The Mystical Brazen Serpent, Tract 1 · Part 2

The Mystical Brazen Serpent · Tract 1 · Part 2

p. 41Ver. 15.

That whoſoever believeth on him ſhould not periſh, but have Eternall life.]

IN which words wee may ſee the Truth not onelyonly Anſwering, The Truth excelling the Type.but Excelling p. 42the Type, advanced above it, and that in two particulars: In the Effect of it, and in the Extent of that effect. For the Effect: The braſen ſerpent was the means of a bodily cure, of preſerving a temporall life. But Chriſt is the means of a ſpirituall cure, of procuring an eternall life. For the Extent of that effect; The braſen ſerpent was erected for the uſe and benefit of the Jew; Chriſt crucified is a Saviour both of Jew and Gentile; the efficacy and vertue of his death extending to both alike. That whoſoever believeth on him ſhould not periſh, but have eternall life.]

Diviſion.Shall we devide the words? we may take notice in them of two things; a Condition, and a Promiſe: A condition, the ſame with the condition of the new Covenant, the Covenant of Grace; viz. believing on Jeſus Chriſt; Whoſoever believeth on him. The Promiſe, importing the great benefit accruing to them who ſhall rightly performe this condition. They ſhall not periſh, &c. Wherein wee may take notice, firſt of the benefit it ſelfe; then of the perſons to whom it extends. The Benefit it ſelfe, which is partly Privative, partly Poſitive. Privative, deliverance from death, [They ſhall not periſh.] Poſitive, fruition of life, and that eternall life; They ſhall not periſh, but have eternall life.] The Extent of which benefit is indefinite, univerſall, to all thoſe that ſhall performe the condition. [That whoſoever believeth, &c.]

It is not my purpoſe to inſiſt preciſely p. 43in the ſteps of this Diviſion. I ſhall rather, for our better and more profitable proceeding, draw forth the words into four diſtinct and plaine doctrinall Propoſitions, or Concluſions. The firſt whereof is neceſſarily implyed, the reſt plainly expreſſed.

1.Four Doctrinall Concluſions. All men by nature are in a periſhing eſtate and condition.

2. The onelyonly way and means of deliverance out of that periſhing ſtate, is by Jeſus Chriſt, and him crucified.

3. The onelyonly way and means of receiving benefit by and from Jeſus Chriſt, is, to believe on him.

4. Whoſoever ſo believeth on him, ſhall have perfect ſalvation by him.

Four main and uſefull Concluſions, each a Principle of Chriſtian Religion, a Head of Catechiſme, neceſſary even for children to know and underſtand, and yet of ſoveraigne uſe for the moſt growne Chriſtian. I ſhall handle them diſtinctly, and plainly; ſtill having an eye to the Type here ſet before us, wherein (as in a glaſſe) we may read the truth of every of theſe perticulars, and of the greateſt part of what I ſhall ſay concerning them.

Begin with the firſt:Concluſion 1. All men by nature in a periſhing condition. A truth, though not directly expreſſed, yet neceſſarily implyed: All men by nature are in a periſhing condition. Mark it; Chriſt the true Braſen Serpent was lift up, that whoſoever believeth on him ſhould not periſh, &c. A cleare intimation that p. 44without Chriſt, and without faith in Chriſt, all men are but dead men, in a periſhing ſtate, a ſtate of perdition, deprived of life, ſubjected unto death.

1 Deprived of life.1. Deprived of life, that life which the Text ſpeaketh of, viz. Eternall life, which is begun in Grace, perfected in Glory; of this life are all men naturally deprived. Being deſtitute of the Life of Grace, ſo ſaith S. Paul of the Gentiles before converſion,Eph. 4 18.Eph 4:18 They were alienated (eſtranged) from the life of God. That life whereby God liveth in his Saints, the life of grace; they were ſtrangers to it, they knew not what it meant; deſtitute of this Spirituall life, and ſhut out from the life of glory;Rom. 3.23.Rom 3:23 All have ſinned (ſaith S. Paul ſpeaking of the univerſality of man-kind) and are deprived of the glory of God;] They come ſhort of it, foreign, Deficiuntur, they are caſt behind; A Metaphor (ſaith Beza) taken from runners in a Race,Beza Gr. Ann. who through naturall weakneſſe, or by a fall, or ſome like impediment, are ſo far caſt behind, as that it is not poſsible they ſhould ever fetch it up again, ſo as to win the prize. So fareth it with all men naturally; through the fall of Adam, in whoſe loyns then they were, and through their own naturall weakneſſe thereby contracted, they are ſo far caſt behind, that do what they can, improve the power of nature to the uttermoſt, they can never of themſelves come up to the goal, ſo as to win the prize, never attain eternal life. All deprived of life. And

p. 452. All ſubjected unto death; 2. Subjected unto death. Gen. 3.17.Gen 3:17and that by vertue of that firſt threatning, The day thou eateſt thereof thou ſhalt die the death, Gen. 3. All ſubjected to a threefold death, Temporall, Spirituall and Eternall. Temporall of the Body; Spirituall of the Soul; Eternall both of Soul and Body: Being all inevitably ſubject to the firſt, lying under the power of the ſecond, and under the ſentence of the third: Having their Bodies mortall, their Souls dead, Dead in treſpaſſes and ſins: Eph. 2.1.Eph 2:1Souls and Bodies bound over unto Eternall death, which conſiſteth in an eternall ſeparation from the preſence of God, in whoſe preſence is life: an eternall confinement to that place and ſtate of torment, prepared for the divel and his angels; all which (if need were) might be made good in particulars. And herein is the forlorn periſhing ſtate and condition of all men by nature; that it is ſo, it cannot be denyed. But how cometh it to be ſo?

See the ground and cauſe of it in the Type: This hath the Serpent done; Reaſ. This hath the Serpent done.The Iſraelites being ſtung or bitten by thoſe fiery ſerpents, though both ſtrong and healthfull before, they were now but dead men, carrying death in their boſomes; and ſo fareth it with the ſons of men, however created in a bleſſed ſtate and condition, in a healthfull conſtitution (as I may ſay) with a poſſe non mori, a poſsibility of being immortall, yet upon the ſtinging of the ſerpent, the old ſerpent faſtning his ſting in Adam, through him transfuſing his poyſon, the deadly poyſon p. 46of ſin to all his poſterity, hereby they are become ſo wretched, ſo miſerable, all dead men, in a periſhing condition; ſo the Apoſtle layeth it down clearly and plainly in that knowne Text, Rom. 5.12. As by one man ſin entred into the world, and death by ſin, ſo death paſſed upon all, for that all have ſinned:] Mark it; Here is the head and ſpring of all that evill of ſin and miſery which hath broken in upon mankind. Adam ſinned, and ſinning died, being thereupon ſubjected to that threefold death. Now Adam thus dying and periſhing, all his poſterity periſhed in him, and with him; even as it is with a tree, the Root dying, all the Branches die in it, and with it: So ſtandeth the caſe betwixt Adam and his poſterity: Adam was the common Root of mankind, all others of the ſons of men were in him Tanquam in radice, as Branches in the Root; and ſo conſequently he dying, they all die in him, and with him. Thus briefly you ſee both the truth of this firſt Concluſion, and the ground of it. As briefly bring we it home by way of Application, and ſo paſſe to the other Concluſions which are here more expreſly layd down in the Text.

1. By way of Conviction: Ʋſe 1. Conviction. See this to be our ſtate.Is this the ſtate of all men by nature? Be we then convinced that this is our eſtate in particular. An eaſie matter it is to beleeve, confeſſe and acknowledge this truth in the groſs, in the generall, that all men by nature are in a periſhing ſtate, loſt men and women, children of perdition. p. 47to bring it home to a mans ſelfe in particular, to be convinced and made ſenſible that this is my eſtate, thy eſtate, here is a difficulty; a thing which few do, or endeavour to do; and hence it is that men being in the ſtate of nature, are ſo little or nothing affected with the dangerouſneſſe of that condition: They can lie and continue in that eſtate wherein they were born, and yet never be troubled at it, never affected with it: What is the reaſon hereof? Why, they look upon this truth only in the groſſe, in the generall notion of it; Now Generalities doe not affect; Genera nec agunt, nec patiuntur. Certainly, were men but once throughly convinced and perſwaded that this is their eſtate in particular, they would not ſo quietly and contentedly ſit downe in it; they would never be at reſt untill they have got ſome evidence, ſome aſſurance unto their own ſouls, that they are gotten out of that eſtate, brought out of this ſtate of nature into a ſtate of grace.

And therefore in the fear of God, as many of you as were never yet throughly convinced of the truth hereof, now let it into your ſouls, and do not ſuffer vain thoughts to lodge within you, as viz. that you ſhall do as well as others, (ſo you may, and yet be miſerable enough;) or, that whatever become of others, yet it ſhall go well with you; what ſaith our Saviour to the Jews flattering themſelves with the like thoughts? viz. That however the judgements of God might light upon others, yet they p. 48ſhould eſcape. Not ſo (ſaith he) Except ye repent, Luke 13.3.Luke 13:3ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh: Let it be ſpoken to every ſecure ſinner that ſtands before me this day, that lieth ſleeping in his naturall ſtate and condition, flattering himſelfe with a ſelfe conceited apprehenſion, that he is not as ſome others, (as the Phariſee ſaid of himſelf) no Swearer, no Drunkard, no profane, no ſcandalous perſon, and hereupon ſpeaks peace to his own ſoul, promiſing to himſelf immunity from that wrath of God which ſhall fall upon others, I tell you nay; but except ye repent, except ye be renewed, changed, brought out of that eſtate of nature, and brought home unto God by Chriſt, ye ſhall likewiſe periſh; Your eſtate being for the preſent that eſtate wherein you were born, it is a periſhing ſtate, a ſtate of perdition; ſo as living and dying in it, there is no hope but you muſt periſh, and for ever periſh. An Iſraelite being ſtung, was now but a dead man; and ſo art thou being under the guilt and power of ſin. O that this apprehenſion were but let in, and throughly ſet on upon every ſoul here preſent, then ſhould I not need to preſſe, what at preſent I intend only to propound by way of Exhortation.

Ʋſe 2. Look out for cure.That every one of us here preſent would look out for our ſelves, our owne ſafety, our owne ſecurity, never giving reſt unto our ſouls untill we be upon good grounds aſcertained that we are got out of this ſtate. My Brethren, will any creature (man only excepted) reſt p. 49in ſuch a ſtate as threatens deſtruction to it: Such is the ſtate of nature, a ſtate of perdition, threatning certaine deſtruction to every ſoul that lieth and continueth in it.

And therefore every of us (in the fear of God) be excited to a ſerious and earneſt inquiry after ſome way and means of deliverance out of this eſtate; that having found it out, we may put our ſouls upon it, ſo as we may not periſh with the reſt of the world. The Iſraelites feeling themſelves ſtung with theſe Fiery Serpents, they look out for cure: To that end, they repair unto Moſes, making their moan unto him: the like will we do for our bodies; Do we find them diſtempered, wounded, we will look out to the Phyſician, Chyrurgion, for remedie and cure. O, be as wiſe for our ſouls! Do we feel them wounded, ſtung with this Old Serpent? Do not now lie and die in our ſins; God hath provided a means of cure, ſeek we, enquire we after it, and make uſe of it.

And to that end, come with theſe Iſraelites to Moſes, come to the Miniſters of God,Come to Moſes, the Miniſters of God. enquiring from them out of the word what courſe is to be taken; this will a wounded ſoul, a ſoul rightly humbled do, feeling the ſting of ſin ſticking in it, and apprehending the deadly conſequence of it, it will now have recourſe to God, to his Word, to his Miniſters, asking counſell of them. So did the Jews being pricked in their hearts, they come unto Peter and the reſt (even as the Iſraelites here did unto p. 50Moſes:) and what is their errand? Men and Brethren, Act. 2.37.Acts 2:37what ſhall we do? The Jaylor the like; being ſtung, and ſenſible of his pain, he cometh to Paul and Silas; and what is his Queſtion?Act. 16.30.Acts 16:30 Sirs, what muſt I do to be ſaved? O that men would take the ſame courſe; feeling the ſting of ſin ſticking in their ſouls and conſciences, not let it alone feſtring and wrankling, and ſpreading the venome of it more and more, till it be paſt cure; nor yet ſeeking out after indirect and unprofitable wayes and meanes of cure: As it is in the caſe of ſome, of many, when they feel the ſmart, the ſting of ſin galling their conſciences, what courſe take they? Why (it may bee) with Saul, ſend for a Muſician to charme that evill and unquiet ſpirit; or with Cain, fall to building of Cities, plunge themſelves into buſineſs and imployment of the world; uſe ſome dangerous, it may be deſperate Anodynes, ſome means or other to caſt the ſoul into a dead ſleepe, to benum the ſenſe of it, which they ordinarily do by drowning and ſurcharging it with the pleaſures or profits of the world; Alas, it is not this will do it. It was not all the Phyſicians and Magicians in the world that could have cured a ſtung Iſraelite. No, when they have done all, they muſt come to Moſes: They are not all the carnall comforts and contentments in the world that can cure a wounded ſoul; poſſibly they may lull it aſleep for a time, and ſtupifie it ſo as it ſhall not feel the pain; (as haply ſome ſtupifying medicines p. 51might have been found out for the Iſraelites) but it is only God and his Word that can preſcribe meanes of comfort and cure: And therefore hither have we recourſe, enquiring of God's Miniſters what we ſhall do; by what means we may obtain deliverance and ſalvation. This being the queſtion, now know we for our comfort, that God hath provided a way and meanes for this purpoſe; when neither Man nor Angel could do it, God himſelfe in infinite wiſdome and mercy hath found out a way and meanes for the curing, healing, ſaving of our ſouls: And what is that way, that means? Why, only Jeſus Chriſt, and him crucified. And ſo I am fallen upon the ſecond Concluſion.

2. The onelyonly way and meanes of deliverance and ſalvation for poor periſhing ſinners, is by Jeſus Chriſt, and him crucified. Concluſ. 2. Chriſt crucified the only remedy.A Truth clearly held forth in the Type: The Iſraelites being ſtung with theſe deadly Serpents, they had no means of cure but only this Braſen Serpent being lift up; this was to them the Soveraign and only Antidote, and remedy. Even thus mankind being mortally ſtung by that Old Serpent, brought into a periſhing condition by ſin, they have no other remedy, no other way or means of ſalvation but Chriſt, and Chriſt lifted up upon the Croſſe, Chriſt crucified; ſo the Text it ſelfe plainly expreſſeth and applyeth it; So muſt the Son of Man be lift up, That whoſoever beleeveth on him ſhould not periſh, &c.

p. 52A Principle, I, the Principle of Chriſtian Religion,The Cardinal Principle of Chriſtian Religion. containing in it the ſumm and ſubſtance of the Goſpel. For the better handling of it, I ſhall draw it forth into three diſtinct Branches.The Concluſion divided into three Propoſitions. 1. That Chriſt: 2. Only Chriſt: 3. Only Chriſt crucified is the meanes of man's deliverance and ſalvation. Open theſe three ſeverally by way of Explication, Illuſtration; put them together in the Application.

