shall pluck my feet out of the Net Psal 25.15 And when he had in vain looked for refuge to other things and they failed him then he looked to the Lord for refuge who never fails them that seeks him Psal 142.4 5. and 9.10 For indeed in vain is Salvation either in Grace unto Glory or from Enemies as Sin Satan and their Instruments or Designs looked for from any thing else and therefore it 's good to look to the Lord in whom alone is our Salvation and to wait for him the God of Salvation as in Jer. 3.23 Mich. 7.7 Yea in a word 8. Look to him for all Grace and Blessing the Promises of this Life and of the Life to come For in him all the Promises of God are Yea and Amen to the Glory of God 2 Cor. 1.20 And he is the God of all Grace all the fulness of the Godhead dwelling bodily in him the Fountain of Living Waters who gives freely and liberally and upbraids no man Look therefore for the Mercy of this our Lord Jesus Christ even for the blessed hope and his glorious appearance unto Eternal life Jude 21. Tit. 2.13 And look we to him for all this Secondly In all means As to say 1. In minding his Word and looking into that perfect Law of Liberty as it is called James 1.26 There he is exercising his Spiritual power and affording his help that being Spirit and Life Rom. 1.16 John 6.63 A Ministration of Spirit that quickens and gives Life Strength and Grace 2 Cor. 3.6.8 Ephes 3.16 Heb. 10.29 And gives Wisdom and makes wise the simple Psal 19.9 and 119 130. Yea as it is written The holy Scriptures are able to make a man wise to Salvation through Faith in Jesus Christ 2 Tim. 3.15 And he that hath the Doctrine of Christ in his heart so as to Believe Mind Love and Obey it hath Christ nay both Father and Son 2 John â— There he is Discovered Pourtraied or set forth so as there-through we may see what an One he is and behold his Grace and Glory with open face as in a Glass through the help of his Spirit as is signified Isa 52.15 Gal. 3.1 2 Cor. 3.18 Look upon him there therefore and there wait on and for him And with this 2. In meditating on him as there set forth musing on and pondering his words and on him as declared therein So it 's said Kings shall shut their mouths at him for what they had not been told shall they see and what they had not heard shall they consider Isa 52.15 They shall understand or mind with themselves namely as looking herein and considering them as Preached in the Gospel for unto that the Apostle applies it Rom. 15.21 Spiritual meditation being as it were an inward Contemplation and wister looking into the Law of Liberty and upon him as set forth therein My meditations of thee shall be sweet saith David Psal 104.34 3. In Praying to him and to God in and through him Then we lift up our faces to him Job 22.26 And therein a man may see his Face oft-times with joy lifting up pure hearts and hands to him Job 33.26 In Prayer we both look up to him and upon him fixing the eyes of our mind upon him we lift up our eyes unto and our eyes are upon the Lord our God till he have mercy on us Psal 123.1 2. There we are to take notice of and know his Name in calling upon it Psal 91.14 15. Exercising Faith which is the exercise of the eyes of the mind also to behold as well as of the hand to lay hold of him in him and his Name otherwise it 's not a Prayer of Faith as it should be and as it 's called Jam. 5.15 4. In his Sacraments or Ordinances of Communion together with him In Baptism we may behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world John 1.29 And in the Supper we have to do with his Body and Blood and his Death shewed forth therein it being a Communion of his Body and Blood held forth there to be taken notice of by us and received of us 1 Cor. 10.16 and 11.26 And for and in all these it 's good to look to him 5. In the Unity of the Spirit with his people and in Fellowship with them in his House his Church his Temple those that have his Name upon them and with them Many people shall say Come ye and let us go up to the Mountain of the House of the Lord to the House of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his Ways c. Isa 2.3 And Oh how good is it for Brethren to dwell together in unity for there the Lord commandeth the Blessing even life for evermore Psal 133.1.4 Thirdly Look we to him and upon him at all times Hear in season and out of season for that 's implied in that the Word is to be Preached in season and out of season 2 Tim. 4.2 for there is no Preaching but to some hearers meditate on him as set forth in it night and day Psal 1.2 whether literally understood for so David Seven times a day will I praise thee Psal 119.164 Consider my meditation in the morning will I direct it unto thee and will look Psal 5.1 3. And Mine eyes prevented the night watches that I might meditate in thy Word Psal 119.148 Or Metaphorically for times of Prosperity and Adversity when we are merry beholding his Goodness set forth in his Word or proved in his Works The Word of Christ dwelling in us will lead us to sing Psalms and when sad and heavy then considering in the day of Adversity him that is able to help us Pray Col 3.16 with James 5.13 Eccles 7.14 Yea that we may Bless him at all times and his praise be continually in our mouth it 's needful that the thought of Him and his Name and so the Consideration and Contemplation of him be always habitually in our hearts That out of the abundance of the heart the mouth may speak and we may out of the good treasure there bring forth good things Psal 34.1 2. and 145.1 2. Mat. 12.34 35. 