Sermon XXVIII.
[LXXVIII. Ben.]
On the words of the Gospel, Matt. xvii. 1, “After six days Jesus taketh with Him Peter,
and James, and John his brother,” etc.
1. We must now look into and treat of that vision which the Lord showed on the mount.
For it is this of which He had said, “Verily I say unto you, there be some standing here which
shall not taste of death till they see the Son of Man in His Kingdom.”2643 Then began the
passage which has just been read. “When He had said this, after six days He took three dis-
ciples, Peter, and James, and John, and went up into a mountain.”2644 These three were
those “some,” of whom He had said, “There be some here which shall not taste of death, till
they see the Son of Man in His kingdom.” There is no small difficulty here. For that mount
was not the whole extent of His kingdom.2645 What is a mountain to Him who possesseth
the heavens? Which we not only read He doth, but in some sort see it with the eyes of the
heart. He calleth that His kingdom, which in many places He calleth the “kingdom of
heaven.” Now the kingdom of heaven is the kingdom of the saints. “For the heavens declare
the glory of God.”2646 And of these heavens it is immediately said in the Psalm, “There is
no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their sound is gone out through all
the earth, and their words unto the end of the world.”2647 Whose words, but of the heavens?
And of the Apostles, and all faithful preachers of the word of God. These heavens therefore
shall reign together with Him who made the heavens. Now consider what was done, that
this might be made manifest.
2. The Lord Jesus Himself shone bright as the sun; His raiment became white as the
snow; and Moses and Elias talked with Him.2648 Jesus Himself indeed shone as the sun,
signifying that “He is the light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.”2649
What this sun is to the eyes of the flesh, that is He to the eyes of the heart; and what that is
to the flesh of men, that is He to their hearts. Now His raiment is His Church. For if the
raiment be not held together by him who puts it on, it will fall off. Of this raiment, Paul was
as it were a sort of last border. For he says himself, “I am the least of the Apostles.”2650 And
in another place, “I am the last of the Apostles.” Now in a garment the border is the last and
2643 Matt. xvi. 28.
2644 Matt. xvii. 1; Luke ix. 28.
2645 Reguum comprehensum.
2646 Ps. xix. 1.
2647 Ps. xix. 3, 4.
2648 Matt. xvii. 2, 3.
2649 John i. 9.
2650 1 Cor. xv. 9.
On the words of the Gospel, Matt. xvii. 1, ‘After six days Jesus taketh with Him Peter, and James, and John his brother,’ etc.
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On the words of the Gospel, Matt. xvii. 1, ‘After six days Jesus taketh…