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The Gospel of Jesus Christ According to
St. Matthew Pasquier
Quesnel Translated
by the Rev. Daniel Wilson, D.D., Vicar of Islington and now Bishop of Chapter XVII. Sect. I. The Transfiguration Of Christ.
St. John The Baptist Called Elias. 1. AND after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart, Jesus discovers his glory on Mount Tabor
to none but those whom he designs should be witnesses of his agonies on the
Mount of Olives. Few understand these mysteries by a lively and true
Christian faith. In order so to do, and to live by the belief of them, it is
necessary for a man to withdraw from the world, to raise himself
from the earth by prayer, and to follow Christ in imitating his example. God
advances whom he thinks fit to extraordinary favours. He makes a distinction
even among the apostles as to these, to show that he is master of his own
gifts, and that no one ought to be jealous of the advantages of his
colleagues. 2. And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. Christ prepares his disciples for
sufferings, and kindles in them the desire of eternal happiness, by giving
them proper consolations, and foretastes of the beatific vision. He takes all
sorts of appearances, and enters into all conditions for the good of his
church, on purpose to teach the most exalted pastors to regulate their
conduct, and to fashion their external behaviour, so as may best answer the
occasions of the faithful, and the edification of their neighbour. He makes
even the senses serviceable to faith, though they seem quite contrary
thereto; and this is what we ought to endeavour at in the instructions which
we are obliged to give others. This brightness of glory, wherein Christ
appears to these three apostles, confirms the confession which St. Peter made
of his divinity, fortifies this apostle against the trouble which the pre
diction of his sufferings gave him, and encourages all Christians to the
practice of the doctrines of self-denial and the cross. 3. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. The law and the prophets give witness to
Christ, and scarcely speak but of him; he who seeks any other thing therein,
besides the Son of God and his church, reads them not like a Christian. In
the prophetical and figurative parts of the Scripture, we see nothing worthy
of God, unless we consider them together with Christ, and behold him
represented in those shadows. 4. 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. Let us not set our hearts upon outward
comforts; the sweet ness of them is apt to make men forget the necessity of
passing through sufferings in their way to heaven. We are disposed to lay
hold of the first object which presents itself, when it flatters our
inclination toward ease and pleasure. But we ought still to mistrust it, and
give ourselves time to reflect, that we may see whether it agree
with the rule of our duties, and with the will and designs of God concerning
us. If this small drop of vision put St. Peter into an ecstasy, my God, what
effect will that torrent of delights have with which thou wilt fill, and, as
it were, inebriate thy elect! 5. 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. Let us receive, with a particular respect,
that which the Father himself declares to us concerning his Son. According to
this gospel of the eternal Father, we must believe in Jesus Christ as Son of
God, and be persuaded that the Father loves no person, nor is pleased with
any thing, but in his Son; and we must attentively hear him as our Master and
our law. See here that which God does continually in the hearts of men. To
enlighten them, to make them fruitful in good works, to extinguish or allay
the heat of concupiscence: these are so many effects of the grace of Christ,
denoted by the bright cloud; and which neither the letter of the law, nor the
shadows of sacrifices, nor the preaching of the prophets, were
able to produce. Jesus Christ alone does it, by speaking to the heart, of
which he only is the Master and Instructor. He alone, therefore, can make it
hear effectually, so as to obey, love, follow, and imitate him. Speak, Lord,
to my heart; but speak with authority, as the only Son of God, as the
personal truth, and the principle of that love which existed from all
eternity. 6. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. 7. And Jesus came and touched them, and he said, Arise, and be not afraid. 8. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. Great and extraordinary truths fill the
mind at first with fear. Jesus Christ dispels it, by touching us with the
internal hand of his grace, giving us the love and practice of these truths,
and removing every thing but himself from before our eyes. Earth is not the
place for large communications from God; man, encumbered with flesh, is
incapable either of seeing or understanding the wonders of eternity. Let us
be content to adore them by the light of faith, and in the eternal Word,
veiled and overshadowed with the cloud of our flesh. 9. 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. Thus God frequently casts into the heart
truths which, like seeds sown late, produce only backward fruits. We must not
neglect to sow the heart of sinners, though it seem as if it were dead, and
like ground in the winter season; the spring of grace, and time of
resurrection, may possibly come even for such. There is a time to live
retired, and a time to appear in the world; a time to make known the greatest
truths, and a time to conceal them; a prudent pastor knows how to adapt
himself to the capacity of the weak. 10. And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? The wit of man still discovers some
contradiction in the mysteries of religion; a tractable disciple humbly
desires that instruction which he needs. Those teachers who have not the true
knowledge of the Scriptures, nor the Spirit of God
to understand them, are good for nothing but to perplex those whom they
should instruct and prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ. To lull sinners
asleep, persuading them that the time of death, which to every one is the
second coming of Christ, is yet at a great distance, is full as dangerous as
it was to believe that the time of his first appearance was not come, as the
doctors of the law did, confounding the one with the other. 11. And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. It is out of mercy that Christ will have
harbingers or fore runners. God does not intend to surprise, but to awaken,
sinners. All preachers of repentance are the harbingers of Jesus Christ. It is
by means of this, that, like John and Elias, they labour to restore all
things, in reclaiming and bringing sinners back to the obedience and piety of
the fathers of their faith. 12. But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. 13. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist. There is no age, no time, in which there
does not arise some Elias, some imitator of his zeal, to exclaim and inveigh
against the violation of God’s law and the profaners of his worship, to
preach repentance to sinners, and to publish the truth to the great. Wo to those who know him not, who stop their ears, and
who are the occasion of his sufferings! To suffer, is the lot and portion of Jesus Christ and his
ministers. It is good to look upon every preacher as our Elias, as the last
whom God designs to send to proclaim to us the coming of Christ, and to
