A Century of Sermons, Sermon 7 – Half title 4
THE SEVENTH SERMON UPON The Transfiguration.
LUKE ix. 35, 36.
And there came a voice out of the Cloud, ſaying, This is my beloved Son, hear him.
And when the voice was past Jeſus was found alone. And they kept it cloſe, and told no man in thoſe days any of thoſe things which they had ſeen.
IN divers manners God ſpake in the old time to our Fathers by the Prophets, Heb. i. 1. and in as divers manners he hath ſpoken to us in the New Covenant by the Evangeliſts. Variety is delectable, when it doth not jar, but make up unity. I have gone along in this ſtory of the Transfiguration upon the Text of St. Luke, but by the way I made advantage to inſert every paſſage out of St. Matthew, and St. Mark, which is remembred in them over and above St. Lukes Relation; nor will I wrong the Subject which I have handled ſo much, to fail in that diligence at this time, becauſe it is the laſt act in which I ſhall diſpatch my Meditations upon this Miracle: Wherefore when I have inlaid the Story with thoſe particulars which occur in all the holy Authors, it will be perfect thus. I gave you account upon the laſt occaſion, what the Eternal Father uttered from above concerning his Eternal Son: the glory which he gives his Son riſeth up in two tops, namely the honour which He finds with the Father, this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleaſed, and that obedience which all the world muſt yield him, hear Him. Now as ſoon as this voice had ceaſed to ſpeak, all the bravery of his Transfiguration vaniſht, and was ſeen no more; ſo ſays my Text, when the voice was paſt Jeſus was found alone: hereupon the three Diſciples wondred what was become of Moſes and Elias, and the fair Cloud that overſhadowed them, S. Matthew ſays they lifted up their eyes, and ſaw no man ſave Jeſus only; nor did they only look up to Heaven for what they miſſed, St. Mark ſays, they looked round about, and ſaw no man any more ſave Jeſus only with themſelves. Now touching the conſequent of all, mark what followed, and all's done: my Text ſays, they told no man in thoſe days any of thoſe things which they had ſeen; St. Matthew ſupplies why they told of nothing, and how long they conceal'd the matter. As they came down from the Mountain, Jeſus charged them ſaying, tell the viſion to no man till the Son of man be riſen again from the dead. St. Matthew ſays the Diſciples were enjoyned ſecrecy, but he omits that they obeyed; St. Luke ſays they kept ſecrecy, but he omits that they were enjoyned, therefore St. Mark hath compacted both into his Story thus. As they came down from the Mountain he charged them they ſhould tell no man what things they had ſeen till the Son of man were riſen from the dead; and they kept that ſaying with themſelves.
Having thus laid all the Narration cloſe together, I do not ſtrictly hold me to the narrow compaſs of my Text, but I will divide that which remains to be ſpoken of this Miracle, in the full amplitude, as I find it in all the Evangeliſts. And I will confine my diſcourſe and your memory to be helpt by four Particulars. Firſt the Father did commit all Power and Authority to the Son, in this word, Hear him. Secondly, that the Church might the better admit his ſole Authority, and none other, all other perſons of excellency vaniſht, and Chriſt was left alone, the Diſciples lookt up, and lookt about, but there was none left with them, ſave Jeſus only. Thirdly, Chriſt did put his Authority in execution, as they came down from the Mountain, he charged them they ſhould tell no man the things which they had ſeen, till himſelf was riſen from the dead. Fourthly, the Diſciples did as he commanded them; they kept it cloſe, and told no man in thoſe days any of thoſe things which they had ſeen. Of theſe to Gods glory, and with your patience.
Being now to enter upon the Exhortation to hear, I hope all my Auditors will be attentive. The Ear is that Omer wherein we muſt receive the Manna which coms down from Heaven, and the Heart is as the Ark of the Lord wherein we muſt lay it up. The Ear is the Tunnel through which the liquor, or new wine is poured, the Heart is the new Bottle that receives and keeps. Offer your ſelf pliantly and diligently to take in the words of wholſom doctrine at the brim of the Ear, and God will ſhake them down lower and lower, till they come into the Heart. All things in this World beneath are under the conditions of vanity and corruption, and therefore the Eye hath nothing to ſee which is worth the ſeeing; but the Word of God is pure and undefiled, and therefore the Ear hath ſomewhat to hear which is worth the hearing. Our Saviour never provoked the Eye to circumſpection, with he that hath eys to ſee let him ſee, but he called upon the Ear for attention very often in the Goſpel, He that hath ears to hear let him hear. By extraordinary diſpenſation the Lord hath converted ſome by inward motion, before they were appeal'd to Gods ſervice by outward calling: and his Spirit ſpake to their inward Heart, before they heard the ſound of faith preacht to the outward Ear. For we know not how the Wiſemen of the Eaſt came to know, that the Star which went before them belong'd to him that was born King of the Jews, but by a Divine inſpiration, and ſo we muſt leave that ſtrange work to the ſecret power of God that call'd them, for we read no more of them after that one place, how they lived or died in the true Religion of the Son of God. God did ſuggeſt to old Simeon that the Babe which came into the Temple with his Mother was the Chriſt. John Baptiſt ſprang in his Mothers womb at the Salutation: In like manner Cornelius found favour before God by an inſtinct from above, which ſpake to his inward conſcience, before he was made a Scholar to hear the Church teach and inſtruct him: yet the love of him that called him to be an elect Saint ſtaid not there, but commended him for his Souls inſtruction to be Peters Diſciple; Send to Joppa for one Simon, whoſe ſurname is Peter, he ſhall tell thee what thou oughteſt to do. The ordinary means of ſalvation is to lend an ear to them who bring the glad tydings of peace, for faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, Rom. x. 17.