Prop. 1. Jeſus Chriſt is the Saviour and deliverer of loſt mankind. Prop. 1. Chriſt the Saviour of loſt mankind.A Truth firſt preached in Paradiſe by God himſelfe; where he tells the Serpent, that the Seed of the woman ſhould bruiſe his head, Gen. 3.15. It ſhall bruiſe thy head.] It, viz. the Seed of the woman, Chriſt the Seed of the Virgin, the ſingular ſeed of the woman. Shall bruiſe thy head, i. e. Break the power of that old Serpent, Satan; And this hath Jeſus Chriſt done, and daily doth. And hence is it that he is called ſometimes by the name of a Redeemer, a Deliverer. I know that my Redeemer liveth (ſaith Job: Job. 19.25.Job 19:25) The Redeemer ſhall come to Zion (ſaith the Prophet) Iſai. 59.Iſai. 59.20.Isa 59:20 There ſhall come out of Zion the Deliverer (ſaith the Apoſtle, relating to that of the Prophet) Rom. 11.Rom. 11.26.Rom 11:26 Elſewhere and often a Saviour, Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour (ſaith Peter) Act. 5.Act. 5.31.Acts 5:31 The Authour of ſalvation, and that, Eternall ſalvation. Being made perfect (ſaith the Apoſtle) hee became the Author of Eternall ſalvation to all them that obey him, Heb. 5.Heb. 5.9.Heb 5:9 A Saviour to his people, his Elect: So much his name p. 53imports, Thou ſhalt call his name Jeſus, for he ſhall ſave his people (ſaith the Angel to Joſeph, Mat. 1.Mat, 1.21. Saving them from ſpirituall enemies, ſin and Satan. Save them; from what? why from ſin and Satan, their Spirituall enemies; He ſhall ſave his people from their ſins: Sin is the ſting of the Old Serpent (as I have ſhown you.) And from this Chriſt the true Braſen Serpent, ſaveth his people.

Obj. Saveth them, you may ſay,How it is that Beleevers are infeſted with both? How then is it that they are daily ſo infeſted as they are? Infeſted by ſin and Satan; aſſaulted by the one, and foiled by the other?

Anſw. To this let the Type make anſwer, which meets with it fully. The Iſraelites after the Braſen ſerpent was ſet up, they were ſtill infeſted with thoſe Fiery Serpents, ſtill ſtung by them, and that ſtinging as painfull to them, and in it ſelfe as dangerous and deadly as formerly it was; but it was not ſo mortall to them who looked up to that Braſen ſerpent. Here was the vertue of this ſoveraign Antidote. The braſen ſerpent ſaved them not from the ſtinging of the Serpents, but from the deadly conſequence of that ſtinging. Thus doth Chriſt ſave his people from ſin and ſatan in this life, not from being infeſted by them (though in part alſo he reſtrains the malice of Satan, and abates the power of ſin in his people; the Truth herein again excelling the Type) but from periſhing by them. Mark the Text, [That whoſoever beleeveth on him, ſhould not periſh:] Thus doth Chriſt ſave his people, though not altogether from ſin it ſelfe, yet from the p. 54conſequence of ſin, which is death, and condemnation: There is no condemnation to them which are in Chriſt Jeſus, Rom. 8.1. In the wilderneſſe, the Serpents themſelves were not taken away, nor yet the ſting from theſe Serpents, nor yet the venome from that ſting; onelyonly rendred not mortall to thoſe who made uſe of this means of Cure. Thus in this life ſin is not quite aboliſhed, nor yet the guilt taken away from the ſin: No, even in a juſtified perſon ſin ſtill remains, and that as ſin, which the beleever often feeleth the ſmart of, but the guilt, and puniſhment, and power of it is ſo taken away by Chriſt, as that it ſhall not be mortall to the perſon that looks up unto him: They ſhall not periſh, but have eternall life. Thus is Chriſt a Saviour to his people.

Queſt. Queſt. How Chriſt cometh to be a Saviour.But how cometh he to be ſo?

Anſ. He is ſo by his Fathers appointing, his own undertaking, and diſcharging of this office.

1. By his Fathers Ordination Anſw. 1 By his Fathers Ordination.and appointment. How came the Braſen Serpent to be an Antidote againſt the biting or ſtinging of thoſe fiery ſerpents? why God had deſigned and appointed it to be made, and ſet up for that end and purpoſe. Even thus cometh the Son of man to be the Saviour of mankind. God his Father deſigned and appointed him to this office;Pſal. 89.19.Ps 89:19 I have laid help upon one that is mighty, (ſaith the Pſalmiſt.) It is ſpoken literally of David, myſtically of Chriſt, upon whom God the Father laid the office of reconciliation, p. 55of propitiation. Whom God hath ſet forth to be a propitiation, (ſaith the Apoſtle, ſpeaking of Chriſt) Rom. 3.Rom. 3.25.Rom 3:25 A Propitiation, that is, a means of reconciliation and attonement. Hereunto God his Father appointed him; foreign, fore-appointed, fore-ordained him, viz. from eternity. This God did before time, and having deſigned him to this office, he fitted and furniſhed him for it. A Body haſt thou prepared (or fitted) for me. Heb. 10.5.Heb 10:5It is ſpoken in the Perſon of Chriſt: And having thus fitted him for it, he puts him upon it, ſending him into the world upon this ſervice, to be the Saviour of it.John 3.17.John 3:17 God ſent his Son into the world, not to condemne the world, but that the world through him might bee ſaved, (ſaith the 17^th verſe of this Chapter. 1 John 4.14.1 John 4:14) We have ſeen, and do teſtifie (ſaith this ſame Apoſtle) that the Father ſent the Son to bee the Saviour of the world. Thus hee came by his office; His Father deſigned him to it, fitted him for it, put him upon it.

2. By his own undertaking. 2 By his own undertaking.Being thus put upon it, he undertook it, and that voluntarily, willingly: Lo I come to do thy will, O God, Heb. 10.7.9.Heb 10:7Heb 10:9(It is the ſpeech of Chriſt himſelfe to his Father) Heb. 10. And what was the will of his Father? why, that he ſhould undertake this great work of Redemption, the ſaving of his Elect people, that none of them might periſh. This is the Fathers will which hath ſent me, (ſaith our Saviour to the Jews) that of all which he hath given me, I ſhould loſe nothing, but p. 56ſhould raiſe it up again at the laſt day. John 6.39, 40.John 6:39John 6:40And this is the will of him that ſent me, that every one which ſeeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlaſting life, &c. And this will of his he came to performe.Luke 19.10.Luke 19:10 The Son of man is come to ſeeke, and to ſave that which was loſt.] He is come, venit promptus & paratus, ready to do whatever his Father required from him, for the ſaving, and redeeming of his Elect.

3. What he undertook, he hath alſo diſcharged. 3. By his faithfull diſcharging.As he undertook it willingly, ſo he hath diſcharged it faithfully. He was faithfull to him that appointed him, Heb. 3.2. Faithfull in diſcharging that office which God his Father had appointed to him for mans redemption. In that regard, called a faithfull High Prieſt, Heb. 2.17. A faithfull High Prieſt in things appertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the ſins of the people.

Chriſt faithful in his obedience. 1. Active.Faithfull. So he ſhewed himſelfe both in his Active and Paſſive Obedience.

1. In his Active Obedience, fulfilling the Law. It becometh us to fulfill all righteouſneſs, (So he telleth John the Baptiſt.) Mat. 3.15. This he came to do, I am come not to deſtroy the Law, but to fulfill it. Mat. 5.17. And this he did, He fulfilled the Law, not onelyonly the Ceremoniall Law, which was fulfilled in him; but alſo the Morall Law, which was fulfilled by him; and that, as by inſtruction to others, ſo by obſervation in himſelfe.

2. In his Paſſive 2. Paſſive.Obedience, he ſuffered p. 57the curſe of the Law.Gal. 4.2.Gal 4:2 Being made under the Law, (as the Apoſtle hath it,) as under the Obſervation, ſo under the Malediction of it: Being a Surety for his Elect, hee made a full and plenary ſatisfaction, (as by doing, ſo) by ſuffering what the juſtice of God required at their hands: Bearing the ſins of the world, (the world of his Elect;) which were layed upon him by his Father: He bare the ſins of many, (ſaith the Prophet) Iſai. 53.Iſai. 53. laſt.Isa 53 Of many, id eſt, of his Elect. He bare them as a Surety: They being charged upon him, he bare the penalty of them: He bare our ſins in his Body upon the tree, 1 Pet. 2.24. And thus bearing them, he expiated them, took them away. Behold, the Lamb of God that taketh away the ſins of the world, John 1.29. foreign, ferens, & auferens; Bearing them, and bearing them away, Even as that Leviticall Scape-goat, having the ſins of the people put upon it by the Prieſt, it bare them, and bare them away, carried them into the wilderneſſe out of ſight. Even thus did the Lord Jeſus; having the ſins of his Elect layed upon him by God his Father, he bare them, and bare them away, taking them out of the ſight of God. This hee hath done, this hee hath ſuffered for his people.

3. To which I might adde what hee yet continueth to do for them, viz. to make Interceſſion 3. His effectuall Interceſſion. Iſai. 53. laſt.Isa 53for them: He bare the ſins of many, and made Interceſſion for the Tranſgreſſours, (ſaith the Prophet in the place fore-named.) This p. 58he did upon the Croſſe: There he prayed for his Perſecutors; Father, forgive them; And this he ſtill doth being in Heaven: It is Chriſt who dyed, ye rather that is riſen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who alſo maketh interceſſion for us. Rom. 8.34. By which means he becometh a compleat and perfect Saviour to his people; daily applying to them, what by the once offering up of himſelfe he impetrated and obtained for them; Wherefore (ſaith the Apoſtle) he is able to ſave them to the uttermoſt that come unto God by him, ſeeing he ever liveth to make interceſſion for them, Heb. 7.25.

And thus you ſee the firſt of theſe Branches opened unto you; viz. That Chriſt is a Saviour to loſt mankind, and How he cometh to be ſo. I might here for further Illuſtration, ſhew you yet more fully,

Queſt. Queſt. What Chriſt hath done for the healing and ſaving of his people.What Chriſt hath done for his people in order to their ſalvation, for the healing and ſaving of them.

Anſ. Anſw. 1. He was made the ſon of man.1. For anſwer hereunto, I ſhall not need to go out of the Text; He was made the Son of Man, and being ſo, he was lift up for that purpoſe. Even as the Braſen ſerpent, it was firſt made in the forme and faſhion of other Serpents, and being ſo made, then it was lift up on high; even thus the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, he was firſt made the Son of Man, a man like unto us, In ſhape and faſhion as a man (as the Apoſtle hath it;Phil. 2.6. Vid Muſcul. ad loc.Phil 2:6) Not that he was not a True man, as the Manichees, and ſome other Hereticks p. 59would have it, who bring in the Type here in the Text for countenance of this their error. The Braſen ſerpent (ſay they) was not a true Serpent, only it had the ſhape and faſhion of a Serpent: So Chriſt (ſay they) he was not a true man, only he was in ſhape and faſhion as a man. Not ſo, Our Saviour himſelfe here ſufficiently refutes this error, calling himſelfe the Son of Man: A phraſe importing the verity of his humane nature: He took a true humane nature upon him, being made like unto us in all things, ſin only excepted.

2. And being thus made the Son of Man, 2 He was lift up.he was then (in the ſecond place) lift up: Lift up upon the Croſſe, ſuffering, dying for the ſake of his people; Humbling himſelfe and becoming obedient unto the death, even the death of the Croſſe. Of which more anon. Paſſe wee to the ſecond Branch of this maine Concluſion.

Prop. 2.Prop. 2. Chriſt the only Saviour. Chriſt is the onelyonly Saviour of loſt mankind. Mark the Text; Like as Moſes lift up the Serpent, &c. ſo muſt the Son of Man be lift up. The Iſraelites in the wilderneſſe had no means of cure againſt the ſtinging of thoſe Fiery Serpents, but the Braſen ſerpent; and that not many, but one Braſen Serpent. Chriſtians have but one Jeſus; To us (ſaith the Apoſtle) there is but one God, and one Lord Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Cor. 8.6. One Saviour:

True, Temporall ſaviours we have read of many, whom God occaſionally and ſucceſſively p. 60raiſed up unto his people, as Moſes, and Joſhuah and Gideon, 2 King. 13.5. & laſt. Nehem. 9.27.2 Kgs 13:5Neh 9:27&c. Inſtruments imployed by God for the working of temporall ſalvation and deliverance, unto his people; and in that reſpect ſometimes called Saviours: But theſe were all but Types of this true Saviour, the Lord Jeſus, who is the onelyonly Eternall Saviour to the ſons of men. That of Saint Peter (as it is full, ſo it) is very Emphaticall, ſpecially as ſome, and moſt Greek Copies read it, Act. 4 12. Neither is there ſalvation in any other. foreign; Non eſt in alic, in nemine: Salvation is not in another, in any other; For there is no other name under heaven given amongſt men by which we muſt be ſaved: No other Name, i. e. no other power, or vertue by which ſalvation can be hoped, or looked for: By this Name were the Fathers before Chriſt ſaved, and by the ſame Name muſt we be ſaved; We beleeve (ſaith Peter) that through the grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt we ſhall be ſaved, even as they, Act. 15.11. Even as it was in the Camp of Iſrael, there was but one Braſen ſerpent, which they looking upon from all quarters, were all cured by it; Thus but one Jeſus, one Saviour in, and for the whole world; whom the Fathers looked upon forwards, we backwards, both alike ſaved by him. Chriſt the alone Saviour.

Miniſters how called ſaviours, and how men ſaid to ſave themſelves.Object. Here a triviall Objection meeteth us (which I ſhould not have taken up, did not I find the Type in the Text ſo fully meeting with it.) How then are Miniſters ſaid to be p. 61Saviours? How are men ſaid to ſave themſelves? It is Pauls charge to Timothy, 1 Tim. 4.1 Tim. 4. laſt.1 Tim 4 that he ſhould take heed to his Doctrine, &c. adding this for a reaſon, Becauſe in ſo doing, he ſhould ſave both himſelf and others. And it is Saint Peters exhortation to the Jews, that they would ſave themſelves from that untoward generation, Act. 2.Act. 2.40.Acts 2:40 viz. from partaking in their ſin and puniſhment.

