VER. 10.] EPISTLE TO THE HUBREWS. 387
are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the Lorp 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 persecu- tions and sufferings, though they may put a stop unto somewhat of their outward profession, yet thoy 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 :—
(1.) 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 fect of their commanders: Judges iv. 10, “ Barak went wp with ten thou- sand men at his feet;” that is, they 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.] Asunto 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, “1 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 in heart,”
Matt. xi. 29,—that is, learn to be like him in those heavenly graces.
This the apostles proposed as their pattern and ours: 1 Cor. xi. J, “ Be followers 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 wp into the game image and likeness with him.
388 AN EXPOSITION OF THE ; [CHAP. IT.
[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, beready and prepared unto patience in sufferings when we are called thereunto, as he explains himself, 1 Epist. iv. 1, «« Rorasmuch as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm your- selves 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 con- tradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye 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 Lorn, 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 weep sore; sup- posing that this might have freed them from oppositions and perse- cutions. And so it was with Gideon. When the angel told him the Lord was with him, he replies, “ Whence is all this evil come upon us?’ But when they find it is otherwise, and begin to apply them- selves 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; notwithstand- ing all his sufferings, he fainted not.’ The like argument he press- eth, chap. xi. 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, did 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 unexpressible in its degrees, and he is the best proficient who attends most thereunto.