condemnation upon the Offender Vers. 33. Again Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time thou shalt not for swear thy self but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths 34. But I say unto you Swear not at all neither by heaven for it is Gods throne 35. Nor by the earth for it is his footstool neither by Ierusalem for it is the city of the great King 36. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head because thou canst not make one hair white or black As our Lord hath cleared the exposition of some commandments in the second Table so for further clearing the sense of the Law he taxeth a fourth corrupt glosse of the Pharisees and tradition of the elders concerning the first table who made no breach of the third command except perjury and made the affirmative part of the command to stand onely in the observation of vowes this their clipped commentarie our Lord doth correct by teaching 1. That by this commandment is discharged all idle or unnecessary swearing for he saith Swear not at all to wit when God doth not cal us to take an oath for otherwise to swear by God when he calleth us unto it in weighty matters for deciding controversies and ending strife it is a part of his worship then religiously to take an oath but except in the foresaid case Swear not at all 2. Hereby also is discharged all swearing by the creatures for Swear not by heaven saith he or by earth c. or by any part of mans selfe as Head or Heart or any other oath the reason is first because these are creatures Heaven and Earth are not God and ought not therefore to be sworn by and next because God indirectly is imported in such oaths by reason of the relation which the creatures have to him as Gods Footstool or City or Work and thirdly because as none of the creatures are our Judge to take order with us if we swear falsly so none of all the creatures no not our own Head or the least hair thereof are so our own as we may ingage the same by an oath for the least change to be made thereon were it but of the colour of our hair to be put in pawn in case our oath be not true and so we may not swear upon any pretence at all by any of them for Thou canst not make one hair white nor black saith he Ver. 37. But let your communication be Yea yea Nay nay for whatsoever is more then these cometh of evill For eschewing rash swearing our Lord commandeth that our sayings be averred by a constant plain and uniforme pronouncing of truth imported in Yea yea when the matter is so and Nay nay when the matter is to be denyed to be so The reason whereof is weighty for whatsoever idle oath or idle asseveration is more then these is from evill that is from the divell and our corruption and therfore to be eschewed Ver. 38. Ye have heard that it hath been said An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth 39. But I say unto you that ye resist not evill but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek turn to him the other also He corrects a fifth corrupt glosse of the Law wherein they abused an appendicle of the sixth command namely a Judiciall Law given unto the Judges for execution of Justice and did draw the law unto the authorizing of private revenge as if God had put the sword in every mans hand to avenge himself for correcting of which error our Lord teacheth his disciples that it were better to suffer injuries and to expose our selves by our patience unto the hazzard of double wrongs rather then to follow the corrupt doctrine of men and by way of private revenge to break the commandement of God for the consideration of the scope of Christs speech doth make it plain that thus the words must be taken comparatively with the obedience of the Pharisees false doctrine guilded with pretence of tradition and antiquity for our resisting of evill or of injuries after our own way as their tradition did give warrant cannot fall but draw on a greater evill out of Gods hand and so it followeth that it is better to be smitten on both cheeks then that by a wrong way of revenging ourselves we should provoke God to destroy head and feet soul and body together Ver. 40. And if any man will sue thee at the Law and take away thy coat let him have thy cloak also The same doctrine he applies unto injuries done under pretence of Law that in private revenge they be not met with the like to this sense if any man sue thee wrongfully at Law and by unjust cavillation take away thy coat rather then thou should meet him in a wicked way under pretence of Law to wrong him it were better for thee to lose thy cloak also How harsh doth this doctrine sound in the carnal ears of naturall men who thinke much to suffer any wrong done to them by men but think nothing to do wrong both to God and men and to draw mischief on their own heads therby Ver. 41. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile go with him twain Another sort of injury comprizing wrongs done by oppression and unjust exaction under pretence of authority If under pretence of Service to be done to the publike any man press thee to be a Post or a guide unto a Post do not thou for thy part contend for thy ease but rather then thou shouldest fail in some duty by resisting bear double burden for peace cause lest thou be ensuated in a sin by contending Ver. 42. Give to him that asketh thee and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away Last of al to teach us not to be weary of weldoing even then when we think we have many reasons which may hinder us to bestow upon such as do either beg or borrow from us oftner and more possibly then we can well endure our Lord commandeth to give almes and to lend the needy albeit not all that is craved yet what we may spare and the parties present need requireth Ver. 43. Ye have heard that it hath been said Thou shalt love thine neighbour and state thine enemy 44. But I say unto you Love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you A sixth corrupt glosse put upon the Law by the corrupt Doctors who taught that the command of love to our neighbour was to be understood only toward Kindred Friends and Acquaintance and that it is lawfull to hate every man that is our enemy our Lord doth vindicate the Law from this both clipped and false exposition Doct. 1. For obedience to God and pity to perishing men we must keep love even to such as be our private enemies for Christ hath so commanded saying Love your enemies 2. Love
thee alone if he shall bear thee thou hast gained thy brother After disswading us from stumbling of others he teacheth us how to remedy scandals given unto us by others that the offender may be reclaimed and the church receive least damage therby and 1. He giveth direction about private scandals saying Moreover c. Doct. 1. When scandal is given we must not onely beware our selves to stumble though we cannot eschew but be grieved but also must study to reclaim the offender for this direction is given to us to remedy scandals given 2. The scandalous sin of a brother or professed believer especially must be cared for and cured by believers If thy brother offend thee 3. Private admonition especially in case the offence be private is a mean of reclaiming our brethren from their sinful courses Go tell him his fault alone 4. It is not necessary to divulge every fault which we alone know or to let others know of it for it is said Tell him between him and thee alone 5. The most discâ—eet easie and gentle wayes are first to be assayed in the case of private offences Therefore saith he Tell thou him alone 6. It is the gaining or saving of a brother to reclaim him from his sin and an obligation put upon the reclaimed sinner toward the Brother who admonished him for saith he Thou hast gained thy brother 7. We are bound to hear and obey private admonition even as we would be saved for if he bear thee saith he thou hast gained thy brother Ver. 16. But if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established Now he teacheth how to proceed if private admonition prevail not Doct. 1. If private admonition profit not and the party admonished will not amend we must not give over the cure of his scandalous course but must use further means and take the assistance of some others to help to reclaim him Therefore saith he Take with thee one or two more 2. The admonition of two or three serveth to convince the Offender of his fault the more clearly or to bear witnesse against him in case of his disobedience for In the mouth of two or three witnesses every truth shall be established Ver. 17. And if he shal neglect to hear them tell it unto the church but if he neglect to hear the church let him be unto thee as aâ— heathen man and a publican The former failing he teacheth what further must be done Doct. 1. When more private means avail not to remedy a scandall Christ hath appointed more and more publick Censure and Discipline in his Church for he saith Go tell the Church 2. Christ hath appointed a church of Governours or rulers over congregations and over all particular persons within the same which must attend the complaints of the Offended and remove scandals and who have power to call before them and to examine and censure the Offender for that end for so importeth Christs saying Tell it unto the Church 3. The Church hath means and power to remove publick scandall which being imployed by the church and obeyed by the Offender Excommunication is not to be used for Neglecting to heare the Church presupposeth the church Direction and Order to be given forth for amendment of the Offender and removing of the scandall 4. When the church hath given sentence upon the Offender and hath appointed the way to remove the scandall then the Offender should obey in the Lord for Christ declareth it a sensurable fault to Neglect to bear the Church 5. If the Offender disobey the churches direction for removing of the scandal then the church may and should excommunicate the obstinate that is declare him to be deprived of the honour of a Christian till he repent and to be holden in such dis-respect as the heathen and publicans were by the Jewish Church in those dayes for Let him be to thee such presupposeth he is found and declared by the church to be holden for such 6. When the church declareth an offender contumacious or excommunicateth him as unworthy of the fellowship of the Saints for his present abominable condition then every beleever must carry himself toward the excommunicate as toward a man disgraced and cast out of church-honour for Christ hath said Let him be unto thee as an heathen man that is as one without the church and a publican that is a despised sinner for so were Publicanâ— esteemed of among the Jews to the intent the Offender may be ashamed of his sin and repent Ver. 18. Verily I say unto you whosoever ye shall binde on earth shall be bound in heaven and whosoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Here our Lord confirmeth the Authority given unto the church or Assembly of church-Governours Doct. 1. The church or Assembly of church-Governours hath authority from Christ in Christs name to pronounce guilty and lyable to judgment and to pronounce absolution and remission of sin as they finde cause for saith he Whosoever ye binde or ye loose 2. Christ will ratifie in heaven what the church assembled do in his Name in the exercise of the keyes of Doctrine and Discipline whether to the condemning of the guilty or absolving of the penitent for he saith It shall be bound in heaven loosed in heaven Ver. 19. Again I say unto you that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven 20. For where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them To give assurance that the execution of his ordinances by the church shall be ratified in heaven he sheweth them that the consent of never so few of his Saints agreeing together upon a petition unto God shall have a blessed effect in heaven how much more shall the consent of the church-Rulers in execution of publick ordinances be ratified and have effect and this he further confirmeth by certifying us of his gracious presence where never so few two or three suppose there be no more Rulers in some small congregations are met in his name much more when a greater number do assemble and meet for his publick service Hence learn 1. That for mutuall edification one christian may take the help of another for prosecuting joyntly some particular petition before God for it is said If two of you shall agree upon a petition c. 2. God doth so love the communion of Saints that the consent of more of his children in one suplication hath the encouragement of this particular promise for What they ask shall be done 3. If the consent of some shall be blessed when they joyntly prosecute one petition much more may the church be confident that their publick consenting unto the execution of Christs ordinances shall be blessed for this the scope of
the murther should be of the vilest and most abominable sort then by the great Councell which sate at Jerusalem the guilty were to be adjudged without mercy or more ado to be executed most shamefully and burnt in the most abominable place in the valley of Hinnom or Gehenns whereby was represented Hell fire The first of the three ranks is mentioned vers 21. The rest are to be collected by CHRISTS alluding thereunto vers 22. Doct. 1. Naturall men are but slight interpreters of the Lords Law it is not killing in their sense if a man be not actually slain for Whosoever shall kill in the grossnesse of the letter he only is guilty in their judgment 2. Antiquity seemeth enough to carnall men for a reason in defence of whatsoever errour or corrupt custome for which they can pretend antiquity for Christ sheweth us that these Jewish Doctors did think it sufficient that It was said of old 3. Truth must never be prejudged by antiquity nor error strengthened thereby for unto their pretended antiquity It was said of old Christ doth oppose this But I say unto you c. Vers. 22. But I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment and whosoever shall say to his brother Racha shall be in danger of the councel but whosoever shall say Thou fool shall be in danger of hell fire While Christ doth expone the sixth command more exactly then the Pharisees did and doth shew the meaning of it by allusion unto the manner of their judgement of capitall crimes our Lords mind is not that those Judiciall courts with their different degrees of punishment should be the rule for censuring the breach of the sixth command but his mind is that albeit there be degrees of sin in breaking of the sixth command yet the command reacheth to the condemning of every degree of the sin forbidden so far that even rash anger is capitall and doth bring a man under the severe sentence of Gods judgment for Whosoever is angry saith he without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment that is he is culpable of death and if our neighbour be wronged by us in a disrespectfull speech the sin is yet more capitall and yet more deserveth the punishment of death and condemnation for Whosoever saith hee shall say to his brother Racha or any word of disdain shall be in danger of the councell that is shall be found guilty of a capitall or deadly transgression in a higher degree But if anger and disdain proceed so far as to reproach our Brother yet more despitefully and to call him Fool then we shall be in danger of hell fire that is of a yet higher degree of judgment in hell Doct. 1. The meanest and mainest outbreakings of our corruption in any sort are forbidden in one and the same command for our Lords exposition of Thou shalt not kill forbiddeth rash anger and every evill motion of the heart against our neighbours person no lesse then it forbiddeth murther 2. The wages of the least degree of sin is death for not onely murther but also rash anger and disdainfull speech are made capitall or deadly sins by our Lords interpretation worthy of death and hels fire So that no relief is to be looked for in Gods justice from the smalnesse of our sins but all standeth in the rich ransome of Christs Blood and largeness of his Grace unto which refuge the severe exaction of the Law and strict reckoning of Justice doth drive us Ver. 23. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee 24. Leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift After the exposition of this command Christ maketh application of the doctrine unto his Disciples and all his hearers for making use thereof wherein he sheweth a necessity of making conscience to keep this command by two reasons one is that if we shall not entertaine love to our neighbour but both do him wrong and also not care to be reconciled with him then God will take no service or worship at our hand nor will from thee for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish and not that thy whole bodie should be cast into hell This exhortation is set down as the use of the former doctrin wherein the words are not to be taken captiously as if one might hurt his own body under pretence to preveen sin for this is both forbidden in the sixth command and cannot be a solid cure or remedy of sin though it were permitted but the matter is proponed in allusion to a presupposed like case of the hazard of a mans life by a fester or gangrene in a mans eye or hand wherein as it were better that the Chirugion should pluck out the festered eye and cut off the festered hand then that the whole body should be lost so in the case of a darling sin or lust whereby a man is made to stumble and fall in sin it were better that he should be mortified and quat how necessary soever how dear soever though esteemed of as the right eye or the right hand rather then by sparing of that sinfull lust soul and body bothshould be cast in hell now there is no mortifying of the lusts of the flesh but by the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8.13 And as for pardon of sin we are led unto Christ in the exposition of the sixth command so are we here driven to Christ for the morfication of sin in the exposition of the seventh command for he is the onely Chirurgion who can cut off those fretting lusts which fight against the soul. Ver. 31. It hath been said Whosoever shall put away his wife let him give her a bill of divorcement 32. But I say unto you that whosoever shall put away his wife saving for the cause of fornication causeth her to commit adultery and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery For clearing yet further of the seventh command Christ correcteth a third corrupt glosse about the abuse of marriage in divorcements which howsoever the civill Law left unpunished for civill Reasons yet it did not exeem him from sin nor wrath who was the giver of the Bill of Divorcement upon a light cause this abuse Christ doth correct teaching that if any persons married should thrust away their party except in the clear case of Adultery found in the party put away they should be guilty of the breach of the seventh command and of all the consequents thereof and they who approved the Divorcement should be guilty also each in their own degree in so high estimation hath our Lord the band of marriage that nothing can dissolve it except that which everteth the nature of the bands and bringeth perjury beside the breach of the command is double
suffer or are quarrelled for Christs cause he will take the plea upon himselfe the Disciples here are questioned and Christ maketh answer to the Pharisees Christ justifieth his own deed by three reasons The first The Physician may converse with the sick Therefore I may converse with such publicans and sinners as find themselves sick of sin albeit ye who count your selves whole sound find no need of such a Physician as I am Hence learn 1. That sin is like a sore sickness which needeth the true Physician who is Jesus Christ alone for so importeth the comparison 2. All such as are dead in their sins and trespasses and namely such as are puffed up with conceit of their own righteousness are whole and found in their own estimation do misregard the Physician Christ as if they stood in no need of him such were the Pharisees hereby taxed 3. Such as are sick and sensibly troubled with sin Christ will converse with them as with persons standing in need of him for They that are sick need the Physician saith he Ver. 13. But go ye and learn what that meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice for I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance The second reason God never commanded a ceremonie of the Leviticall law to hinder a necessary duty of mercy or of the Morall law as Hosea 6.6 teacheth Therefore no ceremonie Leviticall must hinder me to shew mercy on these publicans and sinners Hence learn 1. That proud men who are puff'd up with the conceit of their own righteousnesse and do disdain humbled sinners are ignorant of the word of God whatsoever they seem to be in profession of knowledge Therefore saith Christ to these proud Pharisees Goe ye and learn what it meaneth c. 2. God delighteth to shew mercy to sinners and will not suffer any man to deny mercy to his neighbour under pretence of observation of some act of outward ceremonie Commands about outward ceremonies were not appointed to hinder but to further the work of mercy for it is said I will have mercy and not sacrifice The third reason My errand unto the world is not to call unto repentance such as are righteous in their own eyes as you are But to call such as these Publicans who are sinners in their own eyes therefore it is lawfull for me to converse with them rather then with you Hence learn 1. So many of the hearers of the Gospel as are righteous in their own eyes do