Anſw. For anſwer. Miniſters ſave others, and private perſons ſave themſelves. How? Why, only as Gods Inſtruments, in holding forth, and working out of this ſalvation. Thus do Miniſters ſave others, even as Moſes ſaved the Iſraelites, by lifting up the Braſen ſerpent amongſt them. This is all we can do, to lift up the Braſen ſerpent, to lift up and hold forth Chriſt crucified; to crucifie him before your eyes in the preaching of the Word; to ſet him before you, to offer him to you, to perſwade and command you to look up unto him. On the other hand, Men ſave themſelves, How? Why, even as the Iſraelites did by looking up to the Braſen ſerpent; this is all that we can do, and more then we can do of our ſelves, but being inabled by the grace of God opening the eye of the ſoul, we look up unto Chriſt for cure; in the mean time the healing, ſaving vertue is not in the Miniſter, not in our ſelves, but in Chriſt; even as that healing vertue was not in Moſes who lift up the Braſen Serpent, nor yet in the eye that look'd up to it; but in the Braſen ſerpent being lift up, and looked upon. p. 62The ſaving vertue is not in the Miniſter that lifteth up and holdeth forth Chriſt in the Miniſtry of the word, though diſpenced with never ſo much evidence and demonſtration of the Spirit;Act. 3.12.Acts 3:12 Why look ye upon us (ſaith Peter to the people) as if we by our own power or vertue had made this man whole? There was no vertue in the Apoſtles themſelves to do any outward cure upon the Bodies of men, much leſſe to do any ſpirituall cure upon their ſouls; The vertue is Chriſts, the merit is his, the efficacy his; who is the alone Saviour of his people. The third Branch is yet behind, of which but a word.

Prop. 3.Prop. 3. Chriſt [crucified] the only Saviour. Only Chriſt [crucified] is the means of mans ſalvation. Mark the Text, So muſt the ſon of man he lift up, (viz. upon the Croſs) That whoſoever beleeveth on him (viz. ſo lift up) ſhould not periſh, &c. The Saviour of loſt mankind is Christ crucified: Hence is it that Paul attributes ſuch a ſaving vertue to the Croſſe of Chriſt,1 Cor. 1.18.1 Cor 1:18 The preaching of the Croſs is to them which are ſaved the power of God, 1 Cor. 1. that is, the preaching of Chriſt crucified, ſo the 23. verſe of that Chapter explains it; Wee preach Christ crucified, ver. 23.&c. to them which are called, Chriſt the power of God. This was the ſubject of Pauls preaching, Chriſt, and Chriſt crucified: 1 Cor. 2.2.1 Cor 2:2I determined not to know any thing among you, ſave Jeſus Chriſt, and him crucified. He is the alone Saviour of the world; and how hath he wrought this ſalvation for it? Why, by his Croſs: By this means he wrought p. 63that reconciliation betwixt God and man; He reconciled both (viz. Jews and Gentiles) unto God in one body by the Croſſe, Epheſ. 2.16.Eph 2:16having ſlain the enmity thereby. By the Croſſe, that is, by his ſufferings upon the Croſs, which is the meritorious cauſe of mans ſalvation. True it is, ſalvation is the fruit & reſult of the whole obedience of Chriſt, his Active, his Paſſive obedience; but the Spirit of God ordinarily attributes it to the later, his Paſſive obedience, and that to the laſt Act of it, his ſuffering upon the Croſſe; in as much as that was the chief part of his obedience:Phil. 2.8.Phil 2:8 He humbled himſelfe and became obedient unto the death, even the death of the Croſſe. And thus you ſee this principle of Chriſtian Religion opened and illuſtrated in the ſeverall branches of it. That which remaines is the Application of it, which I ſhall direct onelyonly by way of a ſerious Exhortation.

Exciting and perſwading every one of us, that renouncing all other wayes and means,Ʋſe. Seek ſalvation only by and through Chriſt we would put our ſouls onelyonly upon this, ſeeking ſalvation only by, and through Jeſus Chriſt, and him crucified. The Motion conſiſts of two Branches; the former taking off our eyes and hearts from all other things; the later directing and fixing them upon Jeſus Chriſt. Touch upon them ſeverally.

1. Away with all other wayes and meanes of ſalvation but this. This is Gods way,1. Renouncing other wayes. which in his infinite wiſdome and mercy hee hath found out, and laid out; All other wayes p. 64are but by-wayes, falſe wayes. Such are the wayes of our owne deviſing; wayes wherein we may, and certainly ſhall loſe our ſelves, but never find what we ſeeke for. And therefore away with them,Take heed of ſetting up any thing. taking heed of ſetting up any thing in ſtead of Chriſt, or together with Chriſt.

1. In ſtead of Chriſt. 1. In ſtead of Chriſt.Had the Iſraelites any of them left the Braſen Serpent of Gods appointing, and truſted to Chyrurgeons or Phyſicians, or made uſe of any ſalves or medicines of their own, how skilfull ſoever the one, or ſoveraign the other, yet they had died for it. And ſo is it with the ſoul that ſeeketh for juſtification and ſalvation, in or by any thing but the Croſſe of Chriſt; ſo doing, hee ſhall periſh in his ſins. Renounce wee then all other means.

In ſpeciall, away with our owne Righteouſneſſe, Renounce our own righteouſneſſe.the righteouſneſſe of the Law, that great Idol which not onelyonly blind Romaniſts, but even many ignorant and formall Proteſtants among our ſelves, ſet up in ſtead of Chriſt. Ask them how they hope to be ſaved? Why, by their good doings, their good meanings, their juſt and righteous dealing, their harmleſſe, and blameleſſe lives and converſations. Now alas, what is this, but as if the Iſraelites being ſtung, ſhould have applied only plaiſters of their owne making? in the mean time neglecting the Braſen Serpent, the means of Gods appointing. Away with this, knowing that it is not the Law that can cure, that p. 65can ſave us. It was not Moſes could cure the Iſraelites when they came unto him: No, he ſendeth them to the Braſen Serpent. It is not Moſes, it is not the Law that can cure, that can juſtifie and ſave us:Rom. 3.20.Rom 3:20 By the deeds of the Law, (ſaith the Apoſtle) there ſhall no fleſh be juſtified in the ſight of God. For by the Law is the knowledge of ſin. This is all that the Law can do, to convince a man of his ſin and miſery; Help him it cannot. Wound the ſoule it may, thruſting that ſting of ſin deeper into the conſcience, irritating the guilt, and by accident increaſing the power of it; but heale it, it cannot: And therefore never look for cure in this way; A miſtake that is common and ordinary. Men when they are a little awakened, and begin to feele the ſting of ſinne ſticking in their ſoules and conſciences, being convinced of the dangerous condition they are in, what courſe take they? why, preſently they run to Moſes, they flie to the Law, they reſolve upon a new courſe of life, thinking of doing this or that, ſetting upon a courſe of duty; but in the meane time never think of the Braſen Serpent, never think of Chriſt, in, and by whom alone ſalvation is to bee expected: Alas, be not deceived; It is not Moſes, it is not the Law can do it. True, a time there was when the Law might have done it. In ſtate of innocency when man was able to have fulfilled the Righteouſneſſe of the Law, then might the Law have given life: But now it cannot do it, being grown weak and impotent p. 66through the fleſh, Rom. 8.3.Rom 8:3(as the Apoſtle tels us.) Weak through our weakneſſe; Impotent through our impotency. As for the Law it ſelfe, it is in it ſelfe as ſtrong now as ever; as able to give life as ever, were wee but alike able to fulfill it. But this we cannot do. And therefore reſt not here, leane not upon the Law; but renounce our owne righteouſneſſe, what ever is ours. Learne wee wholly to go out of our ſelves. An Iſraelite that was ſtung, muſt go out of his Tent; whatever medicines or plaiſters were there, they could not cure him. A Chriſtian is never in the way of cure, untill he hath learn'd wholly to go out of himſelf, to renounce his owne righteouſneſſe, whatever hee hath done, or can do. Take we heed of ſetting up any thing in ſtead of Chriſt.

2. Or, Together with Chriſt. 2. Together with Chriſt.This is the thing which the more learned of the Papiſts plead ſo much for: They will by no meanes ſhut out Chriſt, ſo as to ſet up any thing in ſtead of him; but they will ſet up ſomething together with him. This they do, and this they plead for; Why may they not doe it? Set up the Braſen Serpent and Moſes, Moſes and Chriſt together. Truſt in the merits of Chriſt, and yet in their own merits, and the merits of others: Abundans cautela. Hee that ſtandeth upon two Branches of a Tree, (it is their own illuſtration,) he may be ſuppoſed to ſtand ſurer, then he that ſtandeth onelyonly upon one.

p. 671. Anſ. Not ſo (ſay we) in caſe the one be ſound, and the other rotten. Popiſh allegation refuted.And that is the caſe here: As for Chriſt, we know him to be a ſound and firme Branch, that will beare all the weight which we can lay upon it: But ſo is not our own righteouſneſſe, which being imperfect, defective, is but like a rotten bough,Mans owne righteouſneſſe a rotten bough, not to be truſted to. which being truſted to, will faile us. Whereupon Bellarmine himſelfe, when he had pleaded all that he could, for a mans own merits, and confidence in them, yet he concludes ingenuouſly, Propter incertitudinem propriae juſtitiae, &c. In regard of the uncertainty of our own righteouſneſſe, &c. The ſafeſt way and courſe is to repoſe all a mans confidence wholly and alonely (totam in ſolâ) in the mercy of God, and in the merit of Jeſus Chriſt.

2. Beſides, in this ſuppoſition they ſuppoſe what is not to be ſuppoſed; viz. That a man may truſt to, and reſt upon both theſe together, Chriſts righteouſneſſe, No reſting upon Chriſt, and a mans own righteouſneſs together.and his own righteouſneſſe; Chriſts merits, and his own merits. Not ſo, (ſay we) In as much as reſting upon the one, he falleth from the other: So much Saint Paul telleth his Galatians expreſly, Gal. 5.Gal. 5.4.Gal 5:4 Chriſt is become of no effect unto you, whoſoever of you are juſtified by the Law, ye are fallen from Grace. Mark it; the Galatians ſome of them were ſowred with this very leaven, they were of the ſelfe ſame opinion that the Papiſts at this day are, viz. that they might truſt to Chriſt, and yet truſt in Moſes, that they might ſet up the Law p. 68together with Chriſt in the point of juſtification, and ſalvation: This the Apoſtle there tels them they could not doe. Moſes and Chriſt, the Law of Works, and the Law of Faith, they are two Maſters, which in this caſe, it is impoſſible to ſerve: leaning to the one, a man falleth from the other. Putting confidence in our own righteouſneſſe, or what ever it be beſides Chriſt, we fall from Chriſt: Chriſt will either be a whole Saviour, or no Saviour.

Chriſt a perfect Saviour.And therefore as ever we deſire to have any benefit by Chriſt, renounce all other things beſides him. He is a perfect, an All-ſufficient Saviour, (as God willing I ſhall ſhew you hereafter.) And whither ſhall we looke for ſalvation but unto him?John 6.68.John 6:68 Maſter, whither ſhall we go, thou haſt the words of Eternal life? (ſaith Peter to our Saviour.) Whether ſhall an Iſraelite being ſtung, go, but to the Braſen Serpent? And whither ſhall a poor ſoule feeling the ſting of ſin in his conſcience, whither ſhall hee look but unto Jeſus Chriſt? Him hath God his Father cauſed to bee lift up; Him hath he deſigned and appointed to be the Saviour of the world: And who ſhall lift up any thing in ſtead of him, or together with him? There was but one Braſen Serpent in the whole Camp of Iſrael, neither were any ſo bold, as under whatever pretence, to ſet up another. There is but one Sun to enlighten the whole world; And but one Sun of Righteouſneſſe, one Son of p. 69Man, one Saviour, that bringeth light of comfort and deliverance to loſt mankind.

Be we therefore perſwaded to turne our eies from all other things. Away with thoſe RomiſhRomiſh Rags to be caſt to the dunghill. Rags which falſe Teachers hold forth, and their ignorant Diſciples are ready to catch at to cover their nakedneſſe with. Our owne works, merits, ſatisfactions, indulgencies, pardons, the merits or Interceſsions of others, Saints or Angels, the Churches Treaſury, &c. ſuch mock-ſtayes Satan hath caſt into the world for deſpairing conſciences to lean upon; knowing that drowning men will catch at any thing, though fitter to ſink them, then to ſave them: and ſuch indeed are all things whatſoever a poor ſinner ſhall lean upon in ſtead of, or beſides Chriſt: They may, and will help to drown it, to ſink it deeper into the pit of deſtruction; but ſave it they cannot. This is peculiar to Jeſus Chriſt, whom God hath therefore cauſed to be lift up, that poor ſinners coming and looking up unto him, might not periſh. Away then with all other things, I mean all affiance and confidence in them.

2 And (ſecondly) having layed all other things aſide as uſeleſſe,2. Come unto Jeſus Chriſt. helpleſſe in the matter of Juſtification and ſalvation, now be we perſwaded to come unto Jeſus Chriſt: It is that wherewith our Saviour upbraids the Jewes, Joh. 5.40. Yee will not come unto me, that yee might have life; And it is this which ſhall one day be caſt in the teeth of all faithleſſe unbeleevers (I mean ſuch as live within the pale p. 70of the Church, where Chriſt is lifted up before them preached and offered up unto them;) Yee will not come unto me, that you might have life: This is the great charge which ſhall be laid againſt them. As for others who are without the pale of the Church, ſuch as never heard of Chriſt, it ſhall be enough to condemn them, that they would not come unto Moſes; that they have rebelled and riſen up againſt him (I mean) rebelled againſt the Law of God, the Law which was written in their hearts; this ſhall condemne them. But as for unbeleevers, ſuch as live under the ſound of the Goſpel, within the kenn of this Braſen ſerpent, under the offers of Grace, this ſhall be their condemnation, that they will not come unto Jeſus Chriſt.

