IN both these texts, compared together, you may observe two
things
1. The circumstance of time: during prayer.
2. The transfiguration itself.
[1.] More generally propounded, he was transfigured before them.
[2.] More particularly explained by the change of his face and raiment. The
form of any man is most seen in his face. There was a glorious shining
brightness. Luke saith, 'The fashion of his countenance was altered;' Matthew,
that 'His face did shine as the sun. And in the glorious description of God in
the prophet Habakkuk, it is said, chap. iii. 2,' And his brightness was as the
light.' For his garments, Luke saith, 'his raiment was white and glistering;'
Mark, chap. ix. 3, 'White as the snow, so as no fuller on earth could whiten
them;' but Matthew, 'white as the light,' which carrieth it higher. The works
of nature exceed those of art. The transfiguration that was plainly to be seen
in his face was accomplished also in other parts of his body. All his body was
clothed with majesty, so as it could not be obscured and hidden by his
garments.
Now, first I shall speak of the circumstances of time, and then of the
transfiguration itself.
I. Of the time: 'and as he prayed.' Now what Christ prayed for is not
specified. (1.) If he asked common blessings, and prayed only in order to his
usual solace and converse with God, it showed the success of vehemency in
prayer. Christ prayed at such a rate as that he was transfigured and changed
into the likeness of God in prayer. (2.) If He asked to be transfigured for the
confirmation of his disciples, it showeth God's readiness to answer fervent and
earnest prayers.
1. Of the first consideration. If Christ's prayer were of ordinary import, it
teacheth us that we should pray so that the heart may be raised and lifted unto
God in prayer, and in some sort made like unto God. Let us state this matter
aright.
[1.] It must be granted that this shining of Christ's countenance as the sun,
while he prayed, was extraordinary, and a dispensation peculiar to the Son of
God. So also was the shining of Moses's face while he conversed with God in the
mount, Exod. xxxiv. 29, 30. And for ordinary Christians to expect the like is
to put a snare upon themselves, for these things are proper only to the end for
which God appointed them.
[2.] This must be also considered, that the eminent and extraordinary passions
and affections in the soul do discover themselves in the body, especially in
the face; for it is said of Stephen, that when he was heightened into a great
zeal for Christ, Acts vi. 15, that 'All that sat in the council, looking
stedfastly upon him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.' Angels
have not bodies or faces, but they often assume bodies, and then they appear
with a glorious and bright countenance, as the angel of the Lord that appeared
at the sepulchre: Mark xxviii. 3, 'His countenance was like lightning, and his
raiment white as snow.' Now such a glory and gladness did God put upon the
countenance of his servant Stephen, that he looked like an angel. Something
extraordinary there might be in the case, but yet there was an ordinary reason
for it. Stephen's mind was filled with such an incredible solace in the sense
of God's love, that he showed no troubledness, but a mind so unconcerned and
freed from all fear and sorrow, as if he had been among the angels of God in
full glory, and not among his enemies, who sought his blood; and so may God
raise the hearts of his people sometimes, as if they had put their heads above
the clouds, and were in the midst of the glory of the world to come among his
blessed ones. If that were extraordinary, Solomon tells us, Eccles. viii. 1,
that 'a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine,' as it gives him readiness and
tranquillity of mind, and cheerfulness of countenance. Guilt and shame cast
down the countenance, but righteousness and wisdom embolden it, more
particularly in prayer. As our confidence and joy in God is increased, it
bewrayeth itself in the countenance: Ps. xxxiv. 15, 'They looked unto him and
were lightened, and their faces were not ashamed.' They are revived and
encouraged, and come away from the throne of grace other manner of persons than
they came to it.
[3.] That some kind of transformation is wrought by prayer, appeareth by these
considerations
(1.) That as God is glorious in himself, so he maketh him that cometh to him
partaker of his glory. For certainly all communion with God breedeth some
assimilation and likeness unto God. It is clear in heavenly glory, when we see
him as he is, we shall be like him, 1 John iii. 2; and it is clear also in our
communion with him in the Spirit; for the apostle telleth us, that by
'Beholding the glory of the Lord as in a glass, we are changed into the same
image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord,' 2 Cor. iii. 18.