The very Heathen could ſay, that the moſt barbarous Nations would be civilized and brought to good nurture, if they would but hear Philoſophy taught among them, Nemo adeo ferus eſt qui non miteſcere poſſet, ſi modo culturae patientem accommodet aurem: but far better effects muſt needs follow, where Chriſtianity is publickly taught, and well obſerved in every mans private attention. There are three ſorts of them whoſe ear is ſhut, when the Lord knocketh at the door to have them open. Firſt, the Ignorant that doth not liſten when he calls; I fear there are too many ſo ungrounded in the firſt rudiments of Faith, ſo unacquainted with the Text of Holy Screpture, that they conceive as little of that which is taught, as if we preacht in an unknown Language, whoſe illiterate dulneſs makes plain Engliſh as unfruitful as Latin Popery. Theſe I may liken to Davids deſcription of Idols, They have ears and hear not, noſes but they ſmell not; they do not apprehend, nor ſmell the ſweet ſavour of life in the Word of life, therefore they ſet like Images in the Congregation, they have ears and hear not. Secondly, there is the wilful and perverſe, that will not hear what is taught, if it rub up his conſcience, and offend him; this is like Davids deaf adder, that ſtoppeth her ear, which will not hearken to the voice of charmers charming never ſo wiſely, Pſal. lviii. 5. ſuch were the Jews that could not endure to hear of the eternal glory of Chriſt, as ſoon as ever Stephen had ſaid, I ſee the heavens opened, and the Son of man ſtanding at the right hand of God, they cried with a loud voice, and ſtopped their ears, and ran upon him, Acts vii. 27. God did open heaven unto him, and they ſhut their ears againſt him. And well they deſerved, ſays Nyſſen, to be left to ſuch obdurateneſs, they deſerved not to receive ſuch heavenly harmony into their ears, as the ſinful Samaritans ſhut their Gates againſt our Saviour, for they deſerved not to entertain him. There is a third Auditor, whom I may call the diſtracted man, and cannot liſten when God calls; ſo many fancies and affairs buz in his brains when he comes into this ſacred Aſſembly, that he is preſens abſens, as little here as if he were quite away. When there is ſuch a noiſe within, we muſt needs loſe our Errand when we knock at the ear without. I called this the diſtracted Auditor, becauſe he is like that man in the Goſpel poſſeſſed with an unclean Spirit, that was both deaf and dumb; and he that is deaf to hear, I conclude he will be dumb to pray. Out of this it is eaſie to deduce, ignorance muſt learn to underſtand the truth, obſtinacy muſt take no offence at the truth: The buſie imagination muſt leave all cares and fancies at home, and come to Church to mind the truth, and then my Text will take place, and prevail upon you, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleaſed, hear him.
I am loath to find fault with them that will but ſeem to be diligent in theſe moſt negligent times. Yet that affectation which ſome have not only to ſpend, but even to waſte their time in hearing, calls to mind the difference which Iſocrates put between his two Scholars Ephorus, and Theopompus, the one by his good will would never take his Book in his hand, the other by his good will would never lay it out of his hand; the one (ſaid their Maſter) had need of a Spur, and the other of a Bridle. Let me not be interpreted as if in this place, in the ſight of God, I durſt blame them that love to hear, for bleſſed are they that hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſs; but where Religion is well planted, and we rather want obedience than knowledge, I would not have well-meaning people make Preaching an every days Tale (for too much familiarity breeds contempt) but, excepting ſome ſpecial occaſions, to make it Sundays Religion. A ſtomach over-charged is more prone to crudities than good digeſtion. A ſeaſonable rain enricheth the Earth with ſtore, but when ſhowers come too faſt one after another, the fruits of the field are ſpoyled with muſt and rottenneſs. And I would have this long-ear'd Age conſider, that ſix days practice in the Week are few enough to make uſe of one days inſtruction. The Horſe-leech ſucks full, and then drops off, and is good for nothing, take heed of that. Eſpecially take heed you be not puffed up in your mind, that the number of Sermons which you hear ſhall be imputed to you for righteouſneſs: For as the Superſtitious count their Prayers upon their Beads, ſo ſome count their Religion by the multitude of godly exerciſes. As the woman with the bloudy iſſue ſaid within her ſelf, If I can but touch the hem of his garment I ſhall be healed: So ſome ſeduced weak ones, If we do but hear, and hear often we ſhall be ſaved. You deceive your ſelves, for ſtill I inculcate, it is not audire, but obaudire, not the bare hearing, but the fruit which comes by hearing that is acceptable to him who gives the reward. This ſame ſimplex auditus, to afford God the bare courteſie to hear him, Turks and Pagans may do that, and yet never believe. To go further, this ſame ſimplex credulitas, to hear all, and to truſt God ſo far, that all which he ſays is true, ſinners and reprobates may do that, and yet never amend. But they that are obedient and dutiful take the charge right, who are not only hearers, but doers of the Word of God. This is that hearing which our Saviour puts into one verſe both in the right and the wrong uſe, Jo. viii. 47. He that is of God heareth Gods words; ye therefore hear them not, becauſe ye are not of God.