And who but muſt needs acknowledge this a deſerved condemnation?Refuſing of Chriſt a juſt condemnation When God had provided a Braſen ſerpent, and cauſed it to be lift up in the Camp of Iſrael, for a remedy againſt thoſe fiery Serpents, had there been any amongſt them who feeling themſelves ſtung, yet out of a contempt or neglect of the ordinance of God, had refuſed to repaire unto it, who but would have adjudged him guilty of his own death, and have accounted him worthy to periſh and die? This hath God done for us; wee being all of us mortally ſtung by that Old ſerpent, God himſelfe of his infinite wiſdome and mercy hath found out, and laid out a means of cure for us. He hath given his Son for us, to be made like unto US, p. 71to take our nature upon him, in that nature to be lift up upon the Croſſe, to ſuffer, to die for us: Not only ſo, but he cauſeth him alſo to be lift up in the Miniſtry of his word, there to be held forth, to be crucified (as it were) before our eyes daily; nor yet only to bee ſet before us, but to be offered to us with a Command and a Promiſe; The one requiring us to look up unto him, the other aſſuring us of a perfect cure upon our ſo doing; Now what, ſhall we ſlight and neglect ſo great ſalvation? Shall we ſo far abuſe this grace and mercy of God, as not to make uſe of this means of ſalvation? What ſhall now be ſaid for us! Our blood be upon our own heads; we muſt periſh in our ſins, and that deſervedly. And therefore (to draw to a concluſion of this point) be we all of us perſwaded to look out for our ſelves; Come we; O come we unto Jeſus Chriſt, that we may be made partakers of this healing, ſaving vertue which is to be found in, and from him.

Motives Motives.(me thinks) I ſhould need none, to ſet on ſuch a motion, to perſwade all of us to come unto Jeſus Chriſt.

1. Do but conſider our own miſery 1. Our miſery without Chriſt.without him, fitly (as I have ſhewed you) repreſented and ſhadowed out in the condition of a poor Iſraelite being ſtung with ſome of theſe Serpents. We are by nature in a periſhing ſtate; and there is no Medicine can cure us but this; no name under Heaven, by which we can have any probable or poſſible hopes of p. 72ſalvation but this; Let our neceſſities then drive us unto Chriſt: Without him we periſh, having no other means of cure but by him. Had there been any other Salve or Medicine in the world that could have cured a ſtung Iſraelite, he ſhould not have needed to have made uſe of the Braſen ſerpent: Were there any other way or meanes whereby ſalvation might poſſibly be attained, there might be ſome plea for our not coming unto Chriſt. But wee are here concluded and ſhut up; unleſſe hee ſave us, wee periſh. Let our neceſſities drive us.

2. Attractiveneſſe in Chriſt.2. And (ſecondly) there is that in him which may draw us; viz: His willingneſſe to receive us, and his Ability to help us. Of the former of theſe our Saviour himſelf aſſures us, Joh. 6.37. He that cometh unto me I will in no wiſe caſt out, foreign. The later wee may ſee in the Type in the Text: The Braſen ſerpent was a preſent cure to all that came, it matters not how mortally ſtung they were, in what part of the body; whether with one or more Serpents; of what continuance it was, here they found a preſent remedy; Even ſuch vertue is there to be found in the Lord Jeſus: It matters not what our ſins be; what for number, what for nature, what for continuance, how many, how great, how inveterate ſoever, only come unto Jeſus Chriſt, we ſhall find it true by experience, that he is an Alſufficient Saviour.

Queſt. The Queſtion then will bee, How p. 73ſhall a poor ſinner come unto Jeſus Chriſt, ſo as he may obtaine ſalvation by him.

Anſw. To this the third Concluſion returnsConcluſ. 3. anſwer; Only by beleeving on him; So you have it in the Text; The Son of Man muſt be lift up, That whoſoever beleeveth on him ſhould not periſh.

Doct. Behold here the onelyonly way whereby a poor periſhing ſinner may come to be made partaker of that ſaving vertue which is in Jeſus Chriſt, viz. By beleeving on him. Beleeving on Chriſt, the only means of receiving benefit by him.A Truth lively ſhadowed out in the Text (which ſtill upon all occaſions I ſhall have recourſe unto.) What was the way and means whereby an Iſraelite being ſtung came to partake of healing vertue from the Braſen Serpent? Num. 21.8, 9.Num 21:8Num 21:9Why it was by looking up unto it; When he looketh up upon it he ſhall live: Even thus is the ſaving vertue derived from Chriſt unto ſin-ſtung ſinners; viz. By looking upon him. Looking upon him, not with a bodily eye, as Papiſts do upon their Crucifixes, or as the Jewes did, who beheld him hanging upon the Croſſe, who had better never have ſeen what they did; but with a Spirituall eye, the eye of the Soul, the eye of Faith: by beleeving on him; This is the way and means which every where we are directed to. This was John the Baptiſt's Doctrine, he preached Faith, as well as Repentance; John Baptized with the Baptiſme of Repentance, ſaying unto the people, that they ſhould beleeve on him which ſhould come after him, that is, on Jeſus Chriſt, Act. 19.Act. 19.4.Acts 19:4 This did our p. 74Saviour himſelfe preſſe, Ye believe on God, believe alſo on me, John 14.John 14.1.John 14:1 And the ſame did his Apoſtles after him. When the Jaylour came to Paul and Silas, putting the queſtion unto them,Acts 16.31.Acts 16:31 Sirs, what ſhall I do to be ſaved? They preſently returne him this briefe anſwer, Beleeve on the Lord Jeſus, and thou ſhalt be ſaved. Even as if a poor Iſraelite being ſtung, had come unto Moſes, enquiring of him what he ſhould do to be healed; Moſes could have returned him no anſwer but this, Look up unto the Braſen Serpent, and thou ſhalt be healed. Thus, when a wounded ſoule, feeling the ſting of ſin ſticking in the conſcience, cometh unto the Miniſters of Chriſt, and deſireth direction from them what to do; their anſwer is, Go, look up unto Chriſt: Beleeve on the Lord Jeſus, thou ſhalt be ſaved. Here is the way, the onelyonly way and meanes of obtaining benefit by Jeſus Chriſt;Heb. 2.4.Heb 2:4 Faith. Juſtus ex fide, The juſt ſhall live by faith.

Explic. For the opening and illuſtrating of this uſefull Truth; give me leave briefly to unfold unto you theſe three particulars. 1. What this faith is which healeth and ſaveth? 2.Three particulars unfolded. How this faith healeth and ſaveth? 3. Why this ſhould be the onelyonly way and means to heal and ſave? Briefly of each, it being not my purpoſe now to inſiſt largely upon the Doctrine of Faith, which I reſerve to another occaſion.

Queſt. Queſt. What ſaving faith is?1. What is this Faith by which p. 75wee obtaine ſalvation? by which wee draw this healing, ſaving vertue from Chriſt?

Anſ. Anſw. Illuſtrated from the Types.To this I cannot anſwer more aptly, and clearly, then by having recourſe to the Type, which moſt excellently ſhadowes out unto us the nature of that Faith whereby we are juſtified and ſaved, which is done by looking up unto Chriſt; ſo looking up unto him, as the Iſraelites did to the Braſen Serpent.

Q. Now how did they look up to the Braſen Serpent? A. Therein we may take notice of two things: 1. Their Action. 2. Their Affection. There beholding it, and the Affection wherewith they beheld it.

1. They beheld it, looked upon it, ſaw it made, and ſaw it lifted up: withall taking notice for what end and purpoſe it was made and lift up.

2. As they thus ſaw it, ſo they looked unto it, viz. in an Affectionate way, with a twofold affection, 1 Of Deſire. 2. Of Hope, or Truſt: deſiring to be cured; hoping and truſting to be cured by it. Thus did they look upon the Braſen Serpent; not onelyonly ſeeing it,Numb. 21.9. foreign, aſpicicbat, foreign intucri, quod majus eſt quàm foreign, videre) unde foreign, Expectatio.Num 21:9 but looking upon it with deſire and expectation of receiving benefit by it, (as the word in the Originall there properly ſignifieth.)

And thus doth the true Believer look up unto Jeſus Chriſt; Beholding him, and believing on him. You have them both together in that one verſe, John 6.40. This is the will of him that ſent me, that every one which ſeeth p. 76the Son, and beleeveth on him, may have everlaſting life. foreign.

1. Beholding Chriſt. 1. Faith, beholding Chriſt.foreign: viz. with the eye of his ſoule, rightly apprehending, and ſeriouſly conſidering him. For that the word foreign,Non de nihilo eſt quod foreign hic potius dixit, quàm foreign. Vide 1 John 1.1. foreign. H. Grotius. ad loc. Cicero. Tuſcul. 5. Nec enim quiſ qui… videt. foreign. Beza G…. Annot. Dr. Taylour's Braſen Serpent.1 John 1:1 properly ſignifieth (as Beza and Grotius note upon it, Non quavis modo, ſed cum attentione videre; not a bare and ſimple Intuition, a caſting a glance upon a thing, but a ſerious and adviſed obſerving, and viewing of it; Studiosè perſpicere (as Tully renders it,) ſtudiouſly to view and conſider a thing. This is properly foreign. And thus doth the true believer behold Jeſus Chriſt; conſidering him as made the Son of man, taking the nature of man upon him; then in that nature lift up: Lift up two wayes: Ratione ligni, ratione regni, (as ſome diſtinguiſh.) Firſt, In his Paſſion upon the Croſſe, there ſuffering: Then in his Seſſion upon the Throne of his glory, there triumphing. Both theſe the Beleever taketh notice of, looking upon Chriſt in his twofold ſtate, of Humiliation, Exaltation. And here is the firſt act of this faith: it looketh upon Christ, as held forth in the word, apprehending and beleeving what is there revealed concerning him, touching his Incarnation, Birth, Life, Death, Reſurrection, Aſcenſion, Interceſſion: withall, taking notice to what end all this was done, viz. for the redeeming and ſaving of loſt mankind: And here is the Ʋiſion of Faith.

p. 772. The ſecond thing is the Affection of it.2. Faith an affectionate looking up unto Chriſt. The beleever thus beholding Chriſt, he alſo looketh up unto him. Looking upon him, even as the lame man which lay in Solomons Porch, looked upon the Apoſtles, Peter and John, Act. 3. Look on us (ſay they) ver. 4. And ſo hee did, not onelyonly caſting his eye upon them, as he did upon other paſſengers, but he looked upon them wiſtly, affectionately, with deſire and hope: He gave heed unto them, expecting to receive ſomthing from them, ver. 5. Thus doth the beleever look upon Chriſt, not only beholding him by a bare and ſimple intuition, taking notice of what he was, what he hath done, what he hath ſuffered, and to what end, &c. all which the very divels themſelves know and believe; but he looketh up unto him in an affectionate way. So ſaith the Prophet of the converted Iſraelites, Iſai. 17.7. At that day ſhall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes ſhall have reſpect to the holy One of Iſrael. And the Prophet Zachary ſpeaking of the Spirit of Grace, which God promiſed to poure out upon his people, ſaith, that then, They ſhould looke upon him whom they have pierced, Zach. 12.10. viz. in an affectionate way. And thus doth the true beleever look upon Chriſt viz. with a double Affection, of Deſire and Hope.

1. Deſire. 1. With Deſire.Earneſtly deſiring to partake of the merits, and benefits of Chriſt; deſiring to to be healed, ſaved by him. Which deſire ariſeth from the ſenſe and apprehenſion of his own miſery: from the ſenſe of ſin, and the p. 78apprehenſion of Gods Wrath due unto it. Even as an Iſraelite feeling himſelfe ſtung, and apprehending the eminent danger he was in, out of that apprehenſion he looketh up to the Braſen Serpent with deſire of cure. Thus the ſoul of a beleeving ſinner feeling it ſelfe mortally ſtung by ſin, apprehending it ſelfe in a loſt ſtate and condition, it looketh up unto Jeſus Chriſt, earneſtly deſiring pardon of ſin, and eternall ſalvation by and through him.

2. Confidence2 And as it deſireth it from him, ſo it hopeth for it by him, reſting upon him for it, for the obtaining of what it deſireth, and ſtandeth in need of; thus doth the Beleever look up unto Jeſus Chriſt; even as the Pſalmiſt ſaith,Pſal. 123.2.Ps 123:2 the Eyes of ſervants look unto the hands of their Maſters, and as the eyes of a maiden to the hand of her Miſtris, viz. (as for direction, ſo) for Protection, and Proviſion, expecting to receive benefit by them: Even ſo doth the true beleever look up unto Chriſt, waiting, reſting, depending, and relying upon him for what he ſtandeth in need of, viz. the pardon of ſins and eternall ſalvation. And herein lieth the principall act of that faith whereby we are juſtified and ſaved; viz. in this ſoul-recumbencie, this reſting, and relying upon Chriſt for Juſtification and Salvation.

Beleeving [on] Chriſt importing,So much the phraſe here in the Text imports; foreign; Not, Qui credit in ipſo (as the Vulgar Latine renders it) but in Eum; p. 79Hee that beleeveth on him: Wherein we have two things pointed out unto us: 1. The proper Object: 2. The proper Act of faith as it juſtifieth and ſaveth.

1 The proper Object of faith as it juſtifieth and ſaveth, is Chriſt. True it is,1. The proper object of faith as it juſtifieth. that faith whereby we are juſtified and ſaved, it looketh at other things: It hath an eye at every truth revealed in the word, beleeving all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets (as Paul ſaith of himſelf;Act. 24. 14.Acts 24:14) aſſenting to every promiſe, every threatning; but as it juſtifieth and ſaveth, it looketh only at Chriſt. Even as the Iſraelites with the ſame eye wherewith they beheld the Braſen Serpent, they beheld other things alſo; but they were cured only by looking upon the Braſen Serpent. Thus that faith which juſtifyeth looketh at other things; but as it juſtifieth, it looketh only at Chriſt, at Chriſt lifted up, crucified. Here is the proper Object of faith as it juſtifieth.

2. And what is the proper Act of this faith?2. The proper act of faith as it juſtifieth. Why, to beleeve in Chriſt, on Chriſt; that is, (as I have ſaid) to look up unto him with hope, confidence, affiance, reſting and relying upon him, and him alone for pardon of ſins and eternall ſalvation; This is truly to beleeve on Chriſt; not only to beleeve Chriſt, that there is a Chriſt, that Jeſus the ſon of Mary is that Chriſt, that he is an All-ſufficient Saviour, that he hath done and ſuffered all things requiſite for our ſalvation: but to look p. 80up unto him as our Saviour, applying the merit of his obedience unto our ſelves, reſting and relying upon him as our Jeſus, the alone means of our Juſtification and Salvation. And this is that true Faith which draweth this healing ſaving vertue from Chriſt by which a poor ſinner cometh to obtain theſe great benefits.

Queſt. How faith cometh to heal and ſave.A ſecond Queſtion followeth. How cometh this Faith thus to heal and ſave?

