For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it; and whosoever will lose his life for my sake, shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels; and then shall he reward every man according to his works. Verily I say unto you, there be some standing here which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.

REFLECTIONS.

"Whom say ye that I am?" inquired the Saviour. The ardent Peter unhesitatingly replied, by acknowledging the Messiahship of his Master. But his ideas of the Messiah's character and kingdom were far from being correct. He expected, under that title, an earthly king; and when he heard Jesus speak of his approaching death, he listened with incredulous surprise. He checks what he imagines to be the gloomy forebodings of his Master, and would lead him to other and more flattering prospects of earthly power and magnificence. But the holy Son of God repels the temptations in the same language which repressed the same suggestion in the wilderness : "Get thee hence, Tempter! thou wouldst lead me into sin." In such words may the full meaning of his reply be conveyed. He saw the dangers, the

certain death, which awaited him; he saw the visions of ease and ambition glittering before him; but his pure mind was unmoved by fear, unseduced by hope. With the glory of God and the happiness of mankind in view, he passed onward, conqueror over every trial, to the last great victory-a cruel death.

HYMN.

Oh! suffering friend of human kind!
How, as the fatal hour drew near,
Came thronging on thy holy mind,
The images of grief and fear!

Gethsemane's sad midnight scene,
The faithless friends, the exulting foes,
The thorny crown, the insult keen,
The scourge, the cross, before thee rose.

Did not thy spirit shrink dismay'd,
As the dark vision o'er it came;
And, though in sinless strength array'd,
Turn shudd'ring from the death of shame?

Onward, like thee, through scorn and dread,
May we our Father's call obey;
Steadfast thy path of duty tread,

And rise, through death, to endless day.

Matt. xvii. 1—13, xix. 1, 2.

AND after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart. And he was transfigured before them; and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said unto 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 Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold, a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of Man be risen again from the dead. And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come,

M

Likewise Then the

and restore all things; but I say unto you, that Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. shall also the Son of Man suffer of them. disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judea, beyond Jordan. And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.

REFLECTIONS.

This," ," said the voice from heaven, "this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him." With what awe must those three disciples, after this command, have attended to the instructions of their Master! He has passsed from earth; but there is a voice yet speaking to us in his life, there is a voice in his death, which, if we have hearts not deadened by sin, we cannot but hear. In his unequalled gentleness, his affectionate resignation to the will of God, his patient dignity, his dying prayer for the forgiveness of his murderers, there is eloquence indeed! Would that we could hear it, as his disciples heard! Could we but gaze on the Saviour ourselves, and in deed and truth hear from those blessed lips the words of eternal life! Could we stand on the mount of Transfiguration, and thence

go with him, and stand at the foot of the cross! It may not be; we are not thus privileged. Yet may we read the records of his life, and thus at least, listen to the words of our Saviour. May we hear him, and obey! His voice will be to us one of heavenly mildness. Earth will be clothed with new beauties, as we regain that innocence which alone can enable us to enjoy it truly. Heaven will expand before us in holier splendours, as our heart and life approach to the resemblance of the purity which dwells there.

HYMN.

Thou, by pain and care oppress'd,
Lift the eye with sorrow dim ;
In thy Saviour's love find rest,
Child of suff'ring, hear thou him!
Trifler of the passing hour,
Vain the pleasures earth can give ;
Stay thy course; thy Saviour's power
Calls thee-hear, and turn, and live!

Wanderer on the downward road,
Far from virtue's guiding ray ;
Turn to happiness, to God;
Jesus calls thee-turn, and pray!

Hear ye him, your Lord, your friend,

Who to save you lived and died;
Hear him, and till life shall end,

In his holy word abide.