The remarkable part of this anecdote is, that the moral application was similar in all these discourses. Now, the sermons of the divines of the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth centuries seldom offended in this manner. Matthias Faber published three enormous volumes of sermons for every Sunday in the year, containing some fifteen discourses for each, and they are perfectly varied in matter and in application. The following is a list of the subjects for one Sunday—the second in Lent:— St. Matt. xvii. “He was transfigured before them.” Sermon I.—The means whereby a hardened sinner may be transformed into a new man, and his heart be softened. 1. By constantly hearing God’s Word. 2. By assiduous prayer. 3. By earnest endeavour. 4. By diligent practice of virtues. Sermon II.—The incidents which took place on Mount Tabor, and the lessons they give us. 1. By labour must we pass to glory, for it was “after six days” and a laborious ascent that the mountain-top was reached. 2. Beatitude is to be sought above, not on earth, for the disciples were rebuked for desiring to make tabernacles on earth, the true tabernacle being in heaven. 3. In every act we should consider the end: thus Christ in the glory spoke of His approaching decease. 4. Those who would see the glory of God must watch. 5. Christ is to be heard by all, for He is glorified of His Father. 6. Christ’s passion to be constantly before the minds of His servants. Sermon III.—What might be seen on Mount Tabor. 1. The glory of Christ. 2. Our own future glory, the reflex of His. 3. The vanity of worldly glory. 4. The certainty of future judgment[2]. Sermon IV.—Why Christ in His passion made His decease (_excessum_). The point of this sermon depends on the various significations of the Vulgate expression, _excessus_. 1. He deceased (_excessit_) to show us how great an evil is sin. 2. To show us His fervent love. 3. To compensate for our evil deaths by His most perfect and holy death. 4. To compensate for our defects by His superabundant merits. Sermon V.—Pious exercises for the season of Lent. 1. The exercise of fasting; set before us by the example of Moses and Elias, each of whom fasted during forty days. 2. The exercise of prayer; set before us by the example of Christ, who was transfigured “as He prayed.” (Luke ix. 29.) 3. The exercise of conversion; set before us by Christ’s raiment becoming white and glistering; teaching us that we must wash our robes, and make them white in the blood of the Lamb. 4. The exercise of making devout use of God’s Word; “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him.” 5. The exercise of the memory of Christ’s passion; by the example of Moses and Elias talking with Him of “His decease which He should accomplish at Jerusalem.”