this Account of our Saviour's Transfiguration, or what the Things were that immediately preceded it. Secondly, I shall confider the Description that is given of the Transfiguration itself, and the most remarkable Circumstances that attended it. Thirdly, The last Thing I shall observe is the Conclufion of it, and the Injunction laid by our Saviour upon his Disciples, not to discover it to any Man till after his Refurrection. First, Let us confider the Manner in which the Evangelifts introduce this Account of our Saviour's Transfiguration, or what those Things were that immediately preceded it. And this the rather deserves to be confidered, because all the Evangelifts observe the same Order in their Narration of what preceded this wonderful Transaction. They all give us an Account of a remarkable Discourse he had with his Disciples, and then obferve that within a few Days after this his Transfiguration happened. As to the Discourse here referred to, we are informed that after Peter had made that open and excellent Confeffion that Jesus was the Christ the Son of the living God; and after our Saviour had declared his Approbation of it, and given an honourable nourable Testimony to Peter himself, concerning which see the 15th and following Verses of the preceding Chapter; from that Time forth began Jesus to shew unto bis Disciples, how that he must go unto Jerufalem, and fuffer many Things of the Elders, and chief Priests, and Scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third Day. Ver. 21. When Peter had so openly declared, in the Name of all the Disciples, their Belief that he was the Christ, he thought it necessary plainly to let them know the grievous Sufferings he was to endure, both that they might not be furprised when it actually happened, and to correct the wrong Notions he knew they entertained of the Nature of his Kingdom. They, as well as the other Jews, expected a Meffiab that should appear in all the Glory and Grandeur of a mighty temporal Prince, and should advance the People of Ifrael to a Dominion over all Nations; and very probably they flattered themselves that, as they were his immediate Ministers and Attendants, they should have no small Share in his Favour, and perhaps be raised to great Dignities in his Kingdom. Accordingly Peter, upon hearing our Saviour speak of his Sufferings and Death, which was so contrary to all the Notions and Expectations they had formed, began to rebuke him, faying, Be it far from thee, Lord; this shall not be unto thee. But he received the most severe Reproof for it that our Lord ever gave to any of his Disciples: He faid unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan, thot art an Offence unto me: For thou favoureth not the Things that be of God, but thofe that be of Men. Ver. 22, 23. And then we are told, Ver. 24, that upon this Occafion he said unto his Disciples, and, as the Evangelist Mark observes, Mark viii. 34, he called the People unto him and said it to them all: If any Man will come after me, let bim deny bimself, and take up his Cross and follow me. Whereby he acquainted them, that, if they would approve themselves to be his faithful Disciples, who should share in the Benefits of his Kingdom, they must not expect mighty temporal Advantages, but rather prepare for the greatest Sufferings, in Conformity to the Example of him their great Lord and Mafter. They must be ready not only to mortify their most beloved Lufts, but to renounce their dearest worldly Interests, and even to lay down their Lives, if called to it, for his Sake. But then, that this might not discourage them, he adds, For whosoever will save his Life shall lose it : And whosoever will lofe his Life, for my Sake, fhall find it. Ver. 25. (i. e. whosoever will temporal Life, shall lose that which alone deferves the Name of Life; and whosoever shall, out of Love to me, and a faithful Adherence to my Gospel, lose this temporal Life, shall obtain that which is the noblest and happiest Kind of Life, viz. Life everlasting.) For, as he adds, Ver. 26, What is a Man profited, if he shall gain the whole World, and lofe his own Soul? Or what shall a Man give in Exchange for his Soul? And then to shew the Certainty of all this, of the Happiness that shall be conferred upon all his faithful Disciples and Followers, and of the Punishment that shall be inflicted on those that deny and forsake him, he assures them that, though his Kingdom was not of this World, attended with the Glory and Magnificence of earthiy Monarchs, yet he should be a King in a far nobler Sense, and have a Dominion of an higher Nature. The Son of Man (faith he, Ver. 27.) shall come in the Glory of his Father with his Angels; and then he shall reward every Man according to his Works, i. e. not merely with temporal Rewards and Punishments in this Life, but with those of an everlasting Duration in a future State. He adds, Ver. 28, Verily I say unto you, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of Death, till they fee the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom. The Coming of the Son of Man admitteth of various Senfes in the New Testament. In the most eminent Sense it is to be understood of his Coming in Glory to judge the World at the last Day; and this Coming he had spoken of just before. But this is not the Coming here intended, when he faith, that some of those that were then present with him should not die till they saw him coming in his Kingdom. Sometimes his Coming is to be understood of the glorious Manifeftation of his Power and Justice in the fignal Vengeance inflicted upon the Jewish Nation, for their obstinate Unbelief and Disobedience; and, as this happened about forty Years after our Saviour spoke these Words, some then present with him might live to see it; which was particularly the Cafe of the Apostle John. Or his Coming in his Kingdom may be understood of his Resurrection from the Dead, and Afcenfion into Heaven, and consequent Exaltation, by which, and by the extraordinary Gifts and Powers of the Holy Ghoft, and the wonderful Progress of the Gospel, his Kingdom and Glory was illustriously manifested. And in this Sense it is evident, that several of those that were then with him saw his Coming in his Kingdom. They were Witnesses to his Refurrection and |