Not only doth vision or immediate intuition produce this effect, but also
spiritual specular vision, or a sight of God in the ordinances, produces a
divine and God-like nature, inclining us to hate sin and love righteousness.
The more we are above with God, the more we are like him. We see it in ordinary
converse: a man is as the company that he keepeth. 'He that walketh with wise
men shall be wise,' saith Solomon,' but a companion of fools shall be
destroyed,' Prov. xiii. 20. Now it is not imaginable that a man should converse
often with God fervently, seriously, and not be more like him. He that liveth
in a mill, the dust will stick upon his clothes. Man receiveth an insensible
taint from his company. He that liveth in a shop of perfumes, often handleth
them, is conversant among them, carrieth away somewhat of the fragrancy of
these good ointments; so by conversing with God we are made like him.
(2.) Nearer we cannot come to God, while we dwell in flesh, than by lifting up
the heart to him in fervent prayer. This is the intimate converse and
familiarity of a loving soul with God; therefore it is called a lifting up the
heart to God. He will not come down to us, therefore we lift up the heart to
him: Lam. iii. 41. 'Let us lift up our hearts with our hands to God in the
heavens.' So Ps. xxv. 1, 'Unto thee 0 Lord, do I lift up my soul;' and Ps.
lxxxvi. 4, 'Rejoice the soul of thy servant, for unto thee do I lift up my
soul;' so Ps. cxliii. 8, 'Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I
lift up my soul unto thee.' All these places show that there can be no
sin-cerity and seriousness in this duty, unless there be this ascension of the
soul to God ; it is an act of spiritual friendship, therefore called on
'acquainting ourselves with God,' Job xxii. 21. Now as acquaintance is kept up
by frequent visits, so prayer is called a giving God a visit: Isa. xxvi. 16,
'In their trouble they have visited thee.' Well, then, here is the greatest
intimacy we have with God. In the word, God speaks to us by a proxy and
ambassador - another speaketh for him. In the Lord's Supper we are feasted at
his cost, and remember him; but we are not admitted into his immediate
presence, as those that are feasted by the king in another room than he dineth
in. But prayer goeth up to God, and speaketh to himself immediately; and
therefore this way of commerce must needs bring in much of God to the soul.
(3.) In fervent prayer we have a double advantage - we get a sight of God, and
exercise strong love to God; and both conduce to make us like God.
(1st.) We get a sight of God, for in it (if it be seriously performed) we turn
our back upon all other things, that we may look to God as sitting upon the
throne, governing all things by his power for his glory. By faith we see the
invisible one, Heb. xi. 27. Surely if we do not see God before the eye of our
faith when we pray to him, we worship an idol - not the true and living God,
who is, and is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Our hearts should
be shut up against the thoughts of any other thing, and confined only to the
object to whom we direct our worship. I reason thus: If a Christian foreseeth
the Lord before him in all his ways, and keepeth always as in his eye and
presence, surely he should set the Lord before him in his worship and in his
prayers, Ps. xvi. 8. A good Christian doth always keep as in God's eye and
presence, much more when he calleth upon his name. Now every sight of God doth
more affect and change the heart. As none but the pure in heart see God, so
none see God but are most pure in heart. There is a self-purifying in moral
things; purity of heart maketh way for the sight of God, Mark v. 8. So the
sight of God maketh way for the purity of heart: 3 John 11,' He that doth evil
hath not seen God.' A serious sight of God certainly worketh some change in us.
(2dly.) In prayer, a strong love to God is acted, for it is the expression of
our delight in him: Job xxvii. 10, 'Will he delight himself in the Almighty?
Will he always call upon God?' Now we are changed into the likeness of him in
whom we delight in. Love transformeth and changeth us into the nature of what
is loved. There is the difference between the mind and the will: the mind
draweth things to itself, but the will followeth the things it chooseth, and is
drawn by them as the wax receiveth the impression of the seal. Carnal objects
make us carnal, and earthly things earthly; and heavenly things heavenly, and
the love of God godly: Ps. cxv. 8,' They that make them are like unto them, so
are all they that put their trust in them,' stupid and senseless as idols: it
secretly stamps the heart with what we like, and esteem, and admire.