And as hearing is no vertue unleſs we obey, ſo obedience and hearing are not matcht right together unleſs we intend them, and apply them unto Chriſt, the voice from heaven ſaid, Hear him. When God the Father had ſpoken from above, This is my beloved Son, and when he had ſaid it twice for the ſtronger confirmation, once at the ſolemnity of Baptiſm, another time at this miracle of the Transfiguration, who would have thought any more needed to be added? It is much that we ſhould put him to it to ſay this moreover, Hear him. What ſtrange men are we that we ſhould be taught to hear him, when we know he is the Son of God, in whom alone the Father is well pleaſed? But the begining of this Point ſhall be to ſhew, that this adminiſters Conſolation, and removs away ſome ſadneſs which might have grown upon the Diſciples. Moſes and Elias did appear upon Mount Thabor before they were look'd for, and were gone in a trice before their departure could be ſuſpected, like Cato that came into the Theater at one door, and went out at another; Ideo tantum intrarunt ut exirent. Surely the Diſciples thought if theſe would have ſtaid they could have hung at their lips, and heard the myſteries of the Kingdom of heaven from their mouth. No, ſays the voice, let them go, here is one that is the chief Maſter in Iſrael, far above Moſes and Elias, hear him. Moſes will ſtand dumb while he ſpeaks, and this is Moſes his own Doctrine concerning Chriſt, A Prophet will the Lord your God raiſe up unto you like unto me, hear him, Deut. xviii. Moſes confeſſeth of himſelf, O Lord I am not eloquent, I am ſlow of ſpeech, and of a ſlow tongue, therefore hear not him, Exod. iv. 10. Elias is rigid and ſevere, and will call down fire from heaven, hear not him. Peter knew not what he ſaid in this very ſtory. David ſaid it in his haſte, but it is very true upon deliberation all men are liars. Lying is not all that is naught in the mouth of man, filthineſs and blaſphemies iſſue from ſome uncircumciſed lips, no ways fit to be heard, as Eliakim, the ſervant of Hezekiah, 2 Kings 18.26.beſought that odious tongued Rabſhekah to ſpeak in ſuch a language as few or none might underſtand him. The talk of him that ſweareth much maketh the hair ſtand upright: and their brawls make one ſtop his ears, Ecclus. xxvii. 14. In a word, men may bewitch us with their fair words not to obey the truth, but we are ſure how all that Chriſt ſpeaketh is juſt and righteous, therefore let men vaniſh away, the truth of the Lord abideth for ever, hear him. Again, the Diſciples might be confuſed, not only for the departure of Moſes and Elias, but becauſe the form and faſhion of Chriſt did return to his wonted humility, the faſhion of his countenance did no more look like the Sun, neither was his rayment white and gliſtering; what amends can be made for this loſs? But that God declares, our happineſs conſiſts not in ſeeing, but in hearing. His Perſon muſt aſcend unto the Father, and his glory dwell there, but his Word abideth for ever; if we keep his ſayings we are Chriſts. and Chriſt is one with us, hear him.
