A Century of Sermons

we have that which is much sweeter in God's nostrils, the Incense of Prayer. Now abide these three to direct us in a good way, says Bernard; Verbum, Exemplum, Oratio, the Word Preached, the Edifying Examples of Holy men, and Zealous Prayer; but the greatest of these is Prayer; Ea namque operi & voci gratiam & efficaciam promeretur: for whether they be the actions of a pious life, or the words of an eloquent tongue, it is Prayer which accompasseth from God's mercy that all should be effectual. I have amplified this the more, because some Ignaroes out of a preposterous zeal shuffle off this Christian duty with a most wicked and a regardless negligence, if any man be transfigured from such a corrupt opinion by that which I have delivered, it is that which I aimed at, and which I desire of God; yea it is that which our Savior intended, when he would be occupied in Prayer at that time, and in nothing else, when he was transfigured in glory.

Now in the fourth and last general Observation upon the Text, as our Lord prepared himself with much humility in Prayer, so in the consequent he was exalted in much honor, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. Beloved, we are all like the Children of Israel standing below the Hill, and dare not go up to pry in to the mystery of the inscrutable glory: Let it suffice us to inquire into three things that follow, which we may safely do, since all Scripture is written for our instruction. They are these: 1. The Final Cause, why Christ was transfigured: 2. The Efficient Cause, from whence this splendor was derived: And 3. The Effect itself, alteration in his countenance, whiteness and glistering in his raiment. In these three I will be brief without offensive curiosity, to make us not only search, but find out the cause why He would be transfigured I have regard to this rule of Damascens 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , everything that Christ did in his conversation upon earth it is to be refer'd to the good of man.

First then I render this reason; that the Redeemer of Souls lived in great humility upon earth, nay, like an abject worm, to attract the love of the Church; now he changed himself into this admired excellency to increase their faith, St. Peter pronounced a Confession of faith for all the Apostles, Matth. xvi. which their Master did exceedingly commend, Thou art Christ the Son of the living God. Yet they who did see the Majesty of God to be in him, and did adore it, were as yet ignorant of what glorification his body was capable, which was the Veil of the Godhead. He had suspended all outward appearance of Divine luster, that it should not show itself in him. To this meaning you cannot well choose but refer that of the Prophet Isaiah, chap liii. 2. He hath no form nor comeliness, and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him: that is, he was pleased for a season, not to look like one whose body had an illustrious influence from the soul, and from the union with the Godhead, he did suppress it, till he was pleased to make it known, Psal. xciii. The Lord is King, he hath put on glorious apparel, and in another place, Thou art clothed with Majesty and honor. Indeed to have a brightness in his body as great, or greater than the light of the Sun, was as natural to that human nature, which is united to the Godhead, as it is for the Sun to shine in the Firmament. The Disciples marveled that his face should glister this one time, so that no Fuller on earth could make a thing so white, whereas the greater marvel is, that it was not so at all times. Majus miraculum fuit hujus gloriae influxum reprimere, quàm eam perpetuo retinere; It was a greater miracle to restrain the apparition of this glory at any time, than to have it always dwell upon his face: for blessed souls, which enjoy God always, have a virtue of claritude in them, which redounds of it own accord into the body. Therefore well might the Psalmist say of Christ, whose soul was always blessed, Thou art fairer than the children of men. And though at other times his brightness was discoloured by humility; yet now he removed the cloud, and let his Witnesses see the fair beams of his Divine honor for a little time, which is the first motive of his Transfiguration.

Secondly, by this Apparition the three Disciples saw in what form he would come to judgment. It is no dreadful thing to a good man, either to see, or to meditate with himself in what manner Christ will come in the Clouds at the last day to call the Quick and the Dead before him. The Wicked that know they have crucified him again, and trampled the blood of the Covenant under their feet, will run into the dust for fear of his glorious presence, and call for the Hills to cover them, and the Mountains to fall upon them: as for the Righteous that then shall be found upon earth, in whose hearts he hath sealed the promise of his Holy Spirit, they shall tremble with an awful reverence; but when they have gained their memory to recall that he cometh with his reward in his hand, they will praise that pomp of Judgment, and say, now our labor is at an end, we shall reign for evermore. And because Christ did appear in Mount Tabor no otherwise than as he means to come to Judgment, therefore he did qualify the light of his face to be no greater than the light of the Sun: his body, which is strange to consider, shall have more resplendency than that mighty Lamp of Heaven; but it is not for the Wicked to behold them: they shall see him shine upon his Throne, but with as little comfort as sore eyes gaze upon the Sun, or with as little joy as we see flashes of lightning in a terrible thunder, non dat lucem videntibus, sed pavorem, which is not sent to illuminate us in darkness, but to agast us with the apparition. Of this more at large hereafter. But this is the second motive of this Miracle, he transformed himself into that Majesty wherein He will judge the World. Thirdly, He did represent himself as the Argument and Idea of that beautiful Reward which the bodies of the Just shall have in the General Resurrection. The Pharisees required a Sign, and Christ told them, they should have no sign, but the sign of the Prophet Jonas, that a body being swallowed up in death should come to life again; but these few Disciples over and above the Sign of the Prophet Jonas, had the Sign of Transfiguration, which is the dainty and delicate part of the Resurrection. Say no more but that God will be the Redeemer of his Elect, yet it would amuse a man to think what should become of this vile body, every member whereof hath been a thousand times an instrument of iniquity: well, even this very naughty flesh shall have a beam of Divine mercy shine upon it; it is impossible to make it ought in this life, but a sink of corruption; no Fuller upon earth can make it so white as God can. In these days the Soul is full of bad concupiscence, and the Body is made miserable: Hereafter the Soul will be full of grace, and the Body shall be made delectable. And mark it, that the Disciples had their item not to talk of these things till Christ were risen from the dead, because the Transfiguration was intended to make up the complement of our joy touching the resurrection of the Body. And to sink it deeper in our hearts, that this brightsom alteration did not concern the Spirit, but the Body; his raiment was white and glistering, which is no more than the shroud of the Body. In a word, God did never reveal that He could take away the essential properties of a true Body, and yet keep it a true Body: they that believe so much believe beside the Book; but in this Miracle appeared that God can add a celestial and beauteous form unto a Body, so that the Sun in all his brightness shall not come near it. This is the seed of that faith which St. Paul preacheth, It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in honor. Praise the Lord therefore in Body and Soul, since both shall be invested with a Royal Dignity to make them both fit for the society of Angels. But herein we exceed the happiness of Angels, they are glorious Spirits, we shall be glorified both in body and spirit. So the Prophet, Isa. lxi. 7. They shall possess the double in their land, everlasting joy shall be with them; Duplicia possidebunt: their Soul filled with the vision of God, their Body transfigured in glory.

Fourthly, this wants not a granes weight of a principal cause, the Son of God in the days of his exinanition looked like a person for this once of divine authority, ut crucis scandalum tolleret, that their minds might not be cast down with despair to see the misery of his Cross, who had seen his glory upon Mount Tabor. Now he looked more Angelical than a Cherubin, then he looked more ruthful than the poorest Lazarus; now the greatest in heaven did speak graciously unto him, then the scum of the earth reviled him; he than was glorified at one time could not be compelled to shame and ignominy, but from his own patience and yielding would be crucified at another. Sicut luctatores corpus inclinant, says a Father; Christ wrestled with Satan, and though that old supplanter the Serpent did bruise his heel, yet he could not get the Mastery: Christ stooped low like a Lion couching for his prey, and when he might seem to be cast down this was his feat to overturn his adversary.

Fifthly, The fifth and last Reason hath a Moral Use. There is an old man with his corruptions to be metamorphosed in us all, sicut Pelias recoctus, as the Fable goes, that Medaea bathed the body of Pelias with certain magical drugs, and from a decrepit old man transmuted him into a vigorous youth. This is a figment; for no man spent his young years so well, to deserve at God's hands in this world to be young again: but there is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a renovation in the spirit of our mind. God will not know us in our own form and filthiness, unless we put on the Image of Christ: As Jacob obtained his Fathers blessing, not in his own shape, but in the Garments of Esau; so we must sue our blessing, having put on the righteousness of Christ; then the Lord will receive his servant, and say unto thee as Jacob did unto Esau, I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God.

You have heard the final cause more ways than one, why this Miracle was wrought, I may speak somewhat of the efficient cause, how this splendor was derived, and further than so I must not proceed now, because of the time. Many obscure points will come to light by asking this question: Whether this lightsome beauty like the Sun did appear in our Savior's face from the beatification of his human Soul, or from the union of his Divine nature? First you must understand, that the great School-man Aquinas took the best end of the cause into his hand, when he answered to neither of those two members, but rather to the purpose of the question in this wise, fuit haec qualitas gloriae, sed non corporis gloriosi, quia nondum erat immortalis: this Transfiguration was a quality of glory, but not of a glorified body, because He was not yet passed death, and raised up to be immortal, and impassible. In this distinction is covertly included, that it was not such a brightness as the Soul shall communicate to the Body, when it is reunited in a joyful resurrection, but was created at this time by the Divine power, to foretell and shadow what would come to pass with much increase in the Kingdom of God. Praelibatio regui Dei fuit haec transfiguration, says Cajetan: this was but the Landskip or Pattern of the true happiness which shall be in the Kingdom of Heaven. It was a far more excellent splendor than that of Moses or Stephen upon earth, but not so perfect, or proper, as is derived from a Soul that is perfectly beatified. Moses his face did shine like a God when he came down from the Mount, yet it was ab externo colloquio, because he had been a Companion with God. Christ's face did shine ab innatâ gratiâ & potentiâ, not because he was the Companion of God, but because he was very God, and was the fountain of all grace and beauty to communicate it to others. Neither was St. Stephens irradiation anymore than a preparative of the Resurrection, and a declaration of his innocence: to make the Council afraid of wrong judgment; all that looked upon him saw his face as it had been the face of an Angel. But that which happened to our Savior was not from an external gift; as Stephen saw Christ standing at the right hand of God, but from an internal influence and emanation of the Deity.

Moses and Stephen were but Passengers, and not to be compared in any sort of excellency with their Lord, who was God and Man. Yet by the dispensation of the Divine Power, it was not such a total illumination in Christ as results from the Soul unto the Flesh, when both shall come to appear before the living God. The reasons are very full and home for the proof. 1. The Soul in the state of eternal happiness shall derive amiable splendor to all the outward parts of the Body, but no further. In this present case the very garments were changed into such an outward gloss, as the like was never seen: Therefore this must be some brightness created for this instant by the Deity. 2. Splendour is but one of the Ornaments of a glorified Body, when the Soul doth transfuse the benefits of beatification into it, it shall be a Spiritual Body, it shall be nimble to pass from place to place like an Angel, or like a thought; likewise it shall not be obnoxious to death, or dolour, where were these? Because therefore this was but a partial, not a total glorification, it flowed not from the Soul. 3. It was not so large, not so complete a claritude and beauty as will adorn the Lamb of God hereafter, but a pittance and measure attemper'd for their weak reception that should see it. His face did shine like the Sun: What but like the Sun? so much is promised to the faithful, that they shall shine like the Sun in the Kingdom of his Father. And think you that the Lord is not greater than the Servant, and shall much excel that proportion of glory which we expect? Therefore Lyra says, this was an Ornament of the same true glory which we shall have hereafter, quantum ad essentiam, sed non quantum ad modum; it had the very essence and truth of such illuminated brightness as the righteous shall have in Paradise, but it had not such an ample measure and proportion. 4. To make it sure and uncontradicted, that this was not like to that glory which shall be derived from the Soul in eternal joy, that is dos connaturalis, this is passio transitoria. Then it shall be a natural endowment never to be separated away. Now it was but a transient passion, soon on, and as soon off again, even as soon as ever the voice from Heaven had spoken. Permanency, unchangeableness, never altering Eternity are so proper to future blessedness, that without them it is not to be imagined. St. Paul was elevated by the Divine grace to see and hear things unutterable in this rapture: that is, as I believe, he saw the very Divine Essence in a short prospect and away; yet Paul by this exceeding favor was none of the Beati till after his dissolution, none of the Classis in St. Matthew, Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God, quia beatitudo denotat permanentiam; Beatitude is not the participation of the best thing in the World for a little time, but forever and ever.

THE SECOND SERMON UPON The Transfiguration.

I N a well laid description an Artist represents things that are absent so verily, so lively as if they were before us. As Scaliger says of Virgil, he did not read it in his verses, but did even see the Mountain Aetna belching out fire, and impestred with smoke and vapor. But no Art so powerful in man's Writings to call back things that are done and past, and to clothe them with such significant words as if they were before us, like to the Pen of the Holy Ghost. Do but observe for our present instance, how St. Matthew began to delineate the beauty of Christ transfigured, how St. Mark added fresh colors to make it appear more excellent; and then how St. Luke's Pencil cometh after all, and finisheth the Picture, and you will say upon attentive heed, these are not words which we read, but even Christ himself in his Majestique glory. St. Matthew begins thus, His face did shine as the Sun, and his raiment was white as the light. Doth not this call the Idea of your Lord into your mind, as if your eye beheld him? He said much for the face. St. Mark speaks loftier for the Garment, His raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow, so that no Fuller on earth can white them. Then St. Luke neither compares him to the Sun above, nor to the Snow beneath, but says enough to make us conceive, that positively it was a greater splendor than could be likened to any created thing, The fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. A vegetous faith is able to say unto a Mountain, be removed into the Sea, and it shall be removed; much more is it able to carry the soul into the highest heaven, into the presence of God by such a steadfast apprehension, as it cannot judge itself, whether it be in the body, or out of the body. Thus let every man's faith say at this time unto his Soul, be thou removed into Mount Tabor; thrust in with Peter, and James, and John, persuade thine heart thou seest as much by relation, as ever they saw by apparition, there is thy Savior having laid down the austere front of a Judge, and looking like a specious Bridegroom, The fashion of his countenance was altered, &c.

Now that you may hear things laid down in order for a stay to your memory, you will grant unto me that there are two things which make a spectacle to be wishly looked upon, Res mirae, & personae mi • ae; strange and uncouth things, strange and unexpected persons. Come therefore and see most rare things in the first part of my Text, Christ even now an object, in which you could discern nothing but poverty, and humility; Momento turbinis, and as quick as a flash of lightning. He hath put on such a countenance, and such apparel, as the clearest day light, and the driven snow did not equal him, His countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. Then for strange persons, such as long since were departed, and gone out of the world, because the world was not worthy of them they return in visible shapes to play a new part upon the stage of the earth, Behold there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias.

I enter upon the handling of these Points without more circumlocution. I have acquainted you before with two things of main consequence in this Miracle of the Transfiguration; first, the final cause why Christ was transfigured. Secondly, the efficiency from whence this exceeding brightness was derived. Now I come to set it forth unto you, first in his face, then in his raiment. Distill out the very best that all the Heathen have wrote, and it is not able to teach us so much as is contained in this portion of Scripture, touching the immortality of the soul, and the beatitude of the life to come. Here are the two last Articles of the Creed exemplified and set out in their real truth, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. The immortality of the soul, and the resurrection of the flesh are confirmed in the persons of Moses, and Elias, who are brought forth to appear before mortal men face to face: And our Savior makes himself a spectacle of the happiness of the world to come, for the fashion of his countenance was altered; or thus in another Evangelists description, his face did shine as the Sun.

I may say unto him as Daniel did to Nebuchadonosor upon the interpretation of his dream, Tu es caput aureum, Thou O King art the head of Gold, Dan. ii. 38. But we are sure if that head be gold, the inferior members under him shall not be iron and clay. Of his glory we shall all receive, and with the light of his face all the body shall be beautified. This is a Beacon shining upon the top of an hill, which shines from the East unto the West, from one end of the earth unto the other: But it is a pacificous Beacon, which portends peace, and not war; where you read that the Lord looks like burning fire, there he threatens us to beware of his indignation, so John makes a character of Christ, Rev. i. 14. His eyes were as a flame of fire, in a great commotion of passion the eye will look like a forge of wrath, as Tully displaies Verres, ardebant oculi, toto ex ore crudelitas emicabat. His eyes did burn with anger, cruelty did everywhere sparkle out of his face. The Philosopher says, that the Phancy is seated in the middle Region of the brain above the eyes, which upon great and sudden wrath calls up the spirits hastily unto itself, and with that swift motion they are heated, and seem to flame in the eyes, Flammea torquens lamina, says the Poet of his Turnus. Therefore this phrase of speech is borrowed from the manner of men, that the eyes of Christ were as a flame of fire. And it bids us kiss the Sun lest he be angry, if his wrath be kindled yea but a little, blessed are all they that put their trust in him. But at this apparition, which I entreat of, he did recreate his servants with his looks. Here is no mention of f •• e in his eyes, but of light in his face, and that is always taken in good part for an auspicious Omen, They looked upon him, and were lightened, and their faces were not ashamed, Psal. xxxiv. 5. They that stand before him, and have a reflection from the light of his countenance, shall not knit their brow, and look down for fear unto the earth, as Cain did. Yet more than so, this Sunshine Majesty, wherewith he was beautified, doth not only dissipate shame, but serve us with the hope of Salvation, Make thy face to shine upon thy servant, O save me for thy mercies sake, Psal. xxxi. 16.