4. With all earnestness and serious diligence even with the whole heart as Psal 119 10. Jer. 29.13 for this is not a matter of sport and divertisement only from some weightier matters but the main and chief thing of all our whole lives Matth. 6.33 The one thing needful or necessary Luc. 10.42 to be looking up to and upon the Lord Jesus therefore the one thing desired by David to dwell in his House that he might behold the fair beauty of the Lord as was noted before Psal 27.4 The things of greatest moment depending hereupon as to say 1. The deliverance of our Souls from the stings and venome of the old Serpent even from sin and death spiritual death and guilt and filth now and everlasting curse and misery hereafter And is this a thing to be trifled
and there-through even through those things done to him in his personal body we are healed As it is said Through his stripes we are healed Isa 53.5 1 Pet. 2.24 But as a remedy against what we meet with from Satan in our selves in our own personal despisings of Christ and Gods bounty and goodness towards us through him and provocations to anger against us was and is it needful that he be also further lifted up by way of demonstration both by God and his Spirit and servants for our helpfulness there against That whosoever believeth on him might not perish in a second Death 2. In the place of Moses lifting up the Serpent That was in the Wilderness So must the Son of Man be lifted up in the state of this world that is as a desolate forsaken wilderness void of all good order and fruitfulness full of briars thorns Wolves Tygers all that is evil and confused Through which while the Israel or followers of God walk they meet with and are exposed to many trials and temptations affections and troubles from the barrenness of goodness and good men that they find in it and from the many evil men and the unclean covetous oppressive and wicked carriages both among themselves and towards them Here in this day and state it 's behoveful that the Son of Man be lifted up for the comfort healing and helpfulness of his followers against the evil Spirits and Serpents and their venomous stings were Rom. 3.19 That we might receive the Adoption of Sons Gal. 4.4 5. That he hath made him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 That he hath delivered him up for our offences and raised him again for our Justification Rom. 4.25 Raised him from the dead and given him glory that our faith and hope might be in him 1 Pet. 1.21 And all this and what is contained in it done and perfected of God in Christ for us so as he therein hath prepared his dinner his Oxen and Fatlings are slain and all things are ready nothing for us to do but come to the Wedding and therein taking on the Wedding Garment sit down and eat and drink of this Provision and that will so heal us as we shall be fit to go or walk after him and serve him So that if thou confess with thy mouth Jesus the Lord and with thy heart believe that God hath raised him from the dead that is if thou believe this understandingly and affectionately thou shalt be saved This will put a man into a right mind to seek and hope for all grace and blessing from God and so in that faith to call upon him and it will make him to love and in love obey and serve him Rom. 10.8 9 10 12.1 John 4.19 There is nothing for the Ministers to do for the healing and saving men but to open and publish this grace and therein call invite and exhort them to look to and obey it and warn them of and reprove them for neglecting it c. Not to prepare any thing of their own nor put men upon preparing any thing for their own Salvation and healing Nor for any man to do but in the hearing this to look upon it and mind what it discovers and yeild up to what it requires and calls for which the Ministers are to help them to understand and discern for their healing Isa 45.22 Look unto me and be ye saved all the endâ— of the Earth Even as Moses did not put the people upon looking into their stings and seeking or preparing for themselves any Salves or Medicines but only lifted up the Serpent and directed them to look to it for healing 4. The Serpent as Moses lifted it up was not made of Gold or of Silver or of any more precious Mettals but only of Brass a more vulgar and contemptible Mettal and of less price And that formed through the fire and by other ways of cutting beating and framing of it into the form of a Serpent a way no way of it self likely or probable to heal them of their wounds And yet this he lifted up as the means and Medicine appointed of God and through his appointment and the conjunction of his Divine power and virtue with it it was effectual for healing those that being stung of the fiery Serpents looked upon it Even so Christ the Son of Man according to the Flesh was not a likely person and means to effect any mans Salvation and deliverance from Sin and Death he being not descended of high and honourable Parentage in the World or endued with