[4.] There are agents in prayer to help us to improve this advantage.
(1.) The human spirit.
(2.) The new nature; and,
(3.) The Spirit of God.
(1.) The human spirit, or our natural faculty, so that, by our
understandings, we may work upon our wills and affections: surely God maketh
use of this, for the Holy Ghost doth not work upon a man as upon a block; and
we are to rouse up ourselves, and to attend upon this work with the greatest
seriousness imaginable. The prophet complains, isa. lxiv. 7, 'There is none
that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee.'
Without this it is but dead and cold work, and if there be no more than this,
it is but dry literal work : not that fervent effectual prayer which will
change the heart, dehsiv energoumenh, James v. 16. The energoumenoi were
those that were inspired and possessed by a spirit; therefore it must he a
prayer that not only hath understanding and will in it, but spirit and life in
it. However, we are to put forth our utmost endeavour, and
(2.) The second agent is the new nature, which inclineth us to God as our chief
good and last end. This also must be taken in, for the Holy Ghost doth not blow
as to a dead coal; the new nature is made up of faith, hope and love, and all
these must be acted in prayer: faith, or the firm belief of God's being, and
providence, and covenant; 'For how shall they call on him in whom they have not
believed? Rom. x. 14. Then love to God, or the desire of the fruition of him in
heavenly glory, praying in the Holy Ghost: 'Keep yourselves in the love of
God,' Jude 20, 21. If I do not love God, and desire to enjoy him, and delight
in as much of God as I can get here, certainly there will be no life in prayer,
or no ravishment and transport of soul, no spirit of desire animating our
requests, and no spiritual solace and delight in our converse with God. Hope is
also necessary to fervent praying, for a man coldly asketh for what he doth not
hope for. Hope respecteth both means and end - supplies of grace by the way,
and our final fruition of God in glory. This is called trust in scripture, and
is the great ground and encouragement of prayer: Ps. lxii. 8,' Trust in the
Lord at all times; pour out your souls before him.' Prayer is the act of a
trusting soul. Now these graces quicken our natural faculties, as they elevate
and raise our hearts and minds to God and heaven.
(3.) The third agent in prayer is the Holy Spirit. He is sometimes said to pray
in us, Rom. viii. 26; sometimes we are said to pray in him, Jude 20. The divine
Spirit exciteth those graces in us which incline us to God; he raiseth our
minds in the vision and sight of God. 'In thy light shall we see light,' Ps.
xxxvi. 9; and he raiseth our hearts to a desire after and delight in God, for
all that spiritual solace and joy is called 'joy in the Holy Ghost;' for both
unutterable groans and un-speakable joys are of his working: Rom. viii. 26, '
The Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be
uttered;' compared with 1 Pet. i. 8, 'In whom, though ye see him not, yet
believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.' Well, then,
these work a kind of an ecstasy. If you would pray so as to be transported,
transformed in prayer, something you must do as reason-able creatures,
something as new creatures, and the Spirit influenceth all, and causeth the
soul to follow hard after God. We must put forth our utmost endeavour, stir up
the gift of God in us; and though we cannot command the influences of the
Spirit, yet he is never wanting to a serious soul as to necessary help. Pray
thus, and you will find, as the help of the Spirit in prayer, so the comforts
of the Spirit as the success of prayer.
[5.] As there is daily and constant prayer in which we must ever bewray a
seriousness and sincerity for these daily supplies of grace, so there are
extraordinary occasions, because of some great business, conflict, or
temptation: in those the heart and mind must be more than ordinarily raised and
stirred. In every prayer of Christ there was not a transfiguration; and we read
of our Lord Jesus, that in his agonies he prayed, ektenesteron, more
earnestly than at other times, Luke xxii. 44; and upon eminent occasions, as
the necessities of the saints are greater, so their acts of prayer are more
earnest. On these weighty occasions many Christians are wholly swallowed up
with the thoughts of God, and carried beyond themselves by their high love to
God, and earnest desires of the spiritual blessings they stand in need of, so
that they seem to be rapt into heaven in their admiration of God and delight in
him.
APPLICATION.