It is a good thing to be safe under his mercy, the cheerful aspect of his face doth promise that at the least. And doth not this glistering transmutation assure us likewise, that his grace shall shine in our hearts to produce the fruits of life? The life is the light of men, says St. John; and by inversion it is true to say, that this light is the life of the soul. Therefore this was not the irradiation of the Sun, or any other star, which though it be a comely creature, yet it is but an inanimate thing; but to show it was Lux viva, and Lux ad vitam, living light, and light that begetteth eternal life; therefore it sparkled from the living flesh of the eternal Sun of God. And it may be observed, how usefully St. Matthew says his face did shine like the Sun; not as if he did then illuminate half the world at once with his face, for then the rest of the Disciples, who went not up to the Mountain, must have known somewhat of this alteration (it being most probable, that the Transfiguration fell out in the night ) but because the Sun doth enough on his part to shine unto all men, and if any want the benefit, it is not for defect of the light which is spread sufficiently abroad: So Christ by himself and his Priests hath annunciated the truth openly, that it is our own fault, and not his, if it be not tendered to all people, and known throughout the world. 2. The Sun before he ariseth sends out beams, and gives some light to the Horizon, but makes the day more clear when he is risen upon the earth: So Christ did give the Patriarchs a glimpse of faith before he was incarnate, and lived upon the earth, but he did embrighten the Church much more with faith, when the world had heard, and seen with their eyes, and looked upon, and their hands had handled the word of life. And do you mark who were present witnesses at the fulgor of this transfiguration? Both Moses and Elias who had lived on earth in the Age before, and three Apostles who did live in that present Age, because he was that light which gave the luster of faith both to the former, and to the latter Ages of the world; take heed your heart be not thick clay, and gross earth, which will not admit and give transparency to this spiritual light; He that believeth not abideth in darkness. It is perilous to be in darkness, and most horrible to abide in it; and without faith you shall abide in the darkness of Hell forever.

Though this which I have said already be much, yet this prospective of admirable light leads us further; for in this Transformation the Master did show what Liveries of glory the Servants should wear when they should dwell with him in his Kingdom forever. As Zalumna said to Gideon of Gideon's brethren, so doth this enlightened countenance of Christ say unto his Saints, As thou art so shall they be, each one according to the form of the Children of a King. No Soothsayer, no Palmester, no judicial Astrologer is able to tell any man the event of his life, what honors and promotions shall betide him. But he, unto whom all the wisdom of the world is foolishness, Christ, hath manifested not in word, but in sign the true state of the blessed forever, they shall shine like the Stars in the Firmament, or like the Sun itself at Noon day. And because this may seem to be an Hyperbolical comparison, I will raise you up higher in your thoughts (though I shall seem to speak strangely) that the Sun comes short of that enamouring fair light, wherewith the bodies of the just shall be clothed, that are raised in incorruption. My reason is strong enough, for the Sun is not made to stand forever in heaven, but when the whole heavens shall be rolled away with a noise, that mighty Planet shall melt away with heat; therefore it cannot shine so beautifully and divinely as that body which shall be immortal, and have no seeds of change or corruption in it. Alas I am so far from aggravating anything, that if I had a thousand tongues and inventions I should speak faintly and depressively of that supernal Palace, which is filled with light, which no man now can approach; you must conceive that which I cannot urge in speech. All the light which is in this world is but like a Glowworm to the day, in respect of that Mirror of marvelous light in the heavenly Jerusalem, where millions of millions of Saints shall be gathered together, and every Saint shall shine more sweetly and Majestically than the whole Globe of the Sun; what a ravishing object will this be? What an unutterable concurrence of illumination, especially when the sense of the eye shall be perfecter than the Eagles a thousand sold, and no whit dazzled to behold it? O Lord what good things hast thou laid up for them that fear thee? And thus you see what the Transfiguration in our Savior's countenance did portend; Light of grace in this world: Light of glory in the next: And light of mercy and comfort in respect unto them both.

We know that God dispenseth all things much better than we can reach into the cause; yet I will suffer an ignorant man to ask, Why did not Christ appear at all times upon earth thus glorious, with the Majesty of his Divine Nature shining in his face? Then the Jews, and the whole world would have received him, and never doubted. Would they are you sure? And yet we are sure Peter denied him, John and James forsook him, albeit they had seen the glory of his Transfiguration. But Beloved it was more fit to be darken and shadow over his excellency, as he used to do; otherwise the earth could not have told how to have conversed with him, how to have entertained him, how to have looked upon him, if he had openly manifested himself to be the eternal Son of God, as clearly as we know it nowadays. Besides, it was not necessary for him to be always illustrious, it was necessary for him to die and suffer, therefore he came into the world, like Codrus the Athenian into the Army, with rags and poverty, in vile estimation, that the High Priests and Pharisees might proceed against him as against a wretched man, and a Malefactor. His ordinary fashion of life upon earth was shame and dishonor; he took a turn for once and no more to have the fashion of his countenance altered in glory. Non pristinam formam amisit, sed qualitatem mutavit; or as Cajetan, this transformation was neither assuming a new substance, nor turning his face into new Figures and Lineaments, but brightning the outward superficies with a new luster of glory. And Tertullian argues it to be true; when the Lord retired to a mount, and did as it were cast a new robe of light all over, both upon his face and garments, Lineamenta Petro cognoscibilia servaverat. Peter, after he awoke out of sleep, did still acknowledge him by his Lineaments, there was the ancient feature of his visage without any alteration. Yet I conceive that in the Resurrection of the Just every Countenance, which had disfigurement in it, or any monstrous disproportion, shall be new shap'd and fashioned. Because that great workmanship of God which abideth forever shall be conspicuous to all eyes with most exact decency and comeliness. One thing more may yet be expected from me to be spoken of for the finishing of this Point. St. Luke says, that his countenance was altered, and his raiment glistered. Was that all? Was his face only glorified with light, and not the rest of his body? There are some that hold how his whole body was transfigured, and bedeckt with light, and that the radiancy of the body did shine through the garments, and make them brightsome; and they think that St. Matthews Text doth favor this opinion, for he speaks of a total transfiguration first, and then of the shining of the face, He was transfigured before them, and his face did shine as the Sun. The matter is not great which way the truth stands. But I assent to that which is the more probable Tenent, that the rays of splendor did issue out from no part of his body, but from his face only. For which of the Evangelists hath put forth a word, that any part of his body, his face only excepted, did shine with brightness? Nay, hath not St. Mark Epitomised St. Matthews meaning most intelligibly? He was transfigured before them, and his raiment was white as snow; He spake of the Transfiguration but in one word, because it was but in one part of the body, that is in the face. And I urge it strongly from the final cause. The end of his being transfigured was not to dignify his flesh, with that dignity which he shall have, when it is exalted in glory; (for then very fit all the body should have been amassed into an excellent shape) but the time was not yet come. The end was to exhibit a taste of that future glory, which the Saints shall have in the Resurrection; and for that end more need not be required than St. Luke hath explicitly set down in my Text, His countenane was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.

As the face of Christ did bear the greatest share of ignominy at his passion, being buffeted, being spit on, being pricked with thorns, so the honor of his Transfiguration did light upon his face rather than upon any other part of the body, because God's reward shall make amends in every kind for the despite of Satan. The Jews did strip him of his Garment, and arrayed him with a robe of scorn, and then led him to be crucified: So God to show that his his Son deserved no such ignominy made his garments to shine with unspeakable purity. As Lapidaries say of a true Diamond, that whereas other precious Stones have some color in their Superficies well known by name, as the Ruby and Sapphire, but the color of the Diamond cannot be well called by any name, there is a white gloss, and a sparkling flame mixed together, which shine fairly, but render no constant color: So we cannot say what manner of show the Rayment of our Savior did make. These two did concur to the composition of the beauty, Candor & lux; A whiteness mixed with no shadow, a light bedimmed with no darkness. It was white and glistering, says our Evangelist. White as the light, says St. Matthew. And his face being bright as the Sun, his raiment exceeding white as the snow, says St. Mark; these two make such a medley, that no Painter can think how to ground a color to resemble it; Altera pars de coelo splendidior sole, altera de terrâ candidior nive. The Divine Nature of Christ is from heaven, and that exceeds the very Sun in the heaven in brightness: His Human Nature is from the earth beneath, and that did exceed the very snow upon the earth in whiteness.

They had more fancy than sure foundation for their doctrine, that grounded upon this place, how the bodies of the righteous, when they are risen, and stand at God's right hand, shall not abide naked, but be overcast with a Regal Robe of excellency. Neither will it help that they fetch a proof, Rev. vi. 11. that the souls under the Altar had white Robes given to adorn them; to make the true interpretation of these things more passable. First, I will speak of the alteration in Christ's Garment, then of the candor and whiteness. It is well known in holy Scripture that Christ is called our garment, and that as many as are true members of the Church are called Christ's Garment. Gal. iii. 27. As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There the Savior of mankind is our Robe. Now we read of the conversion of the Gentiles, and their being gathered into the Church, Isa. xlix. 18. Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold all these gather themselves together, and come unto thee. As I live, saith the Lord, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament. As Charity useth to be painted full of young children, some hanging upon her Arms, some upon her Breasts: So the Son of God is love itself, and all his Children lay fast hold upon him, and hang about him as a Vesture covers the body, these are his Garment which shall shine for his sake in the Kingdom of heaven forever. Cornelia, the mother of the Gracchi, was visited by a great Lady in Rome, who came in a specious fashion with her Chains of Pearl, and Ear rings, and Jewels about her. Cornelia expected till her Sons came home, who demeaned themselves before her with awful duty, and fit obeisance, and to these she points, saying, Hi sunt gemmae meae, torques & monilia mea; These are my Jewels, and my Pendants that adorn me. At such a value Christ accounts all those that live in him by faith, these are his Garment which is white, and glistering, and no Fuller upon Earth can make a thing so white, no earthly felicity can be comparable with that heavenly glory. Philosophers and Heathen Orators these are Fullers upon earth, their wits are not able to reach to the imagination of that spiritual joy which Christ hath prepared for them that fear him: And they that have a Pharisaical opinion to be justified by their own works, these are Fullers upon earth, that would make all clean by the Art of man Alas, it lies not in our skill, in our endeavors, in our righteousness, it is Christ that can present a Church all glorious, not having spot or wrinkle; he will set us as a Signet upon his arm, and as a seal upon his right hand, he will wear us as a robe of dignity, and bedeck us with grace and glory, so that no Fuller on earth can make a thing so white.

There are three things metaphorically called Garments, in whose whiteness and purity consists the perfection of all our happiness, Stola sanctitatis, justificationis, gloriae; 1. Here is the fair Robe of sanctity and innocence in the first place; as God says of some good ones in the Church of Sardis, Rev. iii. 4. They have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white. They had not defiled their Garments, that is, they had not spotted their Conscience with uncleanness. Therefore the Primitive Church emblematically did stir up such as were baptized to righteousness and holiness of life, by enjoining them that Ceremony, to wear white Garments at the time of their Baptism, Accipe vestem candidam, immaculatam, quam perferas sine maculâ ante tribunal Domini, says St. Ambrose; Thou that comest to be made a Christian, take this white unstained garment, and keep it unspotted unto the day of the Lord. 2. There is the robe of Justification, when God looks upon us, not as we are in ourselves, but as we are clothed with the merits of Jesus Christ: Non est breve pallium; it is no scanty short Cloak which will not come down to the foot; but it reacheth over all, from our conception to our death, it is spread over all our sins both original and actual, and hides all our deformities, Put you on the Lord Jesus Christ; O fair nuptial garment, which will bring us into the Bride-chamber of the Bridegroom forever! 3. The robe of justification makes us fit to be invested with the robe of glory. That eternal life, which we desire and expect is moralized in the name of a white garment, because such apparel was used among the Jews upon occasion of gladness. The Wiseman commending a life which was always led in mirth and alacrity without lumpish austerity, says he, Let thy garments be always white, and let thy head lack no ointment. And because the life of Angels and Saints shall be nothing but singing of Psalms, and pleasance, and festivity before God for evermore, therefore the Angels appeared in long white garments in our Savior's Sepulcher, Mark xvi. 5. And to express that eternity of joy which we shall have in bliss, Christ would not be transfigured without this circumstance, that his raiment was white and glistering.

Albedo vitae puritatem, splendor doctrinae eminentiam significat; That Allusion shall be noted to conclude this Point, whiteness commends a pure, and an innocent life, glistering commends the word of truth in the holy Scripture, that it is as clear as the Sun at noon-day. But it is not an outside of purity which will stand the trial before God; Hypocrites may go in sheep's clothing, a fair and a clean nap may be upon their coat without, when their inside is a ravening Wolf: So Heretics will parget their Doctrine over with plausible reasons, I perhaps through the power of Satan they will shine with miracles, but take heed you do not worship their Idol, because it shines like Gold. Haeretici falsa dogmata fullonicant ingeniis suis, says Origen; Heretics set a bright gloss upon their false opinions, they in his construction are those Fullers upon earth, that would make their doctrine, if it were possible, as white as truth, but if you pattern it with the Scripture, you shall see it colors not with that spiritual light which comes from Christ. That Doctrine which hath the simplicity of the Spirit without the knotty entanglements of man's wit; that which says, let God have the glory, but to us belongs shame and confusion of face: That which impresseth humility into the thoughts, zeal and devotion into the heart, all manner of virtue into the practice. This is that true light which comes from heaven, no Fuller upon earth, none that sit in the pestilent Chair of deceitful tongues can make a thing so white, and everyone that is of the truth loveth the light, and hateth darkness. And so far upon this admirable vision, His countenance was altered, and his raiment white and glistering.

These were res mirae; strange and uncouth things, the next general part of the Text doth handle personas miras, strange persons, whom a man would not expect in that place, and at that time, Behold there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias. If any of the people had been by, that took him to be Elias, or Jeremias, or one of the old Prophets, they should have seen a difference in this Vision between the head and the feet, between the Lord and his Servants. For surely some of the old Prophets, two for all, and those whom the Jews did most admire, came upon this Theater to be seen, that Christ's glory might appear the more. Let the eyes of Peter look upon them together, and see if Christ's glory be not far exalted above all the Saints, Quantùm lenta solent inter viburna cupressi. Among the God's there is none like unto thee O Lord, Psal. lxxxvi. 8. Non in Angels coelestibus seu in altissimis, says the Chaldee Paraphrase, not among the Angels, nor among any of the blessed souls that live in the highest places. Was this such a business to be taught, will some men say, to bring the dead out of their graves? Can any mistake that the honor of Christ is far exalted above all his Servants? For to which of the Angels did the Father say at any time, Sit thou on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool? (Beloved) are there none that keep the festival days of the Saints with more devotion and observance, then the first day of the week forever to be sanctified because Christ rose from the dead on that day? Do they not make more Pilgrimages and Vows to some Patrons of their own invention, who have been but men? Are not there more Temples erected in their name? More costly Ornaments bestowed upon their Images? More Prayers poured out unto them than to Christ himself? And had I not need to remember you that two men, who were now glorified, talked with Christ upon Mount Tabor, that they might appear like little stars obscured before the greatest Planet? Moses did but verify in person what he had taught in a Song before, Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the God's? Who is like unto thee? Exod. xv. 11.

I adjudge it for another reason, that two men beatified came to talk with him, because he would not seem to ingross the light of glory to himself without derivation to others. It is not a treasure to be reserved unto himself, but a communicable donative. The glory which thou gavest me I have given them, Joh. xvii. 22. As a seed-corn is fruitless unless it die, and bring forth stalks of Wheat: so Christ compares himself to such a grain of Wheat, which must die to bring forth much fruit, or else it abideth alone; as if all were marred unless we were accommodated by his fruitfulness. The Kings honor is in the multitude of his people; the joy of the Father is in the Olive branches round about his Table: The glory of the woman is for the children to grow up, and call the mother blessed: The felicity of these consists herein to have some that are partners of their felicity. But God is all-sufficient to contemplate his own glory though he had never made the world: he did not make man to praise him, as if he wanted voices to magnify his name, and make him God. Yet he is pleased to express his love so far that his honor should be alone unless the goodly fellowship of Saints and Prophets were round about him. Except a seed-corn fall into the ground and die it abideth alone, Joh. xii. 24. Lord, why dost thou esteem thyself alone, and heaven to be solitary without us? But O man, how canst thou be without him in thy heart on earth that would not be alone without thee in heaven? Behold when he brought down heaven upon earth in his own body, two of the Elect brought down their glory to the Mountain to assist him. His own Disciples were yet but earth, and corruption, and therefore incapable of such illuminated brightness, till the time should come to be translated out of the prison of mortality. And Angels were not fit to be his Compeers at this bout, because he manifested the glorification of the flesh, which pertains not to Angels, but to Men. None of the living would serve the turn to appear with him in Majesty, they were not supernaturalized to undergo it, nor any of the Angelical Order, they were not of the right Predicament: two men came down unto him, who had been exalted into Heaven; and now I will show with what great congruity these two men, who were Moses and Elias.

