[7.] Do you hear him so as to prefer God and Christ and the life to come above all the sensual pleasures and vain delights and worldly happiness which you enjoy here ? Eeligion is obstructed, not soundly received, if your hearts be not taken off from these things : Luke viii. 14, ' That which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.' He is not a scholar of Christ who is not more devoted to the love and obedience of God than any sensual satisfaction here below — unless you can renounce the devil, the world, and the flesh, and give up yourselves to Christ, to be taught, sanctified, and saved, and brought home to God, to enjoy him in ever- lasting glorv, and taught how to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, Titus ii. 12."
Use 2. Advice to weak Christians : —
[1.] To excite themselves to obedience by this hear him, when dead and lifeless. Many times the heart is dull and needeth quickening. Conscience groweth sleepy and needeth awakening — you are too bold in sinning, cold and careless in spiritual and heavenly things. Now the first means to quicken us is Christ's divine authority : 2 Pet. i. 16, ' For we have not followed cunningly-devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but Avere eye-witnesses of his majesty, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' When you are customary in praj^er and hearing, — It is Christ's will ; I must do it as I will answer it to him another day.
[2.] When you do renounce some beloved lust or pleasing sin, urge your hearts with Christ's authority. Remember who telleth you of cutting ofi" your right hand, and plucking out your right eye. How can I look the Mediator in the face, if I should wilfully break any of his laws, prefer the satisfaction of a base lust before the mercies and hopes oftered me by Jesus Christ.
[3.] In deep distresses, when you are apt to question the comfort of the promises. It is hard to keep the rejoicing of hope, without regard- ing whose word and promise it is : Heb. iii. 6, ' Whose house are ye, if ye hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of hope firm unto the end.'
v6l. i. 2 c
402 Christ's transfiguration. [Ser. VII.
SEKMON VII.
And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, he not afraid. And when tliey had lift up their eyes, they saw no man save Jesus only. — Mat. XVII. 6-8. \
In this part of the history are three things : —
I. The disciples' fear and astonishment, ver, 6. II. Their comfortable and gracious recovery by Christ, ver. 7.
III. The event and issue of all, ver. 8.
I. Their astonishment : Tliey fell on their faces, and loere sore afraid. Their falling on their faces was not out of worship and rever- ence, but consternation, as those John xviii. 6, 'As soon as he said to them I am he, they went backward and fell to the ground.' The causes of their fear must be inquired into. These were holy men, the flower of Christ's disciples ; they were men in an holy action — (for Belshazzar in his cups to tremble were no news) — they were not in the presence of an angry God, it was a gospel- voice that they heard : ' This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased ; hear ye him.' They had not a full dispensation of his glory, but only a glimpse of it, and that under a cloud and revealed in mercy ; yet they were sore afraid. Upon any visions and apparitions of the divine majesty, God's servants fell to the earth : Ezek. i. 28, ' When I saw the appearance of the likeness of the glory of God, I fell on my face.' Paul, when Christ appeared to him from heaven, he fell to the earth. Acts ix. 4 : Eev. i. 17, ' When I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead.' Abraham was cast into great horror, Gen. xv. 12, when God appeared solemnly to enter into covenant with him. So Isa. vi. 5, ' Then said I, Woe is me ! for I am undone.' So Daniel x. 8, 9, ' When I saw this great vision, there was no strength in me : for my comeliness was turned into corruption, and I retained no strength. Yet heard I the voice of his words : then was I in a deep sleep upon my face, and my face was towards the ground.'
Now I shall give — (1.) The special reasons why the manifestation and appearance of God to his great prophets did breed this astonishment and fear ; (2.) What general note and observation may be concluded hence for our profit.
1. The special reasons why these manifestations and appearances of God to his great prophets do breed this astonishment and fear — they are two : —