and Elias talking with him.
The second is the entertainment which the apostles gave to this glorious dispensation, or their behaviour under it. Three things are observable : —
1. Their posture for some while : and Peter and they that loerewith him were heavy toith sleep.
2. Peter's motion when they were awake : let us build here three tabernacles.
3. The censure of it : iiot knowing what he said.
First, Their posture after the transfiguration was begun : ' And Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep.' This sleep might arise either from a common natural cause, or from a special cause peculiar to this dispensation.
1. A common natural cause, being tired With labour in ascending the mountain, for it was u-v/tt/Xo? \\av, ' exceeding high.' Or it was with watching, for they tarried there all night, and Christ continued long in prayer, and possibly being a little withdrawn from them, as in liis agonies, he was transfigured before them.
2. The special cause of this sleep was the extraordinary apparition, as the prophets often were in a deep sleep and trance when they saw the like : Dan. viii. 18, ' As the angel Gabriel was speaking to me, I fell into a deep sleep, with my face towards the ground.' Again, Dan. X. 9, ' When I heard his voice, then was I in a deep sleep.' So the prophet Zechariah, in the midst of his visions: Zech, iv. 1, 'The angel of the Lord wakened me as one in a deep sleep.' Any eminent passion causeth sleep, and they were astonished so with these visions and representations, that nature fainted under tbem, and they fell into a sleep ; so the apostles seeing Christ, in the midst of fervent prayers, transfigured before them.
Now, whether it came from the one cause or from the other, we must conclude this sleep was a weakness on their parts, but directed and overruled by God for just and wise reasons.
1. It was a weakness and infirmity on their part, for questionless they were to attend with all vigilancy to this manifestation of our Saviour's glory, and observe the passages of it. Why else did he take them into the mountain apart, but as witnesses of it, as they were to
IVIat. XVII. 4.] Christ's transfiguration. 371
watch, in his agonies ? So in his transfiguration. It was a fault then : Mat. xxvi. 40, ' When he cometh he fiudeth them asleep. What ! could you not watch with mn one hour?' But the best men are clogged with human infirmities, in the most glorious manifestations of God to them.
2. The providence of God is to be observed in this sleep. That which came to pass through their fault was ordered by God's provi- dence ; for if they had been awake, they had heard all the discourse that passed between Christ and the two great prophets, which neither their present condition nor the state of the time did permit. Christ had told them that he should suffer an ignominious death, which they did not thoroughly understand ; nor could they reconcile it with the present thoughts which they had of the Messiah ; nor was it fit for them to hear all, how the death. of Christ was foretold in the prophecies, prefigured in the sacrifices, shadowed out in all the rest of the types of the law, and sung of in the book of Psalms, to satisfy the justice of God, and open a way for his mercy and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Christ would not have the great work of his dying hindered, and these things they were not to learn from Moses and Elias, but he would teach them himself after the resurrection : Luke xxiv. 44—46, ' These are the words that I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their eyes that they might understand the scriptures, and said unto them. Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day.' And the full knowledge of them was reserved till the pouring out of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost. If they had heard them now, they would have begotten scruples and troublesome thoughts in their minds, and hindered the present service.