Be it the abrogation of Moſes Law, be it the contempt of the world, the denying of our ſelves, the ſufferance of the Croſs, the loſing of our life, all is one; his rougheſt Precepts are to be obeyed, hear him indefinitely, without reſtriction or exception. As the Bleſſed Virgin his Mother ſaid unto the Servants at Cana in Galilee, Whatſoever he ſaith unto you do it, Joh. ii. 5. Be the Commandment great or ſmall it claims obedience, whoſoever breaketh one of the leaſt Commandments, and doth not repent him, ſhall be counted the leaſt in the Kingdom of heaven. Some man, I know, hath framed this cavillation already in his own heart, if Jeſus Chriſt were now upon the earth, as ſometimes he was in the Land of Jury, who would not travel over Sea and Land to hear him? This Precept ſhould be kept with all alacrity. Indeed the words which dropt from his own lips were moſt winning and pathetical Therefore this voice might juſtly challenge the Jews to give him fair audience, and hear him ſpeak, and they could not refuſe him. If Tertullian preſumed in his Apologetick to the Emperor, that the Chriſtian cauſe in his days had never been cried down if it might have been heard ſpeak in the trial of judgment, much more muſt it hold in the perſon of Chriſt himſelf. Nolentes audire quod auditum damnare non poſſunt; The Judges would not hear our Plea, ſays Tertullian, for had they heard us with patience they knew they could not caſt us, ſo the gracious words which fell from our Saviour made thoſe Officers relent at leaſt, if not repent, that were ſent to betray him. Never man ſpake like this man, Joh. vii. 46. They brake out into that paſſion before the Phariſees. They had heard but little from Chriſt, ſays St. Chyſoſtome, yet enough to turn their hearts from that purpoſe which they were ſent to execute. Cum mens fuerit incorrupta non longis ſermonibus opus eſt. Few words will prevail where the mind brings no corrupt paſſions to hold off the truth. This is to ſhew that the Oracles which the Son of God ſpake from his own mouth were moſt moving and gracious, that tongue was able to charm the very Devils to obey him. Why, Beloved, we do hear him ſpeak continually in the Church, as verily as if he were now among us, and preach'd daily, as ſometimes he did in the Temple at Jeruſalem. So St. Paul commends the Theſſalonians that his Doctrine took with them, as if they had heard Chriſt himſelf, Ye received it not as the word of man, but, as it is in truth, 1 Theſ. 2.13.the Word of God. For whatſoever we believe, if you ask after the formal cauſe of faith, the anſwer is, neither becauſe the Apoſtles writ it, or the Church delivered it, or ſuch, to whom God hath commited the diſpenſation of the Word, do preach it, but becauſe God reveals it, the formal cauſe of all faith is divine revelation, therefore hear Chriſt ſpeaking among you to this day, not by the inſtrument of his own tongue, but by the revelation of his Spirit. I ſay, the formal cauſe of faith is divine revelation, but the Church is the mouth that utters it. And therefore becauſe the Church is the Pipe which conveys thoſe ſacred myſteries which Chriſt reveals, our Lords own ſentence was, If he will not hear the Church let him be unto thee as an Ethnick. Mat. 23.2.The meaning is, while the Church directs you in a right line. The Scribes and Phariſees ſit in Moſes Chair, all therefore whatſoever they bid you obſerve, obſerve and do. You hear what awful ſubmiſſion is due to them who are ſent from God to teach you. Perhaps you will demur upon thoſe words of our Saviour. For in that ſame Chap. Mat. xxiii. 16. Chriſt calls the Phariſees blind guides, reproves their interpretation of Scripture for ſaying, If a man ſwore by the Temple it was nothing, if he ſwore by the Gold of the Temple he was a debtor. Generally he gave his Apoſtles a caveat, Beware of the leaven of the Phariſees, not meaning their Bread, but their falſe Traditions. But take our Saviours exhortation in a right conſtruction, and thus it is, all that the Scribes and Phariſees recite out of Moſes and the Law, obſerve and do. They are the mouth of God by their place and calling. When they ſpeak the truth, all is one whether you hear them, or Chriſt, or God ſpeak from heaven, it is the ſame Goſpel, and all have but one intendment.Mat. 10.40. He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that heareth me heareth him that ſent me; you know who ſpake it. This voice did not purpoſe the preſent Age ſhould hear Chriſt only, but that the future Ages ſhould hear his Prieſts, when they ſpeak like Shepherds, and not like Wolves. That is the juſt Latitude of this Precept, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleaſed, hear him.
The firſt part of the Text would require much more to be ſpoken, but here muſt be the end of that, becauſe much more remains behind: Therefore in the ſecond Point, that the Church might the better admit Chriſts ſole Authority, to hear him, and no other; all other perſons of excellency vaniſht, and he was left alone. The Diſciples lookt up, ſays St. Matthew; and lookt about, ſays St. Mark, and when the voice was paſt Jeſus was found alone. Whether they that come back from the dead depart from us again, as did Moſes and Elias in this place, or whether our living Friends, whom we tender dearly, go from hence for ever unto the dead, let this comfort remain with you, that the beſt Friend of all ſticks by you, Chriſt is with you, and ſtays behind. And much better it is to find him alone than all the world beſide without him. Ʋnus Ieſus ſatis ſuperque nobis eſt. So I think Gregory, It is an happy ſolitarineſs to be forſaken of all other, and to be left with him alone. St. Auſtin, enumerating the ſeveral Temples which the Romans built to their Deities, reckons up one for Vertue, another for Felicity, another for Fortune. Says the Father, If the Heathen had been wiſe men, at leaſt they would have ſpared the Temple of Fortune, and made no uſe of that, Quid ei ſufficit cui virtus felicitaſque non ſufficit? He that hath vertue and felicity hath enough, or he will never be contented: So he that can keep our Saviour hath the fulneſs of joy abiding with him, and he cannot chooſe but be ſatisfied. What ſmall hearts-eaſe had the Bleſſed Virgin to find all her Kindred at home and to miſs him? And if his Room be empty, the houſe is in a pitiful caſe, though it be furniſh'd with all manner of ſtore beſide. When the whole World was loſt in the Deluge of waters, one Ark was unto Noah inſtead of all the world beſide to ſave him; ſo when all things flit away, and conſume by little, my Father and Mother forſake me, our friends, our means, our ſtrength, our health, our life, Tu autem Domine non dereliquiſti; one Redeemer is all, and more than all. As when the leaves drop off from the Tree, yet the Sun continues to comfort it, and make it ſpring again; ſo the reliefs and pleaſures of this Age ſhall wax old with time, and be ſhaken off as the leaves before the wind; but nothing ſhall ſeparate us from the love of God, and nothing ſhall ſeparate God from the love of us.
