Christs temptation and transfiguration practically explained and improved in several sermons /

1. Of the First consideration, if Christs prayer were of ordinary import it teacheth us, that we should pray so that the Heart may be raised and lifted unto God in prayer, and in some sort made like unto God, let us state this matter aright.

1. It must be granted that this shining of Christs countenance as the Sun while he prayed was extraordinary, and a dispensation peculiar to the Son of God; so also was the shining of Moses his face while he conversed with God in the Mount, Exod. 34. 29, 30. and for ordinary Christians to expect the like is to put a snare upon themselves, for these things are proper only to the end for which God appointed them.

2. This must be also considered, that the eminent and extraordinary passions and affections in the soul do discover themselves in the body, especially in the Face; for it is said of Stephen, that when he was heightened into a great zeal for Christ, Acts 6. 15. That all that sate in the Council looking steadfastly upon him saw his face, as it had been the face of an Angel. Angels have not Bodies or Faces, but they often assume Bodies and then they appear with a glorious and bright ⟨p. 32⟩countenance as the Angel of the Lord, that appeared at the Sepulchre, Mark 28. 3. His countenance was like lightning, and his Raiment white as Snow. Now such a glory and gladness did God put upon the countenance of his servant Stephen, that he looked like an Angel; something extraordinary there might be in the case, but yet there was an ordinary reason for it. Stephens mind was filled with such an incredible solace in the sense of Gods love, that he showed no troubledness, but a mind so unconcerned and freed from all Fear and sorrow, as if he had been among the Angels of God in full Glory, and not among his Enemies who sought his blood, and so may God raise the Hearts of his people sometimes, as if they had put their heads above the Clouds, and were in the midst of the Glory of the World to come among his blessed ones. If that were extraordinary, Solomon tells us