Leßon 131.

From that time JESUS began to fhew to his Difciples, that the Son of Man muft go to Jerufalem, and fuffer many things, and be rejected of the Elders, and of the Chief Priefts and Scribes, and bekill'd; and after three days rife again. And He fpake that word openly. Then Peter took Him, and began to rebuke Him, faying, Far be it from Thee, Lord, this thall not be to Thee. But He, turning about, and looking on his Difciples, rebuked Peter, faying, Get thee behind Me, Statan; thou art an offence to Me: for thou favoureft not the things that are of God, but those that are of Men. Then JESUS, calling the Multitude together with his Difciples, faid to them all, If any will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his Crofs daily, and follow me. For, he that will fave his life fhall lofe it, but he that will lofe his life, for my fake, and the Ghofpel's, shall find it. And, what will it profita Man, if he gain the whole World, and lose his Own Soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his Soul? For, he that fhall be afham'd of me and my words, in

this adulterous and finful generation, of him alfo fhall the Son of Man be a fham'd, when He fhall come in His own Majefty, and His his Fathers, and of the holy Angels. For, the Son of Man fhall come in the glory of His Father, with His Angels and then fhall He reward every one according to his works. Refp. Such, O my Soul, is thy value to me, and fuch my concern in ferving her O let my chief delight be to meditate th truth, and print it deeper every dayin my heart; ftill let me think, ftill let me Say, What will it profit me to gain the whole world, and lose my own Soul? When e're I fee any temptation appear, and begin its approach to Surprize my weakness when e're Ifeel my felf in dan ger to yield, and diminish or forfeit my eternal bope: then let me arm my felf with this invincible reafon, and repulle the Enemy with this unanswerable Queftion, What will it.

LeBon 132.

And JESUS, about eight days after these fayings, took Peter and John and James; and went up into a Mountain to pray: And, as he pray'd, the fafhon

of

of his countenance alter'd; and He was transfigur'd before them. His Face became bright as the Sun, aud his garments were made fhining, and exceeding white as Snow, fo as no Fuller on earth can white them. And behold,there appear'd to them two Men, who were Mofes and Elias: and they appear'd in glory, and difcours'd with JESUS; and fpake of his decease which He should accomplish at Jerufalem. But, Peter and they that were with Him, were heavy with fleep and awaking, they faw His glory, and the two Men that flood there and were fpeaking with JESUS. And it came to pafs, as they departed from Him, Peter faid to JESUS, Lord, it is good for us to be here, if Thou wilt let us make here three Tabernacles, one for Thee, and one for Mofes, and one for Elias: not knowing what he faid; for, they were frighted with fear. While He was yet fpeaking, behold a bright Cloud came and over-fhadowed them; and they fear'd as they enter'd into the Cloud: and there came a Voice out of the Cloud, faying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleafed, hear you Him

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the Disciples, hearing it, fell on their Faces, and were fore afraid. And, when the Voice was paft, JESUS was found alone. And He came and toucht them, and faid, Arise, be not afraid. And they, lifting up their Eyes, and looking fuddainly round about, faw none with thanave JESUS only.

Refp. My Soul, look round about, and fe hon dull our greatest braveries are, compar'd to this Glorious Beauty: Arift lift up thine eyes, and fee how weak ev'n This appears, compared to the Splen dors that shine above. Tis good for us to be there, and dwell with our FESUS and His Bleffed for ever. We know not what wefay, when we speak of the fe licities of Heav'n: yet, were we truly wife, that very ignorance mould increa our esteem; fince we know thofe joys are above our knowledge. *Tis good for Lesson 133.

And, as they came down from th Mountain, JESUS charg'd them, fay ing, Tell not this Vifion to any, till the Son of Man rife again from the dead And they kept that faying with them felves, and told no man in thofe days

any

any of the things they had feen: queftioning one with another what these words fhould mean, When he shall rife again from the dead. And his Difciples askt Him, faying, why them fay the Pharifees and Scribes that Elias muft first come? Who answered, Elias truly fhall come, and reftore all things; and how it is written of the Son of Man, that He muft fuffer many things, and be contemned. But, I fay to you, that Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done to him whatever they lifted; as it is written of him. So alfo fhall the Son of Man fuffer of them. Then the Diftiplos conder flow dog? it was fter Jakn Baptist of whom he had spoken to them. Reps Teach us, O Lord, the time of fpeaking, and the time to bold our peace: gevern our words to the improvement of one another; and cur filence to an opporinnity of thinking on Thee. Thou art our Mafter, and we will hear Thee; Thou art

Example, and we will follow Thee. So fhall our doubts be all refolv'd bythy Wif dom,and our dark Understandings clear'd by thy Light, and our fluggish lives quickned by thy Grace. Thou art

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Leffon