Use. To reprove our feeble, remiss, and benumbed requests. There is no
life in our prayers, no working up of the heart to God and heaven, no flames of
love, no transports of soul by the vision and sight of faith, no holy and
ardent desires after God, or spiritual solace and delight in him.
Reasons - I. We pray cursorily, and go about prayer as a customary task
for fashion's sake; we come with a few cold devotions morning and evening, and
so 'God is near in our mouths, and far from our reins,' Jer. xii. 2. Oh, take
heed of this! Nothing breeds slightness and hardness of heart so much as
perfunctory praying. The rule is, 'Continue instant in prayer,' Rom. xii. 12.
And it is said of the saints that they 'Served God instantly night and day,'
en ekteneia, Acts xxvi. 7, that they might come to the blessed hope,
with the united service of all their powers and faculties.
2. Our prayers are doctrinal and instructive, rather than affectionate and
warming. We get light by other duties, but we should get life by prayer. This
duty is not to inform the judgment, but to raise the affections, that they may
be all flame. Other duties are feeding duties, but this is a spending duty, an
egression of the soul after God: Ps. lxiii. 8, 'My soul followeth hard after
thee.' A man may better spend two hours in hearing than half an hour in
praying, if the heart be employed in it as it ought to be, in the sight of God,
and an earnest desire after him. The prayers in scripture are all supplications
or doxologies ; there is no excursion into doctrines and instructions.
3. Else we are lamenting sin, and spend the time in confessing sin, which also
hath its use in the seasons thereof; but are seldom in praises or adorations of
the excellences of God, and the wonderful mysteries of his love in our
redemption by Jesus Christ. Yet it is said, Ps. xxii. 3,' 0 Lord, that
inhabitest the praises of Israel.' These are the things that do most ravish the
heart, and raise it in the con-templation of that glorious God to whom we
speak; and fill us with the ecstasies of love, that we may be more like him -
holy, wise, and good, as he is holy, wise, and good.
4. We think a dry narrative to be enough; that is, the fruit of a human spirit,
or a mere product of memory and invention is a sufficient prayer, without
acting faith, hope, or love in it, or those spiritual and heavenly desires
which are the life of prayer : Ps. x. 17, 'Lord, thou hast heard the desire of
the humble, thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear.'
The ardency of humble addresses is God's own gift, and he will never reject and
despise those requests that, by his own Spirit and appointment, are direct and
brought to him.
But what if I have not those strong and earnest desires? I answer, Yet keep not
off from prayer: for,
[1.] Good desires must be asked of God, for it is said, he prepareth the heart.
[2.] Such desires as we have must be expressed, and that is the way to increase
them, and to quicken us more. A sincere heart, that would serve God with his
best, findeth more in a duty than he could expect, and by praying gets more of
the fervency and ardours of praying: as a bell may be long a-raising, but when
it is up, it jangleth not as it did at first.
[3.] Those cold affections which we have are killed by disuse and turning away
from God; therefore go to him to get thy heart warmed.
2. Of the second consideration. If he prayed for this transfiguration, observe:
-
That God often answereth his people in the very time while they are praying:
Isa. lviii. 9, 'When they call I will answer, and when they cry he shall say,
Here I am.' This hath been the course of God's dealing with the prayer-makers
all along: Abel, Gen. iv. 4, 'God had respect to;' it is enepurisen, set
his offering on fire. Daniel prayeth, and saith he, Dan. ix. 21, 'While I was
speaking in prayer, the angel Gabriel was sent unto me;' and he said, 'At the
beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth.' While many of the
disciples were gathered together praying, God sent Peter to them, Acts xii. 12,
13. While Cornelius was in the act of prayer, 'At the ninth hour of the day,'
which was the hour of prayer, 'he saw in a vision the angel of God,' Acts x. 3
- 9. While Peter went up to the house-top to pray, then he had the heavenly
vision. So when Paul was in prayer, Ananias was sent to him: Acts ix. 11
'Behold he prayeth;' and then God taketh care of him. So Acts iv. 31, 'When
they had prayed, the house was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy
Ghost.' Thus God delighteth to honour his own ordinance, and to reward the
waiting soul, that is frequent and constant in this way of waiting upon God,
which should encourage us to be more frequent and serious in this work. You
shall see how, in the very act of prayer, God hath - (1.) averted judgments;
(2.) bestowed mercies and favours.
