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ful Difplay of his Glory and Majesty, Mofes and Elias appeared with him in Glory. They attended him in their heavenly Garb, in the Glory with which they are invested in those Regions of Blifs. Thus, whenever Chrift difplayeth his Glory, he will have fome of his Saints to be with him, and to make up his fhining Train. He taketh Pleasure in their Glory, as well as in his own. And, in the heavenly World, all the Bleffed Inhabitants fhall appear in Glory. It may farther be observed, that Mofes and Elias appeared as Men. Hence it is faid, that there talked with him two Men, which were Mofes and Elias. They appeared in a human Form, and probably not merely in airy Bodies, just affumed for that Purpose, as the Angels fometimes have done; but in their own proper Bodies, the Bodies they had whilft on Earth, though now wonderfully transformed, and rendered very refplendent and glorious. Concerning Elias there is little Difficulty: For he was rapt up bodily into Heaven, without feeing Death. His Body, without being feparated from his Soul, underwent a wonderful Change, probably like that which, St. Paul informs us, thall pass upon the Bodies of the Saints that shall be found alive at Chrift's fecond Coming, who shall not die, but shall be changed, as in a Mo

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ment, in the Twinkling of an Eye. 1 Cor. XV. 51. And in this his Body, in which he had been tranflated into Heaven, he came to wait upon our Lord. As to Mofes, we are exprefly told that he died, and that the Lord buried him, and that no Man ever knew of his Sepulchre. Deut. xxxiv. 5, 6. If therefore he then appeared in his proper Body, his Body must have been raifed from the Dead; though, when this was done, or whether it was firft done on this Occafion, we cannot pretend certainly to determine. And, if so, then as, at our Lord's Refurrection, he was attended with Numbers of the Saints that had died, and who rofe out of their Graves, by his Divine Power, to render his Refurrection more illuftrious, and heighten the Triumphs of his Kingdom over Death and the Grave; fo even, at his Transfiguration, when he made the brightest Difplays of his Glory here on Earth, and which was an Earneft of his Refurrection and Afcenfion, Mofes, the most eminent of the Old Teftament Saints, was raised from the Dead to attend him, and do him Honour.

Thirdly, The last Thing here to be confidered is the Converfation which they, Mofes and Elias, had with Jefus. The Evangelifts Matthew and Mark only tell

us

us in general, that they talked with him. It was not a dumb Shew, defigned merely for Pomp, but they converfed with him. And who would not be defirous to know what was the Subject of their Converfation? When three fuch illuftrious Perfons had an Interview, when Mofes and Elias came from Heaven to our Earth to fee Jefus, and they were only to be together for a very fhort Time, we may be fure, if they converfed together, it was about a Matter of confiderable Importance to the Glory of God, and to the Good of Mankind. And the Evangelift Luke acquainteth us, what the Subject of their Converfation was: They spake of his Deceafe, which he should accomplish at Jerufalem. They converfed with him concerning the grievous Sufferings he was undergo, his deep Humiliation, and the cruel and ignominious Death he was to fubmit to for our Sakes. A Subject this of the higheft Importance, and which contained in it fuch Depths of Wisdom, of Love and Goodnefs, as are fit to employ the Understandings of Angels and Men. We here find that, when fome of the most eminent among the glorified Saints came to make a fhort Vifit to our Earth, it was in converfing about Christ's Dying for Men that they employed their precious Moments. These are Things which the

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Angels themselves defire to look into. And now that our Lord Jefus Chrift is afcended into Heaven in that human Nature in which he fubmitted to fuch amazing Sufferings, and to Death itfelf, the Death of the Cross, the Bleffed above behold him with Wonder and Love and Joy. The Lamb that was flain is the Object of their devout Admiration, their Bleffings and Praifes. And they confider that all the Glory they enjoy is the Purchase of his Blood, and the Fruit of his dolorous Agonies and Sufferings. There is no Subject on which the Inhabitants of Heaven more delightfully expatiate than on the Methods of our Redemption through the Sufferings and Death of the Lord Jefus. It fhall furnish Matter for their Meditations, for their Difcourfes, and for their united Praises to Eternity. And let this therefore be the frequent chofen Subject of our Meditations here on Earth. It is to keep up the affectionate Remembrance of the Death of Christ in the Church below, that the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was inftituted. There is nothing that it more nearly concerneth every Chriftian to know, than Jefus Christ, and him crucified. To an unbelieving World a fuffering Redeemer may appear to be without Form or Comeliness, but to every true Believer, that hath his Mind duly enlightened, there

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is no Object that is more wonderful and more amiable. God forbid, faith the Apoftle, that I should glory, fave in the Cross of our Lord Jefus Chrift. Gal. vi. 14. is the great Mystery of the Gospel, the grand Foundation of our Hope, and which exhibiteth such Displays of the Divine Perfections, of God's incomprehenfible Love and Grace, of his impartial Justice and spotlefs Purity, of his marvellous and unfearchable Wisdom, and of his steady Faithfulnefs and Truth, and maketh fuch Discoveries of the unparalleled Love of our Lord Jefus Chrift towards Mankind, of his Humility, Meeknefs, Condefcenfion, and moft perfect Obedience and Refignation to his Heavenly Father's Will, that it is worthy the Contemplations of the Bleffed above. Hither therefore let us often turn our Thoughts, and endeavour to get fuch a Senfe of it impreffed upon our Hearts as may excite, ftrengthen, and enlarge good Affections and Difpofitions there, and may have a happy governing Influence upon our Lives and Converfations, in Hope that, when we get to Heaven, we shall talk over the wonderful Subject with Angels and Saints, and fhall have far clearer Views of the Reasons and Ends of this amazing Tranfaction, and the Propriety of it to answer the great Defigns of infinite Wisdom

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