want a warrant to come unto the comfort of Christs mercy and mediation so long as they remain proud and puff'd up with opinion of their own righteousnesse for he saith I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance All his doctrine unto the conceited righteous is to shew them their unrighteousnesse and deserved condemnation and Gods imminent wrath and to exclude them from the benefit of his Gospel till they be humbled 2. such as are sensible of their sins and unrighteousnesse who see themselves to have sin and to want repentance are the very soules whom Christ is seeking and whom he came to call that coming unto him he might give them repentance for he saith I am come to call sinners to repentance 3. The grace of Christs Gospel doth not give liberty to loosnesse and sinfull living but calls men to the course of repentance that walking on in the way of mortifying sin Christ may lead them unto salvation for I came to call sinners to repentance saith he Verse 14. Then came to him the Disciples of Iohn saying Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft but thy Disciples fast not Thus the Pharisees are refuted now Johns Disciples do come and quarrell for Christs Disciples non-conformity with them in fasting Doct. 1. It is no wonder to see questions arise in the Kirk for non-conformity in ceremonies for Johns disciples do quarrel with Christ that his Diiciples were not conformable to them in the custome of frequent fasting 2. Men are much in love with their own customs and look more to ceremonies then to substance and would have their own practice to be the sole rule which others should follow for Why say they do WE fast but THY Disciples fast not 3. Such as are given to urge needlesse conformity give advantage to the enemy and wil readily joyn with Christs adversaries in the controversie to strengthen themselves and to make their party good for Why do we and the Pharisees fast say Johns disciples They side with the Pharisees and justifie their course that they may burden Christ and his disciples as the fewer number with a prejudice Ver. 15. And Iesus said unto them can the children of the bride-chamber mourne as long as the bridegroom is with them but the dayes will come when the bridegroom shall be taken from them and then shall they fast Christ justifieth his Disciples by two reasons in which he dealeth with Johns Disciples as with friends more mildly then with the Pharisees The first reason is so long as I am in my Disciples company it is the time of joy unto them Therfore to injoyn them fasting were untimeous Hence learn 1. That our Lord Jesus is Bridegroom and the church is his Bride which he espouseth to himselfe to be partaker of all the riches of his grace and Christs Ministers are the Bridegrooms men for this the comparison doth import 2. The Disciples of Christ so long as Christ was bodily present among them had days of great joy as children of the Bride-chamber daily beholding his glory and grace in which condition they were not called unto fasting Therfore saith he The children of the Bride-chamber cannot mourn as long as the Bridegroom is with them 3. When the Lord doth with-draw his wonted presence and usuall comforts from us we are called to fasting and mourning for The days shall come wherein the bridegroom shal be taken from them and then shall they fast saith he Ver. 16. No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment for that which is put in to fil it up taketh from the garment and the rent is made worse 17. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles else the bottles break and the wine runneth out and the bottles perish but they put new wine into new bottles and both are preserved The second reason clothed with two similitudes is this The strong exercise of extraordinary fasting is no more fit for the tender and weak condition of my Disciples then to put a piece of now stiffe cloth upon a tender old coat which is not able to bear the seam or then it is fit to put new wine into old and weak bottles for this exercise of extraordinary and frequent fasting is fit for strong and exercised Disciples only Therfore my Disciples are not charged to fast in this their tender condition Hence learn 1. That the work of Gods grace in young converts is very tender and easily
temptation as Christs question in answering of it doth import What is a man profited in this case saith he 2. He that in fear to lose or in hope to gain some earthly thing refuseth to maintain Christs cause shall lose more then he can gain were it a Kingdom for he loseth his soul and what profit hath he if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul A fourth reason Nothing in the earth can redeem a mans soul when he hath shed from me for fear of the crosse or hope of gain therefore resolve to bear my crosse rather then to deny me Doct. 1. There is no ransome of a mans soul beside Christ if any man deny him for What shall a man give in exchange for his soul 2. It is a special means to strengthen us against the fear of the crosse for Christs cause to foresee our irreparable losse if we deny him and to say with our selves What shall a man give in exchange for his soul Vers. 27. For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and then he shall reward every man according to his works A fifth reason Though I may seem mean and abased in that my followers are put to bear my crosse yet I will be found the