which patriarchs, and priests, and prophets, and pious persons under the old dispensa- tion looked and longed for; a death which not only fulfilled the predictions, but realised the typical institutions of the old economy; that death which was the complement of the legal economy and the consummation of the Jewish Church, and which, at the same time, formed the commencement of a new epoch and of a higher order of events. What a glorious subject! More glorious far than the fate of kingdoms or the fall of kings; more glorious than all the discoveries of science, or applications of art, or improvements of society. In their conversation on tiis high theme they spake, no doubt, of the nature of the decease to be accomplished : of its necessity, to realise types and fulfil prophecies; to “magnify the Law and make it honourable;” to save miserable man and glorify Almighty God, restoring peace between heaven and earth, and “ by one sacrifice perfecting for ever the sancti- fied ;” to overthrow the kingdom of Satan, and diffuse light and life and love through all the world; to extract the sting of death, “destroying him that had the power of it, that is, the devil,” and throwing the radiance of heavenly glory over the darkness of the tomb. They conversed, no doubt, of the travail of the Redeemer’s soul, and of his mediatorial reward in the eternal approbation of the Father, the salvation of the lost, and the praises of the redeemed for ever. Of all subjects this was the most important to men, the most interesting to Christ, and the most glorifying to God. This subject is still the great theme of the Church militant on earth, and the glorious song of the Church triumphant in heaven. 5. Apparently out of place. But glorious as the subject of conversation was, and edifying as the manner of that conversation was, it might in one sense seem inopportune. Hence says an old divine already cited (Hall, in his ‘Contemplations’), “A strange opportunity ! in his highest exaltation to speak of his sufferings; to talk of Calvary on T'abor; when his head shone with glory, to tell him how it must bleed with thorns; when his face shone like the sun, to tell him it must be blubbered and spit upon; when his garments glistered with that celestial brightness, to tell him they must be stripped off and divided; when he was adored by the saints of heaven, to tell him how he must be scorned by the basest of men; when he was seen between two saints, to tell him how he must be seen between two male- factors: in a word, in the midst of his Divine majesty, to tell him of his shame; and, while he was transfigured on the mount, to tell him how he must be disfigured upon the cross.” So thought good Bishop Hall. But this subject is never out of place, it is never out of time. It is the theme of our praises both here and hereafter, and should be the subject of our prayerful meditations till we feel its transforming power, and are “ changed into the same image from glory to glory, even by the Spirit of the Lord.” VII. Conciusion. 1. St. Peter’s proposal. ‘ Let us make three tabernacles,” said Peter, “‘one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.” Obrysostom thinks that Peter’s object was to remain away from the holy city, and thus, by remaining on the mount and remote from Jerusalem, prevent the Saviour’s sufferings. God had taber- nacled in Shechinah glory, why should not the Saviour embody the same? But the expression of Peter was rather the expression of an ecstasy of delight—a plenitude of joy which words could not express. So great was his rapture that he wist not what he said. A little of the joy of heaven would be too much for flesh and blood—it would overwhelm us. Besides, Peter was overlooking the fact that the wilderness work and warfare must needs be resumed. The journey of life was not ended. Some droppings of heavenly blessedness had transported him into rapture, but the full wealth of its downpour was not yet at hand. He antedated the bliss of heaven, forgetting for the moment that he was still on earth. More sacrifice, more suffering, more sorrow, more self-denial, more days of toil and nights of trouble, must intervene before he crossed the Jordan and entered the promised land. 2. The effect of emotion. Peter’s exclamation partook more of the emotional] than of the rational. It was rather the offspring of ardent desire than of deliberate judgment. It proceeded more from the heart than from the head. But head as well as heart must be influenced by religion. If it were confined to the heal, it would tend to formality ; if to the heart, it might issue in fanaticism. On one hand, Peter’s exclamation was quite excusable. “It is good for us to be here,” a fine thing, a pleasant thing; not g in a moral sense, which is differently expressed (éyabby), but good physically («aAdv), which is the expression here. Jf there were a place on earth of which this might be said, it was that Mount
ou. rx. 1—50.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. 47 Ah Le SES Sen beeen Sa Aa cee A A RE, URES RS ae Pe Daca ae a
of Transfiguration. It was, perhaps, the spot on earth nearest and likest heaven. There was a hill, an emblem of heaven, which is the hill of God’s holiness. There were two saints, an epitome of heaven, representing as they did the quick and the dead—those alive on earth, and the dead raised up at the day of judgment. There was the Saviour himself, in uncreated light and unveiled glory, at once the Source and Centre of heavenly blessedness. There was conversation such as may be presumed to be held among the redeemed in heaven, for the burden of their song is, “ Worthy is _ the Lamb that was slain.” There, moreover, was temporary seclusion from the