commanded his Difciples, not to publish in plain Terms, that he was Christ the Meffiah.

21. Moreover, having now made known to them his Glory and Power, he thought it a fit Season to acquaint them alfo with his Humiliation and Sufferings; that they might not, being puffed up with great Thoughts of his Glory, be furprized and terrified at the Day of his Affliction. From this time therefore he began to tell them, that he must go to Jerufalem, and there fuffer many things, and be cruelly used by the Rulers of the Jews, and at laft be put to death; but that on the Third Day he should rife again.

22. But his Difciples underftood nothing of this. And Peter particularly, whofe Thoughts were full of Glory and Greatness, was so disturbed at this Difcourfe, that he could not forbear, but took Jefus afide and expoftulated with him, faying; God forbid, that you who are the Son of God, the Meffiah and Redeemer of Ifrael, fhould have any fuch thing happen unto you.

23. But Jefus turning about to him with difpleasure, faid; Nay, now you are become my Enemy and Hinderer. When you made a good Confeffion, I commended and extolled you: but now you deserve a fevere Reproof: For you talk like a weak Man, and fhow your felf to understand nothing of God's Difpenfations, and of the Way wherein he defigns to redeem Mankind.

24. After this, Jefus faid to his Difciples, I my felf am to be perfected by Sufferings: and whoever will be a

True

True Difciple of mine, must be willing to follow my Example: He muft abfolutely resign himself to the Will of God, renouncing all worldly Defires, and refolving both to do and fuffer whatever God fhall think fit to require of him.

For

25. And let him not think it much, if he be forced even to lay down his Life for the Sake of True Religion. they who fave their Lives in this prefent time, by bafely complying with Temptations to forfake their Religion; these only are they who moft truly lose them, by incurring eternal Death. But he that conftantly perfeveres, and lofes his Life in this prefent Time, to preferve his Religion and his Virtue; does moft truly fave it unto Eternal Happi

nefs.

26. For what comparison is there; between all the Things that this prefent World can afford, even if one could poffefs himself of them All; and the faving or lofing a Man's Soul eternally? or what valuable Confideration can be given for a Man's Soul?

me, let him deny
himself, and take
up his crofs, and
follow me.

28. The Time indeed of this last Judgment, God has not thought fit to reveal: But I affure you there are fome here prefent, who fhall live to fee the Kingdom of Chrift begun, in his glorious Refurrection and Afcenfion, and in his executing Judgment upon the unbelieving Jews in the final Deftruction of their City and Nation.

25 For whosoever will fave his life,shall lofe it: and whofo

ever will lose his life

for my fake, fhall find

it.

26 For what is a
fhall gain the whole
man profited, if he
world, and lofe his
own foul? or what
fhall a man give in
exchange for
for his

foul?

27. For the time is coming, when Chrift fhall appear in the Majefty of God, and with the glorious Attendance of his holy Angels, to pafs a final Judg-gels; and then he ment upon all Mankind, and to reward every one according to his Works.

27 For the Son of man fhall come in the glory of his Father, with his an

fhall reward every
man according to his
works.

28 Verily I fay
unto you, There be
fome standing here,
which fhall not tafte

of death, till they
fee the fon of man
coming in his king

dom.

CHAP.

Ć HA P. XVII.

Cbrift's Transfiguration, ver. 1. That John the Baptift was
Elias, ver. 10. A Lunatick healed, and the Difciples re-
buked for want of Faith, ver. 14. Chrift foretelleth his
Death and Refurrection, ver. 22. Chrift payeth Tribute,

ver. 24.

Jefus; Lord, how great is this Glory! How bleffed a Sight is this! How happy fhould we be, if we might but continue here! Give us leave to build three Apartments, for Thee, and for Mofes, and for Elias; and we will dwell here.

5. Scarcely had Peter faid these Words, when fuddenly Mofes and Elias vanifhed in a bright Cloud, and Jefus was left alone. And the Difciples heard the Voice of God out of the Cloud, faying; This is my beloved Son, whom I have chofen to reveal my Will to Mankind: Be not defirous of Visions and extraordinary Appearances; but as ye have hitherto followed Mofes and the Prophets, fo from henceforward hear and obey Him.

6. The Difciples, aftonished at the Greatnefs and Majefty of this Divine Voice, fell down upon their Faces to the Ground,and were greatly affrighted.

7. But Jefus came to them, and taking them up, comforted them, and bid them not be afraid.

8. And when they came to themfelves, they faw Jefus alone, and in his ufual Form, as he was before the Vifion appeared.

9. Then they came down from the Hill; And as they were in the Way, Jefus knowing that the World was not yet capable of understanding the defign and meaning of this glorious Appearance, commanded his Difciples not to report it abroad till after his Refur

rection.

10. Accordingly the Difciples kept the Thing secret for the prefent: Only they debated privately among themfelves, what thofe Sufferings of Chrift,

a

5 While he yet fpake, behold, bright cloud overfhadowed them: and of the cloud, which behold, a voice out faid, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

6 And when the

difciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were fore

afraid.

and touched them, 7 And Jefus came and faid, Arife, and be not afraid.

8 And when they
had lift up
their eyes,
they faw no man,
fave Jefus only.

came down
9 And as they
down from
the mountain, Jefus
charged them, fay
ing, Tell the vifion

to no man, until the
Son of man be risen
again from the
dead.

10 And his dif ciples asked him, faying, Why then fay the fcribes, that

11 And Jefus anfwered and faid unto them, Elias fhall first come, and restore all things:

12 But I fay unto you, that Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they lifted likewife fhall also the Son of man fuffer of them.

13 Then the difciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptift. 14 And when they were come to the multitude, there

came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and faying,

15 Lord, have mercy on my fon, for he is lunatick, and fore vexed: for oft-times he falleth into the fire, and oft

into the water.
16 And I brought
him to thy difci-
ples, and they

which Mofes and Elias talked of,
fhould be; and what his Refurrection
from the Dead meant. That these
were Things to be accomplished by
him as he was the Meffiah, they could
not doubt: But one thing they ituck at,
namely, that Malachi had prophefied,
and their Doctors had conftantly taught
them, that Elias ought firft to have ap-
peared publickly, before the Meffiah
could fhow himself: And they refolved
to ask Jefus about it.

II. Jefus anfwered them; 'Tis true,
as the Jewish Doctors tell you, that
Elias was first to come, and to prepare
Mens Hearts for the reception of the
Meffiah.

12. But this ought not to raise any Scruple in your Minds concerning me: For Elias has indeed appeared accordingly, only the Jews did not receive and acknowledge him, but he was perfecuted and flain; and in like manner will they deal alfo with Christ himself.

13. Then they understood, that John the Baptift was that Elias, whom the Prophet foretold fhould be the Forerunner of the Messiah.

14. Now when Jefus returned to the reft of his Difciples, whom he had not taken with him up into the Mount, but had left them below with the Multitude; there met him a Man, who fell down before him, and faid ;

15. Lord, have pity upon my Son; for he is tormented with a Devil, and is Lunatick, and hath the Falling Sicknefs; fo that he cannot keep himself from falling into the Fire or the Water. 16. And I brought him in your Abfence to your Disciples, hoping that they

might