worldly Grandeour or greatness or with worldly Authority Learning and such like ornaments as might commend him to us but born in Bethlehem Judah of a poor Virgin espoused to a mean man a Carpenter Springing up as a tender plant easily to appearance to be pluckt up or broken And as a root out of a dry ground likely to come to no great bulk or strength No form in him nor comeliness no beauty when looked upon to render him desirable Isa 53.2 3. A mean man Mark 6.3 Not Learned John 7.15 Nor attended with any worshipful and honourable persons openly as his Disciples John 7.47.48 Yea a man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs Yet this man is he that being prepared for it and made perfect through sufferings and Death is both lifted up of God to be the Author of Eternal Salvation to all that obey him and is effectual thereto through the divine Ordination and presence of God in and with him The Deity fully possessing him even all the fulness of the Godhead dwelling bodily in him And through this Man so prepared and perfected of God is and must be Preached unto men the forgiveness of Sins And through him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses Act. 13.37 38 39. Nor is he therefore as the Son of Man to be laid by of the Builders Preachers Teachers and Masters in Israel as too many knowing him after the Flesh are therefore offended at him and do lay him by because he was and is the Son of Man and was partaker with us in flesh and blood in firm and tempted as we be yet without Sin or because he suffered such things in the Flesh and appeared weak and mortal therein Nor may any therefore refuse to look to him and expect salvation from him because a Man and the Son of Man made so low and weak as he was so despicable and unlikely to appearance as that the Preaching of him and his Cross is to the Jew a stumbling block and to the Grecian foolishness even to such as seem wise in this World But he is notwithstanding that yea because of that that he was so abased and crucified and humbled himself so low the Power of God and the Wisdom of God and so to be eyed hoped in
That whosover believeth on him might not perish but have eternal life He doth not say indeed that Gods end is simply that every one might have eternal life without respect to their believing or whether they believe or not But yet he saith Verse 17. That the world through him might be saved Which is as much as that the world through what he hath done and doth for them might in looking to and believing on him would they so do be saved As also it 's said He gave his flesh for the life of the world John 6.51 That is that the world set free by his death sustained in his flesh from the first death so as out of it to as all shall 1 Cor. 15.21 22. be raised might also in feeding thereon live and not dye the second Death Nor doth he say that every one might believe on him and be saved and have eternal life but it is said that John bare witness to the light that all men through him might believe John 1.7 8. And the Apostle saith God wills all men to be saved and come to the knowledge or acknowledgment of the truth 1 Tim. 2.4 And another Apostle that God would not that any man should perish but that all should come to repentance 2 Pet. 3.9 And God sent the Prophet Ezekiel to say to the People As I live I have no pleasure in the Death of the wicked but rather that he should turn and live which is all one as if he had said that he might believe and have eternal life for of such a life the Prophet doubtless is to be understood But he saith here that every one that believeth or whosoever believeth on him might not perish but have eternal life In which we may note these six Points or Observations implyed and signified Viz. 1. That men even the World as the next verses mention are in themselves generally in danger of or in the way to perishing 〈◊〉 there needed no indeavour for preventing it if no danger of it 2. That God hath no pleasure or likement that they should perish but rather that they should have eternal Life His using such a means or providing such a remedy to prevent the perishing and that men may obtain the life eternal clearly implies that in both its branches 3. That the Son of Man is the only person or Medium by whom we may be preserved from perishing and obtain eternal life And he is the Medium God hath appointed to those purposes This is clear in the whole scope of the Verse and in the verses following 4. That thereto it 's needful even for escaping perdition and obtaining eternal life and it's Gods good will that men believe on him the Son of Man so ordered of God for them 5. That it 's the gracious mind of God that every one that believeth on the Son of Man should not and accordingly whoso believeth on him shall not perish but have eternal life 6. That in order both to mens believing on him and also to their not perishing but having eternal Life in their so doing it 's Gods gracious mind and in it self needful and necessary that He the Son of Man be so lifted up as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness Of these in order and with convenient brevity or inlargement Obser 1. That men even the World are in themselves generaâ—ly in danger of or in the way to perishing