[1] He hath put a stop to judgments: Ps. xcix. 6 - 8, 'Moses and Aaron among
the priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name: they called upon
the Lord, and he answered them; he spake unto them in the cloudy pillar; they
kept his testimonies and the ordinance that he gave them. Thou answeredst them,
0 Lord our God; thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest
vengeance of their inventions.' The drift of the Psalmist in this place is to
show, by eminent instances of holy men that were most notable for prayer, how
they have stopped judgments when they began to be executed. Moses, at his
prayer God was propitiated, after the provocation of the golden calf; for it is
said, Exod. xxxii. 11, 'Moses besought the Lord his God;' ver. 14, 'The Lord
repented of the evil which he thought to do.' The second, Aaron's making an
atonement for the people, whereby the plague was staid: Num. xvi. 46, 'Take a
censer quickly, for wrath is begun;' and ver. 48, presently the plague was
stayed. Upon Samuel's prayer the Philistines were discomfited when they were
overrunning Israel, 1 Sam. vii. 5, with ver. 9,10. With every one of these God
was pleased to talk and com-mune as a friend. Such honour was God pleased to
put on these his faithful servants; and when the people had provoked God, and
God's wrath was already gone out against them for their crying sins, their
prayers were so effectual as to divert the plagues and obtain remission.
[2.] So powerful, also, are they for obtaining blessings: Elijah (James v. 17,
18), though 'a man of like passions with us,' yet he could lock heaven and open
it at his pleasure; 1 Kings xviii. 42, 45, the rain came as soon as Elijah put
himself into a zealous posture to obtain it. Often success hath overtaken the
prayer, and the blessing has been gotten before the supplication hath been
ended. Isaac went out to meet with God, to meditate or pray, and he espied
Rebecca afar off. Isa. lxv. 24, 'Before they call I will answer, and whilst
they are yet speaking I will hear.' Oh, therefore, let us not entertain hard
thoughts of God, as if he did not regard our suits and requests, and prayer
were a lost labour.
II. I come now to the transfiguration itself, as it is here propounded and
explained.
Doct. That one necessary and solemn act of Christ's mediation and
manifestation to the world was his transfiguration before competent witnesses.
This was one solemn act, and part of Christ's manifestation to the world, for
we have the record of it here; and it was necessary, for Christ doth nothing in
vain. And here are competent witnesses, - three persons of eminent holiness;
before whom all this was done, and they were eye-witnesses of his majesty, and
ear-witnesses of the oracle which they heard from heaven, or the voice from the
excellent glory.
I shall open: -
First, The nature of this transfiguration.
Secondly, The ends of it.
First, The nature of this transfiguration. It was a glorious alteration in the
appearance and qualities of his body, not a substantial alteration in the
substance of it. It was not a change wrought in the essential form and
substance of Christ's body, but only the outward form was changed, being more
full of glory and majesty than it used to be or appeared to be.
Two things are to be handled :-
1. How it differed from his body at another time, whilst he conversed here on
earth.
2. How this change differed from the state of his body as it is now in glory.
1. How his body, now transfigured, differed from his body at other times during
his conversing with men. Though the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him always,
yet the state of his body was disposed so as might best serve for the decency
of human conversation; as the sun in a rainy, cloudy day is not seen, but now,
as it might, discover his divine nature, it would break out in vigour and
strength.
[1.] It was not a change or alteration of the substance of the body, as if it
were turned into a spiritual substance. No; it remained still a true human,
mortal body, with the same nature and properties it had before, only it became
bright and glorious.
[2.] As the substance of the body was not changed, so the natural shape and
features were not changed, otherwise how could it be known to be Christ? The
shape and features were the same, only a new and wonderful splendour put upon
them.
