added that distinguished promise, "I say unto thee, thou art Peter," a rock indeed," and on this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

Thus it was evident that the minds of the twelve did not waver; and this emphatic promise to Peter was eminently adapted to encourage and confirm them. But there was more yet to be done. He had now at length, for the first time as it would seem, solemnly and formally recognized the title of Messiah, in the presence of his followers. They might think themselves at liberty immediately to act upon it, and proclaim him to the people. But this would be inconsistent with the designs of Providence. He therefore strictly forbade it. "He charged them straitly, that they should tell no man of him." He would not have them publish his titles and office until they rightly understood them; and he went on to explain to them that they did not rightly understand them. He told them that, instead of a triumphant, he was to be a suffering leader; instead of an army and a throne, the homage of the people and the dominion of the nations, he must go to Jerusalem, "and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be put to death, and rise again the third day."

They heard these words with dismay. How contrary to their expectations, how opposed to all

their notions of their Messiah's fortunes! Peter, with his usual ardor and boldness, loudly expressed his feelings. He expostulated with his Master, insisted that it must not, and should not, be as he had said. He not improbably went further, and attempted to persuade him to resist forcibly the oppression of which he had spoken. Jesus, whose meekness and gentleness formed a strong contrast to the vehemence of his disciple, was hurt at this violent outbreak of zeal, and saw the necessity of checking it at once; it might easily lead to most disastrous consequences. Therefore he turned and looked on his disciples," says Mark, that they might observe how positive and resolved he was, and loudly rebuked Peter as influenced by a worldly ambition and a regard to human honors, rather than by a religious regard to the will and purposes of God. Then turning to all his disciples, in the hearing of the people, he with great solemnity urged on them the duty of adhering to their profession at every risk, and through all hardships of selfdenial. If they would have the advantages and glories of his kingdom, they must be ready to relinquish their selfish hopes, to take up the cross, and even surrender their lives. They were pledged to a suffering and despised Master, they must not be ashamed of him, they must acknowledge him before man; otherwise, he would not acknowl

edge and honor them in the great day of his real glory. For, he assured them, he should come in the glory of his Father and of the angels, and bring to every one a reward according to his character and fidelity. Thus he encouraged them by the solemn and magnificent promise of a final triumph, notwithstanding what he had just taught them of his approaching sufferings and disgrace. And that this might the more forcibly impress them, he ended with saying, that there were some present among them who should not taste of death till they had seen the kingdom of God coming with power. Thus mingling the new vision of evil he had just opened to them with a stern precept of duty and an animating prospect of glory, he sought to make on them that profound impression which would prepare them to meet with firmness and constancy the trials before them.

The lesson was not lost on them. Oftentimes, doubtless, in after days, when they were preaching the doctrines of their despised master in the midst of obloquy and scorn, of peril, privation, and death, they recalled to mind the powerful words in which he had first taught them, that they must endure suffering for his sake, and follow in the bloody path of his cross to their reward; and when they did so, and then remembered how he had suffered and was now glorified, they felt

themselves armed to endure all things for his sake; they braved persecution and torture; they confessed him before men in prison and amid flames, and died rejoicing in the confidence that he would confess them before his Father in heaven.

It is not they only to whom those precepts respecting self-denial and the necessity of owning our holy Master were addressed. To none are they inapplicable, who hope to enter on the future life which he has revealed.

CHAPTER XV.

THE TRANSFIGURATION.

NAUM.
SALEM.

- JESUS RETURNS TO CAPERPASSES THROUGH PEREA TOWARD JERU

WHILE the minds of the disciples were in a state of amazement at the new prospect opened before them, an event took place calculated to enlighten and instruct them, as well as to prepare them for their coming trials. Six days after the scene recorded at the close of the last chapter, Jesus took his three confidential apostles, Peter, James, and John, and retired with them to a mountain for purposes of devotion; - another example of his custom to devote a season to special prayer at every important crisis of his life. While he prayed, his appearance became changed, his countenance shone with a lustre like that of the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. At the same time Moses and Elijah, the two great names of the ancient dispensation, appeared to him, and conversed with him respecting his approaching death at Jerusalem. Perhaps they

Matthew xvii. 1.

Mark ix. 2.

Luke ix. 28.