This is evidently declared in the Scriptures of truth Yea all that God hath done to Christ in abasing and raising him and all that he doth through Christ in his words and works in his calls counsels repoofs corrections c. are declared to be done primarily and directly while it is a day of his grace and patience towards any to prevent or keep men from perishing which would have been and would be needless and groundless if they were not without it in danger of perishing Far be it from us to make God the God of Wisdom or only wise God to do or say so much in vain or needlesly or without ground or cause Nor is that perishing simply a bodily dying which God doth nothing to prevent that it should not at any time or at all come upon us but a perishing from Gods presence so as to be utterly lost miserable and undone Man was wholly and universally fallen into sin and misery even under the sentence of Death and Condemnation the first Death in the first Adam and therein we were in danger to have perished bâ—cause 1. As the people here in the Wilderness were bitten by the fiery Serpents and their bite was so poysonous venemous and perilous that it caused Death Num. 21.6 So there the old Serpent the Devil and Sathan inticing and tempting man to sin through Adams and Evah's listening to and acting according to his temptation he got power over them and all in them that is all men to bite them to Death by bringing them under the sentence of that righteous Law wherein God hath denounced death to them in case of their acting so as he inticed them For therein 2. All have sinned and are come short of the glory of God or are deprived of it Rom. 3.23 By one man sin entred into the World and Death by Sin and so Death passed over all men because all had sinned Rom. 5.12 The wages of Sin being Death Rom. 6.23 Not only a bodily Death but a Death of the whole person that sinned in being deprived of the favour and presence of God Psal 30.5 3. And from this no man could deliver himself nor be delivered by any other Creature the sentence of God and his Law standing against us and binding it upon us which no meer Creature could bear upon himself so as to redeem us from it nor had any power enough to raise us up from under it for who can stand under or prevail against God's anger Psal 98.7 8 9 11. 130.3 Nah. 1.6 If Christ had not dyed for us yea and risen again we had all perished in this Death and there had been no Resurrection out of it 1 Cor. 15.12 18 21 22. But we are redeemed from this first death by Jesus Christ having therefore given himself a Ransom for all and dyed for all and brought all to be under his gracious Lordship and dispose having so satisfied the justice and pacified the wrath of God for that offence as that whereas all had sinned and came short of the glory of God they are all justified by his grace as to that through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ And as by one offence the Judgment was unto all men to Condemnation So through the Righteousness of one the free gift is unto all men to justification of life 1 Tim. 2.6 Rom. 14.9 3.23 24. 5.18 So that no man shall perish in this first Death for ever but all shall be raised again there-from For as in Adam all dye so in Christ all shall be made
designs to do it hateth the light neither cometh to the light least his deeds should be reproved Joh. 3.19 20. and so we find the Scriptures every where assert that the cause of Mens destruction is their voluntary rejections of the remedy as in Psal 81.10 11 12 c. When God offered himself to Israel to be their God bidding them open their mouth wide and he would fill it their refusing him his advise and counsel not hearing his voice nor accepting him to be their helper but preferring others before him procured his leaving them to themselves and their Idols and then what but misery and destruction could befall them the like we see in Prov. 1.20 24 25. Wisdom addresses her self to all within and without the City or Church of God reproving their love of their simplicity scornfulness and folly and tendring her grace and spirit to them but they generally will not answer her calls and hear her counsels nor regard the stretching forth of her hands to relieve help or draw them in to her self but put away all her counsels and will none of her reproofs and therefore destruction comes upon them the like may be seen in Isa 66.3 4. Jer. 7.24 25 26. And the like we find our Saviour and his Apostles say of the cause and reason of mens perishing not to be any want of goodness or graciousness in God or want of provision in Christ or readiness in him to help them but mens own wilfulness in refusing and putting from them the grace and truth discovered of God in and by Christ to them for their salvation that they receive not the love of the truth that they may be saved believe not the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness 2 Thes 2.10 11 12. That they stop the ear close or wink with the eye least they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and be converted and he should heal them Matth. 