"Oppressed with noonday's scorching heat, To this dear cross I flee; And in its shelter take my seat; No _shade_ like this to me! "Beneath this cross clear waters burst; A fountain sparkling free; And here I quench my desert thirst, No _spring_ like this to me. "A stranger here, I pitch my tent Beneath this spreading tree; Here shall my pilgrim life be spent, No _home_ like this to me! "For burdened ones a resting place Beside this cross I see; Here, I cast off my weariness; No _rest_ like this for me!" Moses and Elias understood how the blessing of the world was to flow out from that death upon the cross which Jesus was to suffer; and so, we need not wonder that during the short visit which they made to Jesus, amidst the glory of his Transfiguration, the subject, above all others, about which they desired to talk with him--was his death upon the cross,--"his decease, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem." These are the three great wonders of the Transfiguration--the wonderful change--the wonderful company--and the wonderful conversation. And this brings us to the second part of our subject, which is--_the three lessons_ taught by the Transfiguration. _The first of these is_--THE LESSON OF HOPE. One thing for which the Transfiguration took place was to show us what we may hope to be hereafter, if we are the servants of Christ. We are told how Jesus appeared on this occasion. His glory is described. The brightness and glory that shone around him exceeded that of the noonday sun. But there is no particular description given Moses and Elias. We are not told how they looked. It is only said of them that--"they appeared in _glory_." St Luke ix: 31. I suppose the meaning of this is that they shared in the glory which Jesus himself had when he was transfigured. Their raiment was as white as his; and the same brightness and beauty beamed forth from their faces which made his so glorious. They shared their Master's glory. And, if we are loving, and serving Jesus, this is what we may hope to share with him hereafter. This is what we are taught to pray for in the beautiful Collect for the sixth Sunday after the Epiphany. These are the words of that prayer: "O God, whose blessed Son was manifested that he might make us the sons of God, and heirs of eternal life; Grant us, we beseech thee, that having this hope, we may purify ourselves, even as he is pure; that when he shall appear again, with power and great glory, _we may be made like unto him in his eternal and glorious kingdom;_ where, with thee, O Father, and thee, O Holy Ghost, he liveth and reigneth, ever One God, world without end. Amen."