Keach - Houston-Packer Collection BS537 .K4 1779

Book II. CH ius T THE CAPTAIN oF ouR SALVATION. 447 Allegiance, by great Offers of Power and Glory.* 2. The Sword of the'Spirit, by which he cut down the Devil, and the wicked Jews, in all their A!faults: It is written, it is written, &c. 3· The Shield of Faith, wJ-.en he came tO the la([ and mofl bloody Battle of all : For the Joy that was Jet before him, he mdttred the Crofs, defpifed th! Shame, and fat do:vn at the Right-hand of the lvl~Je.Jly on high, Heb. xii. 2. M E T A P H 0 R. D 1 S P A R I T Y. XV. Captains are commonly XV. Jefi,~Chrift, like a mort valiant Captain, ftoutMen,and will make good their made good his Ground again([ all the Force and Ground again([ an Enemy, fcorn to Artillery of H ell, in a glorious Manner, even yield till they die. to the Death of the Crofs. XVI. A good Captain takes XVI. Chrifl took great Care of his Saints, to care for his Men to prelerve and preferve and fecure them, however it fared wirh fccure them, whether he lives or himfdf. r. H e left them good Orders to obferve dies himfdf. in hisAbfence, the Rulesofrhc holyGofpcl. 2. He took care to fend them a good Guide for their Conduct, no lefs than the Holy Ghofl, the Comforter. ·3· He prayed for them on Earth, and he prays in Heaven, ro engage the Protetlion of Almighty God foe them : Father, keep through thine own Name thofe that thou haft given me, &c. John xiv. I G. xvii. li , 12, 13, 14, rs,zo. andxvii. I I, IS· XVII. ACaptainharh the Power XV~I. Jefus Chrifl prefers his Saints and Folto prefer his Men to Office, that he lowers, whom he finds worthy: He gave fome approves of to be fit and worthy. Apoflles, fame Prophets, fame Evmtgelijfs, Pajlors, ' and 'J'eachers, for the Work of the Minijfry, &c. Eph. iv. I I. I thank Chrijf Jefus, who hath put me illlo the Miuijfry, I 'J'im. i. 12. XVIII. A wife Captain puts the XVIII. Chrifl made nor Novices, and unex-· beft Men into the greateft Service; perienced Chriflians, Miniflers and Pnflors of he makes not young and unexpeChurches, and Leaders of Societies; he fer Peter, riencedMen,CommandersofComJames, and Johll to be Apoflles and Leaders in panics, and Leaders of Parries, the firft Place; and Paul, Sylvanus, and '!'itnothe– lefl the Work lhould mifcarry in us, flour and brave Commanders, to bring up (as their Hands. it were) the Rear: God hathJet forth us the Apoftles XIX. A Captain in w~ighty Af– fairs is joined with the Council of War, without whom there is no– thing of grand Importance tranf– atled. lajf of all, as it· were, appointed to Death, I Cor. iv. 9· X fX. J efus Chrifl, in alf weighty Affairs, is joined with the Father and Holy Spirit, the great Council of Heaven; and without him, who is called Wonderful, Counfeltor, there is nothing of grand Importance tranfacted either in Heaven or .Earth, Ifa. ix. 6. Nay without him was nothing done at firft; All 'J'hings were made by him, and without him was not any 'J'hing made that was made. When Commiffion was given to Creatures of all kinds to act in their proper Sphere, Chrifl was there. See Counfellor. XX. A Captain's Place is a XX. Chrift's Place is a Place of Honor, bePlace of Honor, where the Subcaufe he was worthy, Rev. v. 3, 4· and the Army jeer is juflly worthy of it, and the that he bath raifed is not a rebellious Army, but Army legally raifed. legally raifed, and behave themfelves well; they are kept under good Government and Difcipline, not one debauched Perfon in the Army is continued in the Mufler.rolls, but prefently turned off, blotted our, and delivered up to Satan, when difcovered by his inferior Officers to be fuch. Have no Fellowjhip with the unfruitful 11/orks of Darkxefs: From fuch turn away. Deliver fuch over to Satan, 1 Cor. v. 5· Turn him into his own King– dom. Becaufe thou haft loved Righteoufnefs, and bated I11iquity, therefore God, even thy God, bath anointed thee with the Oil of Gladnefs above thy Fellows, Heb. i. 9· 'I'hat all Men might honor the So11, even a.r they honor the Father, John v. 23. XXI. A valiant and nobleXXI. Jefus Chrifl offers Terms of Peace and hearted Captain offers Terms of Reconciliation, becaufe he would prevent their Peace to the Enemy, before he Ruin, if 'po!lible, before he falf upon them and fall upon them and fight them, fight againft them with the Sword of his Mouth. • See the Nature of the Chrifiian . .<\rmor und~r the Head of Jl,fna;bors relating to the Graces of the Spirit, 2 'lum

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