But to omit nothing which is fit to be observed, I will make three general heads of this matter. 1. Whether all Elias, and all Moses did appear both body and soul. 2. From whence they came to be Parties at the celebration of this great Miracle. And 3. If I can reach so far, Why they became the representative persons for the whole Body of the Saints in Heaven. To the first, that these two Witnesses presented themselves in bodily shapes, there is no wit so scrupulous, I think, that can make a question of it; for S. Matthew says, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , these men were seen of Peter, James, and John. Then they were heard talking, and by their talk discovered to be those grand Prophets, as I will show hereafter. They talked as men to men, vocally, not in an intellectual fashion as spirits do. And the Apostles in their ecstacy mentioned the making of Tabernacles to shroud them in; but a Tabernacle is a Coverture for a Body, and not for a Spirit. The controversy doth not consist in this, therefore I pass it over. That which hath caused diversities of judgments to arise is herein, what manner of Bodies these were wherewith Moses and Elias were clothed to attend the Transfiguration of Christ. I will make bold to remove away one opinion of St. Austin's as quite out of the cancels of truth, and then proceed. He doth not deny but the dead through God's concession may, upon such occasions as the Lord directs them to, appear unto the living: he cites Samuel brought up by the Witch of Endor to speak with Saul. What if that were not Samuel, but an evil Spirit? or an Imposter? he cites Ecclesiasticus. He objects what if that Book be refused, because it is not in the Canon of the Hebrews? Then he cites our present instance of Moses and Elias: yet he falls off again, and thinks the Saints themselves appeared not, but seemed to appear by the Ministry of Angels. Many times in the Old Testament, when the Angel is sent from God as a Legate. He speaks in the person of his King, I am the Lord thy God; therefore he presumes that Angels in this place might be called by the names of Moses and Elias, for whom they appeared. The same most excellent Author is more orthodox in other places upon this point. This cannot well consist. Christ's glory was true, and not ficticious, it betokened a true estate of blessedness to us miserable men hereafter, therefore it cannot piece well together, that all this should be confirmed by ficticious and imaginary Witnesses.

Now I venture forward: and first I will speak of Elias how he came in his own body, then of Moses: I have a reason for it, and St. Mark's words lie so, there appeared unto them Elias with Moses. In what body should Elias be an assistant to Christ's glory now, but in the same body wherein He was taken up in a whirlwind to Heaven? Enoch and Elias were ever paralleled to be of the same condition in God's favor, that their Body was never dissolved from the Soul, but in their whole substance assumed up on high. Some Jewish Rabbins have presumed to teach more than Scripture, that the Bodies of Enoch and Elias were dissolved into Elements in their rapture, and nothing but their Soul was received into Abraham's bosom. I smell the leaven of the Sadducees in those Rabbies, for certainly the origen of it came from such as they who resisted the truth, that a Body could not be exalted to heavenly places. Is not St. Paul enough to silence all tongues of that language, Heb. xi. 5. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death. If Enoch did not see death in his translation, and that's the fair letter of the Scripture, no more did Elias. Says Epiphanius Enoch and Helias their Bodies and Souls were never parted, but remain undivided forever. Enoch lived a married life, Elias was a Virgin, to show that continency in Marriage and Virginity shall both be glorified in the great day of the Resurrection. Thus Epiphanius; and I could name a multitude of concurrents, who are advowers of the same sentence. They that list to be contentious gainsay this Doctrine touching Elias his Body, that it never was corrupted, from the common theme of man's mortality; Death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned, Rom. v. 12. Death passed upon all men: what's that but a just Sentence and Decree, and none can say, Why am I born to dy? But there is mercy and power in the Most High, to spare, and to execute his Decree upon whom he pleaseth, Heb. ix. 27. Statutum est, that presseth home, says the Antagonist, it is appointed unto men once to die: that's the Text indeed, but not statutum est omnibus, it is appointed unto all men once to die, as some do read it. The ordinary end of men is death, but God hath his exemptions, and privileges to limit that Statute. I tell you a mystery, says St. Paul, We shall not all die, but we shall all be changed; there's one limitation. They that are found upon the earth at the second coming of Christ shall not die, but shall be snatched up with Christ in glory: non separatione formae, sed immutatione qualitatum, their Soul shall not be taken of the Body, but corruptible qualities shall be taken from the Body. So it was in Elias his Rapture, the Body was not destroyed, but only that corruption which was in his Body. Again it is appointed unto men once to die, semel, once, and no more: Yet the Shunamites Son, Jairus Daughter, Lazarus, and many others brought back from their Graves died twice; there's another limitation of the Statute. Nothing concludes from thence, but that Elias his Body was never dissolved, in that Body wherein he talked with God at Mount Horeb, in the same Body he heard God talk to his Son at Mount Tabor about the time of the Transfiguration.

But as for Moses, after what manner he came to Christ in the shape of a Body, I cannot speak with any certainty: To hold that the elements were compacted into the figure of a Body, that he might use it for that occasion, and then disperse it into air when the mystery was finished, hath an ill relish in it: because imaginary shapes, like Pageants to be set up for a while, and strait taken down again, were not fit demonstrations of the truth of the Resurrection. Damascene observes wittily, that it is likely how the Promise, which God did long before make to Moses, was now fulfilled, Exod. xxxiii. 23. That thou shalt see my back parts, but my face shall not be seen: meaning, says he, that the eye of man could not see his Divinity, but he should have the honor to see Christ incarnate. That is not unfitly called posteriora, or exteriora Dei, the out parts, or the Veil of the Godhead. Now was that desire of Moses fulfilled, and the Son of Man in excellent beauty stood before him; but had he not seen him with his own eyes, all had not been according to his first desire and affection: And me-seems that this conjecture is not weak; if Elias had appeared in his own flesh, Moses but in a phantastical shape, this had derogated from the dignity of Moses, who was the Prophet, than whom none was greater from the Law to John the Baptist. The Jews oppress us again with their figments in a second opinion, saying, that Moses was so beloved of God, that he never saw death, but continued in his Body forever, as Elias doth. Josephus tells us his mind herein so plainly, that I perceive the most did follow him; that when Joshua and Eleazar had parted with Moses upon Mount Nebo, he was taken away from them in a Cloud, and advanced to Heaven; but to make the people quiet, that they might not talk too much of his exaltation, and attribute too much honor unto him, he left it written, that he died in the Land of Moab. But this doth peremptorily contradict the Holy Word in divers places: He died, and was buried in a Valley in the Land of Moab, Deut. xxxiv. 6. according to the word of the Lord. That word is in the same book, Deutr. xxxii. 50. Thou shalt die in the Mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy Brother died in Mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people; therefore if Aaron died, as we know he did, Moses was not translated, that he might not see death.

Nay, the next opinion is more probable than so, which takes away the offense which the former opinion gives, and attributes great honor to Moses: namely it consents, as it ought to do, that Moses died, and that God by the ministry of his Angels did lay down his Body for a while to be buried in the Land of Moab: but it did not abide in the earth there to be corrupted, but was presently restored to life again, and translated to immortality: and because he did not abide in death, therefore it is said, that no man knoweth of his Sepulcher unto this day. I draw to this side the rather, because in the ninth verse of St. Jude's Epistle the Angel did contend and dispute with the Devil about the Body of Moses. Some say the contention was, that the Angel bound the Devil not to reveal where his Body was buried, lest the children of Israel finding it out should venerate and adore his Sepulcher, and run into Idolatry: Some say because the Angel buried him against Bethpheor, which was a place of most diabolical Idolatry, and Satan struggled not to be turned out of that place by the burial of this holy man. I see no incongruity to say, because the Angel did not only contend, but dispute, says Jude, not about the Burial, but about the Body, that the argument was, why the Body of Moses should be restored to life? and not rot and putrefy in the dust. This opinion is maintained by Luther, by Brenz, and by the Jesuit Maldonado: and it puts all in good square to defend (and it may be done for ought I see without any absurdity) that the Body of Moses was reserved in immortality with the Body of Elias, and both were in all readiness to come to our Savior's Transfiguration. Yet a number of Doctors have a fourth strain, that Moses his Body was gathered by the power of God just at this time out of the dust, and he took it up so long as this miracle lasted, and then laid it down again, and either resumed it shortly after when our Savior rose from the dead; for then many dead bodies of the Saints arose, and appeared unto many in the holy City; or else he awaits God's leisure to be clothed with his flesh forever at the solemn and general Resurrection. This cannot be gainsaid, for nothing is irksome to God's Saints, which most conduceth to their Masters glory.

Yet once I must speak again, that there is a fifth opinion, and most commonly defended, That Moses his own Body was reunited at this time to his Soul, and that it did abide with him forever, and he did never lay it down more. If we keep not this Opinion steady, it will be much shaken with this Objection, That Christ is commonly known by this property, to be the first who rose from the dead to die no more: The first-born from the dead, Colos. i. 18. The first-fruits of them that slept, 1 Cor. xv. 20. Some answer he is the first of them that rose from the dead, as he is said to be the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world. He was crucified from the beginning of the world, and rose from death from the beginning, not actually, but virtually; for the power of his Death and Resurrection were available ever since the Promise was made. Secondly, he is Primogenitus, the First-born, the strength, the might of them that rise, for he rose by his own will and virtue; all beside him not by their own power, but by the power of Christ. But I shall neither satisfy myself nor you with an answer, till I add a third thing, that Christ was the first-fruits of them that rose from the dead, and ascended up with his Body before the Majesty of the glory of the Most High. For here I must bring in a very fit distinction, though not used by many, that it is one thing to make a Body change corruption into incorruption, so shall all our Bodies be when they are raised from the dead; another thing to make our vile Bodies be changed into glorified Bodies, that shall not be till they are exalted into the highest Heavens. Elias his Body being translated was incorruptible; so was Moses his Body, if he had it before the Transfiguration, or if he retained it after; but Christ Jesus was the first of them that rose from the dead, whose glorified Body entered into the highest places.

I have been very brief in this intricate Controversy, which is so stiffly disputed of all sides, and it will make the next point come off more easy. From whence Moses and Elias came to talk with Christ at his Transfiguration. I conclude out of the former question, that Elias was translated up on high in Soul and Body, that's indubitable; and that Moses rose out of his Grave, and assumed his own Body at this instant Miracle; of all opinions that, I take it, is most probable. Therefore I say, Elias came down from whence he was ascended before, and Moses rose up from whence he was descended before. So the Son of God did demonstrate, says S. Chrysostom 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that he had the power in his hand both of life and death. By Moses says Aquinas are represented all those Saints whose bodies from the beginning of the world to the end lie buried in the dust: by Elias are understood the whole stock of men and women that shall be found at Christ's second coming living upon the earth, and both kinds shall be summoned to appear before him. Oh that we may come from heaven to meet him, as Elias did, that we may shine with repentance, and faith, and charity; these are the characters of them that shall be bold to stand before the Son of God in Majesty: and they that have these endowments, do as it were come from heaven with Elias to meet our Savior. But to the point; we make no scruple from whence Moses his Body came to mount Tabor: from whence, but from the dust of the earth? the difficult question will be, out of what place of sequestration Elias came with his Body: To which briefly, as I am able to conjecture, not to certify you.

St. Cyprian was not earnest to inquire it, when he left it off thus, quo raptus sit Elias Deus novit, whither Elias was taken up God knows: yet sure he means, he had not been taught, nor could teach into what Region of Heaven he was assumed; yet he never doubted but he was in some Canton of that Celestial Habitation. The Scripture says no more of Enoch, but he walked with God, and he was not, for God took him, Gen. v. 24. But of Elias in plain words, that he went up in a whirlwind to Heaven. The Septuagint Translation mars all when it renders it thus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , he was taken up as it were into Heaven. There is no such diminution of, as it were, in the sacred Text: He went up to heaven, says the Original. That could not be the Element of Air, which is sometimes called Heaven; for the Air is rather the Seat of Satan, who is called the Prince of the Air, than of the Blessed: from thence come turbulencies, and winds, and tempests, but they are at rest from all labor and unquietness. Nor can it be meant of that Heaven of the lower Orbs, for then, they should be hurried about every day with the swift motion of the Spheres from East to Occident. Where then could Elias be reposed but in the Heaven of happiness, in the tranquility of Abraham's bosom? as Dathan and Abiram were swallowed alive into Hell, so Enoch and Elias were lifted up alive into Heaven.

Heaven is taken two ways, both for the place, and for the state and condition of it; and both ways I have good ground to say, that Elias was in body among the spirits of the Kings, and Patriarchs, and Prophets, and just men, who are dead in the love of God: and all they went to Heaven locally as to their place, and to Heaven figuratively, that is to joy and happiness. Which I oppose to the adverse and very erroneous opinion maintained by the Schoolmen among the Pontificians, that the spirits of just men, which departed before Christ's ascension into Heaven, were reclused into a receptacle called Limbus Patrum, which was the verge or fringe of Hell, where they suffered no pain, but sustained a temporal loss, having not as yet admittance into the Courts of the House of our God. How unconsonant is this to our Savior's words? Many shall come from the East, and from the West, and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac in the Kingdom of God. How unlike to that Phrase of David, Lord, who shall ascend into thy holy hill? how unagreeing to the title of Abraham's bosom? wherein Lazarus was in a long distance from the gulf of sorrow. But to go one step further, and no more at this time: did not Christ by his ascension open a passage to the Souls of the blessed, to draw nearer to God in the highest heavens than ever before? yes verily I believe it; and I am compelled to maintain it by St. Paul's Doctrine, Heb. ix. 8. The way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing; that is while the Law of Moses did endure. Their Souls departing were at rest in Heaven in the hand of God, no way obtruded near the confines of Hell, as the Schoolmen taught, who either could not, or would not discern a medium between the Limbus of Hell, and the highest Heaven. They lived by the same faith that we do, though not with the same evidence and fullness that we have; therefore their Souls departing had a dimension of happiness allotted for them, yet not with that fullness of joy which now they have, nor perhaps with that measure and proportion which they and we shall have hereafter. Beloved, remember and consider Heaven is so large and spacious, that it is fit to admit divers Quarterings and Mansions in it: the Arch-angels Throne, the Angels Palace, the blessed seats of the faithful since Christ's ascension, the Refrigerium of the faithful before his ascension, a Tabernacle allotted for Enock and Elias; all these might be several, yet Heaven big enough to make room for all. In my Fathers house there are many mansions, says Christ that went before us to prepare a place. And To thee O blessed Savior, &c.

THE THIRD SERMON UPON The Transfiguration.

W Hen I compare many parcels of Sacred Scripture, and many fictions of the Heathen together which are of great similitude; I perceive that Satan intended to discredit the holy Writ by devising Fables so like to the sacred truth. I do verily think their Deucalion and his flood, was taken from the story of our Noah and his Deluge: Their Hippolytus refusing the temptations of Phedra, and yet accused by her for a Rape, is our Joseph after the same manner impeached by his lustful Mistress: Their Hercules is our Joshua: Their Bellerophon carrying Letters to cut his own throat is our Urias so betrayed by David: Their Nisus of Megara and his fatal purple hair cut off by Scylla is our Sampson and his locks cut off by Delilah. So their infamous transmutations of their God's into Bulls, and Swans, and a thousand lying shapes were published by the Devil to make the Transfiguration of our Savior suspected. Shame upon such gross Figments, which can no way darken the manifold light of the Gospel, so palpably counterfeit that they need no refutation. As Irenaeus passed his censure upon them, Victoria est sententiae vestrae manifestatio, it was victory enough to the Christian cause to tell and relate their absurd opinions.

But in reference to the Metamorphoses of those Idol God's St. Peter justifies the truth of our Savior's Transfiguration thus: We have not cunningly devised Fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye witnesses of his Majesty, 2. Pet. i. 16. The Heathen write how their God's were changed upon earth, but to their shame and ignominy: The Son of God was changed miraculously upon earth, but into a body of resplendent glory. When God was come down to men upon earth, the Heaven did seem to come down upon earth to God. When the Greek Emperor John Palaeologus was drawn into Italy by Pope Eugenius the forth to be present in the Florentine Council, the City of Venice entertained him so magnificently with their Streets all guilded, and their Boats and Galleys as rich as their Streets that the Greeks in astonishment at the bravery cried out, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Earth was become a Heaven for that day. I have met with no parcel of a Story in my reading more fit to be applied to this occasion. When Mount Thabor did harbor our Lord, and our Lord did glister with beatifical brightness, and the Saints above did come thither in their Princely array, and the very clouds did look more white than Lilies, and the voice of the Father spake more pleasing than the sweetest Music, This is my well beloved Son. I may justly cry out, the Earth was become an Heaven for that day. All things else in the Gospel are intermixed with much humility, this one Treatise lifts up my style, and makes me say, Paulo majora canamus; This piece which I spread before you is nothing but Triumph, and Majesty, and Glory.

