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sight and spectacle, thinketh not of kindred, friends, or household, or any kind of worldly comfort, but saith only, it is good to be here ; so that it teacheth us that the delights of the other world make us forget all our concernments here below : all shall be forgotten and swallowed up in that heavenly delight we shall have there.
2. That which was evil in it.
[1.] That he mistook the nature of the present dispensation. This was to be a representation, not a fruition, to be transient and moment- ary ; for confirmation, not possession ; rather a viaticum, a bit by the way, than a feast. It was good and commendable to be affected with joy and delight in the presence and company of Christ, and Moses, and Elias, but it was not to be rested in as their full reward.
[2.] If this request had taken place, the work of our redemption had been hindered. What had become of Christ's death and passion, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem ? All our happiness dependeth on that, and if G-od should give way to our carnal desires, what mischief would ensue ! If Christ had hearkened to him, he would not have gone up to Jerusalem to suffer, nor would any man living have dared to lay hands upon him while he continued in this glory and majesty.
[3.] This request was injurious to Moses and Elias, that they should utterly forsake their heavenly mansions for an abode on earth, and therefore to desire their continuance there was to desire their loss. They were a little time to appear on earth with Christ, and then to return to their blessedness, or to the enjoyment of the sight of God in the third heavens.
[4.] It was injurious to Christ. To hope to learn something from Moses and Elias which Christ could not teach them, and to equal them with his Lord and Master, in building tabernacles for all three alike and without difference, was some lessening of his respect to Christ. If they were to learn anything from them, they were to consult the books, not the persons : Luke xvi. 29, ' They have Moses and the prophets ; let them hear them.' And the desires of extraordinary means argueth a contempt of ordinary.
[5.] It was an error to imagine that tabernacles were necessary for Moses and Elias, who now appeared in such heavenly glory in the mount. They needed not earthly houses and tents to dwell in, to defend them from the injuries of the weather, neither had they such present conveniencies to prepare them.
Thirdly, The censure of the Holy Ghost : Luke saith, ' not know- ing what he said.' In Mark, chap ix. 6, ' He wist not what to say ; for they were sore afraid.' They were words of a man in a rapture, or surprised with great astonishment. There were two affections, dazzled with the majesty of this glory, and transported with joy. There was also a great fright. Usually, ra Xvir-qpa (fio/Sepa, such things as bring a hurt, occasion fear, and also things of excellent glory ; such as sui'pass our present meanness ; as here the change of Christ's person, and the glorious appearance of the great prophets, so long since sej)arated from the commerce of mankind.
Observe, before we proceed, the inconvenience of great and excessive passions : they make us speak we know not what. Peter is an instance in scripture. Let us keep to him. You see him surprised with a
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great passion of fear, when at Christ's command a great draught of fish came to hand in an unlikely time : Luke v. 8, 9, ' Depart from me ; for I am a sinful man, 0 Lord. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of fishes that they had taken.' You find him at other times transported with a passion of excessive reverence or humility : John xiii. 8, ' Lord, thou shalt never wash my feet/ With a passion of love, or pity to his Master : ' Lord, let it be far from thee ; this shall not be unto thee,' when his Master had fore- told his death : Mat. xvi. 22, in case of contempt of Christ. Here with a passion of joy or ravishment, or transport of soul, ' Lord, it is good for us to be here.' Now all these passions were religiously exer- cised; but it is dangerous when religion, which should bridle and govern our passions, is made the matter and fuel of them. Passionate joy, or passionate fear, passionate reverence, or passionate zeal, and anger, may easily transport us to some uncomely action or motion ; for though in all these there was religion at top, yet sin at the bottom ; and, therefore, you see how much it concerneth us to moderate and reduce ourselves to a due temper ; for passion causeth us to do things without and against reason ; yea, to speak and do we know not what ; and when religious matters overheat our affections, we may err ex- ceedingly.
Now, having opened this part of the history, let us observe some- thing that conduceth to our practical instruction.