power. The whole kingdom of Satan, the strong-holds of sin, the high imaginations of unbelief, the strength and malice of the world, all sink before him. And thence are they described so glorious and successful in their way, Mic. ii. 13. "The breaker is come up before them, they have broken up and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it, and their King shall pass before them, and the Lord on the head of them." Many obstacles lie in their way, but they shall break through them all, because of their King and Lord that goes before them. And those difficulties which in this world they meet withal, that seem to be too hard for them, their persecutions and sufferings, though they may put a stop unto somewhat of their outward profession, yet they shall not in the least hinder them in their progress unto glory. Their Captain goes before them with power and authority, and breaks up all the hedges and gates that lie in their way, and gives them a free and abundant entrance into the kingdom of God.

Secondly, As the manner how, so the acts wherein and whereby this Antecessor and Captain of salvation leads on the sons of God, may be considered; and he doth it variously.

First, He goes before them in the whole way unto the end. This is a principal duty of a captain or leader, to go before his soldiers. Hence they that went unto the war, were said to go at the feet of their commanders, Judges iv. 10. " Barak went up, and ten thousand men at his feet;" that is, followed him, and went where he went before them. And this also became the Captain of the Lord's host, even to go before his people in their whole way, not putting them on any thing, not calling them to any thing, which himself passeth not before them in. And there are three things whereunto their whole course may be referred.

1. Their obedience. 2. Their sufferings. 3. Their entrance into glory. And in all these hath the Lord Christ gone before them, and that as their Captain and Leader, inviting them to engage into them, and courageously to pass through them upon his example, and the success that he sets before them.

1. As unto obedience; he himself was made under the law, and learned obedience, fulfilling all righteousness. Though he was in his own person above the law, yet he submitted himself to every law of God, and righteous law of men, that he might give an example unto them who were of necessity to be subject unto them. So he tells his disciples, as to one instance of his humility, "I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done," John xiii. 15. As he calls on "all to learn of him, for he was meek and lowly of heart," Matt. xi. 29. That is, learn to be like him in those heavenly graces. This the apo stles proposed as their pattern and ours, I Cor. xi. 1. "Be fol

lowers of me, as I am of Christ." That is, labour with me to imitate Christ. And the utmost perfection which we are bound to aim at in holiness and obedience, is nothing but conformity unto Jesus Christ, and the pattern that he hath set before us, to mark his footsteps and to follow him. This is our putting on of Jesus Christ, and growing up into the same image and likeness with him.

2. He goes before the sons of God in sufferings, and therein is also a leader unto them by his example. Christ, saith Peter, "hath suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps," that is, be ready and prepared unto patience in sufferings, when we are called thereunto, as he explains himself, chap. iv. 1. "Forasmuch as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves therefore with the same mind," that you may follow him in the same way. And this our apostle presseth much in this Epistle, chap. xii. 2, 3. "Look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame; for consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest you be wearied and faint in your minds." The sons of God are sometimes ready to think it strange that they should fall into calamity and distresses, and are apt to say with Hezekiah, "Remember O Lord we beseech thee how we have walked before thee in truth, and with an upright heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight," and to weep sore; supposing that this might have freed them from oppositions and persecutions. And as it was with Gideon when the angel told him "the Lord was with him." He replies, "Whence is all this evil come upon us?" For when they find it is otherwise, and begin to apply themselves unto their condition, yet if their troubles continue, if they are not in their season removed, they are ready to be weary and faint in their minds. But, saith the apostle, "Consider the captain of your salvation," he hath set you another manner of example, notwithstanding all his suffer ings, he fainted not. The like argument he presseth, chap. xiii. 12, 13. And the Scripture in many places represents unto us the same consideration. The Jews have a saying, that a third part of the afflictions and troubles that shall be in the world, do belong unto the Messiah. But our apostle, who knew better than they, makes all the afflictions of the church to be the afflictions of Christ, Col. i. 24. who both before underwent them in his own person, and led the way to all that shall follow him. And as the obedience of Christ, which is our pattern, doth incomparably exceed whatever we can attain unto, so the sufferings of Christ, which are our example, did incomparably exceed all that we shall be called unto. Our pattern is excellent, inimitable in the substance and parts of it, unattainable.

and inexpressible in its degrees, and he is the best proficient who attends most thereunto.

3. But what is the end of all this obedience and suffering? death lies at the door, as the ocean whereunto all these streams do run, and seems to swallow them up, that there they are lost forever. No; for, 3. This Captain of our salvation is gone before us in passing through death, and entering into glory. He hath shewed us in his own resurrection, (that great pledge of our immortality) that death is not the end of our course, but a passage into another more abiding condition. He promiseth, that whosoever believeth on him, that they shall not be lost or perish, or consumed by death, but that he will "raise them up at the last day," John vi. 39, 40. But how shall this be confirmed unto them? Death looks ghastly and dreadful, as a lion that devours all that come within his reach: Why, saith Christ, behold me entering into his jaws, passing through his power, rising from under his dominion; and fear not, so shall it be with you also. This our apostle disputes at large, 1 Cor. xv. 12— 21. He is gone before us through death, and is become the first fruits of them that sleep. And had Christ passed into heaven before he died, as did Enoch and Elijah, we had wanted the greatest evidence of our future immortality. What then remains for the finishing of our course? why, the Captain of our salvation, after he had suffered, entered into glory; and that as our leader, or forerunner, Heb. vi. 20. "Jesus, as our forerunner, is entered into heaven;" he is gone before us, to evidence unto us, what is the end of our obedience and sufferings. all this, he is a Captain and Leader unto the sons of God.