Unto these words which I have read unto you I am proceeded in this subject, and by so much as I have read in these two Verses St. Luke hath more than the other two Evangelists, to wit, that Moses and Elias talked about Christ's sufferings in Jerusalem; and that Peter, James, and John were asleep, and waking of a sudden were startled at the transmutation. I have spoke severally the last day in what bodies Moses and Elias did appear, now I proceed to these persons that appear; And because I must not break the joints of an History I take the parts whole thus: First, With what fitness these two were presented rather than any other for celestial witnesses, Moses and Elias. Secondly, What they meant by this communication to speak of his Passion, and Sufferings, They spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. Thirdly, That the earthly Witnesses Peter, James, and John were asleep at the beginning of this Miracle. But Peter, and they that were with him were heavy with sleep. Fourthly, The mists of drowziness were dispelled, they did awake, and then they saw the Vision, and as the next Verse will prove it, they heard the conference. To these do you give Attention, and I my Exposition.

The Lord did not pick twain out of so great an host of blessed Spirits to stand upon Mount Thabor, but that there was some hability, and fitness in their persons rather than in any other. And the first mark eminently stamped upon them for this work is this, The Law and Prophets do equally and concordiously bear witness to Christ. Moses the first handler and publisher of the Law; Elias the greatest by far of all the Prophets, O Elias, how wast thou honored in thy wondrous deeds? And who may glory like unto thee? Ecclus. xlviii. 4. As the Kings Coin is stamped on both sides; so the Gospel like a piece of currant Metal is engraven on the one side with the ancient testimony of the Law, on the other side with the strong Predictions of the Prophets. Says Philip to Nathanael, We have found him, of whom Moses in the Law, and the Prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth the Son of Joseph, Joh. i. 45. But Peter might go further, and say, We have seen him attended, and waited on by Moses and the Prophets. The Law, and the Prophets, and the Gospel make good Music, when they are three parts of one song, but if you make several Airs, or several Ditties of them you mar all good harmony. We see Moses and the Son of God together, says St. Ambrose; so often as we read that portion of St. Matthew, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy might. We see Elias and the Son of God together so often as we read that desire inflamed to maintain God's honor, I have been very zealous for the Lord of hosts, 1 Kings xix. 8. That zeal made Elias fast forty days, and eat nothing: And Christ doth answer it again, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. O how amiable it is to unite Moses, and the Prophets, and the grace of Christ all together, to look upon them in one prospect, to enterline the Old Testament with the New. But if you part Moses from the Prophets, or the Prophets from Moses, or both from Christ, you shall not find any glory in them. The Samaritans received no Scripture but the Books of Moses: The Jews receive none but Moses, and the Prophets: The Christian puts them all together, and so Moses and Elias appear with Christ in glory. And although many things are very difficult to be understood in the Old Testament; in some places we do see Moses plainly, in some places he is hard to be understood; yet this Miracle gives us comfort, that in the holy Hill of God, in the glorification of heaven, there we shall see Moses and Elias, all that is wrote in the Law and the Prophets very clearly, and that one jot or tittle is not perished which the Penmen of holy Writ did foretell should come to pass. For example, in Exod. xx. 19. the Children of Israel cry out to Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear, but let not God speak with us least we die. To this demand God makes a full and explicit answer, Deut. xviii. 18. They have well spoken, I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren like unto thee, they shall hear him. Here is a middle way difficult to be understood, neither would God speak, unto them in thunder to terrify them, and Moses could not abide always to be their Speaker, as they would have it, but a Prophet should come like unto Moses, like unto him in human nature, but far more admirable in grace and power. Why, behold this dark mystery is expounded at this Transfiguration, for Moses is brought to confess of Christ, this is the Prophet spoken of like unto me, whom you are bound to hear. For the glory which was seen now, the affrightment which took the Disciples, the bright cloud which overshadowed the place, all these happened now, even as it was at Mount Sinah, call to mind what Covenant was then made, and how this is the time to fulfil it. Thus you see how Christ's glory makes the Law and the Prophets intelligible, which is the first reason why Moses and Elias did appear in glory.

Secondly, These are they that had undergone many sorrows upon earth for the defense of their God, and after much tribulation did win the crown of life, in whose faces the Disciples might behold, that through fire and water, through cross and calamity, through ignominy and dishonor we must enter into glory. None so famous for exposing their lives to all dangers as Moses and Elias. There was but a Bulrush between Moses and death when he was set afloat to be drowned in his tender infancy. And if Jezebel and all her God's could cut Elias throat, she swore he should not have a day to live, 1 Kings xix. 2. What sharp encounters had the one with Pharaoh? What dismal threatenings did the other denounce against Ahab? The one was driven out rudely and violently from the presence of Pharaoh: The other banished himself into the Wilderness, and could not be found for three years. Here were a fit couple, that could show their long Pedigrees of afflictions to be called the Sons of God. These were fit indeed to preach of Christ's Cross, and of his sufferings at Jerusalem. They that suffered much might aptly and confidently commend the sufferings of the body to the Disciples: Si vis me flere dolendum est primùm ipsi tibi. And here John and James the two ambitious brethren might see of what condition it behooved those men to be who in our Savior's Kingdom should sit the one at his right hand, the other at his left. What had they done for their Lord's sake as yet, when they asked that bold demand, but to walk with him in Judea, to travel from place to place safe enough in their own Country? Once indeed they were scared with a great tempest upon the Lake of Genezaret, which might have fallen out upon any other occasion, and then they cry out desperately, Lord save us we perish. But upon their haughty demand Christ asked them, Can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? It was a cup of wormwood and tribulation, such as Moses and Elias drank of to the very lees, and those are they that appear with him in glory; those are they that sit in his Kingdom, the one at his right hand, the other at his left. Their countenances have been sad, now they smile forever; they have worn sackcloth and ashes, and mingled their drink with weeping, now they appear bedeck'd with Majesty. For if none might enter into King Ahasuerus Gate clothed with sackcloth, Esth. iv. 2. Then much more all that are deigned the presence of the King of heaven shall shine triumphantly in glory.

Thirdly, The objects of Moses and Elias standing conspicuously before the face of these three men would instill into them the imitation of their holy life, and impectorate to them those good examples, whereby they themselves should become mirrours and examples to after Ages. Their Justice, their Prayers, their Temperance, their Constancy to true Religion, their hatred of Idolatry all these were texted in their face; all their noble acts were remembered by seeing them, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , says Chrysostom. The history of the Saints warms out hearts within us to read it: Historiae sacrae inspectio, est quasi compendium resurrectionis ante oculos habere, says one. To entertain our time in reading the Sacred History, is to cast our eyes upon a model of the Resurrection: But to be brought in place where there was an ocular Apparition of Moses and Elias, was to gain both a model of their Resurrection, and a Chronicle of their History. It is a good thing to call the dead into consultation with the living; where God promiseth to send the former and the latter rain to the earth, many apply it mystically to this purpose. The Examples of the Patriarchs and Prophets well digested into our use are the first showers of rain, or the dew of the morning: The Examples of Christ, and his Apostles, and such as have shined like burning lights since their days are the latter rain, or the dew of the Evening; but these drop down one after another, and fill the Church with spiritual increase. No observation more appertinent than this, which I find attributed to St. Jerome. Moses was first inspired to write the Book of Genesis, which contains the acts of the old World, before he published Exodus, which contains the Law. A fair method which came from heaven, First instructed to write the History of Antiquity before he Penn'd a Pandect of Laws for the use of Posterity; lest he should rashly proceed to teach the Children before he had wisely learnt the Examples of the Fathers. I will set my rest upon this Text of Scripture, that there is not a pithier Precept in all the Sacred Volume, Deut. xxxii. 7. Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations; ask thy Father and he will show thee, thy Elders and they will tell thee. It is a very satisfying thing when a truth comes to us by a good descent, as the Poet brag'd of his stories, Quae Phoebo pater omnipotence, mihi Phoebus Apollo. God did inspire Moses and Elias to know what sufferings his Son should undergo at Jerusalem; they preached it before the Disciples, the Disciples to their Scholars, they to the next, and so from Generation to Generation it is an Heir-loom to the latest Posterity. Alta mysteria per majores ad alios debent devenire; Let great mysteries be devolved from the mouths of famous forerunners, such as Moses and Elias. The Devil himself was ashamed of upstarts when they came to be broachers of their own fancies, Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are ye? Sometime it is as hard to know who were the broachers of new Doctrine as to understand the Doctrine itself. As Tiberius scoffed at a conceited Roman, proud enough, but of no good Parentage, Curtius Rufus videtur mihi ex se natus; Curtius Rufus did beget himself, he had no Progenitors. So ignominious it is to press anything for current which is a brat of yesterdays invention, and doth not bear a pass from the example of our forefathers. Beware of novel Doctrines, and observe it when you will, if they do not beget new Vices; as a Mill-stone new-peck'd fills the meal it grinds with more gravel than one that is smooth with use. Therefore gather such Manna as fell very early in the Morning. Enquire for the old, I mean for the oldest way, but habete salem, be sure it be salted with Apostolical Doctrine, and then it will not be tainted with corruption. That we might not only fetch our Examples so far as the Apostles, but a reach beyond them likewise, here were two old Sires of great authority and veneration that came to Mount Thabor, Moses and Elias.

Fourthly, I had occasion the last day to make a difference between these two Saints thus far, that the body of the one was always living, the body of the other, that is of Moses, came from the dead, which is an improvement to the truth of that Article of our Creed, that Christ shall bring all to judgment, both the quick and dead before him; The dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive, and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds. How many applications may be deduced from thence likewise, that the dead and the living came to teach, that Christ should die upon the Cross, and live again unto the glory of the Father? Or thus; to teach us Mortification, and Vivification, that we should die unto sin, and live unto God. But referring your memories back to that which is past, I stay myself upon this Notion, that Moses and Elias come from the other world unto this, to let us see, and that it is undeniably true, that there is a life remaining after this is ended, and of a much happier condition, a life of glory. It is the complaint of them who dispute stiffly for their own infidelity, Nullus de mortuis resurgit; None come from the dead to teach us that are living; but since we mean the Apparitions of them that should come from the other world, they should say, none come from the living to us, who in comparison to them may be called the dead. But to answer to the meaning of the objection, words may be reformed with ease. Have none been sent with tidings to us from the habitation of the other world? Yes, twice apparently to go no farther. At the first bout Moses and Elias from Mount Thabor; at the second bout a witness without all exception, our blessed Savior, who rose the the third day from the dead, continued forty days upon earth teaching the things of the life to come, until the time even now at hand, that he ascended into glory. After that powerful Testimony, which they have given, what can be said more? If all our dead Friends should be returned unto us, they could add nothing to that which they have testified, and to that which the faithful witness in heaven hath signified in holy Scripture, I mean the Spirit of God.

This is the peevishness of our human Wisdom, yea, rather of our human folly, to earn for tidings from the dead, as if a Spirit departed could declare anything more evidently than the Book of God which is the sure Oracle of life? This was Saul's practice, neglect Samuel when he was alive, and seek after him when he was dead. What says the Prophet, Should not a people seek unto their God? Should the living repair to the dead? Nay, rather to the Law, and to the Testimony, Isa. viii. 19. Among the works of Athanasius I find (though he be not the Author of the questions to Antiochus ) a discourse full of reason, why God would not permit the soul of any of those that departed from hence to return back unto us again, and to declare the state of things in Hell unto us. For what pestilent errors would arise from thence to seduce us? Devils would transform themselves into the shapes of men that were deceased, pretend that they were risen from the dead (for what will not the Father of lies feign?) and so spread in any false Doctrines, or incite us to many barbarous actions, to our endless error and destruction. And admit they be not Phantasms, and delusions, but the very men, yet all men are liars, but God is truth. I told you what a Nec • omancer Saul was in the Old Testament, he would believe nothing unless a Prophet rose from the grave to teach him, there is another as good as himself in the New Testament, and not another Pattern in all the Scripture to my remembrance, Luke xvi. 27. The rich man in Hell urged Abraham to send Lazarus to admonish his Brethren of their wicked life; Abraham refers him to Moses and the Prophets. He that could not teach himself when he was alive, would teach Abraham himself being in Hell, Nay, Father Abraham; but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

The mind is composed with quietness to hear the living; the Apparitions of dead men, beside the suspicion of delusion, would fill us with gastly horror, and it were impossible we should be fit Scholars to learn, if such strong perturbations of fear should be upon us. How much better hath God ordained for our security, and tranquility, that the Priests lips should preserve knowledge? I know, if God shall see it fit to have us disciplined by such means, he can stir up the Spirits of the Faithful departed to come among us: So after Christ's Resurrection many dead bodies of Saints which slept arose, and came out of the Graves, and went into the holy City, and appeared unto many. This was not upon a small matter, but upon a brave and a renowned occasion: But for the Spirits of damnation, they are tied in chains of darkness, there is no repassage for them, and it makes more to strengthen our belief, that never any did return from Hell to tell us their woeful tale, than if any should return. It is among the severe penalties of damnation that there is no indulgence for the smallest respite to come out of it. The Heathen put that truth into this Fable. The Lion asked the Fox, why he never came to visit him when he was sick: Says the Fox, because I can trace many beasts by the print of their foot that have gone toward your Den, Sir Lion, but I cannot see the print of one foot that ever came back: Quia me vestigia terrent omnia te advorsum spectantia, nulla retrorsum. So there is a beaten, and a broad road that leads the Reprobate to Hell, but you do not find the print of one hoof that ever came back. When I have given you my judgment about Apparitions of the dead either descending from Heaven, or ascending from Hell, I must tell you in the third place, I have met with a thousand stories in Pontifician Writings concerning some that have had repassage from Purgatory to their familiars upon earth. Notwithstanding the reverence I bear to Gregory the Great, I cannot refrain to say, He was much to blame to begin such fictions upon his credulity; others have been more to blame that have increased such Legends; and they are most to be derided that believe them. O miserable Theology, if thy Tenants must be confirmed by sick men's dreams, and dead men's phantastical apparitions! To end this Point, and the first general part of my Text together, a thousand guiles and deceits may entrap them that build anything upon dead men's news; but this Apparition of Moses and Elias was warrantable from all delusion, because they stood by Christ, and because of their communication, which was Prophetical; I come to speak of that in the second place, They spake of his decease, &c. Upon which subject these particulars shall be succinctly handled: 1. That the Cross of Christ is all in all, and before anything in the world to be spoken of. 2. It was spoken of even in the midst of this Apparition of glory. 3. Moses and Elias came purposely to speak of it. 4. They spake of it in no disconsolatory phrase, but much to our comfort, that it was a decease. 5. They spake of it completely in all circumstances that it was to be accomplished. 6. They designed out the place where all the Prophets had been slain before, and where the Sacrifices were slain every day in the Temple, And spake of the decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.

To begin with that which is the leading Lesson, whether Moses and Elias directed their words to Christ, or to his Disciples is uncertain, if they communed with Christ, as with more probability they did, yet their talk was so audible and distinct, that the Disciples heard it, a Lesson at which they were always ready to stop their ears; yet now it is beaten into them line after line with many repetitions, that the Cross of Christ is all in all, and before anything else in the world to be spoken of. These two Saints who were enlightened with all knowledge befitting their glorified estate, could have uttered lofty discourses about the Trinity, about the highest Heavens, about the distinctions of Angelical Offices, and the like; but they understood themselves and us so well, that this is the Epitome of all saving knowledge, the Decease which Christ should accomplish at Jerusalem: 'tis that which will open Heaven, 'tis that which will glorify us, 'tis that which will exalt us to the society of Angels, and nothing else. O let my heart dwell often upon the wounds of my Savior for the profit of my Soul, rather than upon all the eloquence and wit in the world. There is more to be learnt by meditating upon his Passion seriously and devoutly one day, than by ripping up all other needless questions through the whole year:

Says the Old Verse: If you have learnt Christ crucified for thy sins, do not bewail thy ignorance, simple Soul, though thou knowest no more; if thou hast not learnt his sufferings, and that with his stripes thou art healed, bewail thy knowledge, great Master of Arts and Sciences, though, except that one thing, thou hast learned all. And what though you fix your speculations upon Christ himself? yet all is in vain that you can preach of Christ, until you set your notions afloat upon his blood, and sail down to this out of all, that he was crucified for our transgressions. If you be not enemies to his Cross, you will easily agree with the truth of the whole Gospel; if you do not agree with his Cross, as with the only cause by which we obtain salvation, you will be an enemy to all the truth of the Gospel. Turn this key right, that we are justified from our sins by his blood shedding, and all is open: wrench the door with any other key, as if we would pick open the lock of Heaven gates with our own sufferings and righteousness, and all is shut. Surely St. Paul did pattern his preaching by this Copy of Moses and Elias, 1 Cor. ii. 2. I determined not to know anything among you, saving Jesus Christ and him crucified.

