234 ë/1n Hxpofition of the C NA P. II lainity anddiftrelfes ; and are apt to fay withHezekiah, Remember 0Lord we befeech thee bowwe have walked before thee in truth, and with an upright heart; andhave done that which isgood in th3 fight, and weep fore fuppofing that this might have freed them fromoppofitions and Perfecutions.And as it waswithGideon when the Angel told him, the Lord was withhim. He replies, Whence is all this evilcome upon as i' For when they find it isotherwife, and begin to apply themfelves unto their condition, yet if their troubles continue, if they are not in their i afon removed, theyare ready tobe weary andfaint in their minds. But, faith theApoftle, confider the Captain ofyour falvation, he hath fet you another manner of Example ; notwithfianding all his futterings,he fainted not. The like Argument he preffeth, Chap. a 3. 12, 13. And the Scripture in many places reprefents unto us the fame conlderation. The ,,Jews have a faying, that a thirdpart of the agittlions and troubles that(hall be in the world, do belong unto the Mefah. But our Apotlle who.knewbetter than they, makes all the afi6honsof the Church, to be the affliftions ofChrift, Col. 1.2q. who both before underwent them in his own perfon, and lead the way to all that (hall follow him. And as the Obedi- ence of Chrift which is ourpattern, Both incomparably exceed whatever we canattain unto ; fo the fufferingr ofChrift which are ourExampk, did incomparably exceedall that we (hall be called unto. Our pattern is excellent, inimitable in the fubflanceand parts ofit; unattainable and unexprefliblein its degrees,and he is the belt Proficient who attendsmolt thereunto. But what is theEnd of all this Obedience and fuffering s death lyes at the door, as the Ocean whereuntoall there ftreams do run, and Teems tofwallow them up, that there they are loft for ever. No, for (3. ) This Captain ofourfalvation is gone before us in palling through death, and entring into glory. He hath (hewed us in his own Refur- reétion, ( that great pledge of our immortality ) that death is not the endof our. courfe, but a palfäge into another more abiding condition. He promifeth, that who- foever believethon him, that they (hall not be loll, or perifh, or,confirmed by death, but that he will raiíi them up at the lafi day, John 6.39.40. But how (hall this be con- firmed unto them ? Death look's ghattly and dreadful, as a Lyon that devours all that tomewithin his reach: why, faith Chrift, behold me, entring into his jaws , palling through his power, rilingfrom underhis dominion; and fear not, fo (hall it be with you alto. This our Apoftle difputes at large, 1 Cor. r 5. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16,17,18, 19, 20, 21. He isgonebefore et through death, and is become the firti fruit of them that fleep. And had Chrift patted into Heavenbefore he dyed, as didEnoch and Elijah, we had wanted the greateft Evidence of our future immortality. What then remains, for the finilhing of our courfe? why, the Captainof our falvation after he had fuffe- red, enered into Glory; and that as our Leader, or fore-runner, Heb. 6.20. Jefus at our fore-runner is entered intoHeaven; He is gone beforeus, to evidence unto us, what is the End ofourObedience and Sufferings. In all this is he a Captain and Leader unto the Sons ofGod. Secondly,Heguides them and direíís them in their way. This alto belongs untohim as their Captainand Guide. Twtíthings in this, are theyof themfelves defe6hive in : ( 1.) They knownot the way that leads to happinefs and glory; and (2. ) They want ability to difiern it aright when it is [hewed unto them ; and in boththey are relieved and aflifled by their Leader; in the firlt by his Word; in the latter by his Spirit. Firlt,Of themfelves they know not the way; as Thomas laid, bow can we know the way; TheWill of God, the Myfterie of his Love and Grace, as to the way whereby he will bring firmer: untoGlory, is unknown to theSons of men by nature; It was a ferret hid in God, a fealedBook which none in Heaven or Earth could open ; But this Jfr Chrift hath fully declared in his Wird,unto all the Sons that are tobe brought unto glory; He hath revealed the Father from bit own bofome, John r.18. and declared thofe heavenly things, whichno man knew, but he that came downfrom Hessen, and yet at the fame time was in Heaven, John .12,13. In his Word hath he declared the Name and revealed the whole counfel of God ; and brought lit and immortality to light, 2Tim. 1. ro. What ever is anyway needful, uRful, helpful in their Obedience, Wor- fhipof God,Suffering, ExpelationofGlory, he hath tanght it them alt, revealed it all unto them; OtherTeachers theyneed not. Had therebeen any thing belonging unto their way which he had not revealed unto them, he had not been a perfet Captainoffalvation unto them. Andmendo nothing but prefumptuoully derogate from his Glory, whowill be adding and impofing their preleriptions in and about this way. Again,
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