And as Chriſt is enough for all, ſo this one reaſon is ſuficient why the Diſciples found him alone; yet I have another to ſpare, which is this: Poſtquam legis & Prophetarum umbra deceſſit, omnia in Evangelio reperiuntur; When the Shadows and Types of the Law and Prophets are diſperſed away, the Goſpel abides for ever, and is the true repertory of all things that belong to ſalvation. The Law of Moſes is a killing Letter, no fleſh living ſhall be juſtified by the works of the Law. The Spirit of Elias breaths nothing but fire, and perdition to them that ſin againſt the Lord. O God, what will become of us, miſerable offendors, if we meet with ſuch as theſe? O remove theſe away, and let us find Jeſus alone, who came into the world to ſeek and to ſave that which is loſt. A poor Priſoner muſt needs ſuſpect that he ſhould have a bloudy trial, when ſuch angry Judges came from heaven as Moſes and Elias; let them riſe off from the Bench and depart, and leave our cauſe to be heard before a Saviour ſo full of pity, who is all bowels, all compaſſion, An potior judex? Pueriſve quis aptior orbis? He will not recompence us according to our miſdeeds, but deliver us from the Tormentor. The poor woman taken in Adultery had a ſweet taſte of this Doctrine. Chriſt caſt a ſcruple of conſcience before her bitter Accuſers, which made them ſlip away one after another, then the day began to go on the poor ſinners ſide, When Jeſus was left alone, and the woman ſtanding in the midſt, Joh. viii. 9.
Beſide, I have repeated it to you very often, that the Transfiguration was an Idea or Model of the Reſurrection; and therefore Chriſt was left alone, to let you ſee the condition of that period of time, when all things ſhall paſs away at the end of the world, Ʋt Deus maneat omnia in omnibus, when Chriſt ſhall be our portion alone, and the glory of every thing in earth ſhall vaniſh, and come to nothing. And he alone is an hundred fold thoſe all things elſe which we enjoy'd in this life, according to the reckoning of the Goſpel; and yet that is but a modeſt compariſon, a finite proportion for an infinite. In this courſe of life, which now we lead, every man acts his part in the mutual Communion of Saints and we have all need one of another. For as the members depend upon the head, ſo every member doth want his fellow member to ſupport him; the hand cannot ſay it hath no need of the foot, nor can the eye ſay it hath no uſe of the ear; we muſt have the help of Moſes and Elias, and all thoſe bright ſhining ſtars that have gone before: And the Ages to come ſhall acknowledge that they were the better for the help of thoſe good men which theſe times produce: But after the final conſummation of all things we ſhall no more be put to theſe ſhifts to require the aſſiſtance one of another; though there were no Moſes, no Elias, no Peter, no James and John, yet every one ſhall be perfect in Chriſt, and ſhall be filled with the fulneſs of him that filleth all in all. St. Hierom, in a certain Epiſtle to Amandus, takes upon him to interpret the words of St. Paul, 1 Cor. xv. 28. on this wiſe. All things ſhall be ſubject unto him, that God may be all in all. Says he, our Lord and Saviour is not now all in all; but, according to the ſeveral diſtributions of his gifts, a part only in every ſeveral man. For example, Wiſdom in Solomon, Zeal in David, Patience in Job, Interpretation of dreams in Daniel, Power of Miracles in Paul, Faith in Peter, Virginity in John, In caeteris caetera, but when the end of all things ſhall come, then he ſhall be all in all, Ʋt ſinguli ſanctorum omnes vertutes habeant, ut ſit Chriſtus totus in cunctis; That every Saint may be filled with all vertue, and the fulneſs of Chriſt may be in all alike. And ſo far on the ſecond part, that Jeſus was found alone.
This is the Argument of the third part of the Text, that when God from heaven had commanded the Diſciples to hear his Son, and left him alone to be heard inſtead of the Law and the Prophets Chriſt put this authority in execution, for as they came down from the Mountain he charged them they ſhould tell no man the things they had ſeen till the Son of man were riſen from the dead. The uſual ſtile of our Saviour to his Apoſtles was Ite, praedicate, Go and teach all Nations: What you hear in ſecret go and preach on the houſe top. What I tell you in darkneſs that ſpeak ye in light, Mat. x. 27. At this miracle quite contrary, what is here revealed? He is marvelous light that you muſt conceal in darkneſs. Firſt, Let us make uſe of it in theſi to illuſtrate that ſaying of Solomons, Eccl. iii. 7. There is a time to keep ſilence, and a time to ſpeak. There is a ripe ſeaſon for every thing, and if you ſlip that, or anticipate it, you dim the grace of the matter be it never ſo good, as we ſay by way of Proverb, That an haſty birth brings forth blind whelps; ſo a good Tale, tumbled out before the time is ripe for it, is ungrateful to the hearer. Where controverſies about ſome difficile Points of Divinity have rather begot rage in the minds of men than obedience and devotion, it hath been the religious care of godly Magiſtrates in all Ages to interdict thoſe diſputes on all ſides that peace might enſue, and diſſentions by little and little be forgotten. When there hath been cauſe to make uſe of this policy in our own Church, would you think that ſome would exclaim againſt it under this colour, that it is a tyranny, if truth have not liberty to publiſh it ſelf at all times in ſeaſon, and out of ſeaſon? And yet ſuch late Writers, (whoſe judgments, if I ſhould name them, few, I think, would refuſe) ſubſcribe to this Maxim, Intempeſtiva confeſſio veritatis plus nocet quàm adificat; A confeſſion of truth out of time and ſeaſon doth rather hurt than edifie.