In

Secondly, He guides them, and directs them in their way. This also belongs unto him as their Captain and Guide. Two things in this, are they of themselves defective in: 1. They know not the way that leads to happiness and glory; and, 2. They want ability to discern it aright when it is shewed unto them and in both they are relieved and assisted by their leader; in the first by his word, in the latter by his Spirit. First, Of themselves they know not the way; as Thomas said, "How can we know the way ?" The will of God, the mystery of his love and grace, as to the way whereby he will bring sinners unto glory, is unknown to the sons of men by nature. It was a secret hid in God, a sealed book which none in heaven or earth could open. But this Jesus Christ hath fully declared in his word, unto all the sons that are to be brought unto glory. He hath revealed the Father from his own bosom, John i. 18. and declared those heavenly things, "which no man knew, but he that came down from heaven, and yet at the same time was in heaven," John iii. 12, 13. In his word hath he declared the name, and revealed the whole counsel of God; and brought

life and immortality to light, 2 Tim. i. 10. Whatever is any way needful, useful, helpful in their obedience, worship of God, suffering, expectation of glory, he hath taught it them all, revealed it all unto them. Other teachers they need not. Had there been any thing belonging unto their way which he had not revealed unto them, he had not been a perfect Captain of salvation unto them. And men do nothing but presumptuously derogate from his glory, who will be adding and imposing their prescriptions in and about this way.

Again, The way being revealed in the word, he enables them by his Spirit, to see, discern and know it, in such a holy and saving manner, as is needful to bring them unto the end of it. He gives them eyes to see, as well as provides paths for them to walk in. It had been to no purpose to have declared the way, if he had not also given them light to see it. This blessed work of his Spirit, is every where declared in the Scripture, Isa. xliii. 16. And by this means is he unto us, what he was unto the church in the wilderness, when he went before them in a pillar of fire, to guide them in their way, and to shew them where they should rest. And herein lies no small part of the discharge of his office towards us, as the Captain of our salvation. Whatever acquaintance we have with the way to glory, we have it from him alone; and whatever ability we have to discern the way, he is the fountain and author of it. This God hath designed and called him unto. And all our wisdom consists in this, that we betake ourselves unto him, to him alone, for instruction and direction in this matter, Matt. xvii. 5. Doth not he deservedly wander, yea, and perish, who in war will neglect the orders and directions of his general, and attend unto every idle tale of men pretending to shew him way that they have found out, better than that which his captain hath limited him

unto?

Thirdly, He supplies them with strength by his grace, that they may be able to pass on in their way. They have much work lying before them; much to do, much to suffer, and without him they can do nothing, John xv. 5. Wherefore he watcheth over them, to succour them that are tempted, Heb. ii. 18. and to give out help unto them all in time of need, ch. iv. 16. and hence they who have no might, no sufficiency, can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth them, Phil. iv. 13. Nothing is too hard for them, nothing can prevail against them, because of the constant supplies of grace, which the Captain of their salvation communicates unto them. And this makes the ways of the gospel marvellous, both to the world, and to believers themselves. Their life is hid with God in Christ, Col. iii. ̧ 3. and they have a new name that no man knoweth, Rev. ii. 17. The world secing poor, mean, weak, contemptible crea

tures, willing, ready and able to suffer, endure, and die for the name of Christ, stand astonished, not knowing where their great strength lies, as the Philistines did at the might of Sampson, whom they saw with their eyes to be like other men. Let them in the height of their pride, and rage of their madness, pretend what they please, they cannot but be, they really are, amazed to see poor creatures, whom otherwise they exceeding ly despise, constant unto the truth and profession of the gospel, against all their allurements and affrightments. They know not, they consider not, the constant supplies of the strength and grace which they receive from their Leader. He gives them the Spirit of truth, which the world neither sees nor knows, John xiv. 17. and therefore it wonders from whence they have their ability and constancy. They cry, What! will nothing turn these poor foolish creatures out of their way? They try them one way, and then another; add one weight of affliction and oppression unto another, and think surely this will effect their design; but they find themselves deceived, and know not whence it is. The ways of obedience are hence also marvellous unto believers themselves. When they consider their own frailty and weakness, how ready they are to faint, how of ten they are surprised, and withal take a prospect of what opposition lies against them, from indwelling sin, Satan and the world, which they are acquainted with in several instances of their power and prevalency, they neither know how they have abode so long in their course as they have done, nor how they shall continue it unto the end. But they are relieved when they come to the promise of the gospel. There they see whence their preservation doth proceed. They see this Captain of their salvation, in whom is the fulness of the Spirit, and to whom are committed all the stores of grace, giving out daily and hourly unto them as the matter doth require. As the captain in an army doth not at once give out unto his soldiers the whole provision that is needful for their way and undertaking; for if he should, the most of them would instantly waste it, and so quickly perish for want; but he keeps provision for them all in his stores, and gives out unto them according to their daily necessities; so God gave the people manna for their daily food in the wilderness: even so deals this great Leader with the sons of God. He keeps the stores of grace and spiritual strength in his own hand; and from thence imparts unto them according as they stand in need.

Fourthly, He subdues their enemies. And this belongs to his office, as the Captain of their salvation in an especial manper. Many enemies they have, and unless these are conquered and subdued, they can never enter into glory. Satan, the world, death and sin, are the chief or heads of them, and all