Wisdom and Love, than we can poffibly attain to here on Earth. And, in the mean Time, let us join our Voices to those of the heavenly Choir, faying, with Hearts full of Admiration and Gratitude, Worthy is the Lamb that was flain to receive Power, and Riches, and Wisdom, and Strength, and Honour, and Glory, and Blefing. Bleffing, and Honour, and Glory, and Power be unto him that fitteth upon the Throne, and unțo the Lamb for ever and ever. Rev. v. 12, 13.

VOL. IV.

G

On.

On the Transfiguration.

DISCOURSE V.

MATTHEW Xvii. 5.

While he yet fpake, behold, a bright Cloud overshadowed them: And behold, a Voice out of the Cloud, which faid, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; bim.

bear ye

IN

my

former Difcourfes on that remarkable Portion of holy Writ, of which thefe Words are a Part, relating to our Saviour's Transfiguration on the Mount, I. firft obferved the Manner in which the Evangelifts introduce the Account they give us of this wonderful Event, and what those Things were that immediately

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preceded

preceded it. I then proceeded to the Relation here given us of the Transfiguration itfelf, and the principal Circumftances that attended it. And here the first Thing that offered itself to our Confideration was the furprising Change that paffed upon our Lord, with Refpect to his outward bodily Appearance, which became on a fudden inexpreffibly refplendent and glorious: His Face did fhine as the Sun, and his Raiment was white as the Light. Secondly, We next turned our Thoughts to the Account here given of fome of the heavenly Inhabitants, namely, Mofes and Elias, appearing in Glory on this Occafion, and converf ing with him, and that, as St. Luke informeth us, concerning his Deceafe, which he was to accomplish at Jerufalem.

'Let us now proceed, Thirdly, to confider the illuftrious Teftimony that was given to our Lord Jefus Chrift by a Voice proceeding from the Cloud of Glory: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleafed; hear ye

bim.

We are told, that a bright Cloud overShadowed them, and behold, a Voice out of the Cloud, which faid, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

It is firft obferved, that a bright Cloud overshadowed them. We often read in the Old Teftament of God's appearing in a

Cloud.

Cloud. In this Manner he appeared to the Patriarchs, and to Mofes and the Ifraelites in the Wildernefs. And this Cloud is often called the Glory of the Lord, because it had a very fplendid and glorious Appearance. There was a wonderful Brighnefs, like Fire, which fometimes blazed forth from the Midft of the Cloud with inexpreffible Splendor; but it feems for the moft Part to have been throuded and inveloped with a thick venerable Darkness, that covered the Splendor which would otherwife have been too dazzling for a mortal Eye. Such a Cloud filled the Tabernacle when it was firft erected, and afterwards the Temple when it was dedicated; fo that the Priests could not fland to minifter because of the Cloud: For the Glory of the Lord bad filled the House of the Lord. Then pake Solomon, The Lord faid that he would dwell in the thick Darkness. 1 Kings viii. 11, 12. This Cloud of Glory was ufually called by the Jews Shechinah, or Habitation of the Deity; not as if they thought his Prefence was confined there, for they were taught to regard him as filling Heaven and Earth; but becaufe they regarded it as the fpecial Symbol and Token of his immediate Prefence, peculiar fenfible Manifeftation of the Divinity.

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Such