Secondly, Yes indeed, this was fit communication for Paul, to impart nothing else to the Corinthians, who did abound with the Greek Philosophy, and eloquence; and it sorted the better to speak of nothing but the sorrows of our Lord, while fears and persecutions, and death did daily environ them; but in my next Observation it shall appear, that this discourse was well chosen, rather than any other at the Transfiguration of glory: here was nothing upon the Mountain but celestial joy, and in the height of this joy no other talk to entertain the time but about a Cross, and about a woeful tribulation. If our sorrow be not enlightened with some joy, it will turn to a melancholic desperation; so if our joy be not damped with the sadness, and seriousness of some sorrow, it will fly out into excess and presumption. The Grecians did not allow their frisking Lydian Music to be played without the gravity of the Dorique Instruments, which they called in one name 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . So David tuned this mixture upon his Harp, Psal. ii. 11. Serve the Lord in fear, and rejoice unto him with reverence. Surely Peter and the other Apostles thought they were past all the bitter storms and frowns of the world, where the place whereon they stood was more bedeckt with beauty than ever they had read of Paradise, as if God had rained down Heaven upon Earth; their mind was filled with this saying, and their lips in the next verse spake nothing less; Give us the Kingdom which is prepared for us, give us the fruition of thy glory. Nay hold, and take this before, Priùs de calice cogitate quàm de regno; Drink of my cup before you reign in my Kingdom, hear Moses and Elias preach of my Cross before you be enthronized among the Elders to sing praises unto the Lamb for evermore. But was this a gratulatory Oration fit for the Prophets to make to Christ? in the brightness of his Excellency did He love to hear of this above anything that He should die an ignominious death at Jerusalem? yes it was as the most pleasant thing to our Savior, and none so acceptable to be spoken of. When a poor woman anointed his head with ointment in the house of Simon the Leper, he defends her for it against the indignation of his Disciples, says He, In that she poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my Burial. I have a Baptism to be baptized with, and how I am straitened till it be accomplished, Luke xii. 50. never was such haste made to any place as he made to Mount Calvarie, there past but a little time from midnight to midday betwixt his Attachment, his Arraignment, and his Execution, as if his feet had stood upon thorns, until his head were crowned with them. The content he took in those torments is thus laid forth in St. Paul, who for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross, Heb. xii. 2. A certain Author makes an elegant comparison between that triumph when Christ rode upon an Ass to Jerusalem, and between this triumph of the Transfiguration on Mount Thabor. Infesto palmarum illacrymat considerans mala nostra, in hoc festo mirabiliter exultat recolens mala sua. Though he was then received with Palm branches, and shoutings, yet he wept upon Jerusalem to consider their sins: at this Feast he is all glorious, and rejoiceth for our sakes to hear the commemoration of his own sorrows.

And thirdly it must not be forgotten, how Moses and Elias were those chosen Orators which spake of his decease that he should accomplish at Jerusalem: all that was mystical in the Types and Shadows of Moses Law, all that was darkly delivered in the deep style of the Prophets concerning this passion is explained against the teeth of the Jews; Moses, and Elias came to interpret themselves. Moses, say the Fathers, saw what medicine and healing was in the cross, when he lift up the brazen Serpent in the Wilderness to cure the people that were stung and wounded: and Prudentius in a sweet versifying way, that Moses learnt how all spiritual foes, Death, Satan, Sin, and Hell should be vanquished by the Cross, when by the stretching out of his hands the Amalekites were destroyed in Battle by the Children of Israel, Passis in altum brachiis, sublimis Amalech premit crucis quod instar tum fuit. Again, they make the same Commentation upon Elias, that he laid his body upon the Childs body, his hands upon the Childs hands, which he brought to life again, even as Christ did stretch himself out upon the Cross, and hath quickened us being dead in our sins, having forgiven us all our trespasses, Colos. ii. 13. and not us only, who have been born since the time that his blood was actually shed; but all those who lived with the Fathers under the Law, and from the beginning of the world, who did believe to escape eternal death by the blood of that Sacrifice which should be offered up upon the Tree of malediction. A strange Medicament, that the drops of this sacred blood should cure so many millions before itself was extant. If an Herbalast say he will make a Panacaea, a rare juice of salutiferous roots the next year, can it cure this Spring? yet the Remedy of the Cross which came to pass in after ages, did as well cure the faithful in the former, as in the latter world ('tis never too soon to believe and seek after Christ, never too late to believe and repent.) Moses and Elias are Proxies for all those who died before the coming of Christ, that it was beneficial and pleasant to them to have this communication, that He should die at Jerusalem: Libenter exules de reditu in patriam loquuntur: by our own just demerits, and by the sin contracted in our first Parents, Moses and Elias, and all the Sons of Adam were justly exiled from the joys of Paradise; but do thou suffer O Lamb of God, and thou wilt open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers. Tell me if it were not joyful to banished men to speak of those means which should restore them to a Kingdom. This was the last thing that their Soul did meditate upon earth; upon the meditation of his passion, they, (as we also ought to do) did shut up their last breath; and this is the first thing which they have to say when God did grant them tongues to speak in the Resurrection: Discamus ea in terris, quorum scientia nobis perseveret in coelis, says St. Jerome: Let us learn such good lessons here upon earth, whose knowledge may remain with us hereafter in the Kingdom of Heaven. Here it is remorseful (fit it should be so) to think of his agony and passion, because our sins are before us, those very Judasses which betrayed him; in the society of Angels the case is altered, there it is no sad discourse to speak of it, for the guiltiness of our sins doth no more infest our memory, everything that the Lord willeth is pleasant and acceptable to us; therefore in my fourth Notation, Moses and Elias speak of Christ's sufferings in no disconsolatory phrase, but much to our comfort, that it was a decease, and spake of his decease, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.

Fourthly, A mitigating word to lenify a harsh sound of a most dreadful thing. The Heathen men did love to do, and to speak courageously, and yet they who know no worse by death than that it was the cessation of our being, or the dissolution of Soul and Body, did describe it by the most judicious Pen that ever wrote among them, to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , of terrors the most terrible, what if they had known the Scriptures, that God spake in his anger, that it is the wages of sin, and unless mercy prevent judgment, that it is a departure into endless misery. But get up courage again O frail mortality, the Son of God through death hath overcome death, the Serpent hath lost his sting. As willingly as a Passenger deceaseth, or departeth from a strange place to his own home, with such quietness and composed satisfaction of mind we go from hence forever, where we shall have an abiding City. Be not unfurnisht for a sudden journey if God call, but say with Simeon, Lord I am ready to depart in peace. Tully said, that a worthy man in a good old age made no more than an exit, or a decease out of a Theater with a plaudite. The Scripture varies the name of death in good words; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a tranquil rest, Blessed are they that die in the Lord, they rest from their labors; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a sound sleep, our brother Lazarus sleepeth, Jo. xi. Sometimes it hath the title of an exaltation; As Moses lifted up the brazen Serpent in the wilderness, so shall the Son of man be lifted up. And my Text names it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a decease: as the Prophet hath called that Book which entreats of the Children of Israel's departure out of Egypt, Exodus, their decease out of that Country of captivity and slavery: so if your soul cleave not too much to the dust of the earth, death is no Bugbear, no quivering meditation, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as joyful a decease to us, as that was to them, a departure out of bondage and misery. O what death can be dreaded since Moses and Elias spake so mildly of the death of Christ? Had his days been cut off without all pain, sorrow, or ignominy, take the Proposition thus barely without amplification of his wounds and sufferings: mortuus est pro peccatoribus, he died for sinners, the just for the unjust; who could sufficiently estimate the dear price of his payment, or the miserable contract of our debt? Mortiferum fuit, quod non nisi morte Christi sanari potuit, the wound of sin in our Soul was very mortal, which made the Immortal die to cure it. Lord, it is not one Soul in every man, nor ten thousand understandings and cogitations in that Soul which can cast up the estimation of that matchless benefit: How much more when Christ's death is dispread into a full description of all circumstances; the longest Gospels by seven parts in all the Church Service are read upon the Passion; and yet more must be conceived than can be wrote of it in the largest Folio. Yet I will print that Breviary of St. Paul in my memory to read it day and night, Galat. iii. 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree. But that eternal life which he purchased to us thereby hath candied over the bitterness of death, and it is called by a soft, gentle word, a decease; and spake of his decease which he should accomplish, &c.

Fifthly, If, as I intend to speak in the fifth place, all the circumstances of his death were opened; Peter and the rest did hear what manner of decease it was. There were many Pikes to be passed through, a complete order of afflictions to be undergon, and accomplisht; Fat Bulls of Basan have compassed me on every side. His miseries stood round about him, and God's predeterminate counsel was the circle, there was no moving out, till every enemy had spent his spite upon him: so many stripes and wounds foretold in several Psalms, so many sharp pangs and doleances commemorated in several Chapters, and he could not give up the ghost till all these things were come about, and every jot of the Scripture fulfilled. St. John hath set this down with the accurate wisdom of the Holy Ghost to be admired, Joh. xx. 28. Christ hanging upon the Cross had power to lay down his life at any minute at the first twitch of pain, and though weariness and the agony of sweat, and the torments he sustained made him very dry, yet he could have died in that thirst, and never called for drink. But after all things in the Scripture were fulfilled, one verse of David was unsatisfied, They gave me vinegar to drink, Psal. lxix. 2. therefore He cries out I thirst, and having received no better than vinegar, he bears testimony, that then all Prophecies about his Passion were ended really and in truth, his word was consummatum est, all was finished: and at that stop he bowed his head, and gave up the Ghost: Inclinavit caput, as if he had said, I have held out thus long against the fury of man, now I willingly die, I will hold out no longer against the truth of God. Very wittily the Author of the Questions to Antiochus, whom I cited before, all enemies were come about our Savior on the Cross, and had the foil, only death hovered aloof, and durst not approach; ideo Christus inclinato capite vocavit eam, antequam inclinaret caput propiùs accedere verebatur; therefore when all things were accomplisht Christ nodded with his head; and called death unto him, which durst not approach unseasonably before He bowed down his head. How sweet it is to sleep in death, when we have accomplisht all things that are acceptable to God? even so Christ did not decease till he had finished all things which were due to his Father; and then this world could not claim him a minute longer; but woe and bitterness shall be in that man's end, who hath been troubled about many things in this; but in no one thing that is good can show a dispatch; much more how far is He from saying with St. Paul, I have finished my course, hence forth is laid up for me a Crown of life. Sow your Seed, ripen your Harvest, that it may be gathered into the Barn. Let not your conscience begin to lament about the last hour, and say I have promised repentance to the Lord, I have promised works of mercy to the poor, I have promised reconciliation to my Brother: these fruitless words will come in judgment against me, for I have accomplished nothing.

This second general part sticks only at the last word, the Place where Christ should suffer is designed by Moses and Elias, they spake of his decease, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. Jerusalem indeed was grown to be the Scaffold upon which the best blood on earth had been spilled for many ages. It cannot be that a Prophet should perish out of Jerusalem, Luke xiii. 13. and Christ did them no wrong, when he taxed them with that officious cruelty, that they labored to draw the execution of all the Prophets to themselves. Nor yet is the meaning so universal, that all the Martyrs had perished within their Walls: The greater part did, and enow to dishonor all the daily Sacrifices which they offered up in the Temple, when they polluted themselves with the Sacrifices of the Saints. True indeed that Jeremy the Prophet, as Epiphanius relates, suffered in Egypt, Ezekiel in Chaldea. Jezebel in her time put to death many excellent men in Samaria, and Herod, as Josephus says, cut off John Baptists head at the Castle of Macheranta in the utmost confines of Galilee. But Jerusalem was become the Gulf which had swallowed more holy blood than all other places. And I mark it in St. Paul, when Agabus told St. Paul by the spirit, that he should be bound in chains, and shortly after die for the confession of the faith, as yet God had not revealed that he must go to Rome, and testify his name there; but Paul makes haste to Jerusalem, as if he would meet death in the face in that great Metropolis, which was so infamous for many Martyrdoms. Well, this is that City which had so incur'd the anger of the Lord, that he suffered it to fill up the measure of all iniquity, and be odious to all Generations for crucifying the Lord of Life. Yet the Praeposition 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 we have fitly translated at Jerusalem; For Christ did not suffer within the City, but without the Gates. I will take my thread from St. Paul to lead me in this way, from the 11. to the end of the 13. verse. The bodies of those Beasts whose blood is brought into the Sanctuary by the High Priest for sin, are burnt without the Camp: Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood suffered without the Gate. Let us go forth thereforce unto him without the Camp, bearing his reproach. Of those Beasts with whose blood the Sanctuary was expiated, and their flesh burnt without the Camp, you may read Levite. xvi. 27. They that served at the Tabernacle had no portion in this Sacrifice. So Christ was carried out of the City to suffer, and they that still retain the yoke of Ceremonies upon their neck have no part in him. He suffered near to Jerusalem; he came unto his own, but they cast him forth. He suffered not in the Temple, for says Leo, Crux Christi mundi est ara non templi, Christ's Cross was an Altar, of which the whole world should partake, and not that Temple only. Nay, to go further, He was crucified out of the Privileges of that Jewish City, to betoken that the blessing of his Passion would light upon the Gentiles. The use which the Apostle makes is, as he went forth of Jerusalem, so let us go forth of the Camp to God. Extra urbem, extra mundum sequamur Christum; let us leave our Pleasures, our Riches, our Country, our Life, and this whole World, when it is requisite to do God honor by those means. Quid est egredi ad eum, videlicet communicemus cum eo passions, says St. Chrysostom, What is it to go out to him, but to follow the example of his patience, humility, and sufferings: then we shall go out from our sins, and come into his glory. And so much briefly for every part of that Communication which Moses and Elias had in the Mount: They spake of his decease which He should accomplish at Jerusalem.

There is a whole verse yet remaining to be excussed, which I read unto you. I would not be prevented, but to speak of that which follows entirely by itself, yet I will so handle this with a short Paraphrase, that I may not be tedious. But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep. This is right man and his regardlessness; God shines in his works, the Law and the Prophets preach daily, and yet men sleep: No, nor the strong out-cries and exclamations of our Savior in prayer could keep them awake. Lord, if thou shouldst not make intercession for us with strong cries and groans unutterable, when we slumber, and regard not our own misery, what endless woe would fall upon us? but here's the difference between Moses and Elias immortalized in their body, they talk divinely, and between the best men Peter and the Apostles in their corruptible nature, they are but drowsy lumps of flesh: So it ought to be, to impress this humility into our heart, quod Apostoli dormiunt ignaviae est, quid ipsis contigit spectaculum felicitatis Dei gratiae. It is our own idleness that makes us sleep: and when we slept in death, it was God's mere mercy, no merit of ours, that sent us happiness and glory: it is not our vigilancy or our industry that can attain to such excellent things, but by God's grace and clemency.

Yet we must not think to fold onr arms together, and sleep out our time with Solomon's Sluggard, and yet be made happy; we must awake from sin before we receive the hope and comfort of that future glory in this life, and we must awake from death before we can see God and his glory face to face hereafter. O that we could awake from the sluggishness of the flesh, and open our eyes illuminated by faith, then we should see many admirable mysteries, which now pass away from our knowledge, and we never seek them out. Wake thou that sleepest, stand up from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. There is an eye-salve of Prayer, and humility, and longsuffering in these days of trial, to dispel the mists of darkness which obscure our faith, and when we awake up after thy likeness, O blessed Jesus we shall be satisfied with it. AMEN.

THE FOURTH SERMON UPON The Transfiguration.

U Pon my entrance into the handling of this beautiful miracle of the Transfiguration we found Christ at Prayer, and he continued in that exercise by himself alone, for he needed not to have his Petition recommended to his Father by any other mouth, by any Intercessor in Heaven or Earth. He indeed prays for every man's wants, but in all the Gospel throughout no man prays for him. Pro quo nullus interpellat, sed ipse pro omnibus, hic unicus, verusque mediator est, says St. Austin. He in whose behalf no man sollicits the Father to bless him, and he whose Lips bless every man, this is the true and only Mediator of Mankind. But though we found Christ at Prayer, yet we did not find his Apostles waking to say Amen. If God be for us, who can be against us? Rom. viii. 31. I answer the Apostle, though God be for us all, a man may be his own Enemy, and fight against himself. Christ was occupied in Prayer: Who could be against Peter when his Master was on his side? But Peter slept while his Master prayed, therein he was against himself. Thrice our Savior rose from Prayer in the Garden, and found him sleeping, therefore the watchful Cock was a sign unto him soon after that he had denied his Master thrice. So, to lay this upon our own building, if the three Disciples, whom Christ took with him to Mount Thabor, had employed their time in watchfulness, and Religion as their Master did, doubtless the Lord had guided their understanding in the right way; but because they laid them down to rest when they should have prayed, and did not lift up their hands as an Evening Sacrifice, therefore the Lord sent upon them the Spirit of slumber, Rom. xi. 8. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , an imagination as dark as the darkness of Egypt, in which they could discern nothing, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as Aquila reads it, Isa. xxix. 10. a strong drowziness which is in the manner of a Lethargy, a Spirit of error and stupidity. Loe what words do come from Peter in my Text, let him shake himself as Samson did when he came out of sleep, and he shall find that the Spirit of the Lord was gone from him. He did not watch and pray, that he might not fall into error, therefore he slept and fell into error that he might pray to come out of it. Because his tongue was tied when it ought to speak, therefore when he began to speak he knew not what he said.

