The Mystical Brazen Serpent, Title page 1 – Tract 1
The MYSTICAL BRASEN SERPENT: WITH The Magnetical Vertue thereof. OR, CHRIST exalted upon the CROSS, WITH The bleſſed End and Fruit of that his Exaltation, in drawing the Elect world to Himſelf, to believe on Him, and to be ſaved by Him. In two Treatiſes, from John 3.14, 15. John 12.32. Whereunto is added A TREATISE of the Saints JOINT-MEMBERSHIP each with other. As they were delivered to the Church of God at Great YARMOUTH, By JOHN BRINSLEY, Miniſter of the Goſpel, and Preacher to that Incorporation.
Imprimatur,
Edm. Calamy. July 30. 1652.
1 COR. 2.2. I determined not to know any thing among you, ſaving Jeſus Chriſt, and him crucified.
1 COR. 1.18. For the preaching of the Croſs is to them that periſh fooliſhneſſe; but unto us which are ſaved, the power of God.
LONDON, Printed by Thomas Maxey for Ralph Smith, at the Bible in Cornhil, neer the Royal Exchange. 1653.
To The truely Honourable, The LADY FRANCIS HOBART, Grace and Peace.
Madam,
I Plead no excuſe for the homelineſſe of this preſent. Whatever the Workmanſhip be, ſure I am the matter is ſuch, as ſhall find acceptance at your Ladyſhips hands. I queſtion not but your Honour hath often read of what eſteem the Typicall Braſen Serpent was with the Iſraelites, 2 King. 18.4.even then when it was out of date, a bare Nehuſhtan, no more worth then what the metall weighed: And I preſume you have as often heard what honour (at leaſt) the ignoranter ſort of the Romiſh perſwaſion are wont to give to the Crucifixes of their own making: Both of them ſuperſtitiouſly and idolatrouſly yeilding that reſpect to the ſhadow, which is appropriate to the ſubſtance. This it is which I here preſent to your Honours view; The Myſtical Braſen Serpent; the Reall Crucifix, Chriſt himſelfe exalted upon the Croſſe. Of whoſe Magneticall Vertue, I doubt not but your precious ſoule hath already had ſo much experience, as that you earneſtly deſire to feele more of it. In this way, if theſe my poor labors may contribute ought either to your ſelfe, or any other, I ſhall bleſſe that God who hath made uſe of me as his Inſtrument in ſo honourable a ſervice. In the hope and confidence hereof, I ſhall put them into your Ladyſhips hand, and reſt
Great Yarmouth, June 24. 1642. Ready further to ſerve Your Honour in all Chriſtian Offices, JOHN BRINSLEY.
An Alphabeticall Table.
A.
ADverſaries not to be feared. 140.
Affections towards Chriſt, evidencing mans drawing to him 183
Chriſt offered to All, how and why 146
Attractive vertue in Chriſt to be ſought after 188
B.
BEnefit of Chriſts death extending to all Beleevers. 111
Beleeving on Chriſt, the onelyonly means to receive benefit from him 73
Diſcouragements in Beleeving anſwered 115
Blindneſſe naturall to all men 153
Braſen Serpent both a medicine, and a myſtery 3
Braſen Serpent a lively and convincing Type of Jeſus Chriſt 5
Braſen Serpent reſembling Chriſt in five particulars 16
Braſen Serpent to be looked up unto 96
C.
Carnall perſons not drawn to Chriſt 181
Chriſt a mighty Saviour 17
Chriſt like unto men, and ſinfull men, yet without ſin 18
Chriſt crucified the onelyonly Sole-Remedy 51
Chriſt a Saviour by his Fathers Ordination 22
Chriſt to be looked up unto, and how 124
Motives to come unto Chriſt 71
Diſcouragements in coming unto Chriſt anſwered 115
Motives to look up unto Chriſt 97
Strength of Corruption no juſt diſcouragement in coming to Chriſt 122
Converſion to be aſcribed unto Chriſt 161
Common work of the Spirit not to be reſted in 191
Croſſe of Chriſt a memoriall of mans ſin and miſery. 21
Croſſe of Chriſt the way to his Crown 27
The Croſſe an Exaltation to Chriſt 28
Chriſt crucified the onelyonly Saviour 62
Cure of the Soul to be locked after 48
D.