13.14 15. Acts 28.20 27. Yea the very Heathens who had the least discoveries of God and his goodness and grace that through Christ he exerciseth towards and among men yet perish upon this account that they with-hold the truth in unrighteousness that when they know God they glorified him not as God nor were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish hearts were darkned that they liked not to have God in their knowledge and the like Rom. 1.18 21 28. 2. As to the equitableness and justness hereof what more just and equitable then that men who will not be saved should perish that they who refuse the most excellent remedy and compleat Medicine and way of healing which the most wise and gracious God in his most perfect understanding and heighth of love and affection hath devised and prepared for them dye of their wounds which through their own default and wickedness they have brought upon themselves Yea when God hath been at a great cost and charge to provide man a Saviour and prepare them help and shewed forth his great goodness therein for their happiness when He hath not spared his own Son but delivered him as made man the Son of man for our offences and raised him again for our Justification and therein and thereby hath saved men from perishing in the first Death into which they were fallen in and through Adam and therein cured that deadly wound given them at first by the Serpent and hath glorified him and filled him with his own infinite fulness of power spirit and all spiritual grace and blessing therein both impowering him and appointing him to raise all men out of the first death which he also will not fail to do and also providing in him all things by which he is furnished for calling and drawing them in to believe and in believing on him to preserve them from the second Death and to make them to live for ever being furnished with authority and fitness to cure all such stings of the old Serpent as might and would otherwise sting them to that second Death and all this without their knowledge motion or desire Yea and through him also and by him making known to us what he hath done and calling and counselling us to come to him and accept of his grace and salvation in and through him through whom also we live and move and have our beings and are made capable of hearing and coming at his call to him in whom we are so compleatly provided for that there is no defect or want of any thing needful for our salvation and everlasting well-being yea and that we might have both the greatest ground of assurance of finding help in him and the greatest ingagements upon all accounts to hearken to and comply with his counsels and yield our selves subject to his will and commandements he hath set before men both his alsufficiency as being the Son of God and God and his having in him all the fulness of God and also the greatness of the love both of the Father in not sparing him but giving him forth and preparing him through so great sufferings to be our Saviour and of the Son in sustaining them for our sakes that there-through he might be so perfected for us how should he not be provoked to great displeasure and so to leave us to dye and perish of our wounds if they or any of us after and notwithstanding all this refuse his calls and will not submit to him to be saved and be made happy for ever by him What man of us and especially what Prince or Nobleman if he be at great cost and labour to prepare either a feast to entertain or a Medicine to heal his poor neighbours likely otherwise to perish through want or diseases could take it well if after that they scorn his love and make light of his provision and yet such is the case of Mankind towards God as the parables in Matth. 22.1 14. and Luc. 14.17 24. shew And surely the offence is so much the greater and the more inexcusable and unpardonable in us men and lays open to the greater and deserves the more severe punishment then any can be deserved from or inflicted by the greatest or mightiest man by how much God is greater than man and more uningaged to us than man and by how much his provision and love therein and the tenders and proffers thereof to men exceed all that can be found in or from men So that God will certainly be just in his proceedings against men in his condemning them and will be justified in the eyes and sight of all his Creatures both Angels and men yea the condemned ones themselves when he is judged as is said Rom. 3.4 And there will be nothing found by men to plead for themselves or condemn him when he enters into Judgment with them not so much for that his power and greatness will bear them down as because of the exceeding great equity and righteousness that will
