Hebrews 13:7 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Imitation of their godly ministers, is another duty that Christ's law chargeth on his subjects, both here and Hebrews 13:17. Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God; be mindful of your spiritual guides and rulers, firmly and constantly to retain their excellencies in memory, esteeming of them, and thanking God for them, which were sent to them and set over them by the Holy Ghost, who were guiding of them by Christ to God, and enjoyment of eternal life with him, which they did by preaching to them, and writing the gospel of Christ for their edification, by the inspiration of the Spirit. Some of which guides were removed by death, slain and martyred for the truth of Jesus, and ascended unto heaven, and others were alive among them; they were to remember all of them, but especially their spiritual fathers that had begotten them to God by the gospel, 1 Corinthians 4:15 2 Corinthians 2:17 1 Timothy 5:17 2 Timothy 3:14-17 1 Peter 4:11, 1 Peter 5:2,3. Whose faith follow; the best way of remembering such is by imitating them, to believe the doctrine which they taught and practised, and to be as stedfast in the faith as were they, and holding of it out to others, how eminent believers they were, 1 Timothy 4:12, 1 Timothy 6:11 2 Timothy 2:22. Considering the end of their conversation; such as their doctrine was, such was their life, conformable to Christ s, 1 Corinthians 11:1. It was honest, upright, and blameless, much in heaven, 2 Corinthians 10:3 Philippians 3:20. All their turnings and motions in the world, their very life, was hid with Christ in God; all agreeable to, as ordered by, his will. And such was the issue and egress of this life, which it is their concernment to review, they having by it an outlet from the remainders of sin and misery, which did defile and oppress them, Revelation 14:13, and a victory over the world and all its oppositions to them, sealing the truth with their blood which they had preached and practised among them, and were more than conquerors over all by death, having an inlet into life, and peace, and eternal glory, in the inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and which fadeth not away, reserved for them in heaven, Romans 8:37 2 Timothy 4:8 1 Peter 1:4, 1 Peter 3:4.