And that shall appear unto you both this day, and once again God willing upon this whole Verse which I have read. At this present I have bounded my meditations to go but half way, It came to pass as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master it is good for us to be here. All this matter must not be drawn into an heap, but into this order: 1. What came to pass, which caused Peter to speak now, when he had been silent before. Why Moses and Elias were taking their leave, and he would have retained them. It came to pass as they departed from him Peter said. 2. To whom he did direct his speech; not to his fellow servants Moses and Elias, but to his Master, Peter said unto Jesus, Master. 3. That his Disciple went about to teach his Master in the words following, Master it is good for us to be here. Those being the words of especial use to spend our time upon, I will enlarge myself to show that they contain three things to be well allowed, and six things to be doubted of, that I may not say condemned: 1. At the first blush that he saw Christ in glory he said it was bonum, he was excellently delighted with it, for the glory of the Gospel is no affrighting thing, but a delectable object. 2. He said true, it was bonum nobis, good for us, for God doth show his glory for us, and for our satisfaction. 3. It is as true, that it is very good to be continually present with his glory, and never part from it; O it is the best of all goods to enter into the joy of our Master. Thus far he built upon a Rock, his foundation is infallible. In the rest he builds upon the sands, yet to censure the errors of so great an Apostle with modesty, I will contrive all that is objected against him into six questions: 1. An bonum non videre mortem? Whether it were good for us not to see death? 2. An bonum non affligi? If it be good to remain in pleasure, and not be afflicted? 3. An bonum sit in terrâ manere? Whether it could be good to dwell always upon the earth? 4. An bonum sit quod paucis solummodo bonum? Whether that can be a true good, which is restrained to few? Bonum nobis, if it were not enlarged beyond those that were present. 5. An bonum consistit in aspectu humanitatis? Whether it could be the supreme good of man to behold the Human Nature of Christ only beautified, without the revelation of his divine glory. 6. An bonum sit Christum non crucifigi? If it could be good for them that Christ should entrench himself in Mount Tabor; and never go to Mount Calvary to be crucified. These are the parts of the Text, not one to be spared. They shall not trouble you with length, though they do with multitude.

I begin with the occasion which moved Peter to speak, it was the departure of the two Witnesses, Factum est cum illi discederent ab eo dixit. He was ever prompt to speak; and now he could not hold, when those two, the most heroical Prophets that ever had lived did now come from another world, and were returning again to their own place. What eye could be satisfied with looking upon such men who did live upon earth rather like the Sons of God than the Sons of men? Go not yet is the phrase of civility to any Friend, whose presence is welcome; as you know the Father of the Levites Concubine urged the Levite to stay from night to night, Be content, and tarry this night also? I pray thee, and let thine heart be merry, Judge. xix 6. Then who could do less than interpose when such strangers as these did begin to turn their backs, Moses and Elias, that they should never depart. Nae illiusmodi jam nobis magna civium penuria est. There is ever such a scarcity of excellent personages in the world, that we may do well to seek all means to keep them when we have them. Sure we must attribute it to a sympathy; and I know not what instinct to call it in Abraham to the love of rare persons, that when he knew not the Angels to be Angels, but mortal passengers, yet upon the first sight of them he entreated, and bowed himself down to the ground, that they would turn into his Tent, and rest under his Roof. This is my opinion also of Cleophas, and the other Disciple, who knew nothing by our Savior, but that he was a wayfaring man, as themselves were, yet they could not let him go, but they constrained him to stay with them at Emmaus, and to go no further. But this importunity of Peter was more like to Elisha's affection, who was even fond of the company of his Master Elias. When the Sons of the Prophets had said unto him, Knowest thou not that the Lord will take thy Master from thy head this day? He hung upon Elias wheresoever he went, and when he would have shaken him off twice or thrice, he swears two Oaths as deep as could be taken, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth I will not leave thee. There is a Darius in Herodotus that protested, if he were to choose, he had rather have ten faithful Subjects, such as his faithful servant Megabyzus was, than be possessor of the whole Monarchy of Greece; as if one excellent Spirit were as valuable as a Kingdom. And there is a Darius in holy Scripture, to whom Daniel was as dear as ever was Megabyzus to the other; he did justly deem that Daniel's life was the fortune and felicity of his Empire, against whom when the Grandees of Persia had conspired to cast him into the Den of Lions, the King labored until the going down of the Sun to deliver him. Happy times should those be, if two such Heroes at once should be upon the face of the earth as Moses and Elias, Si duo praeterea tales Idea tulisset terra viros, says he. Then was the Church a Coronet stuck thick with Jewels, when it had twelve Apostles at once. But when the Sun had passed through those twelve Signs, and they were taken from among us, such an age did never succceed them, but Emulations and Heresies rose up, a poison which was rank ever since in the Church unto these days.

Though the worth of St. Ambrose alone might seem to be enough to hold up virtue and goodness in any one part of the world, yet O how he deplores the decease of Paulinus, as if half the happiness of that Country round about were buried in his Grave. (Beloved) pray to God every day to raise up a good Generation in our times, and when you have them, magnify God, and desire his mercy to continue them. If Moses and Elias be departing, speak as Peter did, that you may be heard. When such are taken away I will leave you David's Song to sing; a sad ditty God knows, Psa. xii. 1. Help Lord, for the Godly man ceaseth, for the faithful fail from among the children of men. Neither was Peter more instant to retain these two Prophets upon earth, than the good Christians in a little while were instant with God to retain Peter, when his life was at the last extremity: for when Herod had imprisoned him, and the Angel set him free, at the time of midnight Peter found his friends at prayer for his deliverance, Act. xii. 5. Yet I enforce not this, as if Peters zeal in the instance of my Text did not miss the mark, the spirits of the Blessed are purified from this contagion of the world below, and are at rest from their labors, and therefore their residence is not to be required upon earth: neither shall incorruption be obtruded hither to inherit corruption. The wise Poet had learnt, that the happy Ghosts of his Elysium were no company for mortals; no not Anchyses to be embraced by his own • on; Ter conatus ibi collo dare brachia circum, ter frustra comprensa manus effugit imago. Only the formality of his desire is laudable, and as right as can be to be imitated, that we are to labor by intercessions, and supplications, that such excellent Worthies as God sends among us may not be taken away, for whensoever they go it may be timely to them, it must be untimely to us. But for the materiality of this desire, to retain those persons Moses and Elias, the mistake shall be discovered in due order, but this shall suffice for the occasion, which made this Apostle speak, It came to pass as they departed from him, &c.

I have somewhat to say in the second part, but very briefly, that although Peter being scarce awake, took upon him now to teach, yet he confesseth that by true authority Christ was his teacher; for he said unto Jesus, Master: or if he had forgot it, the voice from Heaven in two verses following would have put him in mind, This is my beloved Son, audit eum, hear him, he hath the words of eternal life, his own acknowledge it: Full of grace are his lips, the Prophets foretold. Never man spake like this man, those Whelps the Pharisees sent abroad to suck his blood, confessed it. This is the Master that cannot lie, that cannot lead us into error, hear him. You see it is fit to defer the issue of this point, what obedience we owe to his Master-ship, to hear him, till I come to speak of the voice, which was heard from Heaven. Only I must tell you, the word which St. Peter useth is of good observation, and must not be neglected. St. Matthew and St. Mark are full of Hebraisms, and they keep the word Rabbi; St. Luke speaks more usually in the flowers of the Greek Language, and Rabbi or Master with him is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . The force of it implies superiority and regiment, qui rei cuipiam sit praefectus, who is set over another to appoint him 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , says Aristotle, that is, a Commonwealth hath need of many sorts of Governors; so the Church hath need of many Rulers, to see that all things be done decently and in order; but there is one 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , one who hath the preeminence in all things, the Master, who is over all, and above all, which is Jesus Christ.

I mean not, as it is alleged out of Bartholus, and some of the impudent Canonists, that Christ, as he was God and Man, was Lord of the whole World Monarchically, and Peter after him, and by Peters right the successive Bishops of Rome, by which fetch those branded Flatterers entitle their Popes to the direct right of all the Kingdoms of the earth; indeed the Devil promised our Savior all the Kingdoms of the World, and the glory of them, and since He refused it then, the same Devil by the mouth of those Canonists proffers it again, to try▪ though He will none of it himself, if some other in the name of a Vicegerent will take it for him. This is not the meaning of the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , but that he is our Master in Heaven and Earth, the Head to which all the Body is fitly knit by joints and bands, Colos. ii. 19. Joints and Bands; Beloved, neither of those words is idle or superfluous 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 commissurae, the joints are all those blessings and benefits which are bestowed upon us, and knit unto us, Christ by reciprocal gratitude: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , juncturae are all those offices of Christian charity which bind the Members one to another, all things which belong to the Communion of Saints, and hold us together under the Head, which nourisheth us with his influence. Now it is a very ill disjunction which some make, to argue upon the two natures of Christ, according to whether he is our Master, and our Head: If you name the one or the other alone, you will confuse your own Creed, and know not what to believe; for all the conditions belonging to a Head are in neither, but in both. First it was fit the Church should have such an Head, which is agreeing and conformable to the Body, which is knit unto it; a spiritual Head and fleshly Members are not consonant to make an unity: Therefore Christ and his Church are said to be like Man and Wife, which are one flesh, Ephes. v. 31. But the Head of the Church must be fit to nourish every part of the Body with spiritual blessings, and make it increase with the increase of God, this can come from none but the Divine and Infinite, who can give spiritual life alone, and quicken them which are dead in their sins; this He can do as he is Magister Verbi, & Magister Spiritus; who but Christ is Master of the Word preached? and who but the same Christ is Master of the Spirit, which gives power unto the Word? You see then it is no complemental Name which is given to Christ in courtesy, but a Title of due Royalty, and condign Authority, when we call him Master. Master, says Peter, it is good for us to be here.

Upon the same Bank of earth you may gather Flowers and Weeds; the Flowers are set by art in the Garden, the Weeds are the natural offspring. So in this same speech which the Apostle uttered in a rapture of love and delight, here are good conclusions to be approved, and bad contents to be reprehended: but the errors arise naturally out of the words; the good conclusions are rather forced than natural, yet they deserve the precedency in my discourse, and this is the beginning, that when Peter started out of sleep, and saw Christ in glory, it pleased him at the heart; bonum est, says he, this is good, and he never spake truer in his life. The bravest Nations in the World, when they have been at the height of their Empire, have took more pride and delight in Theatrical Shows, and Magnificent Spectacles of Triumphs than in any other pomp; for the satisfaction of the eye, when it meets with a right object, is above any other pleasure. But all other things in the world are Counterfeits to right Jewels in respect of the Object of Divine Glory, when the eye gets that to gaze upon, the Soul dilates itself with such greediness to be filled with it, that it would be infinite to receive it. O how amiable are thy dwellings thou Lord of Hosts! Psal. lxxxiv. David takes up his verse, and goes no further to express it, but leaves off with indefinite admiration. And Theodoret refused to comment upon those words, non tam explicandus sensus, quam intimo sensu degustandus, the sense and meaning of that Verse is not to be expounded, but to be relished and tasted by our affections. We have stolen a name from virtue, and called our Riches our Goods; but beware to steal from Heaven as Prometheus did, and to call the fruition of anything upon earth good, if the delights of the earth could speak, they would say unto you, why do you call us good? nothing is good but to dwell in the Tabernacle of the Most High. One day in thy Courts, says the Psalmist, is better than a thousand. The days of this Life are called Thousands of days, the Life of Glory is called One day. These are called Thousands for the mutability, that's called One for the unchangeable eternity, says St. Austin. Howsoever it is true in this sense, the shortest salutation of those supernal joys is more satisfactory Canis ad Nilum, a touch and away, than the longest saciety of these transitory exhilarations. Two great Prophets rise from the dead to represent the glory of the life to come, three living Disciples, Peter especially, are ravished with it, si mortuis non credideris, saltem viventibus credas, either believe the dead or the living, which you will, it is a good thing to see Christ in the Majesty of his glory.

Mark those words, says Tertullian, with special note, quae fingendi non habent arbitrium, extemporary acclamations wherein a man hath no leisure to invent dissimulation, so out of the first pure passion of his mind, which could not be forged, St. Peter cried out when he saw the Glory of Christ, bonum est, it is good. We cry out of the times nowadays, and the Age we live in, but the more unthankful we; for we do, or may live more happily by far under the New Testament, than the Jews did under the Old. Every vision of Majestical glory did exceedingly terrify the ancient Israelites. When the Lord came down upon Mount Sinah with triumph, and with the sound of the Trumpet, the people removed, and stood afar of, and durst not come near it: now the Gospel hath expelled this fear so far, that the Spectators did not shun the glory of Christ when they saw it, but desired they might continue upon the place where it was forever. Deus se magis amandum exhibet, quàm spectandum, says one upon it: God doth exhibit himself in the New Testament rather to be loved than to be dreaded, and doth not now intend our terror, but our comfort. The glory of the Gospel is like God's Rainbow in the Clouds, not only a beautiful, but a merciful Token, a Bow with the string towards the earth, so that it is not prepared to shoot arrows against us. As Pliny said to Trajan of his virtuous Consort, nihil sibi ex fortunâ tuâ nisi gaudium vendicat, so all that a Christian challengeth for his own is the blessed Virgins solace, My spirit rejoiceth in God my Savior. Beloved they forget that God is called the Father of mercies, and the God of all consolations, they forget, that since Christ is come in the flesh, the Dove is returned with the Olive branch of peace in his mouth, who fill the minds of men with melancholy desperate doubts, and do oftener cast before them black stones of condemnation, than white stones of absolution. Chearfulness and a delightsome countenance becomes the Disciples of Christ, howsoever the austere Pharisees censured our Savior himself for a Winebibber and a Glutton, because he was sociable, and did not always lowr and pout after their hypocritical fashion. St. Chrysostom neither lived with content to his own heart, nor gave content to other, because he was intractable to all manner of joyful familiarity 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; he was so earnest for sobriety, that he run into a Cynical austerity. Some, not unfitly I think, contend so much that a Christian is to deport himself in a sweet consolatory fashion, that they understand Solomon to that meaning, Eccl. ix. 8. Eat thy bread with joy, and let thy garments be always white, as if none should put on mournings for the Gospel sake, unless they wanted a good conscience to rejoice in Christ. Though the splendor of the Law was terrible, yet the glory of the New Testament is amiable: bonum est, says St. Peter; it is a good thing to see the Majesty of our Savior in perfect beauty.

Secondly, Thus far the Apostle gave a right judgment upon the vision, and thus much further, that he said it was bonum nobis, intended not so much for Christ's exalted bravery, as for our good. When I began this Miracle, I cited a rule out of Damascene, and I repeat it again, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the impulsive cause of all things that our Savior did upon earth was the love which he did bear to the generation of men: yea the Lord hath made man the scope of all his other works in a subordinate way to his own glory: For man is made to serve the Lord, and the earth is made to serve and supply the use of man, and both ways man is made happy, and not God, says Lombard, Et quod accepit obsequium à creaturis, & quod impendit Deo, either to take homage from the Creature, or to do homage to the glory of God. All things are ours says St. Paul, whether it be the world or life: whether it be the World as the Vassal of our service, or Life eternal as the Crown of our service. When our Savior did exhibit himself in this rare feature at Mount Thabor, quorsum haec? was it not to catch our hearts, and affect them with the vision? he did not present himself as Agrippa and Bernice did, Act. xxv. 23. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , with great pomp and estate to show the regal luster of their Royalty: no the very Heathen were contented to say, that the supreme power of Heaven must be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , contented with himself, and needed no accessories to set forth his honor: as Caesar spake in a lofty contempt to his mutinous Soldiers, an vos momenta, putatis ulla dedisse mihi? so it would sound better from God's mouth, All the creatures upon earth cannot confer a scruple, or the least moment to advance his excellency. Christ was not contemptible by being made humble, nor more renowned than he was before by appearing in Majesty: Every way he is unobnoxious to the censure of man, because every way he made himself fit for the good of man: and when he joined both humility and glory in one act, both were for us. See his lowly modesty when he rode upon an Ass to Jerusalem, see his triumphs of dignity at the same time in those popular acclamations, Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. But all was to this end, that we might see and hear the honor of God, and the fruit of our own salvation: all the brightness which shined upon him in Mount Thabor was to enlighten our darkness. Bonum est nobis, says Peter, it is good for us.

3. Yet once again I will speak, that the Apostle did speak the very truth in a third Point, it was good to be continually present with Christ's glory, and never part from it, Bonum est esse hic; there is no mutation in perfect joy, but an abiding forever. We cannot change for the better to go from the beatifical presence of God, how could Peter choose but desire to hold him to that when he had begun to taste of it? I have read in some obsolete stories of Lazarus who was raised to life after he had been dead four days, and some others of the like kind, that their soul had seen a little of the happiness of the life to come, and being brought again into the body by the word of Christ, they were never seen to laugh or smile, either because they knew better than others that there was no true joy upon earth, or because they were melancholy to have their happiness interrupted. My soul longeth, and fainteth for the Courts of the Lord, says David, Psal. lxxxiv. 2. If he could faint with desire to obtain that which he had never seen, how might this Disciple faint and languish to leave that which he had seen. Old Anna the Widow departed not out of the Temple of God day nor night; which is as much in effect as if St. Luke had said, Whatsoever place is called by God's name deserves our frequent company, and I say unto you of this house, where now we are, which is called by his name, Bonum est nos esse hic, it is good for us to be here. St. Chrysostom tells me of some great Princes in his time that desired upon their death-bed to be buried in the Porch of the Church, that although they were taken away from being present at the holy Service, which they were wont to love, yet their bodies even in the Grave might as it were be door-keepers forever in the house of God. I will conclude this general part with Bernard's words, Quid aliud videtur bonum, quam in bonis animam demorari, quandoquidem adhuc corpus non potest? What is good for a man, but that his soul should abide and persevere in good meditations, and good works, since there is no good place of continuance upon earth to receive his body.