perfect possessing them of himself and of that Eternal life that is in him Such the true Church its Manners and Priviledges Use 10. Lastly that at length we may come to a Conclusion By all that hath been said we may be and let us be provoked and stirred up to admire Love Laud and Magnifie the Lord even the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and his great Love and Grace that hath devised found out made set forth and discovered such an Object as this to be looked to by us and therein such a way of Salvation and Life Eternal for us That hath chosen out of the People the Son of man one of us as it were as to his Humanity and united that to and filled it with the Deity and its infinite Virtues and perfections that he hath magnified his blessed Son and that through so great Sufferings and Abasement to so high Dignity and Glory in the Nature of man for us and so lifted him up also in the discoveries of him by his Spirit in the Gospel to us even to us such sorry and miserable Creatures so fallen and rendred so unprofitable that we neither could or can be of any advantage or profit to him that so in his being lifted up before us and looked to by us we might be healed of all our spiritual Diseases and Maladies delivered from all the things of the old fiery Serpent the Devil and Satan the venome and poyson of it and the pain and destruction brought into and upon us by it the sin and guilt thence derived the infirmities death grave hell that it brought upon us Yea and from all the several stingings of the said Serpent and his Angels and Instruments whether by inward Temptations and their Prevalencies or outward sufferings and afflictions keeping us alive that we may not die of them Yea so expelling the venome and poyson of them and infusing Virtue and Vigour into us that we may be safe and found from them and live in a perfect life and walk in a perfect way and serve and honour him This Grace may be somewhat Illustrated by Gods dealings of old with Israel they were in a sore and heavy Bondage in Egypt God beheld it came down and with various Wonders wrought deliverance for them so as he brought them all out thence not one of them being left behind and then also he became their Perfect Alsufficient Merciful and Faithful Leader and Bringer in in their following after him into the Land of Canaan Even so God seeing us mankind all in great misery and destruction under the Power and Tyranny of the Devil and the first Death and Judgment which we fell into in and through Adam came down in the person of the Son and by more wonderful ways of bearing the Judgment and Curse of the Law for us tasting Death for every man and giving himself a Ransome for all men hath bought all men from under that misery the Free gift being to all men through his Righteousness to Justification of Life Rom. 5.18 So as to justifie them from that fault and condemnation so as they live now under the patience of God and merciful Lordship of Christ as Lord of all through his said Death and Sufferings who also offers to all men in the Gospel a free Justification of them from all their forepast sins in yielding themselves up to his Government so as they may live in his Sight Yea and now the same Christ that died for all and every one and hath so Ransomed us is become the Leader and Captain of our Salvation calling all men to look to and follow him Isa 55.4 Heb. 2.10 with Psal 50.1 Prov. 1.20 23. Isa 45.22 And he will save them in so doing and every way secure them from perishing and bring them into the possession of an Heavenly Canaan an everlasting and glorious Kingdom For which Guidance and Conduct of us thereto he is every perfected and most gloriously Accomplished with Power Authority Strength Wisdom Riches for Supply of all Wants and is infinitely Merciful and Gracious Compassionate and Faithful and will not fail or be discouraged but will bring every faithful Follower of him or Believer on him to the Injoyment of his Kingdom Indeed as there God having saved his People out of Egypt afterward destroyed those that believed not which also for our Admonition the Apostle Jude would have us to remember though we have once known it but that was not through any defect or want of Power Pity or Faithfulness in God toward them but through their unbelief not depending on him obeying and Following him but stubbornly rebelling against him and provoking him to anger with their Disobediences towards and withdrawings from him So also here though all men be Ransomed by Christ from perishing in the first Death and Condemnation that namely which passed upon all men in Adam before any man was Born to him yet there will many perish in the second Judgment that which shall be by Christ after all are Dead and Raised again In the second Death but that proceeds not neither from want of Power or Pity Fulness or Faithfulness in Christ but from the want of their Compliance with his Calls and Counsels to believe on and Obey him as the Scripture every where declares as was Noted before in Use 7. It 's most sure that every one that will hearken to his Voice and Believing on him Follow him shall have Eternal Life Yea and though many Sins and Failings may be found with us in our Hearing and Following him as well as many sticks and Hang-backs before our first yielding to him to be Followers of him as were also found in Israel Exod. 5. and 14. Yet as there were many Sacrifices and a Priesthood appointed to make atonement for their offences so as they were kept still in Gods favour and under his conduct to the Land of Promise not stubbornly and persistingly rebelling against him so here also we have a far better Priest and Sacrifice greater fuller and faithfuller and of an eternal vertue and continuance to keep the Followers after Him from perishing from Gods favour and for bringing them to the injoyment of eternal glory so that we may well say Herein is manifested the love of God to us in that He sent his only begotten Son into the World that we might live through him Herein is love not that we loved God but He loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 4.9 10. Yea we may well cry out with admiration and thankfulness Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him and the Son of man that thou hast so visited him c. Heb. 2.6 7. Yea surely in the mindfulness and consideration of this his so rich and wonderful love and mercy which led him to this as the next verse saith God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him might not perish but