I will draw home to the inſtance of my Text anon to prove this, when I have laid a ſtronger foundation out of another Text, Matth. xvi. 20. Then charged he his Diſciples that they ſhould tell no man that he was Jeſus the Chriſt. This was a temporary Precept, like that about the Transfiguration, to conceal it till after the reſurrection. Why, the confeſſion which Peter made for all his fellow Diſciples was very right, that's undeniable; to know that he was the Meſſias the Saviour of the World was neceſſary to ſalvation, that's indubitable: what was in it then, that this ſhould be kept cloſe, and not be divulged to every creature? the reaſon follows, becauſe he muſt go to Jeruſalem, and ſuffer many things of the Elders and High Prieſts, and be killed, and riſe again the third day. I prove it that this was the reaſon, Luke ix. 21. even in this very Chapter, he ſtraitly charged and commanded them to tell no man that he was the Chriſt of God, ſaying, the Son of man muſt ſuffer many things, and be rejected, and ſlain, and riſe again the third day. yet I muſt drive on a queſtion further; Why ſhould this Article of faith be ſuppreſt that he was Jeſus Chriſt becauſe of his enſuing Paſſion? Why, 1. you know many were ſcandalized to ſee him crucified, who had been perſwaded that he was the Son of God; if he be the Son of God let him come down from the Croſs: Noluit ergo Chriſtus quod ſe moriente paucis accidit omnibus accideret, ſays St. Hierom: therefore by concealing that doctrine Chriſt prevented that all ſhould not fall from the faith through infirmity, as ſome had done: Before his glorification had made amends for the great humility of his Paſſion, he knew it would rather loſe him Diſciples than gain him any, to advance this Doctrine openly, that he was the Eternal Son of God. 2. Our Lord and Saviour did ever foreſee and provide, that he would commit nothing which might hinder his death and paſſion, that his willingneſs to die for our ſakes might appear the greater: No doubt he could have manifeſted himſelf, his Divinity, his Innocency ſo openly, that Pilat would have forborn to condemn him, and the Jews to crucifie him: But wo is us then, where had been the ranſom to redeem us from eternal damnation: Therefore this myſterie was ſo attemper'd, that ſome raies of his Divinity did appear ſufficient to convert his Enemies if they would have learnt, and therefore they are inexcuſable; but with that qualification and diminution, that peſtilent men were left in unbelief, and did not aſſent that he was the beloved Son in whom the Father was well pleaſed. For had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of life, 1 Cor. ii. 8.
Thus I have ſifted this Interdict of our Saviour, that he bad his Diſciples ſuppreſs that he was Jeſus the Chriſt for a time, that the light might break out more clearly after his Aſcenſion, when the clouds of his Humility and Paſſion were removed away. I ſhall leave an Objection behind my back if I take not away one ſcruple: what here Chriſt forbids, Mat. x. 7. he commands, for he ſent his Apoſtles abroad, and when ye go, preach ſaying the Kingdom of God is at hand: and what's that but the Kingdom of the Son of God? Hieron. in cap. Mat. 16.St. Hierom takes it away thus, it ſeems to me not to be altogether the ſame thing, to preach Chriſt, and to preach Jeſus Chriſt, Chriſtus commune dignitatis eſt nomen, Jeſus proprium nomen eſt Salvatoris; as who ſhould ſay, Jeſus our Saviour is the name of God, Chriſt is his name of dignity, as he is the great Prophet, and the Meſſias of the World: Therefore he ſent his Diſciples to preach the Kingdom of Grace which Chriſt had brought into the World, but not evidently till after his Glorification, that he was the Son of God coeternal with the Father; therefore I have ſufficiently ventilated this Cauſe, how Truth is the rich Treaſury which God hath given us, it is not neceſſary to lay out all the ſtock, at all times and occaſions, but as judgment and diſcretion will light the candle, to let us ſee how much is fit to be brought forth to gain our Brother, and to glorifie God. Eſt & fideli tuta ſilentio merces; ſilence doth advantage more oftentimes for peace ſake than free utterance. Demoſthenes and the other Orator Aeſchines fell to boaſting among themſelves, which of them had taken moſt at one time for a ſee to plead a Cauſe. Aeſchines named a great ſum, and too much perhaps for an honeſt man to take at once from a Client; but Demoſthenes ſlighted it, and replied, he had received twice as much at one time to hold his peace. But from this variance of theſe large-bribed Orators, I will give you this application; When a diſcord is unfortunately raiſed between party and party, among the Members of the ſame Church, ſo that the factions grow ſtiff and rigid on both ſides, the beſt way is to command ſilence to all, that the fire of ſtrife and emulation may go out for want of combuſtible matter, and in this caſe not he that violates the peace by ſtickling much, but he that obeys and holds his peace, deſerves the greater reward. This power our Saviour exerciſed over his Apoſtles, to tie their tongues for a time, that they ſhould not publiſh the glory of his Transfiguration till men were fit to receive it.