You have the flower of St. Peters Speech bolted out, but there is more bran remaining in six Conclusions that follow, which I propound by way of question; and thus first, An bonum sit Christum non crucifigi? If it could be good for them that Christ should entrench himself in Mount Thabor, and never go to Jerusalem to be crucified. Lord grant us not our own wishes when we desire evil unto ourselves; for this Apostle unwittingly desired as much mischief to fall upon his own head as the Devil could wish. Peter was well stricken in years, his person of grave authority, his affections full of well-meaning love to Christ, therefore this was but one of three times that he made bold to resist his Masters passion, and dissuade it, Mat. xvi. 22. Be propitious unto thyself Lord, thou shalt not be killed by the Scribes and High Priests: At another time he cut off Malchus ear in the Garden to save his Savior. And though he durst not openly dehort him now (for he was checked before, and called Satan for that fault) yet the same meaning is closely conveyed in these words, Master it is good for us to be here. What should I say? It was not his opinion alone, but it seems all his brethren were of the same mind, they knew not the Scriptures, and thought the Church might do well enough though Christ did never die upon the Cross; for when Peter alone did speak in this cause, St. Mark says Christ turned about, and looked upon all his Disciples, Mar. viii. 33. And then rebuked Peter, Get thee behind me Satan. Peter gives him the title of Master if he would stay there and not die; but St. Paul shows, that even by death he won himself the Mastership, Col. 2.18. He is the first-born from the dead, that in all things he might have the pre-eminence. His deceived Servants thought that it was inglorious for him to die, whereas it was an honor to the Lamb of God to be brought unto that Altar, So it behaved Christ to suffer, and to enter into his glory. I have met with one who delivered his opinion very eloquently, how fit it was for our Savior to remove from this place where his Disciple would have fixed him. Says He, this is not the Mount where our Lord must end his days, but the fatal Calvary. His face shall not shine with light, but be disgraced with Spittle, and smeared with blood. His Garments shall not be white to honor him, but in scorn and derision. He shall not stand between Moses and Elias, but hang between two Thieves. Thou Peter shalt not think it good to be with him, but run away and deny him. The Father shall not call unto him from heaven, Thou art my well-beloved Son, but the Son shall cry out that he is forsaken of the Father. There shall not be a bright cloud over the place, but darkness over the face of the earth. Finally, no other Tabernacle shall be built for him, but a Cross of malediction.

2. And might not Peter counsel him without offense against this ignominious death? No my Beloved: For it is not to be excused how he knew not the Scriptures, that this was the course appointed for the redemption of the world, the hungry could not eat their bread until it was broken: We could not quench our thirst with the water of life till it was poured out of his wounds: We could not be healed of the sting of death till the brazen Serpent was lifted up, Jonas must be cast out of the belly of the Whale before he preach to the Ninevites. Christ must die and rise again before the Disciples be sent to preach to all Nations. The lxx Psalm hath this title, A remembrance to the chief Musician, and the first words of the Psalm are these, Haste thee O Lord to deliver me, make haste to help me O Lord. As who should say, Thou that art the chief Musician, unto whom all the Angels of heaven sing their Alelujah, haste thee to redeem us by thy precious blood. Go up to thy Cross and suffer, for it is time that thou have mercy upon us, yea the time is come. But you will say, Had it not been most barbarous in Peter according to the tenure of that Psalm in the Exposition which I have given to wish the death of Christ? First, it might become his own Apostle that did tenderly love him neither to urge him, nor dissuade him, but to say, The will of the Lord be done. Next I must tell you, it is no such horrid thing as a weak Christian may imagine, to have prayed unto the Father, that his Son might die upon the Cross for our Redemption, Even so Father, because thou wilt have it. Yet this distinction must mollify it, Intuitu nostrae redemptionis, non ipsius cruciatus, says Lombard; Rejoicing for the benefit of our Salvation, but sorrowing for the bitterness of his Passion; grieving for his sorrows, but giving thanks with gladness for our own deliverance. Therefore in no wise did Peter give right counsel, when to decline the issue of that dismal Passion, he said, Master it is good, &c.

But Ne quicquam sapit qui sibi non sapit? How should he be a good Counselor for his Master that was not wise for himself? For I ask in the next place, An bonum non videre mortem? If it could be good for Peter and the two Disciples not to see death? No surely, there is a gain and advantage to be made by death, Phil. i. 21. Then when we languish, as we think, of our last sickness, then we begin to call our sins to remembrance, then we look over the Covenant of the Law, which we have so often broken, then we breath out our soul in Prayer, and fill our eyes and our heart with repentance, the sense of imminent death takes away the sting of death by contrition, and a most conscientious examination of the days that are past, one hour well employed about that time is better than a year in diebus illis, when we were remiss and careless. Even Balaam the Sorcerer did perceive what Sovereign Physic of Salvation God did administer to his Saints upon their sick bed, and therefore he cries out, O let me die the death of the righteous. A righteous man's death is like the Cherubin standing before the Garden of Eden, that with one blow lets him into Paradise; and would Peter stay in the Mountain, and want the best Schoolmaster of Repentance and Mortification?

Besides, it is a good thing to be weary of everything, even of life itself, till we come to heaven. I know a man may desire to die out of frowardness. I praise not that. As Elias and Jonas were fretful because they were crossed, and in that vexation of mind they desired to die. This is rudeness and impatiency to desire to die, because they would not live as God would have them. But there is earning to get above the desires of frail nature, and to desire to put off the body that we may put on Christ. So Nazianzen begins an Epistle to Nyssen out of David's words, Hei mihi quia incolatus meus prolongatus est; Alas for me, that I see anymore days upon earth, when I cannot see that we have kept that peace in the Church, which we have received from our Fore-fathers. And I forget not the Poetry of Theodore Beza, he lived so long till he had made Elegies upon the Funerals of all his learned Friends, at last he heard of a choice pair, Gwalther and Lavater, that they were dead, to honor whose memory thus he begins: Semper ego infelix lugenda in funera fratrum vivam superstes omnibus? Shall I unhappy out-live all my Brethren to make Epitaphs upon them? He that sees many days and nights sees many calamities: And therefore one said elegantly of John the Apostle, who out-lived all his fellows, but died not a Martyr as they did, that to live to such an extreme old age was his Martyrdom. Longaevitas Johanni Martyriam quoddam fuit. Surely God multiplies the days of a good man oftentimes that he may please him the more by desiring death. Do not deplore, with Micah of Mount Ephraim, that our false God's are taken away, but that we are so long kept from the true God. Of this good desire of dissolution and departure Peter would deprive himself by affecting a phantastical kind of felicity in Mount Thabor, Master it is good, &c.

I call it fantastical felicity, because it ariseth from the love of the flesh, which thinks all is well enough when it is removed far enough from sorrow and trouble; therefore I ask in the third place, An bonum sit non effligi? If that condition of life be well chosen in this world which appears, as this did to Peter, to be exempted from all affliction? Solomon said no, and he is to be believed, when he speaks by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, Eccles. vii. 2. It is better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting; (those were two diverse things in his days; but now every house of mourning must be an house of feasting and banqueting) but he adds, Sorrow is better than laughter, for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. What a petty Kingdom had this Apostle chosen for himself and his fellows? a Paradise, as he thought, without thorn or briar: no labor in it, no exercise, no adventuring for Christ, no profit for the Church, somewhat like Monastical Recluses everyone in his Tabernacle, and in such places where there is least stir there is the greatest temptation. Is this the holy ground whereon he would set his feet and never depart? No, it was better for him when he walked unto his Master upon the waters of tribulation. Danger is the best Centinel in the world to make us watch our enemies. Fear is the best warning-bell to call us often to Prayer. Tribulation is the best Orator to persuade us to humility. O Lord in trouble have they visited thee, and they poured out a Prayer when thy chastising was upon them, Isa. xxvi. 16. If any man be afflicted let him pray, says St. James, but if any man be not afflicted, let him fast and pray, for he is in the greater danger.

Plato was requested to draw a book of Laws for the Commonwealth of the Cyrenians, he said he would take time, and they asked him how long? He answered, Till some great calamity befall the City, for hitherto they had been so happy that no Law giver could appoint them such Rules as were fit to govern them. And surely St. Austin was not of St. Peters mind, he would not have chosen to inhabit in a Mountain devoid of all misery, for he had proved the world, and found it true, Mundus ill periculosior est cum se allicit diligi, quàm cum secogit contemni. This world will bring more hurt about when it allures us to love it than when it vexeth us to hate it. A pretty Fable is that in the Moralist, of a man that sought Pearls upon the Seashore at a low tide, he lighted upon many shells of good Pearl able to enrich him, and he ventured upon the Shelves for more and more, till the Tide came round about him, and he could not scape with his life: O, says he, I should have learnt wisdom of the God of Nature, who cast these Gems loosely and regardlesly upon the Seashore, as things rather to be lost than found. At last he besought a fisherman, who came that way, to take all his Pearls for his pains, and save his life in his Cockboat. As he was taken in an ambush of the Sea in the midst of his good fortune, so mischief arrests the worldly man in the midst of prosperity. When Peter was scourged by the High-Priests, when he was imprisoned by Herod, when he was under Nero in the Lions paw that devoured him, these were good times for the health of his soul, that as the outward man perished, the inward man might be renewed daily. But to be in a brightsom pleasant habitation; Grave est, molestum est, periculosum est, says Gregory; It was dangerous, it was obnoxious to many inconveniences, which will appear yet further by the fourth question, An bonum sit in terrâ manere? Is there any rest upon earth on which we may say, It is good, &c.

4. Where shall the Dove rest his foot? If we would be contented with the present state we enjoy, yet all things will change, and though all things should remain as they are, and never change, yet we would never be contented. The Sea is a new Sea every Tide, the earth is a new earth every month, or every quarter at the longest distance, the same mutability whirls us about, and the things that we possess. Whether I be upon Sea or Land, upon Mount Tabor or upon Mount Hermon, I carry myself about, and shall be weary of it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , he was a Cynical Philosopher indeed that ran over every kind of life as unsatiated with it, but it was not Philosophy, but the state of flesh and blood that taught it him. The City had no Recreation, The Country no Society, Studies of Arts were laborious. Navigation perilous, run over all the world and he would ask for somewhat which he wanted, what content then could Peter take in one Hill, though it were furnished with a most desirable Vision? How quickly would it have cloy'd him to have been long there, like a Lark, hopping upon one turf of grass? Though God prepare for us a new Heaven, and a new earth, yet he must give us a new heart likewise to delight in them forever. For it is not the object alone, but the disposition of the soul which receives it, that must make us say, When I awake up after thy likeness I shall be satisfied with it.

The Poets set down this case of St. Peter in a pretty Fiction, that the Goddess Calypso offered Ulysses her pleasant Island to live there always, and to be immortal upon it. But her temptation would not take, he preferred to refuse this offer, and return home to his own Country. Pleasure is not a Goddess, but a Sorceress, which would offer us the like, Bonum est esse hic, this is a fair inheritance, were it not a gay thing if this were heaven, and you imparadised in this pleasant seat forever? O no says celestial love, go out my soul, go out, take the wings of the morning, fly away to thy Country above, the heavenly Jerusalem, and then rest forever. Philip, that mighty Macedonian, feasted many Wits at a Banquet, and he propounded a question to be argued before him, What was the greatest thing in Nature? After many Opinions one collected all that had been said, and concluded, Neither was Philip himself the greatest of all things, nor the Hill Olympus, nor the Sea of waters, nor the Sun in the Firmament, Sed cor quod res maximas despiceret; the greatest of all things was an heart that despised the greatest things which are in this world beneath. Unclog your affections from all contents of this miserable life, if Tabor itself transport you, the best part of the Militant Church where Christ's glory shines, which by God's mercy I am confident we enjoy, yet forget that, and yearn for the Church Triumphant. Be willing to bequeath the earth to the succession that follows you, and your body to the ground, and your soul to God.

5. I am ready to move the fifth question (alas, when I consider it, how unfit is the natural man for spiritual things?) An bonum sit quod paucis solummodo est bonum? Whether we should call that good which is appropriated to ourselves, and not communicated to many? This is it for which Origen thinks that Satan stirred up Peter to utter these words, to entreat him to bless that little company upon Mount Taber with his presence, and to leave all mankind without redemption. O too forgetful, Nimiumque oblite tuorum, both of the other nine Disciples, and of all that people that sat in darkness, and in the shadow of death. It was the most Jewish maliciousness that the Jews had to challenge God that his mercies and blessings belonged to their Nation, and to no other Kingdom, but this contraction is far more unreasonable to beseech Christ to smother his glory in a private corner with Moses and Elias, and three Apostles, as if these were the five wise Virgins enough to enter into the Marriage Chamber of the Bridegroom. If one member be honored, all the members shall rejoice with it, but when all the members of the body are honored, every member shall rejoice much more. Tolle invidiam & tuum est quod habeo, tolle invidiam & meum est quod habes, says St. Austin; Be not you envious, and that which I have is yours: Let not me be envious, and that which you have is mine. A carnal man you see wisheth his own happiness with the consequent infelicity of all the world beside, let me oppose unto this the stupendous example of a regenerate man, that wished his own damnation for the salvation of a great people. I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, Rom. ix. 3. Some have commented upon it, that Paul was unadvised in those words, and offended God. Nay (Beloved) the Holy Ghost cannot be unadvised, by whose instinct he wrote, and he doth Preface in the beginning, I say the truth in Christ, I lie not. St. Chrysostom cannot speak better than he did upon that verse, Quia nos longe sumus ab hâc dilection Pauli, ideo intelligere ejus verba non possumus. We want so much of that love to our brethren, which Paul had to his, that we are not able to make a good construction of his meaning. Yet I will direct you in a few words: Paul did not desire to be separated for his brethren's sake from the charity and friendship of Christ, (for then he should love man better than God ) but from the felicity and sweet fruit of that friendship. He would perish forever, not as Christ's enemy, but as an offering for his Nation. He doth not desire to be out of the love of Christ, but out of the Vision of Christ. The conversion of an whole people, he thought, was more for God's glory than the salvation of one man; therefore although God's Election must stand, and that was impossible which he desired, yet so long as he loved his brethren in God, and not against God, it was no excessive love. And that is the judgment of Calvin.

But to draw to the use of the Point, you see that perfect charity squints not at its own benefit with the great detriment of others; Bonum est nobis is bad divinity, and bad civility, it spoils Church and Commonwealth; that which is good to one, or to a few, will never thrive if it be not good for many. It is true, he is one of the fools of the world, that is not wise for himself, but he is one of God's Reprobates, that is wise for none but for himself, Nequicquam sapit qui non omnibus sapit. When every man is his own end, all things will come to a bad end. Blessed were those days, when every man thought himself rich and fortunate by the good success of the public wealth and glory. We want public souls, we want them, I speak it with compassion, there is no sin or abuse in the world that afflicts my thought so much. Every man thinks that he is a whole Commonwealth in his private Family. Omnes quae sua sunt quaerunt; All seek their own. Did St. Paul write it against us, or against the Philippians? Chap. ii. 21. Can the Public be neglected and any man's Private be secure. It is all one whether the mischief light upon him or his Posterity. There are some, says Tully, that think their own Gardens and Fishponds shall be safe when the Commonwealth is lost. Doth he not call them fools by craft? Away with this bonum nobis, to intend our own good rather than the general, it was the greatest error that St. Peter committed.

6. To the last question briefly in a word, An bonum consistit in aspectu humanitatis Christi; Could it be the supreme good of man to behold the Human Nature of Christ only beatified? Surely, the Human Nature shining as light as the Sun was a rare object, that Peter could have been contented with that, and no more, for his part forever, yet the resolution of the School holds certain, that blessedness consists essentially in beholding the Divine Nature which is the fountain of all goodness, and power, and in the fruition thereof, accidentally it consists in beholding Christ's Human Nature glorified, and in the consequent delectation. These things must not be enlarged now, because I am prevented by the time. To God the Father, &c.

THE FIFTH SERMON UPON The Transfiguration.