[3.] This new and wonderful splendor was not in imagination and appearance
only, but real and sensible. If it had been in imagination, show, and
appearance, it would make Christ like those deceivers who would dazzle the eyes
of beholders with a false appearance, as magical impostors, or those apish
imitators of divine glory; as Herod Agrippa, of whom we read, Acts xii. 21 -
23, how he appeared in royal state and made an oration, and they said, 'The
voice of a God, and not of a man.' Josephus telleth us the manner, how he sat
in the sun with glistering garments of cloth of silver, and when the sun-beams
did beat upon it, the people cried him up as kreittona
thv ynhthv fusewv, as something higher and more excellent than a mor
tal creature. No; this was not a phantastical representation, but a real
impression of divine glory on the body of Christ.
[4.] Although this appeared in the face chiefly, as the most conspicuous part
of the body, - the text saith his face did shine as the sun,- yet more or less
the other parts of his body were clothed with majesty and glory, and thence was
the splendour derived to his garments.
2. How his body transfigured differed from his glorified body. This must be
stated also, for Christ, by his transfiguration, was not admitted into the
fulness of the state of glory, but only giveth some glimpse and resemblance of
it. These two estates agree in the general nature, but some clarity, glory, and
majesty is put upon Christ's glorified body that was not now. But the
difference is :-
[1.] Partly in the degree and measure; the clarity and majesty of Christ's
glorified body is greater and more perfect. Here is a representation, some
delineation, but not a full exhibition of His heavenly glory.
[2.] Partly in continuance and permanency. This change was not perpetual, but
to endure for a short time only, for it ceased before they came down from the
mount.
[3.] The subject or seat of this glory differed, the body of Christ being then
corruptible and mortal, but now incorruptible and immortal. If Christ's body
had been immortal and impassible, then Christ could not die.
[4.] Here are garments, and a glorified body shall have no other garments than
the robes of immortality and glory in heaven. Christ shall be clothed with
light as with a garment
Secondly, The ends of it. By this transfiguration God would show : -
1. What Christ was.
2. What he should be; and also,
3. What we shall be.
1. What Christ was. The dignity of his person and office. That he was the
eternal Son of God, and the mediator of the new covenant; the great prophet
whom God would raise up to his people.
[1.] The dignity of His person was seen, for the transfiguration was a ray of
the divine glory. It was not the addition of any glory to Christ which he had
not before, but a manifestation of the glory which he had, though obscured
under the veil of our flesh; for the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him
bodily, Col. ii. 9, 'And we beheld his glory, as the glory of the only-begotten
Son of God,' John i. 14. But it is said, 2 Pet. i. 17, that he received from
God the same honour and glory. This is spoken of him as mediator; the glory of
the Son of God incarnate was so obscured, for our sakes, that he needed this
solemn act to represent him to the world.
[2.] His office: the great prophet of the church, 'Hear ye him.' A greater
prophet than Moses. Moses saw the face of God, but he was in the bosom of God.
Moses, his face shone, but not as Christ's, for it could be hidden by a veil;
Christ darts his glory through his garments. Moses, his shining was terrible;
Christ's was comfortable - the apostles were loath to lose the sight of it.
2. To show what Christ should be; for this was a pledge with what glory he
should come in his kingdom, Mat. xvi. 27: it prefigured the glory of his second
coming. Thus, for the confirmation of their faith, Christ would give his
disciples a glimpse of his glory; he knew they would be sorely assaulted and
shaken by the ignominy of his cross. But what is all this to us? We see not his
glory.
[1.] What was once done and sufficiently attested needs not to be repeated; but
it is a great satisfaction to us that we have a glorious head and chief; when
we suffer for him we need not be ashamed of our sufferings. The apostles urge
this concerning us as well as them.
[2.] The immediate manifestations of him who dwelleth in light inaccessible
would undo us while we are in our mortal bodies. Blessed be God that he hath
chosen fit means to reveal himself to us, that we may behold the glory of the
Lord in a glass, 2 Cor. iii. 18, by the ministry of the word and other
ordinances. The Israelites were sensible how little they could endure him who
is, as it were, all sun, and all light, and all fire: Exod. xx. 18, 19, 'Let
not God speak to us, lest we die.' Elijah wrapt his face in a mantle when God
appeared unto him, 1 Kings xix. 13; when Christ appeared to Paul from heaven he
trembled and was astonished, and was three days without sight, as you may see,
Acts ix. 9. There was a special reason why an apostle should see him in person.