He charged them they ſhould tell no man of the things which they had ſeen. I would but ſo much humility might be marked from hence, as would repreſs inſolence and vain boaſting: Chriſt laid his command upon this matter rather than upon any other, and impoſed ſilence upon all the three Witneſſes, that they ſhould not blab the Viſion of his Excellency abroad. How much unlike is this to them who had rather loſe an ounce of their blood, nay the ſweet odour of virtue, than an hour of fame and popularity: And ſo much good as is done, and not openly known and divulged, is ſoon repented. Where ſhall we find ſuch a modeſt temper as that of St. Paul, ſo much admired by Theophylact? after fourteen years he tells the Corinthians of the Revelation which God granted him, and of his Rapture into Paradiſe, and in all that ſpace he did never impart that celeſtial honour which was done him either to friend or ſtranger; and then he was aſhamed that he was put to it, ſays he, I am become a fool in glorying, ye have compelled me: 2 Cor. xii. 11.but what fools are they then that will make ſuch proud boaſting without compulſion? Joſpeph being but a child, he did as a child, and having the inſpiration of two ſeveral Dreams, he could not hold, but made all his Brethren acquainted with them, to his own affliction; He dreamt a dream, and told it to his brethren, and they hated him the more. Therefore in his riper years, though God had given him the ſpirit of Propheſy, he would not divulge himſelf that he had the interpretation of Dreams. He bad Pharaoh's Butler remember him when he was in place. And according to the old Saw, qui bene latuit, bene vixit, he conteined himſelf from manifeſting the Gift of God which was in him, till the Butler could not chooſe but call him to mind to put Pharaoh's heart in peace. Elizabeth hid her ſelf five months after the Lord had made her conceive a Child miraculouſly to the aſtoniſhment of all the World, that great Prophet John the Baptiſt. The Bleſſed Virgin was ſaluted by an Angel from Heaven, conceived by the Holy Ghoſt, viſited by the Wiſemen from the Eaſt, ſhe encountred every day many ſtrange celeſtial Tokens, and yet made no noiſe of theſe things to the World, but kept all theſe ſayings in her heart, Luke ii. 51. The mighty power of God will ſhine and ſhew it ſelf at laſt, be not ambitious to have it diſplayed for your own oſtentation. Chriſt refrained to have the Viſion of the Transfiguration preſently notified. He charged them, &c.
Generally the Fathers conſider the Apoſtles but as Novices in ſacred matters, who were yet but in training up, and as deficient in thoſe abilities which were requiſite to handle ſuch a myſterie. Sacred things, ſaies the Greek Proverb muſt not be toucht foreign, with unwaſhen hands. This made the ancient Fathers of the Church as fearful to come into a Pulpit, as our raw Scholars now adays are forward. You need not charge theſe haſty Predicants, as our Saviour did his Diſciples, not to ſpeak of that for a certain time which they know, I would they could be admoniſhed not to be ſo bold to ſpeak of that which they know not. I am not certain for the greater part of ſuch that they have seal; but I will bear them record with St. Paul, it is not according to knowledg. But will you know the ſpring head from whence this abuſe ariſeth: How can they preach unleſs they be ſent? And why was Authority ſo overſeen to ſend them? licentiâ ſumus omnes deteriores, it is the licence which enables for thoſe things wherein they have no ability. Yet again another Text of St. Paul rubs my memory, multa licent quae non expediunt, there are too many ſuch licences granted which are not expedient. If men would let knowledg ripen in them before they ſpeak, and not blurt out any thing with extemporary barbariſm, the Word of God preached would not come ſo much in contempt; for a Parable is an undecent thing in the mouth of a fool, Prov. xxvi. 9. Our Saviour deſtined a large ſpace of time to have the cogitation of his great Works mellow in the thoughts of Peter, James, and John, before they teſtified them to the World; which is another reaſon why they muſt not ſpeak of that which they had ſeen, till the Son of man was riſen from the dead.
