Book II. CHRIST THE CAPTAIN OF OUR SALVATION. 445 to enter upon a military SubjeCt, and the chiefof that Rank, we !hall conGder Captain in a threefold RefpeEI:. { 1. Qtlalifications. In refpect of his 2 . Place and Office. 3· Progrtls or Actions. METAPHOR. I. A Captain is fuppofed to be a Man qualified for his Place, to which there are thefe Things neceffary. r. That he be free and willing to take that vVork and Office upon himfelf; it is not meet he 010uld be forced to do it. 2. It behaved him to be one faith– ful in all Things to his Sovereign. 3. A Captain muft be valiant and couragious, not eaGJy difmayed, though he meet with never fuch hard and difficult Service. 4· He ought alfo to be well !killed in the Work and Duty of his Place and Office. P A R A L T. EL. I. JESUS Chrift the Capt ain of our Sah'ation, had not only thefe four, but all other honorable, and neceffary Qt,1alifications, that made him fitto be a Leader. For, r. J efus Chrift was free and ready, had no Force put upon him, but came voluntarily and of his own free Will tO undertake this Oflice, &c. he looked round about, and faw that there was none to help or to undertake this Work, then faid he, Lo, I come to do thy Will, 0 God, !fa. lxiii. 5· Heb. x. 7· and iii. 6. 2. Jefus Chrift was fai thful over his own Houfe, called the faithful and true Witmfs, he never fa much as thought in the leaft of betraying of his Truft. lt was impoflible indeed he fhould be unfaithful, who was without Sin, the holy and im– maculate Lamb of God. 3· Chrift was valiant and refolute, the Danger of Death, and Threats of an ill-natured King, could not make him retreat, when he had entered the Field, Dighted his Enemies' high Words and vain Flourifhes. Go, tell that Fox that I work M iracles this Day and 'l'o-morrow, and the third Day I jhall be made perfea, Luke xiii. 32. The Contempt of his Enemies, or PerfuaGon of his Friends, could not at all abate his Valor, he knew he muft, and refolved he would, be about his Father's Bujinefs, Luke ii. 49· 4· Chrift was fitted with Wifdom and Underftanding, he is called the Wifdom of God, 1 Cor. i. 24. !I. A Captain is made fo by his II. Chrift was commiflioned by God, after his Commiflion, which is his AuthoQtlalifications did commend him to this Place; riry to acl: in that Capacity. for though he offered freely to accept, yet he aCted not of himfelf, but by Command and Authority from the Father. 1 came not of myftlf, the Father ftitt me. I received Commandment from the Father, J ohn viii. 42. 11I. A Captain hath the Power of lifting Soldiers under his Com– mand, to ferve in the King's War. Ill. Jefus Chrift hath the Power of lill:ing fpi· ritt1al Soldiers under his Command, ·to ferve in the Wars of the Soul, and Battle of the Lord of Holl:s. He took the Names of Nathanicl, Zaccheus, Cephas, Peter, James, and John, who lifted themfelves under his Command; with many others we read of in the Gofpel. IV. A Captain by virtue of his IV. Jefus Chrift doth appoint Saints their proPlace and Office doth nominate his per Work, and gives forth his Orders, beyond Officers, and appoint them their which they are not 10 pafs. He nominated the proper Work, gives out his Ortwelve Apoftles 10 be the next to himfelf, and ders, beyond which they are not gave Orders that they 01ould not march beyond to venture. the Confines of Judea, but tarry at Jerufalem till frefh Supply of Strength came in. Go not to Sa– maria, nor to the Cities of the Gentiles, Matt. x. 5· but tarry at Jerufalem till you be endued from on high. Add not to his W ord, &c. V. A Captain bath the keeping V. Chrift hath a Book wherein the Names of of Mufter-rolls, wherein all the his Saints and faithful Followers are recorded, Names of his Under-officers and called in S.ripture, '!'he Lamb's Book, or Book of Soldiers are entered, by which he Life; whofe Names are in the Book of Life; the calls them over, and knows them Book of Life of the Lamb, flain from the Foundation all by Name. of the World, Rev. xxi. 27. and xx. 12. He call.r his own Sheep by Name, &c. John x. 3· 5 X VI. Jefus
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