THE BRAZEN SERPENT OR GOD'S Grand Design VIZ. CHRIST'S Exaltation for MAN'S Salvation in his believing on Him OR The Right Way to Regeneration and therethrough to the Heavenly and Eternal Kingdom Discovered by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself for our sure Direction therein Considered Opened and Applyed with a double Excursion touching the Glory and Excellency 1. Of the Gospel of Christ 2. Of Christ Himself By J. HORN an Unworthy Servant of God in the Gospel of his Son Jesus Christ and sometimes Minister of Lin Allhallows in Norfolk Isa 52.13 Behold my Servant shall deal prudently or shall prosper He shall be exalted extolled and be very high As many were astonied at thee his visage was so marred more than any Man and his form more than the Sons of Men so shall He sprinkle many Nations the Kings shall shut their mouths at Him c. Isa 55.5 Nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the Lord thy God and for the holy one of Israel for He hath glorified thee Psal 99.10 Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his Foot-stool for He is holy Psal 21.13 Be thou exalted O Lord in thine own strength so will we sing and praise thy power Respiciamus nos in faciem serpentis aenci elevati Christi si volumus à pravorum Daemonum suggestionibus serpentinis liberari respicere autem est fide in ipsum tendere Bern. de pass Dominica LONDON Printed for Benjamin Southwood at the Star near to Serjeants Inn in Chancery-Lane 1673. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Gentle Reader LO Here I present thee with what as to the matter treated of is a most needful and excellent Subject worthy thy most serious consideration the Grand Design of the God of Glory the Devise that He in his Infinite wisdome and goodness devised for our recovery from sin and misery and for reducing and bringing us back to life and safety the product and birth of his eternal purposes and most deep counsels for our welfare and happiness A Subject never sufficiently looked upon never throughly enough seen into while we can see but with mortal eyes and imperfect understandings the great Mystery of Godliness God manifested in the Flesh justified in the Spirit seen yea very intensively pryed into 1 Pet. 1.12 of Angels preached to us Gentiles believed on in the World received up into Glory 1 Tim. 3.16 The great Catholicon the Soveraign and Vniversal Remedy for all our spiritual distempers and diseases the supply of all our wants the support of us in all our weaknesses temptations and troubles the instructer and helper of us in and unto all our services the stay of us in this life in and under all its various vicissitudes and changes the joy and comfort of our hearts in Death the Raiser and Resurrection both of our Souls to lively hope and comfort when oppressed with griefs and cast down with sadness and also of our Bodies to immortality and Eternal happiness in a word the spring original and fountain of all our felicity the great subject of the Doctrine both of the holy Prophets and of the holy Apostles the substance and body of all the types and shadows in the Law of Moses the accomplishment and fulfilling of Predictions and Prophecies and the ground and end of all our future hopes and expectations Such I say not is this Treatise but the subject treated of and directed to herein for it is no other than Christ himself and Him crucified and through sufferings and death raised up again and glorified Glorified of God for thee in his own glorious actings in and upon Him and glorified of God to thee by the spirit of God in his word and testimony glorified both ways to save and deliver thee from the stings of the old Serpent and to bring thee to glory A Subject which who can sufficiently treat of for who can shew forth all his marvailous acts who can set forth all his praises Psal 106.2 A Subject much too great for my imbecillity and stupidity too deep and high and large and long for my narrow head and heart to reach its dimensions so as to handle it and set it forth worthily A Subject in my reception of it into and conception of this Discourse about it in my mind and earnestness of my heart to draw it out and incorporate it in this body and give it these lines and lineaments so pleasing to me or perhaps rather my exercise therein that it drew me on with so eager an intention and rapid a motion as indangered my miscarrying of it before its perfection for I received in my self in a manner the sentence of Death before I had finished it till God renewing my strength beyond my expectation and confidence it attained to this Period God therein both shewing me my weakness and perhaps also chastening my unworthiness and unmeetness for