Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

of them in a perfonal Character and Capacity; fince they reprefent them, as talking with Chrift, and speaking of his Deceafe, which he was to accomplish at Jerufalem; fince, they tell us, that, when they were come out of the Ecftacy, into which this Vision had caft them, they faw two Men ftanding with him; it is much more probable to think, that Mofes and Elias were really there, and that God had, fome where or other, from the time of their Departure out of this World, preferved both their Bodies to this End. The Scriptures, indeed, are exprefs as to Elias, that he was tranflated into Heaven, by the Ministry of Angels, resembling "a Chariot of Fire, and Horfes of Fire; and it is a pretty generalOpinion, both among Jewish and Chriftian Authors, taken (as is fuppofed) from fome apocryphal Book, that Mofes did not die, but was tranflated into Heaven, or fome terrestrial Paradife, in the fame Manner as were Enoch and Elias. There is a Paffage in St. Jude, where Michael the Archangel is faid to contend with the Devil, and difpute about the Body of Mofes, which (if taken in a literal Senfe) will greatly e favour

W

u

"2 Kings ii. 11. Vid. Differt. de Calmet fur la Mont il la Sepulture de Moyfe, vol. 3. * Jud. v. 9.

1

And what

on.

y

favour this Oqinion: For, if we can but fuppofe, that, the Contest between this good and evil Angel, concerning Mofes's Body, related not to its Burial (as fome will have it) but its Affumption into Heaven, or fome other Place of Happiness, which the Devil might oppose, and urge the Obligation of his dying the common Death of all Men, for this Reason more especially, because he had once taken away the Life of an Egyptian: If we can but fuppofe, I fay, that the Contest arose upon this Subject, then may we eafily conceive, both how Mofes might fubfift in a separate State, from the Time of his Affumption, and how he, together with Elias, might be dispatched from thence, upon this Occa fion, to fet off the Luftre of our Lord's Transfiguration, by their appearing, at the fame time, in their refplendent Robes of Glory.

And, indeed, if this was the purpose Subjects of their Errand, what Subject can we they difcourfed fuppofe fo proper, and fo well becoming the Converfation of three fuch illuftrious Perfons, as the Redemption of Mankind by the Death and Paffion of the Son of God. What these two ancient Prophets had in their Times, imperfectly revealed; nay, what the Angels of Heaven

Vid. Whitby in Locum

defire

b

[ocr errors]

defire at all times to look into, viz. the Harmony of the divine Attributes, in this ftupendous Work, the depth of the Riches, both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God, and a the breadth and length, and depth, and height of the Love of Chrift, which paffeth Knowledge; Myfleries, which have been hid from Ages, and from Generations, but are now made manifeft to the Saints: thefe were the fublime Subjects (for all these are implied in their Speaking of Chrift's Deceafe) of their Conversation at this Interview; and, in Comparison of these, how jejune and worthless are all the wife Sayings of Philofophers, or Compofitions of humane Wit? With good Reafon, therefore might the great Apoftle of the Gentiles, (who himself was no mean Proficient in what the World falfely calls Knowledge,) instead of the Excellency of Speech and Wisdom, determine to know nothing among his Corinthians but Jefus Chrift and him crucified: ford we preach Chrift crucified, fays he, unto the Jews a Stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks Foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Chrift the Power of God, and the Wisdom of God; for of God he is made unto us e 2

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

C

Wisdom,

Lukeix. 31.

Ver. 30.

The Sum of the

whole

'Wifdom, and Righteousness, and Sanctification, and Redemption,

And now, looking back upon what has been faid, viz. that the proper Ufe Aufwer. and Design of our Saviour's Transfiguration was, to fortify his Apoftles against what would fhortly come upon both their Mafter, and themselves; that, as to the place, where the Transfiguration. was wrought, fome Analogy might be had to what befel Mofes on Mount Sinai, but no Umbrage cou'd be given for any Sufpicion of the leaft Fraud or Imposture; that the Teftimony of three competent Witneffes were fufficient for the purpose, and fome Difturbance might poffibly have accrued to the State, if the whole Multitude had been admitted to the Sight of it; and laftly, that, at this Transfiguration, there is great Reafon to prefume, that Mofes and Elias were both present in their proper Perfons, and difcourfed with Chrift on the great Argument of Man's Redemption, by his Meritorious Death and Paffion; we have anfwer'd, I think, the Challenge that was made us, and given proper and fatisfactory Solutions to the feveral Difficulties and hard Queftions, concerning the Miracle of our Saviour's Transfiguration; and are therefore at Liberty now to proceed to that of his healing the Woman of her fue of Blood. SECT.

[ocr errors]

SECT. XIII.

Of his HEALING the Woman of her Iffue of Blood.

UT had his Power of healing The ObDiseases, been ever defign'd as jection. an Argument of his Divine Authority, "the Diseases, which he cur'd, and "the manner of his Operation there"in, would have been fo accurately "described by the Evangelifts, (which "we find they have not done) as "that we might have been fure that "the Work was Supernatural; where

as, in the Cafe now before us, "they have left us Ignorant, both as to "the Nature and Degree of this Wo"man's Diftemper. If however we

may be allow'd to conjecture by what "these imperfect Hiftorians have told

us, viz. That the Woman fubfifted "under her Malady for the fpace of "twelve Years, and was of Strength. "fufficient to bear the Prefs of the Peo"ple, when fhe applied to Jefus for "Cure; 'tis highly probable, that her "Diftemper was but fome flight Indif

Q3

pofition,

« AnteriorContinuar »