excite us to prepare his way by repentance. Sect. II. The Lunatic Cured. The Power, Of
Faith Of Prayer And Fasting. 14. And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, 15. Lord, have mercy on my son; for he is lunatic, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. The rage and power of the devil against
man, in consequence of sin, is expressed by the sad usage which this lunatic
suffers. The devil, in bodily possessions as well as spiritual possessions,
knows how to take advantage of the constitution, and of natural causes and
dispositions, in order to conceal himself. Some of
these are as contrary as fire and water. Would to God the sinner were as
thoroughly sensible of the misery of his soul, and the spiritual illusions of
the devil, as this father is of those under which his son labours! See here
the first steps toward conversion; to approach Christ, to humble ourselves in
his presence, earnestly to pray to him, and with confidence to lay our misery
before him. 16. And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. God often permits his ministers to be
unsuccessful in the cure of souls, both through a just judgment on the
latter, and that he may teach the former to expect all from Christ, and to
refer their good success to him; that he may purify their hearts by shame and
humiliation, and oblige them to pray more frequently, to know, and to
distrust themselves. 17. Then Jesus answered and said, faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. Nothing raises more indignation in Christ
than a distrust of his goodness and power in healing our diseases. Alas! how
many are there, who present themselves before the ministers of the church,
and even at the sacrament, without receiving the cure of their souls, through
the bad disposition of their heart, which keeps Christ at a distance, because
they come thither without faith, and with an irregular intention! Let us be
sure not to imagine that these words of Christ betray any impatience in him,
but, on the contrary, let us adore therein his long and unwearied patience
toward sinners. Harshness is only in his words, gentleness is in his heart. 18. And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. Jesus Christ is the only person whom the
devil cannot resist. There are some souls whose cure God reserves to him self
alone, and to whom all the application of his ministers appears to be utterly
ineffectual. He sometimes does all without them, to the end that they may
know that they never do any thing without him. It is a matter of the greatest
importance for us, to place our trust and confidence, not in the minister,
but in Jesus Christ, who, by the sole motion of his will, cures in an
instant. 19. Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? When we find our endeavours, with respect to
some souls, ineffectual, we ought to humble ourselves, and to examine before
God in prayer what obstacles there may be, on our part, to his grace and
mercy toward them. Far be from us the pride of those who never impute to
themselves the faults and unfruitfulness of their ministry! 20. And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove: and nothing shall be impossible unto you. There are perhaps but few ministers of
Christ to whom, upon their addresses to him in prayer, he might not answer
after the same manner that the weakness of their faith is a hinderance to the conversion and improvement of souls. A
faith, which has a perfect confidence without any presumption; a holy
boldness and liveliness, not weakened by a mistaken humility, and which can
discern when it is proper to desire and expect a miracle, is such a thing as
is not at all common. To remove pride out of a sinner’s heart is to remove a
mountain. This can be the work only of a great faith; and this faith must be,
at the same time, both the fruit and the seed of many prayers, and of a
penitential life. 21. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. In order to subdue evil habits, we must
humble the mind by prayer, and mortify the flesh by fasting. This is the duty
of the minister as well as of the penitent. He has no faith at all, if it do not make him have recourse to prayer and mortification,
which are the natural effects thereof. Faith causes a man to pray, by making
him sensible of his inability as to all goodness, without the assistance of
grace; it disposes him to lead a mortified life, by showing the unworthiness
both of the sinner and the minister. Sect. III. The Passion Foretold. Christ
Pays Tribute. 22. And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men: 23. And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry. What will become of the man who shall fall
into the hands of the living God, if God suffers so much by falling into the
hands of mortal men! Men apply themselves very imperfectly to the consideration
of the mysteries of salvation, and are affected with them after too natural a
manner. They are unduly afflicted at the death of Christ, and rejoice not at
his resurrection as they ought; because death is an approaching and natural
evil, and the resurrection a mystery of faith. The death of Jesus Christ
should humble the sinner, but it should also fill him with confidence and
joy. We ought to humble ourselves for being so miserable that nothing but the
death of God could save us; and to rejoice that the mercy of God is so great
toward us that he refused not to be born and to die for us. 24. And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? The divinity of Jesus Christ, stooping
thus low, confounds the vanity and eagerness of men in defence of their
rights. He refuses no kind of dependence and submission, that he may make the
sinner like it, who has always so great an aversion thereto. 25. He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? 26. Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free. Christ does not insist upon his rights as
to external and temporal things, but only in secret and among his apostles.
The clergy likewise, after his example, should not speak too frequently to
secular persons concerning this kind of privileges annexed to their state;
nor the faithful, concerning Christian and evangelical liberty, which
dispenses not with external laws. The Son of God, the Lord of the temple, and
the true temple of God, could not be obliged to pay a tribute imposed by
God’s command for the use and service of the figurative temple. To make our
prerogatives known is not always vanity; nor to take proper measures of
receding from them without any prejudice to our right. 27. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee. It is the duty of charity still to prevent
the occasions of scandal or offence. Let us admire and adore the poverty of
Christ in not having the value of four drachms; his obedience and humility in
paying them, though not due; his charity in avoiding, even by an
extraordinary means, that which might have given offence to the weak; and his
greatness, under his humiliation, in paying tribute, but paying it as God, by
an act of sovereign power. They are far from imitating Christ who disturb the
peace, offend the weak, neglect the care of souls, and rise up against the
secular powers, to secure some little temporal advantage, and to maintain
some external prerogatives. Liberty and subjection agree very well together
in a Christian, who by faith is entirely free in respect of all things
present, and becomes subject to every creature by charity. |
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