2. Why those Three? Many give divers reasons, Peter had led the way to the rest in that notable confession of Christ, Matth. 16. 16. and is conceived to have some primacy for the orderly beginning of Actions in the College of the Apostles, James was the first Apostle who shed his blood for Christ, Acts 12. 2. and John was the most long lived of them all, and so could the longer give testimony of those things which he heard and saw, till the Church was well gathered and settled. Others give other Reasons, but to leave conjectures, it is certain that these had many singular favours afforded them above the rest of the twelve, as appeareth partly in this that Christ changed their names calling Peter Cephas, or a stone; and the other two Boanerges, sons of Thunder; which was a token that Christ loved these more then the rest. Yea among these John was his bosom Favourite, and therefore called often the Disciple whom Jesus loved. Partly because he was in the whole course of his life more intimate with these, then with the rest of the Disciples. You shall see when he raised Jairus his ⟨p. 5⟩daughter from death to Life, Luke 8. 51. he suffered no body to go in but Peter, James and John, and the Father and Mother of the Maiden, so these very Persons were those who in Mount Olivet were conscious to his Agonies, Matth. 26. 27. he took with him Peter and the two Sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy: Now these who were to be conscious to his Agonies, are first in Mount Tabor beholders of his great Majesty and Glory, for their better encouragement and preparation for his and their own sufferings.
2. Why those Three? Many give divers reasons, Peter had led the way to the rest in that notable confession of Christ, Matth. 16. 16. and is conceived to have some primacy for the orderly beginning of Actions in the Colledge of the Apostles, Iames was the first Apostle who shed his bloud for Christ, Acts 12. 2. and Iohn was the most long lived of them all, and so could the longer give testimony of those things which he heard and saw, till the Church was well gathered and setled. Others give other Reasons, but to leave conjectures, it is certain that these had many singular favours afforded them above the rest of the twelve, as appeareth partly in this that Christ changed their names calling Peter Cephas, or a stone; and the other two Boanerges, sons of Thunder; which was a token that Christ loved these more then the rest. Yea among these Iohn was his bosome Favorite, and therefore called often the Disciple whom Jesus loved. Partly because he was in the whole course of his life more intimate with these, then with the rest of the Disciples. You shall see when he raised Iairus his ⟨p. 5⟩daughter from death to Life, Luke 8. 51. he suffered no body to go in but Peter, Iames and Iohn, and the Father and Mother of the Maiden, so these very Persons were those who in Mount Olivet were conscious to his Agonies, Matth. 26. 27. he took with him Peter and the two Sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy: Now these who were to be conscious to his Agonies, are first in Mount Tabor beholders of his great Majesty and Glory, for their better encouragement and preparation for his and their own sufferings.