To this I may anſwer, firſt Negatively, then Poſitively.

Anſw. 1. Negatively.1. Shewing you how it doth not Juſtifie and ſave; viz. Not as it is a work done by us, not as it is a Habit or Quality, a Gift or Grace inherent in us: Thus faith juſtifieth not, ſaveth not, neither can it; being in it ſelfe imperfect and defective (as all other graces in regenerate perſons are) it cannot juſtifie it ſelfe, much leſſe the perſon in whom it is: there is no ſuch vertue in Faith it ſelfe; no more then there was healing vertue in the eye of an Iſraelite. It was not the eye that healed them; neither is it Faith as faith, either as an Act or Habit that helpeth us.

2. Affirmatively, viz. as,How then? Why, Faith healeth and ſaveth theſe two wayes, 1. As a Condition; 2. As an Inſtrument.

1. A condition of the Covenant.1. As it is a Condition of the New Covenant, the Covenant of Grace; a condition upon which God hath promiſed freely to juſtifie and ſave us. Even as looking was the condition of the Iſraelites cure: not touching, but looking: p. 91So here the condition of the Covenant of Grace is, not Doing, but Beleeving: Not Fac hoc & vive, D this and live; but Crede & vive, Beleeve and live. Even as there it was, Vide & vive, See and live; ſo here Crede & vive, Beleeve and live: This is the condition of this New Covenant, that which God requireth at our hands in order to our Juſtification and Salvation. Even as the Apoſtles, Peter and John (in the place forenamed) bade that Cripple look upon them in order to his cure,Act. 3.5.Acts 3:5 not that there was any vertue in that act of his; but they required it as a condition, whereupon they would freely cure him. Thus are we cured and ſaved by looking up unto Chriſt, by beleeving on him; who upon our ſo doing, doth freely juſtifie and ſave us.

2. Faith healeth and ſaveth Inſtrumentally, 2. An inſtrument.viz. as it apprehendeth and applyeth Chriſt by whom we are healed and ſaved. Thus faith juſtifieth and ſaveth, not conſidered ſimply in it ſelfe, as having any vertue in it ſelfe more then other graces have. Other graces there are, which in their own nature are as excellent, and in ſome reſpects more excellent then faith: Now abideth Faith, Hope, and Charity (ſaith the Apoſtle,1 Cor. 13. laſt:1 Cor 13) but the chiefeſt of theſe is Charity. But it juſtifieth and ſaveth, as it is conſidered Relatively, with its Object: As it is an Inſtrument, an Eye, a Hand, to look up unto, and take hold of Jeſus Chriſt, the meritorious cauſe of our Juſtification and Salvation. Thus did the Iſraelites looking heal them, p. 92not ſimply in or by it ſelfe, but as directed to, and fixed upon the Braſen Serpent; that ſanative vertue was in the Object, not in the faculty: In the Serpent that was ſeen, not in the eye which looked upon it Thus that healing and ſaving vertue whereby we are juſtified and ſaved, it is properly in Chriſt, not in our faith that looketh up unto him. All that faith herein doth, is as an inſtrument to apply Chriſt, and ſo to convey that vertue from him unto the ſoul. Divines uſually illuſtrate this by a familiar ſimilitude of a Ring, Faith and Chriſt as the Ring and the Blood-ſtone.which hath in it a precious ſtone of ſome excellent quality, ſuppoſe a Blood-ſtone or the like: Such a Ring, we ſay, is good for ſuch a purpoſe, of ſoveraign uſe in ſuch and ſuch caſes, as to ſtanch bleeding, &c. Now to ſpeak properly, it is not the Ring, but the Stone in the Ring which doth this; there lieth all the vertue: All that the Ring doth, is only to apply the ſtone to the body, or part affected. Thus ſtandeth the caſe here, Faith is the Ring, Chriſt is the Precious Stone: All that faith doth, or can do, is to apply Chriſt, to bring him home with all his merits, and benefits to the ſoul; In the mean time all the vertue is in Chriſt; it is he that healeth, that juſtifieth, that ſaveth. Even as the Story tels us of the woman in the Goſpel, who came and touched the hem of our Saviours garment, Mark 5.25.Mark 5:25(touched it as with her finger, ſo with her faith) therupon ſhe was preſently cured of her bloody iſſue. But was the vertue in her finger, or in p. 93her Faith? No, the Text tels us expreſſely whence that healing vertue came;ver. 30. Luk. 8.46.Luke 8:46 I perceive that vertue is gone out of me (ſaith our Saviour to his Diſciples.) Her Faith in the mean time was only the inſtrument in drawing that vertue from Chriſt: And in that reſpect, our Saviour tels her,ver. 48. that her Faith had made her whole. And even ſo are we to underſtand thoſe Texts of Scripture where it is ſaid, that we are juſtified by faith, and ſaved by faith; viz. not Meritoriouſly, but Inſtrumentally; By grace ye are ſaved (ſaith the Apoſtle) through faith foreign, not foreign;Eph. 2.8.Eph 2:8 Not Propter fidem; but Per fidem; Not [for] faith as the Meritorious cauſe, (which is only Chriſt) but [by] or [through] faith, as the Inſtrument conveying vertue from Chriſt unto our Juſtification and Salvation. You ſee the ſecond Queſtion reſolved, and therein a reſolution prepared, and in part given to the third, which is,

Queſt. Why this ſhould be the only way and means to convey this benefit from Chriſt,Queſt. 3. Why faith the only means. viz. to beleeve on him?

Anſw. Anſw. 1. So God hath appointed it.To this I might return a ſudden and yet ſatisfactory anſwer. It is enough, God hath appointed it ſo to be; even as he appointed looking to be the means of conveying that ſanative vertue to the Iſraelites from that Braſen Serpent; not but that he could (if he had pleaſed) have directed them to ſome other way, either to touch it, or to fall down before it, or the like: or elſe he could have p. 94made it effectuall to them only by the bare preſence of it in the Camp: But this is the way which he pitcheth upon, requiring them only to look up unto it. Thus God could (had he pleaſed) have appointed other wayes and means of conveying life and ſalvation to us: but hee hath been pleaſed in infinite wiſdome and mercy to pitch upon this, requiring no more from us as the condition of the Covenant of Grace, but only this, Beleeve on the Lord Jeſus.

2. Faith onelyonly applyeth Chriſt.2. But ſecondly, take a reaſon of this appointment. Faith is the Inſtrument of conveying this benefit from Chriſt, becauſe Faith only applyeth Chriſt, bringeth home Chriſt: This is the proper work of faith; Every grace hath its own proper work which is peculiar to it: Even as every member of the body hath its proper office and work; the Eye to ſee, the Ear to hear, the Hand to take or receive a thing; ſo hath every grace its proper work; Remembring your work of faith, 1 Theſ. 1.3.1 Thess 1:3and labour of love, and patience of hope (ſaith the Apoſtle to his Theſſalonians.) Now what is the proper work of faith? Why, to Receive Chriſt, (To as many as received him, he gave power to become the Sons of God, even to as many as beleeve on his name, Joh. 1.12.) To apply Chriſt, to bring Chriſt home with his merits unto the ſoul: This doth faith; It bringeth home Chriſt, and bringing him home, it bringeth home his benefits, drawing from him that vertue that is in him; And this is p. 95proper unto faith. And therefore is it that God hath appointed this to be the only way to convey benefit from Chriſt unto poor ſinners for their Juſtification and Salvation. You ſee this third Queſtion reſolved: and ſo you have this third Concluſion opened: That which now remains hereof is the Application.

Which ſhall be only a word of Direction and Exhortation to all penitent broken-hearted ſinners, ſuch as feel the ſting of ſin,Applic. Seek cure in this way. and deſire to be healed, cured; for for ſuch only is this Braſen Serpent erected, this means of cure provided. Being ſuch, now bee you adviſed and excited to put your ſoules upon this way of cure to look up unto this Braſen Serpent, by faith to look up unto the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Let it not bee enough, that you have heard tidings of a Saviour, to hear that God hath given his Son, that Chriſt hath given himſelf for loſt mankind; or yet to know who, and what this Chriſt was, what he hath done, what he hath ſuffered, and the like. Alas, what would this have availed a poor Iſraelite, to have heard of the Braſen Serpent, that it was erected in the Camp, and that all that came to it were healed by it, whilſt in the mean time himſelf lay cloſe in his Tent, never looking out for any benefit by it? And what will this profit a poor ſinner, to hear what God hath done for others, in giving a Chriſt a Saviour for them, and to them, whilſt in the mean time himſelfe lyeth ſtill ſleeping in his ſinnes, p. 96not looking out for cure, for juſtification, and ſalvation by and through him? Better ſuch a one had never heard theſe Goſpell tidings: His contempt or neglect of ſo great a mercy will be no ſmall aggravation to his ſin and puniſhment. And therefore, as many of us as God hath in any meaſure made ſenſible of our miſerable ſtate and condition by reaſon of ſin; as we deſire deliverance out of that eſtate, apply we our ſelves to the right uſe of this remedy. Look we up unto Jeſus Chriſt.

Looking up unto this Braſen Serpent.Look up (I ſay.) Not looking too much downwards upon our ſelves, not poring too much upon our ſins, the multitude, magnitude; number, nature; quantity, quality of them, how many, how great and grievous they are. But look upwards, look up unto Jeſus Chriſt, who is able to heale us, to ſave us. The Iſraelites which were ſtung with thoſe fiery Serpents, if they onelyonly looked upon their ſoars, and complained of their ſmart, and anguiſh, in the mean time neglecting or refuſing to look up to the Braſen Serpent, they died for it. Such is the condition of a poor deſpairing ſoule, whoſe eye is all upon his ſore, upon his ſin and puniſhment, as Cain's and Judas's were;Gen. 4.13.Gen 4:13 My ſin is greater then can be forgiven; or, my puniſhment is greater then I can bare; Mat. 27.3, 4.Matt 27:3Matt 27:4ſaith the one: I have ſinned in betraying innocent blood, ſaith the other, complaining of the grievouſneſſe thereof: in the mean time never looking up to Chriſt for cure; by this means he periſheth, and dieth in p. 97his ſins. To all ſuch then, and all others; who deſire to have any benefit by Jeſus Chriſt, let it be ſpoken, Look up to this Braſen Serpent, look you up to the Lord Jeſus, obeying and dying for your ſakes; and look you up unto him as with deſire, ſo with hope, with affiance and confidence of receiving benefit by him.

To ſet on this Exhortation, what Arguments ſhall I take up? Strange,Motives. there ſhould be need of any! I ſuppoſe it was argument enough to an Iſraelite being ſtung, and feeling himſelfe ſo, to here that there was a Braſen Serpent lift up for a preſent remedy to all that ſhould looke up unto it; other motive he ſhould need none to perſwade him to fixe his eye upon it. And certainly, ſo would it be with poor ſinners, did they but feel themſelves ſtung by ſin, were they but throughly convinced and made ſenſible of their wretched ſtate and condition by reaſon of ſin, it would be motive ſufficient to them to hear of a Saviour, whom God hath ſet forth with promiſe that upon their looking to him, beleeving on him, they ſhall be ſaved; they ſhould need no other argument to perſwade them to look up unto him. Yet to quicken our dull and dead hearts, doe but conſider theſe four or five particulars.

1. This is God's Ordinance, 1. This is Gods Ordinance.the way and means which God himſelf in infinite wiſdome and mercy hath appointed to bring his Elect to life and ſalvation by; viz. by faith in Chriſt; p. 98and therefore ſubmit unto it.

2. His Commandment.2. As God himſelfe hath laid out this way; ſo he requireth and commandeth us to put our ſelves upon this way. God having ordered the Braſen Serpent to be erected, he did not leave it as a thing arbitrary to the Iſraelites, whether they would make uſe of it or no, but he requires them to do it. So that paſſage may be read which we meet with, Num. 21.8. It ſhal come to paſs, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, ſhal live. So our Tranſlation readeth it;Ainſworth, Annot. ad loc. but the Original hath it, foreign, videbit & vivet, He ſhal ſee, (or look upon it) and he ſhal live. So implying both a Commandment, and a Promiſe, (as M^r Ainſworth well notes upon it.) Thus God having given his Son to bee crucified, he doth not leave it to our choice whether wee will beleeve on him, or no; but this he requireth, this he commandeth. This is his Commandment, that we ſhould beleeve on the Name of his Son, 1 John 3.23. The great Commandment, the Commandment of the Goſpel. In obedience to this Command, put our ſouls upon this way.

3. This God commandeth, and that under a penalty, 3. A command under a penalty.no leſſe a penalty, then of eternall condemnation. The Iſraelite not looking up to the Braſen Serpent, died for it. The ſoule that looketh not up unto Chriſt, ſhall periſh for it.John 3.18.John 3:18 Hee that beleeveth not, ſaith our Saviour, is condemned already: viz. by vertue of that ancient ſentence, Gen. 2.17. Under that ſentence doth every p. 99unbeleever lie; being at the preſent in a ſtate of death, and continuing in that ſtate of unbeliefe, bound over unto eternall condemnation.

4. This God commandeth, and this is all he commandeth:4. All that he commandeth. OnelyOnly believe. Even as the Lord required no more from the Iſraelites, but onelyonly Vide & vive; See, and live; ſo he requireth no more from us but onelyonly Crede & vive, Beleeve and live. This is, as I ſaid, the condition of the new Covenant, upon which the promiſe of life and ſalvation is made. And doth the Lord require no more but this? and ſhall we not herein hearken to his Command? we know what Naamans ſervants ſaid to their Maſter; 2 King. 5.13.2 Kgs 5:13If the Prophet had commanded thee ſome great matter, wouldeſt thou not have done it? How much more when he ſaith, Only waſh & be clean? Thus, had the Lord commanded us ſome great matter, had he required from us ſome hard or coſtly ſervices, ſhould wee not have yeelded to it for the ſaving of our ſouls? How much more then, when he ſaith unto us, as our Saviour did to the Ruler of the Synagogue, Mark. 5.36. OnelyOnly believe. Should the Lord have preſcribed the Iſraelites ſome chargeable receipts for the curing of their bodies, would they not have taken them? How much more, when hee ſaith unto them, OnelyOnly looke up to the Braſen Serpent, and live? Wee ſee what idolatrous and ſuperſtitious perſons will doe in a way of Wil-worſhip; They will refuſe no labour, grudge no coſt: p. 100And ſhall not we obey ſo eaſie a command, as this command of the Goſpel, to beleeve on the Lord Jeſus.

To theſe I might add two more; viz: the Neceſſity of our beleeving on Chriſt, and the Ʋtilitie of it. What need wee have of it, what benefit wee ſhall receive by it.

