LORD and SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST. 121 how they ought, to behave: but the for- wardnefs of Peter's difpofition prompted him to fay fomething on the occafion, though he confidered not the propriety or tendency of it: Mailer, faid he, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, one for Motes, and one for Elias. Peter having beheld fuch glory, as never before darted on mortal fight, and feen his Mailer affume an appearance of grandeur and majefly, far beyond his moil fanguine expeaations, he concluded, no doubt, that Jesus had now taken upon him his pro- per dignity, and that the temporal king- dom, which he had fo ardently defired, and impatiently expelled, was now aaually begun ; efpecially as Elias, according to the prophecy of Malachi the, prophet, had made his appearance; he, no doubt, con- cluded that he was come from heaven to aifift in rearing the Mefftah'a kingdom: Peter, therefore, thought it highly neeef- fary to provide fome accommodation for his Matter, and his noble companions ; perhaps, he intended to bring the reff of the difciples, and the multitude, who were waiting below, to behold thepeerlefs glory of their Mager, and his auguft afliflants; this, he thought, would be much better, and more honourable for him, than being put to death at Jerufalem, or fuffering thofe things which had been the fubje& of the late heavenly converfation; the defign of which Peter, at this time, could not com- prehend : but, while he yetftake, a bright cloud overfhadowed them: and behold, a voice out of the cloud, which Paid, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am wellftleafed; hearye him. When the three difciplesheard thevoice, which was vaffly different to any they had heard before, and, at the fame time that it feemed foft as the fouthern breeze, yet it was awful and majeflic as the thunder's roar; impreffed with trembling awe, they fell with their faces to the ground, and continued in that pofture, till their com- panionate Mailer came to them, and, gently No. sa. touching them, bid them arife, and not be afraid. They immediately looked about them, but the heavenly fcene was with- drawn, and no perfon was feen but their divine Mailer, in the plain and unadorned form in which he appeared before they afcended the mountain. Our Lord, having continued on the fummit of the mountain all night with his three difciples, he early in the morning defcended to the plain, and charged them to conceal what they had feen, till he was rifen from the dead, He was well aware, that the world, and even his own difciples, were firangers to his fpiritual kingdom, and had no idea ofhis attending toheaven, andbeing highly exalted at the right-hand of God;. therefore, they could not com- prehend the defign of his transfiguration,, and it was unneceffury. Éq publifh it before his refurrellion, asp it could not,-Be. de- fcribed, and, perhaps, would ;.`not have been believed: and the prefdnt appearance of our Redeemer, joined with the afflic- tions, perfecutions, fufferings, and forrows which lay before him, might fill tend to prejudice the minds of the people, and prevent them from believing any account ofhis exaltation and glory. Not were the difciples, at this time, able to underfland the dolîrine of CHRIT's refurreltion; they had never learnt that the Meffiah was to die,- nor had they any conception of his riling from the dead; for they were fully peáfuaded that he was to abide 'for ever, and that his kingdom was to have ,no end. They feemed very much furprified at the departure of Elias, and at their M'affer's ceafing to Thine in the glorious manner they had fo lately be- held on the mountain: nor could they comprehend the meaning of the prophet Malachi, whohad prophecied ofthe coming of Elias, which their readers of the law ex- plained to refer to a time, prior to the appearance of the Mefiìah. After long debating amongft themfelves,- they con- cluded to apply to their Malter, to folve the difficulty, and therefore afked him, Why G g lay
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