glorious Son of God worthy to be suffered for Therefore let no man think shame of my crosse The Son of man saith he shall come in the glory of the Father The sixth reason The fruit of bearing my crosse or refusing of it shall be seen at the day of judgment when I shall be Judg and shall reward the backslider with deserved judgment and shal crown the grace of suffering for me with the reward of life He shall reward every man saith he according to his works Hence learn 1. That Christs incarnation neither should nor shall derogate any thing from the glory of his God-head for The Son of man shall come in the glory of the Father 2. The Son of man and the Son of God is onely one person for it is said The Son of man shall come in his Fathers glory 3. The fruit of every mans works whether good or ill shall be found at the second coming of our Lord for Then he shall reward every man according to his works Verse 28. Verily I say unto you There be some standing hâ—re which shall not taste of death til they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdome The seventh and last motive is I do promise a glance of the glory of my kingdom unto some of you my hearers before I die as much as may incourage you and all others my followers to indure any crosse for me Therefore resolve to bear the crosse Now some little glance of his glory he gave shortly after this in the transfiguration but this was not the main matter his coming in the power of his kingdome was then made more evident when after his resurrection he declared himself Lord and King in erecting his church with all her officers where he pleased in subduing Jews and Gentiles unto himself by the power of his Word and Spirit in separating his church and his people from the world without the church This Kingly power was seen most evidently by such of the Apostles as lived longest and this his coming in the power of the gospel is a pawn and evidence of his future coming to judgment in the glory of his Father Hence learn 1. Whosoever get a right sight of the glory of Christs power in converting soules in erecting his church with all his ordinances therin and governing of it will not refuse to bear his crosse for To encourage the disciples to bear the crosse this promise here is made 2. Christs power and grace manifested by conversion of soules and erecting of the church in the Apostles dayes is a demonstration of Christs Kingly Power and an evidence of his coming unto judgement for Some saith he here standing shall not taste of death till they see the Son of man coming in his Kingdome CHAP. XVII After Christs transfiguration to vers 14. He healeth the lunatick to vers 22. Fore-telleth his own passion and payeth tribute Ver. 1. ANd after six dayes Iesus taketh Peter Iames and Iohn his brother and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart HOwsoever the last verse of the former chapter is not altogether fulfilled in this transfiguration of Christ yet is it some earnest of performance of the promise there made for by this glance of Christs glory they had evidence how glorious he should be in the morefull manifestation of his Kingly power and Majesty He chooseth witnesses not all but some and these in a sufficient number three the same whom he was to make witnesses of his agony in the garden therafter Peter Iames and Iohn and these he takes apart into an high mountain that being separate and set above distractions they might attend the vision without interruption Doct. 1. Our Lord will not use all his servants alike familiarly but some such as he pleaseth he will make in some cases more intimate for here he chooseth only three to see his glorious transfiguration 2. Such as he minds to acquaint most with his sufferings he will readily acquaint most with his glory for their incouragement and preparation for these three are they who are made witnesses hereafter of his agony in the Garden Peter Iames and Iohn Ver. 2. And was transfigured before them and his face did shine as the sun and his raiment was white as the light In the transfiguration the Lords glory appeareth in three things The first is the alteration of the naturall obscurity of his flesh into a glorious shining brightnesse flowing from the in-dwelling of the God-head in him in so farre that the darknesse of his â—aiment is swallowed up in this light springing through the same so as it made his raiment appeare white as light Hence learn 1. Where the Lord pleaseth to let forth his glory it is able to beautifie our earthly and obscure bodies as this transfiguration far transcending Moses his face shining giveth evidence 2. Glorification taketh not away the substance nor naturall properties of the body for here is a glorious transfiguration but no abolition of the substance of Christs body Ver. 3. And behold there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him The second point of Christs glory is the apparition of Moses and Elias whether in their owne proper bodies resumed for a time or in bodies formed for the present purpose to be laid down again as garments it is not materiall to inquire for either this or that was alike easie to the Lord and presuppose their bodies had been raised and laid down again in dust yet wherein soever Moses and Elias could be serviceable to their Redeemers glory it was not their trouble or loss but their advantage The main matter which we have to learn is 1. That Moses and Elias and so all the