[3.] We shall see this glory when fit for it: John xvii. 24, 'Father, I will
that they whom thou hast given me may be with me where I am, that they may
behold my glory which thou bust given me.' The queen or Sheba took a long
journey to behold the glory of Solomon, that was but a temporal, fading, and
earthly glory. Now much more transcendent is the glory of Christ's body in
heaven; this we shall see to all eternity.
3. To show what we shall be; for Christ is the pattern, primum in unoquoque
genere, etc.
[1.] It showeth the possibility of our having a glorified body. When the Lord
is pleased to let forth and communicate his glory, he is able to adorn and
beautify our earthly and obscure bodies. The body of man in its composition
hath a great mixture of earth, which is dark and obscure. Now God can make this
clod of earth to shine as the star or sun for brightness: Phil. iii. 21, 'Who
shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious
body, according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to
himself.' We are apt to say, How can it be? If we consider the infinite and
absolute power of God, and this instance of Christ, it will make it more
reconcilable to your thoughts, and this hard point will be of easier digestion
to your faith.
[2.] The certainty of it, as well as the possibility; for Christ assumed our
body, not for passion only, but for glorification, that therein he might be an
instance and pattern to us. For if the head be glorious, so will the members
also. How base soever the people of God seem to be in this world, yet in the
life to come they shall be wonderfully glorious: Mark xiii. 43, 'The righteous
shall shine as the sun in the kingdom of their father.' So Col. iii. 3, 4,' Now
our life is hidden with Christ, but when he who is our life shall appear, we
shall appear with him in glory;' 1 John iii. 2, 'When he shall appear we shall
be like him, for we shall see him as he is;' 2 Thes. i. 10, 'Christ shall be
glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that believe.' All these
places show we shall be partakers of this glory.
[3.] The manner. Glorification taketh not away the substance and natural
properties of the body, for there is a glorious transfiguration, but no
abolition of the substance of Christ's body; it was the same body of Christ
before and after transfiguration. Glory freeth us from natural infirmities, but
it doth not strip us of natural properties. Christ hath showed in his own body
what he can or will perform in ours - these same bodies, but otherwise adorned,
touto to swma thv tapeinwsewv: and 'with
these eyes shall I see God,' Job xix. 26, 27: Touto to
fyarton 'This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal
must put on immortality,' 1 Cor. xv. 63.
Use 1. Be transformed that you may be transfigured: 'Be ye
transformed by the renewing of your minds,' Rom. xii. 2. The change must begin
in the soul (2 Cor. iii. 18), and thence it is conveyed to the body. The lustre
of grace maketh way for the splendour of glory: Prov. iv. 18, 'The path of the
just is as the shining light, which shineth more and more to the perfect day.'
The way of the wicked is an increasing darkness - ignorance, sin, outer
darkness.
2. Be contented to be like. Christ in reproaches, disgraces, and neglect in the
world, that you may be like him in glory. Bear the reproach of Christ: Heb.
xiii. 13, 'Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his
reproach;' Heb. xi. 26, 'Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than
the treasures of Egypt.' Prefer it before all earthly honour: Acts v. 41,' And
they departed from the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to
suffer shame for his name;' and 2 Sam. vi. 22, 'I will yet be more vile and
base in my own sight.' Your Lord is a glorious Lord, and he can put glory upon
you.
3. To wean our hearts from all human and earthly glory. What is a glorious
house to the palace of heaven, glorious garments to the robes of immortality?
The glory of Christ should put out the glory of these petty stars that shine in
the world, as the sun puts out the fire. We have higher things to mind; it is
not for eagles to catch flies, or princes to embrace the dunghill.
4. Since this glory is for the body, do not debase the body, to make it an
instrument of sin: 1 Thes. iv. 4, 'Possess your vessels in sanctification and
honour.' Do not offend God to gratify the body, as they do, Rom. xiv. 13, 'who
make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof.' Do not spare the
body to do God service: Acts xxvi. 7, 'Unto which promise our twelve tribes,
instantly serving God day and night, hope for to come; for which hope's, sake,
King Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews:' 2 Cor. vii. 1, 'Having therefore these
pro-mises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the
flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.'