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Mark ix. 6. tells us that Peter said this without knowing what he said: he was so astonished with the splendour of the appearance, that he had not the full possession of himself.

5.

While he yet spake, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved son, in whom I am well-pleased; hear ye him.

ner.

A bright cloud, sending forth lightning, was formerly the splendid symbol of the divine presence: by this cloud, therefore, the disciples were warned that God was about to work here in an extraordinary manGod had spoken before from a cloud, in an audible voice, to the children of Israel; and he now speaks, to declare Jesus to be his beloved Son. This appellation means the same thing as only-begotten son: for an only son is always a beloved child. "In whom I am well-pleased," means upon whom I have set my af fections, or with whom I please myself. In this manner are the disciples confirmed in the belief of the truth which had been just made known to them, that Jesus was the Messiah. When they are commanded to hear him, it is signified that they were not merely to listen to him, but also to obey him. These last words refer to what Moses said to the Jews, Deut. xviii. 15. "The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;" and hence it appears that Jesus was declared from heaven to be the person promised to the Jews by Moses.

6. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.

This they did not out of respect to Christ, or to the being who spoke to them, but from consternation, which was so great as to prevent them from knowing

what they said or did. A superstitious notion, which prevailed among the children of Israel, that whosoever saw God should die, was perhaps the cause of their

terror.

7. And Jesus came, and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.

8. And when they lift up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.

It was but for a short time that Jesus allowed his disciples to be spectators of his glory; yet it was suf ficient to afford them a glimpse of what they should one day be, and to cherish in them the hope of being partakers of this glory, if, after the example of their master, they constantly and steadily walked in the way leading thither.

9. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision, rather, "sight," (for it was not what we usually understand by a vision,) to no man,until the son of man be risen again from the dead.

This miracle was so clear and decisive a proof that Jesus was the Messiah, that if it had been published among the Jews and believed, they would have made an insurrection in favour of one whom they conceived to be their king and deliverer, and hereby have defeated the purposes which Providence had in view in the mission of Christ. When he was risen from the dead, and had ascended into heaven, there was no danger of this evil consequence: till that time, therefore, Christ

orders the matter to be concealed.

10. And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the Scribes that Elias must first come?

The occasion of the disciples asking this question was that they had just seen Elias in the mount, and that he had immediately disappeared; whereas, according to the doctrine of the Scribes, he was to remain among the Jews, to foretel the approach of the Messiah, and point him out to the people. If this opinion were true, they wished to know why he disappeared.

This inference the Jewish doctors drew from a pas sage in the prophet Malachi (iv. 5, 6.) which has been mentioned more than once already. "Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord." This prophecy the Scribes interpreted literally of Elijah the Tishbite, and not of one who should come in the spirit and power of that prophet. In this sense is this passage still understood by the Jews.

11.

And Jesus answered, and said unto them, Elias shall first come, rather, "doth first come," and shall restore all things.

The words, "and shall restore all things," refer to the verse in Malachi which immediately follows that which I have just quoted; "and he," that is, Elijah, "shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers;" by which words of the prophet, who here expresses himself figuratively, is meant, restore all things, or set all things to rights, in regard to religion. This prophecy was fulfilled in John the Baptist, in the extraordinary success which accompanied his preaching repentance.

12.

But I say unto you that Elias is come already; and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed, "pleased;" likewise shall also the son of man suffer of them.

This is to be understood not merely of the death of John, but of all the ill treatment which he met with from the Jews: for he was the subject of calumny among their leaders, and fell a victim to the wicked passion of Herod and the malice of Herodias: nor was Christ to expect better treatment than John, from the same persons.

13.

Then the disciples understood that he spake to them of John the Baptist.

REFLECTIONS.

1. In the transfiguration of Christ upon the mount, and the circumstances which attended it, we have a slight glimpse into the glory and happiness of the heavenly state, which, if not sufficient to gratify our curiosity, is enough to encourage our hopes. In the person of our master, on this occasion, we see something of the splendour intended for us, his disciples, when this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and these vile bodies shall be fashioned like unto his own glorious body: but this change, however splendid and glorious, can give us but a very imperfect notion of the happiness of heaven, which is to consist of pleasure far exceeding our present conceptions. One thing, however, appears to be certain, that it will arise in part from the society of good men; and this alone may give us a high idea of its value. How delightful will it be to meet with the worthies of past ages; with men who have sustained important characters in the world, and have made themselves revered for their virtues by all succeeding generations; with Moses and Elias; with pa

triarchs, prophets and apostles! What pleasure will it afford us to gain from them the knowledge of the various scenes and transactions in which they have been engaged, and hereby to become acquainted with a faithful and exact history of Divine Providence from the beginning of time! In this heavenly society we may also expect to meet with many of our own time, whom we may wish to see again; with friends whose virtues have gained our esteem and love, and with whom we have often conversed with pleasure, while in the present world. With them we may have been frequently led to lament the afflictions of individuals, and to bewail the disorders which prevail in communities and nations of men, and may have been unable to reconcile these events with the wisdom and goodness of an over-ruling Providence: but then we shall find the veil removed from the divine proceedings, and be able to congratulate each other upon discovering that every thing has been ordered in the best manner. While we please ourselves with the prospect of enjoying much happiness from such society, let this animate us to a faithful discharge of the duties of life, by which alone we can hope to attain it. If called to sustain difficult and important offices in the world, or to pass through severe trials, let us look to the glory and happiness to which others have been exalted, as a reward of their integrity, fortitude and patience; and more especially, to the honourable situation of the great captain of our salvation, who endured the cross, despising the shame, and is now set down on the right hand of God. Nothing can be better adapted to animate our zeal, or support our resolution: for if we are followers of them who through faith and patience now inherit the promises, we shall one day partake of the same reward.

2. In the voice which spoke from the cloud, we have a glorious evidence of the divine character of Jesus, and a plain declaration of the duties we owe to him in that office; Hear ye him! The same language is indeed virtually addressed to us by all the miracles which God enabled him to perform; when the sick are healed, when the blind receive their sight, and

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