5. Nothing elſe can cure us5. For the former; conſider that nothing elſe can cure us, can ſave us. Nothing but Chriſt, and nothing but faith in Chriſt: both excellently ſhadowed out in the Type.

1. Nothing but Chriſt: 1. Nothing but Chriſt.The Iſraelites had many other things which were of great worth in themſelves, and of great uſe to them; Not to ſpeak of their earthly treaſures, their ſilver and their gold, they had Mannah from Heaven, they had Water out of the Rock, two extraordinay Sacraments, ſupplying the preſent want of thoſe which were ordinary; they had the Ark of the Covenant, wherein was the preciouſeſt relick that ever the world was owner of, the Tables written with Gods own finger: But alas, none of theſe could cure them, help them! only the Braſen Serpent could do this. Thus Christians may have many other things, beſides what they have common with Heathens (Riches and Honour. &c.) they may have the Word and Sacraments, with other Ordinances of God, in themſelves precious, and to them uſefull: But alas, none of theſe can heal them, can ſave them: That which the Prophet ſaith concerning the firſt p. 101of theſe,Zeph. 1. laſt.Zeph 1 Your ſilver and your gold ſhall not be able to deliver you in the day of the Lords fierce wrath; we may ſay of all the reſt; It is not our hearing, receiving; hearing the word, receiving the Sacraments, nor yet our prayers or any other ordinance of God that can deliver us, ſave us; only the Braſen Serpent can do this; only Chriſt.

2. And ſecondly, Chriſt looked upon. As nothing but Chriſt2. Nothing but faith in Chriſt can heal and ſave, ſo nothing but faith in Chriſt; The Braſen Serpent, how ſufficient a remedy ſoever, yet not looked upon, it cured not, though never ſo near to the perſon that was ſtung, yet not beheld by him it was of no vertue to him, Chriſt is in himſelf an Al-ſufficient Saviour, yet none ſhall have benefit by him, but thoſe who beleeve on him; It pleaſed God (ſaith the Apoſtle) by the fooliſhneſſe of preaching to ſave them that beleeve, 1 Cor. 1.1 Cor. 1.21.1 Cor 1:21 Fooliſhneſſe of preaching, that is, the preaching of the Word; ſo called principally in regard of the ſubject matter of it, viz. Chriſt crucified, whom the Goſpel holdeth forth as the means of our ſalvation, then which nothing can be more abſurd and fooliſh to carnall wiſdom;ver. 23. We preach Chriſt crucified, to the Jews a ſtumbling block, and to the Grecians fooliſhneſſe. Now by this means (ſaith the Apoſtle) it pleaſed God to ſave, whom? Them which beleeve. To them is Chriſt himſelfe, and this Ordinance holding forth Chriſt, effectuall. I am not aſhamed of the Goſpel of Chriſt (ſaith the ſame Apoſtle)Rom. 1.16.Rom 1:16 p. 102for it is the power of God to ſalvation, What to all? No, only them that beleeve, To every on that beleeveth; This it is that maketh every Ordinance of God to be effectuall to a man for good. The Braſen Serpent, an Ordinance of God of ſoveraign uſe; yet a Blind Iſraelite received no benefit by it; no more can a Faithleſſe Heart from any Ordinance of God. The Word in it ſelfe an excellent Ordinance, yet meeting with ſuch a heart, where it neither finds faith, nor worketh faith, it loſeth the efficacy: So did it in the Iſraelites; To them was the Goſpel preached (ſaith the Apoſtle) as well as to us, Heb. 4.2.Heb 4:2the ſame Goſpel, as truely, though not ſo clearly; but foreign, it profited them not; Why? Becauſe it was not mixed with faith in them which heard it. The ſame may we ſay of the Sacraments, God's Sealing Ordinances; ſo they are to the Beleever, ſealing up unto him his Intereſt in Chriſt and all his Benefits: but meeting with a Faithleſſe heart, they are but like Seals to the Blank, aſſuring nothing, conveying nothing. And what wee ſay of Word and Sacraments holding forth Chriſt, wee may ſay it of Chriſt himſelfe: Him hath God the Father ſet forth to bee a Prince and a Saviour, induring him with vertue enough to heal and ſave the world of mankind; yet without Faith this vertue cannot reach, cannot extend to us: The vertue of the Braſen Serpent extended only to thoſe who having eyes, p. 103made uſe of them in looking upon it; as for thoſe who either could not, or would not look upon it, they had no Benefit by it. There is in Jeſus Chriſt an All-ſufficiency of Merit and Vertue for the healing and ſaving of all poor loſt ſinners; but as for thoſe who either cannot, or will not beleeve on him; that cannot as Pagans and Paynims, who never ſo much as heard of the name of Chriſt;Rom. 10.Rom 10 (How ſhall they beleeve on him of whom they have not heard?) that will not, as profane and ſecure Chriſtians, how ſhould they have any benefit by him? How ſhould that Vertue extend to them? this is the Office of Faith, to apply Chriſt. Now a Plaiſter, be it never ſo ſoveraign and ſanative, yet if not applyed to the ſore, it will do a man no good. No more will the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt, if not applyed to the ſoul by faith. And therefore (to draw to a cloſe of this Concluſion) whatever other graces we have or want, ſeek after Faith. Faith will do that to us which no other grace either will or can. Were it poſſible that all other Graces could bee ſevered from Faith, yet could they not advantage us in the great buſineſſe of Juſtification and Salvation: In this caſe a weak faith will be of more uſe to us then any, then all other Graces. Even as a dim weak eye was of more uſe to an Iſraelite being ſtung, then any, then all the other members of his body: It was not a quick ear, an eloquent tongue, a ſtrong arme, an active hand, a nimble foot, that could ſtand him in any p. 104ſtead. It was his eye, (which next to the Braſen Serpent) healed him. It is not knowledge, though Angelicall; it is not repentance, ſorrow for ſin, though never ſo deep; averſion from ſin, though never ſo ſerious; it is not patience, humility, not any inward qualification, or outward performance, that can juſtifie, can ſave us. OnelyOnly Faith, Faith looking up unto Jeſus Chriſt: Here is the neceſſity of our beleeving.

6. To this (in the laſt place.) Adde the great utility, the great benefit accruing from6. The Benefit accruing from it. this our believing on Chriſt. Faith, though in it ſelfe it may bee weak, yet great matters depend upon it; even as great eſtates are ſomtimes held by ſmall acknowledgements; hundreds a year by a pepper kernell. Upon this depends our eternall happineſſe and ſalvation. Believing, wee ſhall not periſh: Believing, wee ſhall have eternall life. So runs the inſurance in the Text. The Son of man muſt be lift up, that whoſoever beleeveth on him ſhould not periſh, but have eternall life. And ſo I am fallen upon the fourth and laſt Concluſion, which I ſhall diſpatch with all convenient brevity.

Whoſoever believeth on Jeſus Chriſt, ſhall have full and perfect ſalvation by him; Concluſ. 4. Whoſo beleeveth on Chriſt, ſhall have perfect ſalvation by him: where conſider,he ſhall not periſh, but have eternall life. For the opening and proſecuting of this Concluſion, two things here may be taken notice of. 1. The benefit inſured. And 2. The Extent of that benefit. The benefit it ſelfe is partly Privative, p. 105partly Poſitive; Privative, deliverance from death; He ſhall not periſh.] Poſitive, fruition of life, and that eternall life; He ſhall have eternall life.] The Extent of it, is Indefinite, Univerſall, to all that performe the condition. Whoſoever beleeveth, &c.] Of each of theſe ſeverally and briefly by way of Explication, Illuſtration, joyntly by way of Application.

The Benefit it ſelfe accruing to the true beleever, is, Hee ſhall not periſh. 1. The Benefit it ſelfe: which is 1. Privative, They ſhall not periſh.There is the privative part of it. foreign, Non pereat, May not periſh. The phraſe alludeth to the Iſraelites, who being ſtung by the fiery Serpents in the wilderneſſe, before the Braſen Serpent was ſet up, in an ordinary courſe, they periſhed. They were deſtroyed of the Serpents, 1 Cor. 10.9.1 Cor 10:9(ſaith the Apoſtle) foreign, The word is the ſame with that in the Text: They periſhed by thoſe Serpents: that is, they died upon their ſtinging. So the ſtory maketh it out, Numb. 21.6. Much people of Iſrael died.]

Queſt. But what? do men then periſh in death?Whether men do periſh in death.

Anſ. I anſwer, properly they do not. To periſh, properly it imports a ceſſation of being; when a thing ceaſeth to be what it was, ſo as never to return to that ſtate again. Thus the bruit creature periſheth:Pſal. 49.12.20.Ps 49:12Ps 49:20 The bruit beaſt that periſheth, (ſaith the Pſalmiſt.) Being reſolved into its principles, it ceaſeth to be what it was, ſo as never to live, never to be againe. This is properly to periſh; but thus men do p. 106not periſh, no not wicked men; they die indeed, but they periſh not, well were it for them that they might do ſo; that death might put an end as to their Life, ſo to their Being; but this it ſhall not do. Their ſouls being immortall, they cannot die, and their Bodies though they die, and bee turned to the duſt from whence they came, yet they ſhall be raiſed up again at the laſt day;Joh. 5.28, 29.John 5:28John 5:29 All that are in the graves ſhall come forth. Properly men do not periſh in death. I, but they ſeem ſo to do: though they do not periſh as the bruit Beaſts, yet they ſeem ſo to periſh; Man is become like the beaſt that periſheth; Like it, as in other things,Pſal. 49.Ps 49 ſo in his periſhing: That which befalleth the ſons of men (ſaith the Preacher) befalleth beaſts: Eccl. 3.19.Eccl 3:19even one thing befalleth them, as the one dieth, ſo dyeth the other, Eccleſ. 3.19. In the outward appearance there is no difference between the one and the other;Ibid. They have all one breath, ſo that a man hath no preheminence above a beaſt; much leſs a wicked man: as the bruit beaſt dieth, ſo dieth he; both dying without hope, without hope of a better life: Thus dyeth the bruit beaſt, and thus dyeth the Wicked man. As he lived without hope, ſo he dyeth without hope; Having no hope, Eph. 2.12. and ſo he periſheth, his Hopes periſh; When a wicked man dieth, his expectation ſhall periſh, and the hope of unjuſt men periſheth, Pro. 11.7. I, and himſelfe periſheth: Hee ſo dieth as never to live againe. True indeed, his dead body ſhall be raiſed up again, but not p. 107to the Reſurrection of Life. This is the portion of Gods Saints;John. 5.29.John 5:29 They that have done good (ſaith our Saviour), ſhall come forth to the Reſurrection of life; that is to a Reſurrection that hath an eternall life following it; this is peculiar to them,Luke 14.14.Luke 14:14 thence called the Reſurrection of the Juſt, Luk. 14. As for wicked men, they have no ſhare in it; they ſhall alſo come forth of the Graves, But how? Why, even as condemned malefactors are brought out of their Priſons and Dungeons to the place of Execution: So ſhall they come forth of their graves, not to the Reſurrection of life, but of Condemnation (as it there followeth) They ſhall be raiſed up, not unto that bleſſed life, but unto death, even to that eternall death, which ſhall be to them a dying life, and a living death: And here is their periſhing.

But thus ſhal not the Beleever periſh,The Beleever ſhall not periſh Die he may, and die he muſt, & that as other men die, ſo ſeeming to periſh; whence even righteous men are ſaid to periſh; The righteous periſheth, & no man layeth it to heart, Iſai. 57.1. that is, he dieth, and that ſeemingly as others do: How dieth the wiſe man? even as the fool (ſaith the Preacher) Eccl. 2.16. in the outward appearance no difference; as it is ſaid of our Saviour, He made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, Iſai. 53.9. So fareth it with Gods Saints, they make their graves, lie down in the duſt with wicked men; dying as they die; their ſouls both ſeparated from their bodies and their bodies to duſt, and who ſhall diſtinguiſh betwixt p. 108their aſhes? in the outward appearance no difference between the one and the other; yet a grand difference there is; the one periſheth, not ſo the other. The one dying, dieth to die, dyeth Temporally, to die Eternally; The other dying, dyeth to live, dyeth a Temporal death, that he may live an eternall life: ſo it followeth in the next words, He ſhall not periſh, but have Eternall life.

2. Poſſitive; Eternall life.Eternall life.] Here is the Poſitive part of the Benefit, wherein our Saviour explains what he meant by not periſhing; viz. he ſhall not die, but live eternally. Behold here the Prerogative of Gods Saints, even of all true Beleevers, wherein they differ from all others: Not only from the Bruit creature; the bruit Creature periſheth in death, ſo ſhall not they; But even from wicked men; Wicked men they do not properly periſh in death, but they die to die, ſo as they ſhall never ſee life, this true life; They ſhall never ſee the face of God, never injoy his preſence, in whoſe preſence is life: Being Separated from the preſence of his grace here, they ſhall be ſeparated from the preſence of his glory hereafter; and to this puniſhment of loſſe ſhall be added the puniſhment of ſenſe, They ſhall be puniſhed with everlaſting deſtruction from the preſence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power, 2 Theſ. 1.9. Being confined to that place of horror and darkneſſe, they ſhall be ſubjected both in ſouls and bodies to endleſſe and eaſeleſſe, unſufferable, unſpeakable, unconceivable p. 109torments; and ſo ſhall for ever be in a periſhing condition. But as for God's Saints and faithfull ones; even all true Beleevers, they ſhall not only not periſh as the bruit Creature doth, but they ſhall be poſſeſſed of that life which all unbelevers ſhall be excluded from, even Eternall life.