E Very small sin that a man commits cannot choose but make a long reckoning before the Judgment of God; for one error which St. Peter did incur hath made us work enough to examine it at two several days. You have heard before, that whether he had a mind to hinder the crucifying of Christ, or whether he desired not to see death, not to be afflicted, to continue in a pleasant habitation upon earth, whether he aimed at his private without respect to the Universal Church, or whether he fixed his thought upon Christ's human nature glorified for his utmost blessedness, every way his words are censurable; Master it is good for us to be here. Now it follows, because he could not build his opinion upon a good ground, he will build a Tabernacle upon his opinion. And let us make three Tabernacles, &c. He that will not desire much shall not sin much: the greatest score of our sins grows from our wishes: It is a great mastery to bridle the tongue, but it is a greater victory to bridle the heart. Pompey the Great being in the University of Athens, every Sholar offered himself to dispute before him to show his learning; but when every man had had his turn, there was one that continued to say nothing, and when Pompey asked why he alone was mute among all the company, says he, that the Romans may know, we have one Philosopher that can hold his peace. But neither all Athens, nor all the World, no nor the Apostles of our Savior could boast that there was one among them could hold in his appetite. We are either for faciamus or habeamus every hour of the day, either to have this or that, or to make some new thing which we wanted. And how soon our thoughts may become vile with desiring things in this World below, when Peter is not excused for desiring to cast all earthly conversation behind his back, and to remain in a kind of Paradise upon Mount Thabor, where Christ was transfigured. He thought he had found out a medium between Heaven and Earth, he knew it was not Heaven, he saw it was more gay and glistering than earth, a content between both: O no, it was no discreet choice, to desire to sit down as it were in the half way under a golden Canopy, and not to run out unto the end of the race, where the reward was to be received. He knew not what he said.

It is obvious upon this occasion to make the same charitable construction for St. Peter, which Paul did for the Jews, I bear them record they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. The Jews were eager to retain their ancient Ceremonies, and despised that the Gentiles should be invited to the fellowship of their happiness, this bears the definition of zeal exactly; zelus est affectio ad quam sequitur ob vehementiam dolor, tum ex consortio aliorum, tum ex defectu rei quae desideratur; zeal is an affection so vehement that it afflicteth itself, if either it want what it desires, or if others do participate it. So the Apostle wished that the Vision in Mount Thabor might ever last, was even faint for sorrow, when the Cloud carried Moses and Elias away, and the emulation was so strong, that he desired the Vision might be private to himself, and a few more; bonum est nobis, it is good for us: Here is ardour and pain in wishing, ut res habeatur, & sine consortio aliorum, to enjoy a good things and to be singular, without comperes; therefore I will divide the Text apologetically out of St. Paul's words, that here was zelus erga Deum, sed non secundum scientiam. Zeal towards God's glory is the first part of the Text, Let us make three Tabernacles, one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: but zeal not according to knowledge is the second part, not knowing what he said. A division being ever made, for perspicuity take these three things to your consideration out of the first part, fabri, fabrica, possessores; the Builders in this word faciamus, and let us make; the Building, three Tabernacles; the Possessors, Christ and the two Saints assisting him, one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: In all which I will explain two things jointly with the other Members, Peters purpose what he aimed at in zeal, and his mistake wherein he erred, his zeal was not according to knowledge.

Faciamus, let us make. I give the first place for method sake to the consideration of the Builders. If he had said unto Christ, do thou make three Tabernacles, the work it is certain would have soonest been at an end that way. God made the World by his Son, and his Son at one word could have made three Tabernacles, who spake the word, and all things were created. Every house is built by some man, but he that built all things it God, Heb. iii. 4. therefore if he had said, do thou make these Tabernacles, it would have been the suddener dispatch: that's the general neglect indeed, the more shame for us; let God build and repair his house himself for us, or it is like to be let alone. Nay herein St. Peter was right, since God hath given all the materials upon earth, let man offer before he is asked to make an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob. Let us make and work for him, reason good, we are his servants, hired by every day and hour to do some task for his honor. Nor doth Peter put it off with vos facite, do you John and James work and build, I will give aim and look on, another worldly trick to put all upon others, if anything be to be done for Christ's sake, and exempt ourselves both from charge and trouble: many do love that God should have somewhat given him, and somewhat built him with their neighbors purse; like the Ape in the Fable, that took the hot Chesnut out of the fire with the Cats foot. Here is one that had not so learnt to glorify God, but with his own tongue, and with his own hand, says St. Ambrose, Non laudasse contentus, etiam ministerium pollicetur. Peter praised this beatifical Vision, Master it is good, but he knew that praise is a very cheap part of God's service, and therefore he offers his pains to be doing somewhat in honor of it; a wide mouth, and a close hand is the character of an hypocrite; the birds of the air have sweet voices, but they have no hands to work for their Master: an operative Religion becomes him that hath a body to serve God, as well as a soul. Faciamus, let us make. If you think this Mountain to be uninhabitable, and inconvenient, depart not for that, I offer my service with my fellow Disciples to make you bowers to entertain you.

God never required by his own mouth and Oracle any mortal man to build a place for him, but the most conspicuous Prophet, and the most conspicuous King in all Israel, Moses for the Tabernacle, and Solomon for the Temple; and therefore Peter asked no ignoble office from Christ, when he would be appointed from him to make him a Tabernacle. If thou wilt, let us make here three Tabernacles, he asked his leave, Matt. xvii. 4. Of that humble submission I will speak a word by and by: one thing calls me to consider it first, that here is an infallible note of a large and a vehement love affectus sine mensurâ propriarum virium, an affection which never measured how it could perform that to which it offered: true love doth not consider how it shall be able to finish that which it undertakes: we undertake to renounce the Devil, and all his works, to keep all the Commandments, which all our frailties will not permit, but love adventures to try what it can do; and therefore love is called the fulfilling of the Law. Mary Magdalene came to enbalm our Savior 's body in the Sepulcher, and never thought till she was hard by, that there was a stone upon the Sepulcher which she could not roll away: when Christ was risen, and she took him for the Gardner, Sir, says she, If thou hast born him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Why, a dead body useth to be born by four strong men to the ground, and this had need of more help, when his body was wrapped up with an hundred pound weight of sweet spices; yet out of more confidence than strength she said she would bring his corps again into the Grave. So Peter and his helpers would raise up three Tabernacles in Mount Thabor, having neither Workmens tools nor materials, nor skill I think in that Trade, yet he would dispatch a Building instantly, that he would, to receive his Lord, and those two Gloriosoes that were with him; if Christ let him alone, what unartificial work he would have made: But true love strides over all impossibilities, nihil erubescit nisi nomen difficultatis, it would be ashamed of itself, to think anything were difficult. You see his aim was above his skill: and will it fully excuse him to say all was out of love? never lay it upon that love, Christ loves well, but if it be love that is right and considerate, says a most accurate Father of our own Church. St. Paul commends love on this wise. 1 Cor. xiii. 5. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 nihil perperam facit, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , doth not behave itself unseemly, keeps decorum, forgets not what belongs to duty and decency, then the Lord accepts it. Love may, and doth forget itself otherwhile, and then the Heathen man's saying is true, importunus amor parum distat a simultate, he that loves God inconsiderately, and perversely, is a kind of enemy: Peter thought, let him work, and then there they would stay, and all should be happy, whereas there can be no true happiness where there is so much as faciamus, any bodily work.

Though there was a fault, yet love makes it but a diminutive error in him, and as in every Evangelists relation we may read his love, so in St. Matthew his obedience, if thou wilt let us make three Tabernacles: and well remembered of him that Christ said, I came from Heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me, Joh. vi. so though Peter thought himself in Heaven, yet he must not do his own will, but the will of the Lord: Nay, if it were not for doing our own will against his, there would be nothing but Heaven; Cesset propria voluntas, & infernus non erit, says Bernard; Give up your own will to the will of the Lord, into his hands and direction, and there would be no Hell in the world. The chief part of our wisdom is not to lean upon our own wisdom: Let his will guide all, that cannot deceive us, whose will it was to suffer death upon the Cross, because our own will had destroyed us. A Client will refer his Cause to the direction of his Counsel, a Builder the Fabrique of his House to a Master of Architecture; the Lord will plead our cause against them that strive against us, the Lord will build up the decayed places of Jerusalem, and make us polished stones for his own Temple: except the Lord build the house their labor is but lost that build it; si tu faciamus, not our will, but thy will be done; if thou wilt let us make, &c. This makes for the Apostles defense, but there is some coliquintida in all things that man can do or say; for as Peter consulted with God, so he consulted also with his own fancy. But in spiritual things, says the Apostle, I consulted not with flesh and blood, Galat. i. 16. Here is Peter holding God in one hand, and his own carnal imagination in another; and indeed this was not to ask, if Christ would such a thing, but to tempt him to be willing to that which was scandalous and inglorious to his Majesty, say the Apostles, Acts i. Lord, wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdom unto Israel. Their question may seem to be submissive, but it was not, there was venom in those fair words, for they would have him willing to establish a temporal Sovereignty in Israel. I will conclude this first part with an exact rule of St. Paul's, Be ye not unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is, Ephes. v. 17.

So much for the Builders, faciamus, let us make; I proceed to the Fabrique or Building, tria Tabernacula, three Tabernacles; either Booths compacted of arms of trees lopped off from the trunck, called attegias by the Old Latins, or pleasant Arbors of living boughs, which are writhed in arch-wise over head, and every sprig close twisted in, to fence off the weather, called arbuscula topiaria; the best Shelters to receive these great persons that the poor man could think of, whether the Mountain could afford them or no, we have no evidence to make it appear, that was never thought of when he spoke it, for he was so surprised with joy, that he had no leisure to recollect himself, but herein his zeal was very generous, he would fain build another world, and never see this again: Quem seculi hujus illecebrosa non caperent, gratia resurrectionis allexit, says St. Ambrose, though the provocations of this world could not entangle Peter, yet he was catched with that fair sight, how God will honor us in the Resurrection: there he would build, there he would fain set his rest: to dwell in a Tabernacle made of boughs and bushes with Christ, and Moses, and Elias affected him better than to enjoy a Palace in this sinful World. Exilium in Pompeii causâ est tanquam patria, says a Roman, that a man could not miss his native Country, that endured banishment in Pompey 's company; I may say in a better capacity of truth, that the three Disciples could not miss their Parents, their Children, their Friends, their Possessions, their Country, no nor the whole World beneath, if they could but reserve a Tabernacle in any secret place, wherein they might enjoy our Lord Jesus Christ. The Prophets who were preserved by Obadiah 's favor, were contented to live in a Cave, where they might serve God without Idolatry; and Peter would possess a new-found World, not inhabited by evil men; alter alteri magnum theatrum sumus, a few good ones are enough to enjoy one another without a contagion of the multitude.

Alas, when he would needs be making a place for Christ, that he could devise no better Structure than a Tabernacle. But will God indeed dwell on the earth says Solomon? Behold the Heaven, and Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this House that I have built. Solomon thought so meanly of the goodliest Temple that ever was built for God's honor, what a Building was here then not worthy to be named? Let us make three Tabernacles. As he was laid in a Manger when he was born, so he was never housed richly and sumptuously all the while he lived upon earth, never till Joseph of Arimathaea composed his body decently in a fair Sepulcher, which is not an excuse that we should make him vile houses now, but a provocation to make him amends on our part, for that contempt which was offered him when he lived in Judea. As for the instance of my Text, that Peter offered him a Tabernacle made of a few sticks, it is to be born with, both because he knew not what he said, and he was able to do no better. True love is satisfied, that all will be taken in good part, which is well intended. As Jacob set up a Stone, and poured oil upon it, and called it the House of God, Gen. xxviii 18. what would you have him do that had no better at hand? but where the Land abounds with costly and sumptuous materials, can ye bestow them better than upon the Church of Christ? Do you not persuade yourself, that there the Lord hath heard you often from Heaven, and given you all manner of things that are good? and can you suffer those walls to be unadorn'd, where you have been prosperous? or can any heart be so hardened to suffer that Table to be unfurnisht with Ornaments, at which we have often been fed with the Bread of Life, and the Cup of Benediction? I charge not this place with any such neglect, but I commend and pronounce them blessed especially, who have been liberal, that God's honor might be set out among us in the beauty of holiness; and I lament it where it is otherwise; for it is a mournful sight methinks to see any place excel the Church in preeminence and magnificence; not as if I thought the Lord did favor us for fair walls and roofs without a fair inside: but first it signifies the almightiness of God, when we honor him with the best and chiefest of all outward things: and secondly it makes our zeal shine before men, that we love our Heavenly Father better than all the wealth of the Earth; and the Lord loveth a cheerful giver.

The best Temples that we can dedicate to God are our sanctified Souls and Bodies, and therefore St. Austin said, alluding to this Text, Qui Deo vult facere tabernacula, praeparet ei penitralia cordis, He that will make a Tabernacle for God, let him prepare a clean heart: this is well said, if we play not the hypocrites with this figurative Religion. If some men be incited to offer up the Sacrifice of Alms unto Christ, they tell you, spare them for that, and they will offer up the Sacrifice of a contrite heart. Are not these two ill divided? bid them worship, and fall down, and kneel before the Lord our Maker, that they hold superfluous, for they will bend the knees of their heart. Are not those two ill divided? Charge the rich men of the World to repair God's decayed Churches, and make them beautiful, that draws money from them too fast, therefore they say we will build a Sanctuary to the Lord in our inward heart. Be not deceived, God cannot be mocked with these metaphorical excuses. I had rather offer with St. Peter to build a Tabernacle unadvisedly where there was no cause, than be backward to build a Tabernacle for the mighty Lord, where there was a cause. Because Moses and Elias had preached Christ unto the Disciples, they would do something again to requite it: not hear the word of God gratis as some do, as if they would give no money for it. If you will give nothing for that precious gift which cometh from above, take heed the Lord do not say to you at the last day, What good service have you done in all your life that I should give anything to you? as some men have their customs not to give, so undoubtedly God hath his custom not to reward. As David said to Araunah, The Lord forbid I should sacrifice unto him of that which cost me nothing; so Peter would not hear a Sermon of Christ crucified, and do no good thing for it, faciamus, &c.

These Tabernacles which he spake of, being an allusion to the Church, I find them agree very well in this, that the Militant Church is but like a Tabernacle, portable from one place to another, to be taken down in one place, and to be set up in another, always removing. As we see the Gospel began to shine most bright at first in the Eastern Countries, and now it hath pleased God, that in the most conspicuous purity it is carried into the West: From Jerusalem it removed to Antioch, from Antioch to divers places of Achaia in Greece, further and further every Age, till now that the multitude of the Isles do praise the Lord; like a Militant Tabernacle or Pavilion pitched where God pleaseth to fight against the Devil and his Angels, and to win ground from him that would destroy the Earth, Psal. cxxviii. 3. The Wife which is spoken of there, and likned to a fruitful Vine, is an Allegory of the Church. Now the Church while it wanders upon earth, is vitis in lateribus domus, a fruitful Vine upon the walls of the House, it stands without the doors of the Palace; but when the Church shall be settled quietly in the upper Jerusalem, it shall be vitis in penetralibus domus, the Vine shall be translated into the midst of Paradise, there it shall be a City abiding forever, and no longer a removing Tabernacle.

Now you have heard St. Peters zeal in the Fabrique which he moved to be built; in the progress of this point you shall hear these Tabernacles of his were but wild Chimaera's, or as we say, Castles in the air: for he took Mount Thabor as it was now adorned with glory for the Heaven which he desired to enjoy; therefore to what end, without great error, could he erect a Tabernacle there, either for sacred, or for civil use? To make a Church, or an Oratory in Heaven to praise the Lord, was a most wandering fancy. St. John says of that Vision which he saw in his Divine rapture before the Throne of God, Templum non vidi in eâ, I saw no Temple therein, in that supernal City of God, for the Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb are the Temple of it, Revel. xxi. 22. In this world we are gathered together into the House of God, to make Prayers together, to hear Instructions, to dispense the Sacraments; but in the next life these Forms shall cease, for we shall have a most blessed Mansion in God himself as in a Divine Temple forever. So the Prophet Jeremy foretold that in the new World there shall be one Sabbath forever, but no Pastors to teach the Flocks, no Sheep coats to drive the Flocks unto, no Churches, no Tabernacles for Divine Service, but all things in a better estate and condition. These are his words; They shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying know the Lord, for they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest, saith the Lord, Jerem. xxxi. 34. But the most Expositors take the words of the Apostle in relation to a civil use, as if he would make small Sconces or Tabernacles upon the top of the Hill to shelter Christ, and Moses and Elias from the injuries of the air. Such things he had wanted himself when he was a Fisherman, and spent his time and labor near about the Sea of Tiberias; he did often miss a poor Shed to keep him from foul weather, and now he knows not how to gratify Christ and the two Prophets, but by building Tabernacles, that they might find no annoyance in the Mountain. What if God had sent a Worm to make these Bowers he talked of wither of a sudden, as the Gourd of Jonas came to nothing in a day, where was his Shelter then? if God had not made a better Heaven for man, than man it seems would make for himself, he should exchange this World for small advantage, and pass from misery to infelicity. Where God is seated in his holy places, there is neither heat nor cold, storm nor tempest, no offense or affliction, tuti sub matribus agni balatum exercent, as safe as the nursling Child is in the bosom of the Mother, in such safety and tranquility the Saints are reposed with Christ above, and therefore it is called Abrahans Bosom. Hills are nearer to God's Thunder, said the Heathen Poets, than the bottoms of the Valleys; therefore this was no steady Anchor for a man to trust to, though Mount Thabor had been never so high: and although the plain fields are more obnoxious to the inundations of Seas and Rivers, yet in the days of