Another reaſon ſhall ſtand in the laſt place of this point; it is fit that they, and none but they ſhould preach of Chriſts Glory, who are affrighted with nothing. The Apoſtles were very timerous, and would deſert a good Cauſe, if they were ſtrongly oppoſed: you know the infirmity of Peter that could not anſwer the challenge of a ſilly Damoſel, but denied his Maſter. This was in diebus illis, when the Holy Ghoſt had not yet come down upon him in the ſhape of a fire: afterward he durſt ſpeak the truth, though he had been in the midſt of fire: nay he could not repreſs the Goſpel, his will was overcom, and could not revolt, if the literal ſenſe of the Text be right, as ſure it is, We cannot but ſpeak the things which we have ſeen and heard, Act. iv. 20. Grace was as it were turned into nature in them now, as in the Angels confirmed in grace, ſays the ordinary Gloſs. Vino coeleſti ebrit ſe continere non poterant, ſays Lyra: the Scoffers of Jeruſalem ſaid they were full of new wine; it was indeed by a figure a celeſtial wine, with which their ſpirit was inebriated; and as a drunken mans tongue will not ly quiet, ſo in this reſemblance they were ſuch that could not but ſpeak the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt: they were theſe times of courage which Chriſt had deſtin'd, that in them his Transfiguration ſhould be revealed openly. Moſes found not conſtancy in himſelf, and therefore would have balked Gods Meſſage, ſays he, Who am I that I ſhould go unto Pharaoh? So the eleven Diſciples were ſo fearful after out Saviours death, that they ſhut the doors upon themſelves, where they were aſſembled, for fear of the Jews: and after the Reſurrection we read that Chriſt did many times erect their courage, which was dejected, with theſe words, Be not afraid: and therefore he ſaid unto them, Tarry ye in the City of Jeruſalem, until ye be indued with power from on high, Luke xxiv. 49. When that power had poſſeſſed them with ſpirit and reſolution, they had leave to unfold this myſterie, and not before, he charged them ſaying, Tell the Viſion to no man, till the Son of man be riſen from the dead.
In the fourth general member of the Text, as they were enjoyn'd, ſo my Text ſays they kept ſecrecy, they told no man in thoſe days any of thoſe things which they had ſeen. When I firſt entred upon this part of the Goſpel, I told you that the Latin Churches keep an annual Feaſt in memory of the Transfiguration upon the ſixth day of Auguſt, for this reaſon; the Transfiguration it ſelf fell out in the beginning of the Spring, a few weeks before our Saviours Paſſion. The three Diſciples which ſaw it being admoniſhed to be private in that which they had ſeen, till more convenient time, confeſſed it not in five moneths following unto their fellow Diſciples, and then made a ſolemn publication of it upon the ſixth of Auguſt; which day thereupon had ſome ſacred honour done it. Obedience is a virture of great neceſſity even in the ſmalleſt things; and they that are ſubject to obey, muſt not examin with what little prejudice a ſmall command may be broke, but rather conſider with what great eaſe it may be kept. Things forbidden, ſays the School, are of two ſorts, Quaedam prohibentur quia mala, quaedam ſunt mala quia prohibentur; ſome things are abſolutly evil in themſelves, and therefore are prohibited, as Murder and Adultery; ſome things are prohibited by juſt authority, and therereupon reſpectively become evil, as the eating of the forbidden fruit in Paradiſe; if God had not expreſly prohibited that Tree to man, it had been no ſin to taſte of it: So our Saviour made that ſinful by his command, which otherwiſe had been harmleſs to be ſpoken of, if he had not encharged his Diſciples to obſequiouſneſs; and they performed that ſecrecy which they undertook, not envying their Brethren the relation of the things which they had ſeen, but obſerving that time of reſtraint which their Maſter had prefixed: And thus they reap praiſe even out of their infirmity, that although they were unfit to ſpeak of ſuch tranſcendent miracles as yet, yet they knew their duty to hold their peace.
Dearly Beloved, the wonderful works of our Lord were never brought to paſs to be hid like a Candle under a Buſhel, and to remain alwayes undiſcover'd; no it was Pauls defence before Felix and Agrippa, that every thing which belonged to Chriſt was advanced to the open view; Theſe things, ſayes he, were not done in a corner. The Heathen had their ſacra Cereris Eleuſinia non divulganda, the Ceremonies and Rituals of Ceres never to be divulged; the more ſhame for thoſe Idolaters to have ſuch filthy abominations in their Temples, which they durſt not publiſh. Chriſt did only ſequeſter his ſecrets for the moſt apt times of manifeſtation: Dies dici eructat verbum, one day certifieth another. Time is the moſt prudent Maſter in the world. In thoſe days appointed for ſilence Peter, and John, and James did ſhut up the ſecret committed unto them, but only in thoſe times, and now it is left to be preached to all Nations, as to you at this time, ever ſince the Reſurrection of the Son of God. The Catechumeni in the Primitive Church, that is the novice Chriſtians inſtructed in the Rudiments of Faith, and not yet baptized, were not permitted to be preſent in the Church at the celebration of the Lords Supper; ſuch as are baptized have admittance to partake of all Myſteries, when they can examine themſelves, becauſe they are baptized into the Faith of his Reſurrection: And yet there is a Veil drawn before our eyes till the times of great accompliſhment, I mean the Reſurrection of the body; then we ſhall be filled with the glory of the Lord, which ſhall enlighten us to behold all things that conduce to our eternal happineſs. AMEN.
FOUR SERMONS UPON THE PASSION OF OUR SAVIOUR.