382 Christ's transfiguration. [Ser. V.
beloved child ? he would be apt to answer, No. But this poor creature, after he hath been exercised, and mortified, and gotten some renewed evidences of God's favour ; ask him, then, Is it good to be afflicted ? Oh yes, I had been vain, neglectful of God, wanted such an experience of the Lord's grace. Faith should determine the case when we feel it not. Well, then, let us learn to distinguish between what is really best for us and what we judge to be best. Other diet is more wholesome for our souls than that which our sickly appetite craveth. It is best many times when we are weakest, worst when strongest : all things are good as they help on a blessed eternity : so sharp afflictions are good. That part of the world that is governed by sense will never yield to this. You cannot convince a covetous man that the loss of an estate is good : or a worldly, rich man that poverty is good ; or an ambitious man that it is good to be despised and contemned ; or a sensual, volup- tuous man that it is good to be in pains, that the body be afflicted for the good of the soul : they will never believe you. But those that measure all things by eternity, they know that poverty makes way for the true riches, and ignominy for the true glory, want for fulness of pleasures, and misery mortifies sin.
SERMON V.
Willie he yet spake, beJiold, a bright cloud overshadoiued them : and behold, a voice out of the cloud, luhich said, This is my beloved Son, in ivhom I am well ^jleased ; hear ye him. — Mat. XVII. 5.
In this branch of the story two things are remarkable, and there is a behold prefixed before either of them to excite our attention. First, they see a bright cloud, and then they hear a voice out of the cloud.
First, Of the cloud : and ivhile he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadoiued them. It was not a dark cloud, as upon Mount Sinai, when God gave the law, but a bright one, yet not so bright and lightsome but that it was mixed with some obscurity. It was no natm-al and ordinary cloud, such as are commonly engendered in the air above us, but extraordinary and supernatural, created by God for this occasion. The use of it was double.
1. To convey Moses and Elias out of their sight when this confer- ence was ended. Therefore some expound that which is said, Luke ix. 34, ' They feared as they entered into the cloud,' after this manner, the disciples feared when they saw Moses and Elias entering into the cloud — that is, involved and covered in it. It is said of Jesus Christ himself, when he ascended into heaven, Acts i. 9, ' A cloud received him out of their sight.'
2. To be a token of the extraordinary presence of God, whose voice immediately came out of the cloud, as also to veil the glory thereof, which was best done by a cloud, a thing of a middle nature between terrestrial and celestial bodies. When Solomon builded the temple the Lord showed his special presence there by filling the house with
Mat. XYII. 5.] Christ's transfiguration. 383
a cloud, 1 Kings viii. 10. This way of apparition God useth to moderate the splendour of his excellent glory. We are not able to behold God as he is, and must not pry into his glory ; there is a cloud and veil upon it.
Secondly, They heard a voice : and behold, a voice out of the cloud ivMcli said, This is my beloved Son in lohom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
1. Observe, That there was a voice distinctly and audibly heard. Though God did sensibly now manifest his presence in the mount with Christ, and did audibly speak to them, yet he did not appear in any distinct form and shape, either of man or any other living creature, but all was done by a voice out of the cloud ; so Deut. iv. 12, 'Ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude,' and ver. 15, ' Take good heed to yourselves, for ye saw no similitude in the day that the Lord spake to you in Horeb, lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make to you any graven image.' The similitude of any figure, &c. The voice of God may with less danger come to us than any sight or representation of him.
2. The matter, or what this voice said : This is my beloved Son ; hear ye him. By this voice there is : —
[1.] A testimony given to Christ.
[2.] A command to hear him ; or,
(1.) The dignity of Christ. He is the beloved Son of God, in whom he is well pleased.
(2.) A suitable respect bespoken for him.
The words are few, but yet contain the sum of the whole gospel, and they are spoken, not by a man, nor by an angel, but by the Lord himself, and therefore they should be entertained with the more reverence. The apostle Peter, who was one of the parties present, could never forget this testimony of the Father concerning his Son Jesus Christ : 2 Pet. i. 17, ' He received from the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to liim from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased ;' and besides, what Christ speaketh of another voice from heaven is true of this : John xii. 30, ' This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes,' not so much to encourage him in his suffering as to our edification and instruction. All the testimonies given unto Christ from heaven tended to point him out to sinners as the true Messiah, approved and accepted of God ; therefore these words should ever be in our minds, especially when we draw nigh to God in solemn duties.