Eternall Life.] Eternall life, what.Under theſe two words the Spirit of God in Scripture frequently ſets forth unto us the ſtate and condition of Gods Saints in Heaven; which being a moſt bleſſed ſtate, full of Glory and Happineſſe, is therefore called by the name of Life, becauſe of all things upon earth life is the moſt precious, moſt ſet by. And in as much as that ſtate is immutable, unchangeable, therefore it is called Eternall Life, foreign: continuing the ſame to all ages, to all Eternity. This bleſſed life the Beleever enters into upon earth when he firſt beginneth to beleeve on Chriſt, then is he tranſlated from death to life; then is this bleſſed life eſtated upon him, and begun in him; thence ſaith our Saviour, This is life eternall, to know thee the only true God, and him whom thou haſt ſent, Jeſus Chriſt, Joh. 17.3. To know God and Chriſt, to know God in Chriſt, this is life eternall. It is ſo, as in regard of aſſurance, ſo in regard of Inchoation; being the beginning of that bleſſed life, which Gods Saints entering upon here in the kingdome of Grace, ſhall have the full fruition of hereafter in the kingdom of glory; He ſhall not periſh, but have eternall life.

p. 110The Type falling ſhort of the Truth.Eternall life.] Behold here the Truth in the Text advanced above, and beyond the Type. Thoſe whom the Braſen Serpent cured, they afterwards died. Not ſo they who are cured and healed by Chriſt: If a man keep my ſaying (ſaith our Saviour) he ſhall not ſee death, Joh. 8.51.John 8:51Joh. 8. They ſhall live Eternally, never ſeeing, taſting of that ſecond death; ſo laith our Saviour expreſly unto Martha, Joh. 11. He that beleeveth on me, John 11.25.John 11:25though he were dead, yet hee ſhall live; and he that liveth and beleveth on mee ſhall never die. Though he were dead: Dead Spiritually (ſaith Calvin) Dead in treſpaſſes and ſins (as all men naturally are) yet upon this beleeving he ſhall live; viz. live the life of grace here: and ſo living and beleeving, he ſhall never die, never die Eternally. Or if we take it (as Arctius and others expound it) of a Naturall, Temporall death; [Whoſoever beleeveth, though he be dead,] that is, dead as Lazarus was; yet dying in the faith, he ſhall [live] he ſhall be raiſed up again to life. [And he that liveth and beleeveth on me, that is (ſay ſome) ſuch as ſhall be found alive at the coming of Chriſt, they ſhall never die, only be changed: Or, He that liveth and beleeveth ſhall never die, that is eternally, ſo the words in the Originall may bee conſtrued, foreign; Non morietur in aeternum; though he die Temporally, yet not eternally. And here is the Benefit it ſelfe which Beleevers have by beleeving on Chriſt.

p. 111The Extent of this Benefit followeth:2. The Exte. of the Benefit which is, (as I ſaid) as large as may be, indefinite, univerſall, reaching to all thoſe who performe the condition. So you have it in the firſt word, [Whoſoever,] Of which but a word.

The Benefit of Chriſts death extends to all true believers. Doct. To all believers.As onelyonly to them, ſo to all, and every of them. Whether Chriſt died intentionally for all men, as Arminians would have it, I ſhall not ſtand now to diſcuſſe it. Sure we are, he died for all thoſe that believe on him: and to them, all and every of them, ſhall his death be made effectuall. Even as the Braſen Serpent was lift up for all thoſe Iſraelites, which feeling themſelves ſtung, looked up unto it; and to thoſe who did ſo look upon it, it was effectuall and availeable for their cure; and that to all of them: Even thus was the Lord Jeſus, lift up upon the croſſe, for all thoſe that ſhall believe on him: For them Chriſt prayed, I pray not for thoſe alone, (ſaith our Saviour) that is, for his Apoſtles and Diſciples onelyonly, but for them alſo which ſhall believe on me, John 17.20. And for them he died: I lay down my life for my ſheep, John 10.15. Such as being elected before time, are in time called to believe on him. And to all, and every of theſe, ſhall his death be made effectuall. Whoſoever, &c.]

Whoſoever, foreign, Omnis credens, Whoſoever,] the term explained.all, and every one that believeth. Be they what they will, what for Nation; what for p. 112Sex; what for Condition, outward, or inward, &c. For Nation: whether Jew, or Gentile. Herein again, the Type falls ſhort of the truth, The Type falling ſhort of the Truth.and is out-ſtripped by it. The Braſen Serpent was lift up for the benefit of the Iſraelites, one Nation onelyonly; but Chriſt the true Braſen Serpent is lift up as well for the Gentile as for the Jew, as well for all Nations, as for one Nation. In that day (ſaith the Prophet Eſay) there ſhall be a root of Jeſſe, which ſhall ſtand for an Enſigne of the people: to it ſhall the Gentiles ſeek, Iſai. 11.Iſai. 11.10.Isa 11:10 This Root of Jeſſe is Jeſus Chriſt, the Son of David, the Son of Jeſſe. (So the Apoſtle himſelfe expounds it, Rom. 15.12.) He being lift up upon the Croſs, is made an Enſign, a Standard to the people, and that not onelyonly to Jews, but to Gentiles: In him ſhall the Gentiles truſt, ſaith the Apoſtle. And ſo doing, both Jews and Gentiles, having a like intereſt in him, ſhall have a like benefit by him; So ſaith the ſame Apoſtle expreſly, Rom. 1.16. where ſpeaking of the Goſpel, he tels us, that it is the power of God to ſalvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew firſt, and alſo to the Grecian. To Jews and Gentiles, no difference betwixt Nation and Nation, no nor yet betwixt Condition and Condition, or Sex and Sex, Bond and free, rich and poor, noble, ignoble, male, female, all alike in Chriſt Jeſus.Gal 3.28.Gal 3:28 So Paul tels his Galatians, There is neither Jew, nor Greek, neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female, for ye are all one in Chriſt Jeſus. Upon their coming to p. 113him, and believing on him, all alike juſtified, and ſaved by him. Even as the Iſraelites coming and looking to the Braſen Serpent, they were all a like cured. Young and old, Maſters and ſervants, Princes and Peaſants; no difference betwixt the one and the other. Even ſo is it with all that come unto Jeſus Chriſt.Rom. 3.27.Rom 3:27 The righteouſneſſe of God which is by the faith of Jeſus Chriſt is unto all, and upon all that believe, ſaith the ſame Apoſtle, for there is no difference.] Whoſoever believeth on him, ſhall have alike benefit by him. But I muſt not dwell upon illuſtration. That which now remains for the cloſing up of this point, and this Text, is a word of Application: which I ſhall direct only two wayes. By way of Conſolation, Exhortation.

1. By way of Comfort and Encouragement to Ʋſe 1. Comfort to penitent ſinners.all poor penitent ſinners, ſuch as feeling the ſting of ſin in their ſouls, and being made ſenſible of the need they have of Jeſus Chriſt, deſire to come and look up unto him, to believe on him. Let them know, and know it to their everlaſting comfort, that for their ſakes was this Braſen Serpent lift up; for their ſakes was the Lord Jeſus by his Fathers Ordination and appointment lift up upon the Croſſe, ſo as they coming unto him, ſhall not miſſe of benefit by him. It matters not what you have been, what you are; OnelyOnly believe. God who required no more at the Iſraelites hands, but to look up to the Braſen Serpent, requires no more from penitent ſinners, but to look up unto Jeſus p. 114Chriſt by faith. So doing, whoever thou art, thou ſhalt not periſh. And what a ſweet incouragement is this? take it to your ſelves, you to whom it belongeth. Are you in the number of thoſe whoſe eyes God hath opened, and whoſe hearts he hath inclined thus to look up unto the Lord Jeſus, thus to believe on him? To you be it ſpoken, to all, and every of you; you ſhall not periſh, but have everlaſting life: Whoſoever.] Gaude, hic meum, & tuum, & omnìum credentium nomen ſcriptum eſt: ScultetusNow, rejoyce and be glad, (ſaith one writing upon it) Here is my name, and thy name, and the name of every believer written. All written in this promiſe, and ſo in the Book of life. So ſaith Paul of his fellow-labourers, naming ſome of them by name; Whoſe names are in the book of life, Phil. 4.3. And who is there but would be glad to read his name written there; no ſuch ground of rejoycing as this?Luke 10.20.Luke 10:20 In this rejoyce not (ſaith our Saviour to his Diſciples) that the ſpirits are ſubject unto you, but rather rejoyce becauſe your names are written in heaven. Now this may all true believers do. Do but evidence to thine own ſoule the truth of thy faith, and then here read thy name written, whoſoever!] what is this generall, this univerſall, but as if God had ſaid to every man and woman in particular, and by name, Believe thou, and thou ſhalt not periſh; Believe thou, and thou ſhalt have everlaſting life. Do wee but ſee to the condition, he that hath made it, will make good the promiſe.

p. 115OnelyOnly believe. Let that be the word of Exhortation, Ʋſe 2. Exhortation: OnelyOnly believe.which let me preſſe upon every ſoul which is in meaſure prepared for the receiving of it; I mean ſuch as do feel the ſting of ſin, and deſire to be cured; let them look up, let them raiſe up their hearts to beleeve on the Lord Jeſus: And let nothing diſcourage or diſmay them from, or in ſo doing. I know, diſcouragements there are many, which poor doubting ſoules will bee ready to take up, and make uſe of againſt themſelves,Diſcouragements anſwered from the Type. either to keep them from believing on Chriſt, or at leaſt from apprehending the comfort which belongeth to them upon their believing. Give me leave to meet with ſome of them, ſome of the moſt obvious: And therein I ſhall ſtill have recourſe to the Type, which (methinks) gives a very apt and full reſolution to the moſt of the ſcruples and objections which a ſin-ſtung ſoule can take up, and make uſe of againſt it ſelfe in this way.

Object. 1. O (in the firſt place) I am aObject 1. Unworthineſſe of the perſon. ſinner, a great ſinner, one that lieth under a great deale of guilt; one that hath, provoked God to poure out the vials of his everlaſting wrath upon me, to make mee a ſpectacle of vengeance to Eternity. And is there any hope that God ſhould exerciſe his grace and mercy upon ſo vile,Anſw. None but ſinners can receive benefit by Chriſt. ſo wretched and unworthy a creature?

Anſw. A ſinner? a great ſinner? Alas, p. 116wer't thou not ſuch a one, what ſhouldeſt thou do with a Chriſt? what ſhould a hayle Iſraelite do with the Braſen Serpent? Such might look upon it, but they could expect to receive no benefit by it: OnelyOnly they which were ſtung, they were they for whom the Braſen Serpent was ſet up: OnelyOnly ſinners are ſuch as ſhall be the better for Jeſus Chriſt; This is a true ſaying, 1 Tim. 1.15.1 Tim 1:15Jeſus Chriſt came into the world to ſave ſinners. Let not the apprehenſion of thine omn ſinfulneſſe diſcourage: OnelyOnly art thou ſenſible of it? and doeſt thou deſire to be freed from it, as from the guilt, ſo from the power and dominion of it? If ſo, now know, and know it to thy comfort, it is not this that can hinder thee from benefit by Chriſt. Nay, on the other hand, it is this that diſpoſeth thee for Chriſt, and maketh thee capable of benefit by him.Matth. 9.12.Matt 9:12 The whole need not the Phyſician, but the ſick. OnelyOnly ſick ſoules, ſuch as are ſick of ſin, ſuch as feel the diſtemper of ſin in their ſoules, are fit patients for this heavenly Phyſician.

Object. 2. Hainouſneſs of ſins.Object. 2. I, but my ſins are ſins of a heinous nature, not common or ordinary ſins, but crying ſins, bloody ſins, ſuch as I am aſhamed to name, and afraid to look upon. The very thought of them ſtrikes terrour and horrour into my ſoul.

An. Anſw. The chiefe of ſinners ſaved by Chriſt.Yet deſpaire not: Only believe. It mattered not how dangerouſly, how deſperately, in what part of the body any of the Iſraelites were ſtung or bitten by thoſe fiery Serpents, or how far p. 117their ſtings or teeth had pierced into their bodies, only looking up to the Braſen Serpent, they were cured as wel as thoſe who had received but a ſleighter touch. It matters not what thy ſins are for the nature of them, how heinous, how horrid ſoever, only beleeve, and thou ſhalt find it by comfortable experience that there is vertue enough in Jeſus Chriſt to work a perfect cure upon thy ſoul. Jeſus Chriſt came into the world to ſave ſinners, whereof I am chief.

Object. 3.Object. 3. Multitude of ſins. I, but my ſins are many as well as great; were it only ſome one ſin that I had fallen into, there might be ſome hope; but the multitude of my ſins maketh a dreadfull addition to the magnitude of them: one ſin being enough to ſink my ſoul into the loweſt hell, how ſhall I look up with any hopes of mercy from under the weight and burden of ſo many ſins as lie upon me?

Anſw. Anſw. Where ſin aboundeth, grace ſuper-aboundeth. Rom. 5.20.Rom 5:20Yet let not this diſcourage neither: as it is not the magnitude, ſo neither ſhall it be the multitude of ſins that can ſtop the courſe and current of Gods ſuperabundant grace and mercy; Where ſin abounded, there grace ſuperabounded: Only beleeve on the Lord Jeſus, by and through whom this grace is conveyed. To have recourſe to the Type ſtill; The Iſraelites in the wilderneſſe they were infeſted with many Serpents, and that not only with one kind, but with divers, as viz. with Fiery Serpents, and with Scorpions (ſo you may read it Deut. 8.15.) ſome ſtinging, others biting: p. 118Yet ſee a true Catholicon, the Braſen Serpent was an effectuall Antidote againſt all of them: It mattered not how many of thoſe Serpents had ſeized upon any of the Iſraelites, or in how many parts of the body they were ſtung by them, only looking up to the Braſen Serpent, they found a preſent remedy againſt all. Even ſuch a Catholicon is the Lord Jeſus: Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the ſins of the world. John 1.29.John 1:29It matters not how many, nor or how many kinds thy ſins be; Originall, Actuall, in thought, word, deed, of omiſſion, of commiſſion, of ignorance, of preſumption, againſt the firſt or ſecond Table, put them all together, yet here is a cure for all. Our Bleſſed Saviour when he was upon earth,Matth. 4.24.Matt 4:24 he cured all Deſeaſes; being now in Heaven he cureth all ſins, Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diſeaſes, Pſal. 103.Pſal. 103.3.Ps 103:3 Suppoſe it, that not only many, but all the Serpents in the Wilderneſſe, had faſtned their ſtings and teeth upon the body of one man; however his pain muſt needs have been great, and condition dangerous, yet looking up to the Braſen Serpent, he ſhould have found cure as well as any other. Suppoſe it, that all the ſins of the world were charged upon the head of one man (as all the ſins of Gods Elect were upon the man Chriſt) yet looking up to the Lord Jeſus, he ſhould find there were merit and vertue enough in him to heal and ſave him. Let neither magnitude nor multitude of ſins diſcourage.

p. 119Object. 4.Object. 4. Inveterate ſins I, but my ſins are growne inveterate, of long continuance. They are not of yeſterday, but ſins which I have lived in, lien in, gone on in, and that againſt light and checks of conſcience; notwithſtanding I have been clearly convinced out of the word of the ſinfulneſſe of theſe wayes, yet I have walked in them; ſo as through continuance in ſin and long cuſtome, I fear my caſe is deſperate and paſt cure.

