V ER. to. Epflle to the Hs s R zw. Jfiall be great, or bemagnified unto the endsof the earth. So alto is hedefctibed inhis rule, Zech. 6. 13. Even he (hall build the Temple of the Lord, andbe (hallbear the glory, andjhall fitand rule upon his Throne, and fhall be s Prieff uponhis Throne; Having built theTemple, ratfed an Houfe and Family to God, he (hall be the Ruler or Cap- tain of it, topreferve it unto Glory ; and this in a glorious manner ; bearing the glo- ry ofGod, fitting upona Throne, in the whole difcharge of his Office both as aKing andPriest. Unto this endis he entrufledwithall the Power and Authority which we havebeforedefcribed , God having given him to be headover all thingsunto his Church. There is nothing fo high, fo great, fo mighty, that lyes in the way of his fans toglory, but it mull [coop to his Authority, and give place tohis Power. The whole King dom ofSatan,the ftrong-holdsof fin, the high imaginations of unbelief; the flrength and malice of the world, all fink before him. And thence are they defcribcdfo glo- rious and fuccefsful in their way,Mich. 2. 13. The breaker is come up before them, they have broken up and have paffid through the Gate, and are gone out by it, andtheir King, fhall paf? before them, and the Lord on the head of them. Many obWtacles lye in their way, but they Ihalrbreak through them ah, becaufe of their King and Lord that goes be- fore them. And thofe Difficulties which in this world they meet withal, that form to be too hard for them, their Perfecutionsand Sufferings, though they may put a flop unto fomewhat of their outwardProfeflìon, yet they (hall not in the lea([ hin- der them in their progrefs untoglory. Their Captain goes before themwith Power and Authority, and breaks up all the hedges and gates that lye in their way, and gives them afee and abundantentrance into the Kingdom of God. Secondly, Asthe manner how, fo the Ai7r wherein and whereby this Anteceffor and Captain offalvation leadsonithe Sons ofGod, may be confidered's and he doth it variously. First, Heger before them in the whole way unto the end. This is a principal du- tyof a Captainor Leaderto .go before his Souldiers. Hence they that went unto the, War, were faid to go at the feet of their Commanders,'Iudg. 4 IO. Barak went upand ten thoufandmen at hiefeet, that is, followed him, and went where he went before them. And this alto becamethe Captain of the Lords Hoff ; evento go before his People in their whole way,not patting them on any thing, not calling them to any thing,. whichhimfelf paffethnot before them in. And there are three things whereunto their whole courfemay be referred. ( 1.) Their Obedience : (z.)Their Sufferings ; (3.) Their Entrance intoGlory and in all there hath theLord Chrift gone before them, and that as their Cap- tain and Leader , inviting them to engage into them, and couragioully to pafs thorough them, upon his Example, and ,the fuccefs that he fets before them. ( 1.) As untoObedience; hehimfelf was made under the Law; and learned obedience fulfilling all righteoufnefi. Though he was inhis ownPerron above the Law, yet he fubmittedhimfelf to everyLawofGod, and righteous Law of men ; that he might give an Example unto them who were of necefftry to be fubjefk unto them. So he tells his Difciples, astoone in[ianceof his humility, Ihave givenyou an example, that ye fhould do as I have done, John3. 15. As he calls on all to learn of him, for he mar meek, and lowly of heart, Matth. r s. 29. That is, learn to belike him in thole heavenly Graces. This the Apoftles propofed astheir patternand ours, 1 Cor. sr. 5. Be follow- ers of me, as I am ofChriff. That is, labour with me to imitate Chrift. And the ut- molt Perfeâion whichwe are bound to aim at in Hohnefsand Obedience, is nothing but conformity unto Jefus Chrift, and thePattern that he hath fet before us; to mark his footlteps and to followhim. This is ourputting on of Jefus Cbrifi, and growingup in- to thefame Image and likenefs with him. ( 2.) Hegoes before theSons of God infuffrings; and therein is alto a Leader un.. to them by hisExample. Chrift, faithPeter, bath (offered for us, leaving us an example that we fhould follow his ffeps; that is,be readyand prepared unto patience in fufferinge when we are calledthereunto; as he explains himfelf, Chap. 4. 1: Forafmuch as Chrift bath fufferedfor us in theflefb, arm your (elver therefore with the (ante mind, that you may follow him in the fameway. And this our Apostle preffeth muchin this Epiftle, Chap. 12. 2, 3. Lookunto Jejtts the Author andfinifher of our faith, who for the joy that misfit beforehim, endured theCroft, deftifing thefbame ; for confider him that enduredfuck contradiRion of (inners againff himfelf , feltyoube wearied and faint in your minds. The Sons of God are fometimesready to think it strange; that they fhould fall into ca- lamity 2 33
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