As to the Reasons of this extraordinary Appearance, it may be obferved,

He

Firft, That the general Design of it seemeth to be to do Honour to the Redeemer, even in his State of Humiliation. Though he was in the Form of God, he had taken upon him the Form of a Servant. had condefcended to diveft himself of the Brightness of his Glory, and had affumed our Flesh in a mean and humble Guife, so that those who looked only at the outward Appearance faw no Form or Comeliness in bim, no Beauty that they should defire him. And, in his last Sufferings, bis Vifage was marred more than any Man's, and his Countenance more than the Sons of Men. But if he thus humbled himself in the Days of his Flesh, and defcended to fuch a mean fuffering State, it was not owing to Want of Power, but because it was neceffary for wife Ends that he should do fo. For, even at that very Time, if it had been confiftent with the Defign of his Miffion, he could have put on such a Glory and Majefty as would have infinitely outfhone all the Pomp and Magnificence of the greatest Monarchs upon Earth. This fufficiently appeared at his Transfiguration. He then laid afide the Form of a Servant for a While, and even the tranfient Glimpfe he then gave of his Glory

Glory far tranfcended all human Power, and eclipsed the Splendor of all worldly Glory. Kings and great Men often endeavour to derive a borrowed Luftre to their Perfons from the Pomp and Magnificence of their Garb and Attendance, but which of them could ever cause his Face to fhine as the Sun, and array himself with Robes of refplendent Light? How poor and mean, compared with this, is all that is accounted grand and magnificent among Men! And what honourable Thoughts of the Lord Jefus fhould it now infpire us with, as no Doubt it did the Disciples then, who were EyeWitneffes of his Majefty! as St. Peter expreffeth it. 2 Pet. i.

Again, Secondly, Another Ufe we should make of this is to raise in us great and sublime Ideas of the Splendor and Dignity with which Chrift's human Nature is now arrayed in it's exalted State. If it was on a fudden fo gloriously transformed in the Days of his Humiliation here on Earth, how much more glorious may we justly suppose doth it now appear in the heavenly World, now that all his Sufferings and Humiliations are at an End, and God hath highly exalted him, and crowned him with Glory and Honour! If his Face did then fbine as the Sun, and his Raiment was white as the Light, what Image or Comparison

can

can be made Ufe of to represent and exprefs the fuperior Splendor with which he is now invested, and especially in which he fhall appear at the great Day, when he hall come to judge the World in Power and in great Glory, in his own and in his Father's Glory? Here human Language and Imagination itfelf is at a Lofs. But this we may reasonably conclude, that Chrift's Body, in his exalted State, is invefted not with a tranfient but an abiding Glory, great beyond all Comparifon, and fuch as is anfwerable to the Dignity of his Person, and to the Heighth of his Authority and Dominion. This is a moft refreshing and delightful Contemplation, which cannot but yield a fenfible Pleasure and Satisfacto all fincere Christians, to think that, as he condefcended to take upon him our Flefh, and dwell among us in a mean and despicable Form for our Sakes, fo now, as a Recompence for all his grievous Sufferings and Abasements in that very Nature, he is raised far above all the angelical Glory, even in outward vifible Splendor. And as the Contemplation of the Splendor of Christ's Body, at his Transfiguration, may greatly affisft us in our Conceptions of the Glory with which he is invested in his exalted State:

So, Thirdly, It may also help to give us a Notion of the glorious Change that shall pass upon

upon our own Bodies at the Refurrection, and may ftrengthen our Faith in what the Scripture revealeth concerning it. We are expreffly told that, at the Day of Chrift's final Appearance, he shall change our vile Body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious Body, according to the Working whereby he is able even to fubdue all Things unto himfelf. Phil. iii. 21. The Body of Chrift fhall be the illuftrious Model to which that of the Saints fhall then be conformed. And the fame Power that could in an Instant so change the Appearance of Christ's Body whilst on Earth, and fpread such a Glory round it, whilft it ftill continued to be Flesh and Blood, mortal and corruptible, before it was fo wonderfully changed and refined, as we may be fure it is now in the heavenly State; the fame Power can eafily array our Bodies at the Refurrection with a furprising Brightness and Splendor, especially as they fhall then be fitted for it, being divested of their grofs corruptible Qualities. For that Body which was foun in Corruption shall be raised in Incorruption; it was fown in Weakness, it fhall be raised in Power; it was fown in Dishonour, it shall be raifed in Glory; it was fown a natural, or animal, Body, it shall be raised a spiritual Body. 1 Cor. xv. 42, 43, 44. This Corruptible Shall put on Incorruption, and this Mortal

fhall

Shall put on Immortality. Ver. 53. Then when Chrift, who is our Life, fhall appear, then hall we alfo appear with him in Glory; a Glory, in fome Meafure, refembling his own. And what a wonderful Sight fhall it be in that folemn Day, when fo Millions of the Saints fhall appear many at once all in their rifen Bodies, arrayed with Glory and Beauty, like their great Head and Lord, and fo fhall continue to Eternity, clad with immortal Light and Splendor! Our Saviour hath probably a Reference to the outward Glory with which even the Bodies of good Men shall be invested, when he faith, that the Righteous fball fhine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Matt. xiii. 43. These are noble Profpects which fhould cause us comparatively to think little of this present World and all it's admired Glories, and infpire us with a generous Disdain of every Thing that is bafe, fordid, and impure. Since we have such glorious Things in View, let us cleanfe ourselves from all Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit, and endeavour to keep our Bodies, as well as Souls, pure and holy, that we may be of the happy Number of those who, when Chrift fhall appear, fhall be like him; and fhall behold and fhare in his matchlefs Glory, and be happy in his Prefence and Love to all Eternity.

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