Anſw. Anſw. Not deſperate.Not ſo neither: Only beleeve. The Iſraelites coming to the Braſen Serpent, it mattered not how long before they had been ſtung, though through continuance the venome had ſpread it ſelfe over the whole body, infecting the blood and ſpirits, though their caſe was never ſo deſperate, yet if they could lift up their eyes to the Braſen Serpent, they were cured. It matters not of what ſtanding, of what continuance thy ſins are, though now through long cuſtome growne habituall unto thee, yet come unto Jeſus Chriſt, and look up to him, and thou ſhalt find it is not too late: Serò Medicina paratur, &c. ſaith the Phyſician; It is too late to look out for Medicines when the Diſeaſe through long continuance is grown inveterate: Not ſo, ſaith the Divine. In ſoul Diſeaſes, be they never ſo inveterate, only come unto Jeſus Chriſt, and beleeve on him.John 11.39.John 11:39 He that raiſed up Lazarus after he had lien four dayes in the grave puting life into that putrifying body is able to do as much for a dead putrified ſoul. The very p. 120touch of the hem of his grrment wrought a preſent cure upon that Haemorroiſſe, Mat. 9.20.Matt 9:20the woman which had had a flux of blood for twelve years.

Object. 5.Object. 5. Relapſes. I, but my caſe is yet more dangerous, I am relapſed; I have fallen again and again into the ſame ſin, and that not only after conviction, but after repentance, and after that my ſoul in my apprehenſion was cured and healed. Is there yet any hope for me?

Anſw. Anſw. The cure more difficult, not deſperate.This I confeſſe maketh the caſe more dangerous, and the cure more difficult (I mean in our apprehenſions) but yet not deſperate. The Iſraelites, I ſuppoſe ſome of them, after they had been cured, might bee ſtung again and again, yet coming to the Braſen Serpent, they ſtill found the ſame vertue in it. It is poſſible (though not ordinary) that a Child of God after full conviction, after repentance, and after pardon ſued out and obtained, may fall again and again into the ſame groſſe ſin; the work of Mortification being here but imperfect and defective; yet in this caſe let none deſpair of mercy. He that cauſed the Braſen Serpent to be ſet up for a Toties Quoties, that as often as the Iſraelites repaired to it, they ſhould be cured by it; he hath given his Son, that as often as poor ſinners come unto him, they ſhould be cured and healed by him;Caveat againſt preſumptuous adventures. A comfortable Doctrine! But let none abuſe it to their own perdition, taking advantage from hence to indulge themſelves p. 121in adventuring upon, or continuing in any known evils. What ſhall we ſay then? Rom. 6.1.2.Rom 6:1Rom 6:2(ſaith the Apoſtle) ſhall we continue in ſin, that grace may abound? foreign, God forbid. Shall we therefore dare to reiterate the ſame ſin, that Gods mercy may be renewed in the pardon of it? Far be it from any of us to draw ſo damnable a concluſion from ſuch ſweet and comfortable premiſes. True it was, the Iſraelites had a Braſen Serpent to cure them as oft as they were ſtung; but ſhall we therefore think that any of them were ſo mad as to run amongſt the Serpents on purpoſe to be ſtung by them, becauſe there was a preſent remedy at hand? True it is, we have an All-ſufficient Saviour to look up unto upon all occaſions, who is able to cure and heal all our relapſes: But what, ſhall we therefore take liberty to run again and again into the ſame ſin? Of all evidences of a man that ſhall never find any benefit by Chriſt, I do not know a more dangerous, a more dreadfull one then this, when men ſhall thus make him, as it were, a pandar to their baſe luſts; ſo turning the grace of God into wantonneſſe. Let not any dare to make ſuch uſe of what I have ſaid, which I intend only for the ſtaying and comforting of drooping and dejected ſouls, ſuch as languiſh under the ſad apprehenſion of ſome renewed ſins, which they have againe fallen into through the weakneſſe and infirmity of the fleſh; not wittingly, not wilfully; If we ſin wilfully (that is, with full conſent of p. 122will) after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more ſacrifice for ſins. But through weakneſſe and infirmity; To them I ſay, not I, but the Lord: Let them renew their repentance and faith, looking up unto Jeſus Chriſt, and they ſhall find there is yet cure for them. Returne ye back-ſliding children, Matth. 18.22. Luke 17.3, 4.Matt 18:22Luke 17:3Luke 17:4and I will heale your back-ſlidings, Jer. 3.22. He that requireth us, if our brother offend us ſeventy ſeven times, yet upon his acknowledgement to forgive him; will not he do the like by his people upon their returning unto him? Have we relapſed then? yet return by renewed repentance and faith, looking up to this Braſen Serpent, we ſhall live and not dy.

Object. 6.Object. 6. Want of ſtrength againſt corruption. I, but I cannot find ſtrength againſt my corruption: Could I but feele that weakened in me, then I ſhould have ſome hope. But alas, I finde that ſtill ſtrong and prevalent; notwithſtanding all my praying, and watching, and ſtriving againſt it, yet I get little or no ground of it, or power againſt it.

Anſw. Anſw. Vertue in Chriſt for ſubduing it.Yet deſpaire not. OnelyOnly come unto Jeſus Chriſt. The Iſraelites looking upon the Braſen Serpent, they were thereby freed not only from the ſmart and anguiſh of their wounds, but alſo from the prevalency of the poiſon, ſo as it ſpread no further. The poor ſinner looking up to Jeſus Chriſt ſhall there find a ſufficiency, as of merit, ſo of vertue, for the taking away not onelyonly the guilt and p. 123terrour, but the power and dominion of ſin; And therefore do not ſay, if I could finde my corruption weakened, then I would go unto Chriſt; but therefore go unto him, that by faith thou mayeſt fetch vertue from him for the ſubduing of it.

Object. 7.Object. 7. Weakneſſe of faith. I, but in the laſt place, my faith is a weak faith: my wretched heart being full, (as of other luſts, ſo) of unbeliife. I cannot glorifie God, as I deſire to do, by reſting upon his mercy in Chriſt with ſuch a firme affiance, ſtedfaſt confidence, full perſwaſion, as ſome others do.

Anſw. Anſw. Not the Degree, but the truth of faith, heals and ſaves.Let not this diſcourage neither; knowing that it is not the degree and meaſure, but the truth of faith which heals and ſaves. The reaſon whereof I have given you already, becauſe faith doth not ſave by any vertue of it own; but onelyonly inſtrumentally, by looking up unto Jeſus Chriſt. Now this a weak faith may do, and that as truly as a ſtrong; and ſo doing, it ſhall heale. The Type illuſtrates it well, An Iſraelite looking up to the Braſen Serpent, it mattered not how weak, how dim, how tender his eye was, yet hee was cured. Be thy faith never ſo weak, but as the grain of muſtard-ſeed; but as the ſmoaking flax, rather a deſire to believe, then any ſtrength of faith? yet even this weak faith, being a true faith, ſhall ſave thee, ſhall heale thee. So ſaith the promiſe here in the Text; That whoſoever believeth on him (though weakly, yet truly) ſhould not periſh, &c.

p. 124And what is there now that ſhall ſtand betwixt Chriſt and a poor penitent ſinner, to keep him from believing on him; or upon his believing, from receiving benefit by him? Not his ſins, though great, though many, though of long continuance, though often repeated, and that after repentance; not the ſtrength of corruption, or the weakneſſe of faith.

OnelyOnly believe. OnelyOnly believe.That is the ſum of the Exhortation, which let me preſſe again, and again; Upon this depends our eternall happineſſe and welfare. And therefore every of us be excited, above all graces to ſeek after this Mother-grace of Faith; Hab. 2 4. Gal. 2.20.Hab 2:4Gal 2:20And having it, ſet it awork, exerciſe it, live by it: daily ſtirring up our dead ſouls thus to look up unto Jeſus Chriſt. Heb. 12.2. Looking unto Chriſt as the Iſraelites unto the Braſen Serpent.Heb 12:2Looking unto Jeſus the authour and finiſher of our faith. So looking up unto him as the wounded Iſraelites did to their Braſen Serpent. And to that end,

1. Labour to feel the ſting of ſin;1. Feele the ſting of ſin. to feele our ſoules wounded, and mortally wounded by reaſon of ſin, that ſo we may be made ſenſible of the need we have of Jeſus Chriſt. Till the ſoule be brought to ſome ſenſe, and apprehenſion hereof, it will never have recourſe unto Chriſt for cure. This being done, then

2. Get an eye rightly affected.2. In the ſecond place; Labour to get an eye rightly affected and diſpoſed; as viz. 1. A diſcerning eye. 2. A mournfull eye. 3. A longing eye. 4. A ſtedfaſt eye.

1. A Diſcerning Eye. 1. A Diſcerning eye.Such muſt the Iſraelites eye be, an eye that was able to behold p. 125and diſcern the Braſen Serpent. And ſuch an eye muſt they have who would have any benefit by Chriſt; they muſt be able to behold Chriſt, to behold him as he is revealed in the word, they muſt have ſome degree and meaſure of diſtinct knowledge concerning Chriſt; as to know what he was, what he hath done, what he hath ſuffered, &c. withall taking notice both of his ability and readineſſe to cure all that come unto him. His ability, how mighty a Saviour,Heb. 7.25.Heb 7:25 how able perfectly (or for ever) to ſave thoſe that come unto God by him. His willingneſſe; how tender and compaſſionate a Saviour, being himſelfe ſtung to death, that he might know how to have compaſſion on them that are ſtung:Heb. 4.15.Heb 4:15 We have not an high Prieſt (ſaith the Apoſtle) which cannot bee touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are. How ready he is to receive all that come to him for cure. Come unto me ye that labour, &c. Matth. 11.28. John 6.37.Matt 11:28John 6:37I will give you reſt, Matth. 11. Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wiſe caſt out, John 6. All theſe truths being clearly revealed in the word concerning Jeſus Chriſt, they muſt bee diſtinctly apprehended, known and believed. Here is the firſt requiſite to the right diſpoſing of the eye: It muſt be a diſcerning eye.

2. And (ſecondly) a mournfull eye. 2. A mournful eye.With ſuch eyes (I ſuppoſe) did many of the Iſraelites look up unto their Braſen Serpent, not without tears in them. And with ſuch eyes p. 126look we up unto ours. They ſhall look upon him whom they have pierced, John 19.37.John 19:37(ſaith the Prophet) and they ſhal mourn, Zach. 12.10. So did Mary Magdalene look upon her Saviour,Luke 7.38.Luke 7:38 looking, and weeping. And ſo look we upon him, mourning; And that both for our ſelves, and him: In as much as by our ſins we have pierced through both; pierced our ſelves, as Paul ſaith of covetous perſons, They pierce themſelves through with many ſorrowes, 1 Tim. 6.10. So doth every ſin more or leſſe pierce the ſoule of the ſinner. And piercing our ſelves, we have alſo pierced Chriſt, crucifying him by our ſins. It is that which the Apoſtle ſaith of Apoſtates, They crucifie to themſelves the Son of God afreſh, Heb. 6.6. By them he is twice crucified, by others, once. None of us but have had hands in bringing him to the Croſſe, who died for our ſins. Great cauſe to look up unto him with a mournfull eye.

3. And (thirdly) with a longing eye:3. A Longing Eye. With ſuch eyes did the Iſraelites look up to their Braſen Serpent, earneſtly deſiring to receive benefit by it. And with ſuch eyes look we up unto ours; longing after Jeſus Chriſt, that we may be made partakers of his ſaving benefits. I have longed for thy ſalvation, (ſaith David) Pſal. 119.174. And thus let the ſoule of every poor penitent ſinner go out after Jeſus Chriſt, in longing deſires after him, after union and communion with him, deſiring nothing ſo much as this. This is the height p. 127of Pauls deſire, that he might know Jeſus Chriſt, Phil. 3.10.Phil 3:10and the vertue of his Reſurrection; know him, not only Contemplatively, but Experimentally, and Practically, feeling the power of his Reſurection in raiſing him firſt from the Death of ſin, to the Life of Grace; and after from the Death of Nature, to the Life of Glory: And let it bee ſo with us; let there be nothing ſo dear and precious in our eye as Chriſt; deſire we nothing ſo much as an Intereſt in him, and Communion with him. Look up unto him with a Longing eye.

4. And in the fourth place,4. A ſtedfaſt eye. with a Stedfaſt eye; ſo did the Iſraelites look up to their Braſen Serpent, fixing their eyes upon it till they were cured. And ſo look we up unto ours, fixing our eyes upon the Lord Jeſus, ſtedfaſtly looking upon him untill we have obtained what we look for.Pſal. 123.2.Ps 123:2 As the eyes of Servants look up unto the hands of their Maſters, &c. So do our eyes wait upon the Lord untill hee have mercy upon us: So do wee look up to our Lord and Saviour, by faith reſting and waiting upon him untill hee have mercy upon us, untill our ſouls, be cured, perfectly cured.

Queſt. But when will that be?

Anſw. Why not in this life, and therefore let us ſtill be looking up unto him;Heb. 12.2.Heb 12:2 Let us run the Race ſet before us (ſaith the Apoſtle) looking unto Jeſus, Heb. 12. Whilſt a p. 128Chriſtian is running his race, he muſt throughout his whole courſe fix his eye upon Chriſt. The Iſraelites, as long as they were in the Wilderneſſe, being continually ſubject to the ſtinging of thoſe fiery Serpents, they had a continued uſe of the Braſen Serpent; and therefore was it carried along with them, and ſtill lift up amongſt them, that upon all occaſions they might look up unto it. Thus fareth it with us, as long as we are in this wilderneſs here upon earth, we are ſtil ſubject to daily infirmities and ſins, and conſequently have ſtill need of a Saviour, who by the daily application of his merit, and communication of his Spirit may work daily cures for us. And therefore in the ſenſe of this continued need we have of Jeſus Chriſt, let our eyes be ſtill towards him, whom God in infinite goodneſſe and mercy is pleaſed ſtill to hold forth unto us in the Word and Sacraments, there to be repreſented to us, and lift up before our eyes. Thus fixing our eyes upon him, wee ſhall find him to us a perfect Saviour, ſaving us from the guilt of ſin, that it ſhall not be imputed to us; and delivering us from the power of ſin, ſo as though it abide in us, yet it ſhall not rule and raign in us, but daily grow weaker and weaker, untill we come in the end to have a perfect cure wrought in us and upon us, in a perfect deliverance from ſinne and death, with the full fruition of that bleſſed and glorious life, which ſhall p. 129be the portion of all thoſe who thus look up unto this true Braſen Serpent, who thus beleeve on the Lord Jeſus. So was the Son of Man lift up, that whoſoever beleeveth on him ſhould not periſh but, have Everlaſting Life.