Darkneſſe mans naturall eſtate 30
Death paſſed upon all 115
Death of Chriſt neceſſary in a threefold reſpect 45
Death of Chriſt not dubious 132
Drawing of men by Chriſt to Chriſt 143, 150
Drawing, a fruit of Chriſts death 134
Men drawn to Chriſt as a Saviour, and Lord 169
God the Father draweth men to Chriſt, how 144
All men, and all things drawn to Chriſt, how 145
Drawing, what it importeth 152
Whence Chriſt draweth men 164
Men drawn out of themſelves, how 168
Evidences of men not drawn to Chriſt 179
Evidences of men drawn to Chriſt 183
Drawing to Chriſt a ground of comfort 187
Outward Drawing not to be reſted in 190
Drawing back to be taken heed of 163. 191
E.
Elect ones drawn to Chriſt 149
Enemies ſtill infeſting Beleevers 53
Enemies of Chriſt diſappointed 135, 136
Chriſt exalted upon the Croſſe 28
F.
Faithfulneſſe of Chriſt in his obedience 56
Faith juſtifying and ſaving, what 75
Faiths object and act in juſtifying 79
Faith how it healeth and ſaveth 80
Faith and Chriſt as the Ring and the Bloodſtone 92
Faith the only Inſtrument in healing the ſoule 93. 101
Weakneſſe of Faith, no juſt diſcouragement 123
H.
Chriſt Healing his people, how 58
I.
Ignorant perſons not drawn to Chriſt 179
Impediments in coming to Chriſt 119
Mans naturall Impotency 154
Weak Inſtrument effecting great works 174
God bleſſeth all, and only his own Inſtitutions 10
Interceſſion of Chriſt effectuall 57
Inveterate ſins not hindering benefit by Chriſt 119
Civil Juſticiaries not drawn to Chriſt 182
L.
Lameneſſe naturall to all men 155
Chriſt Lift up four wayes 25
Lifting up of the Braſen Serpent ſhadowing the death of Chriſt in five particulars 29
Lifting up of Chriſt drawing men to him 173
Life eternall, what 109
Life, all men deprived of 44
M.
Mans Miſery the occaſion of Gods Mercy in ſending his Son 20
Mans naturall Miſery deſcribed 33
Gods Mercy in providing a Remedy 38
Miniſters of God to be enquired of for Soul-cures 49
N.
Natures power in the work of Converſion, decayed 160
O.
God not tied to coſtly Ordinances 7
P.
Penitent ſinners only capable of benefit by Chriſt 113
The Eſtate of Nature, a Periſhing Condition 43
Whether men Periſh in death 105
No Periſhing to Beleevers 107
Profane perſons not drawn to Chriſt 180
R.
Man Repenting God Repents 9
Refuſing of Chriſt a juſt Condemnation 71
Relapſes dangerous, not deſperate 120
Reluctancy againſt receiving of Chriſt with the grounds thereof 158, 159
S.
Salvation to be ſought onelyonly in Chriſt 63
Satan reſembled by a Serpent, in three particulars 34
Satan hindering men from coming unto Chriſt, how 156
Men drawn from under the power of Satan, how 156
Chriſt a Saviour to loſt mankind 152
How Chriſt cometh to be a Saviour 154
Chriſt the onelyonly Saviour 159
Miniſters how called Saviours 161
How men ſave themſelves ibid.
Chriſt a perfect Saviour 68
Senſe of miſery a preparative for mercy 46
The Serpent the Inſtrument of mans miſery 45
Shadowes made uſe of by God to work reall effects 8
Great Sins great puniſhments 9
Diſcouragements from magnitude or multitude of Sins anſwered 116, 117
Son of man, the phraſe opened: being given to Chriſt, what it imports 12, 14
Spirit of Chriſt drawing men to him 175
T.
Type, why made uſe of by our Saviour 4
W.
Liberty of Will in the work of converſion decryed 160
Will, not forced in the work of Converſion 192
Men drawn out of the World, how 166
The Word Chriſts Inſtrument in drawing men to himſelf 171
The Word being the Drawing Ordinance is to be ſubmitted to 191
ERRATA.
P. 2. l. 27. r. repreſented. p. 8. l. 9. r. Handkerchiefes. ibid. marg. r. Fernelius. p. 18. marg. r. per Serpentem. p. 21. l. ult. dele And. p. 23. l. 30. for where, r. whence. p. 29. marg. r. foreign, p. 30. l. 11. r. foreign. p. 33. l. 8. for hear, r. here. p. 41. l. 9. for grace, r. cure. p. 70. l. 32. dele up. p. 7. 6. l. 7. r. quovis. p. 107. l. laſt. r. turned to duſt. p. 145. marg. r. ſalvet. p. 149. marg. r. ex Gentibus. p. 160. marg. for decayed, r. decryed, p. 162. l. 29. r. not all.