such an undertaking and my darkning wisdome so much by words without knowledge and so slenderly and slovenly handling so excellent a subject both therein and since in its sticking so long and coming out at length with so many Errata's in its impression and yet also shewing his great power and goodness in what I received of him for my reviving I confess I had some eye in it upon a good and gracious Woman who had met with some exercise in the death of her only Son and intended she should have had one of the first rights of it as for comforting her also I put in some expressions respecting that her tryal in some part of its application but the Lord pleased to put an end to her days also before it could arrive at her and be perused by her He designing to comfort and satisfy her spirit I trust with another and far perfecter sight of the glory of this blessed Son of man here treated of then this so weak a discourse could have given her of him I trust its conception was not altogether without the Holy Ghost though as it was imbodyed in and by me I cannot but see and acknowledge its too great likeness to me in imperfection It is a rule in Philosophy that Quicquid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis Whatsoever is received of another is received after the manner or measure of the receiver We cannot expect that a Bucket can contain the Ocean and the purest Wine received in a fusty Cask will somewhat tast of it The Eternal Word as conceived in the Virgins Womb was made partaker of her Flesh and as therein brought forth by her appeared a weak and little one not according to the Immensity and Infinity of the Word but in such small and finite dimensions as agreed to the humane nature and the narrowness of her Womb in which it was formed and therefore He was capable of being wrapt in swadling cloths and laid in a Manger and afterward of being taken up in old Simeon's armes and of growing in stature in wisdome and in favour both with God
wanton kick against him c. And therefore having given us an Antidote against the evil and destructiveness of them in his Son and his Word as setting him before us he pleaseth still to continue them to us It is better for us in such cases to imitate our pattern the Lord Jesus who when he was to drink that bitter Cup which his Father gave him to drink did not pray absolutely that he might not drink it or that it might pass from him but with a thorough resignation of himself to his Fathers will prayed Father if it be possible let this Cup pass from me nevertheless not my will but thy will be done 3. But view we now the person setting it up and that was Moses concerning whom I shall only note his obedience in doing Gods Commandement without disputing it He said not how can a piece of Brass made in the likeness of a Fiery Serpent heal them or would it not be better that the people look only to thee for their healing then to direct their eyes to any such mediums whereby they may be moved to ascribe their healing or preservation to the medium rather then to thy self But laying aside all the exercise of his own wisdom and reason against the command and will of God he obeys him As our Saviour here saith and the History in Numb 21.8 9. shews Moses lifted up the Serpent And so it may be instructive to us all and to the greatest Princes or Officers in Gods Church not to lift up our reasonings and understandings against the will and word of God but to do all things that he by Jesus Christ and in his name by his Apostles have given us in Commandment Without murmuring or disputing Phil. 2.14 As judging God wiser then we The only wise God and worthy to be obeyed however absurd his commands may seem to our wisdom The foolish things of God being wiser then the wisdom of man and his weakness stronger then mans strength Obedience is better then Sacrifice and to hearken is better then the fat of Rams Or then any the most desireable or advantageous ways of honouring him that our wisdom and reason proposes to us Saul and Jereboam by preferring their seeming and appearing pious intentions and carnal pollicies before Gods Commandments lost their Kingdoms And Nadab and Abihu by offering strange fire lost their lives when as others have always met with blessing in obeying him 4. The place where Moses lifted up the Serpent to the end and upon the accounts afore-mentioned was the Wilderness Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness God when he brought his people out of Egypt led them into and through the Wilderness a waste and howling Wilderness a Land of drought and of the shadow of death a Land where no man passeth through and where no man dwelt Gods way that he leads people in and by is not without Tryals and Temptations and therefore we are not to judgeâ— we are out of Gods because or when we meet with tryals Or that we are in his way because or when we meet with none The way to know our way is to mind his Word even his way that leads to his heavenly rest and eternal Kingdom is a way that lies out of the road of the world a way of exercise for faith a way of trials and temptations And yet as God in that Wilderness shewed himself alsufficient for his people provided for them bread and water clothes and physick or a way to cure their wounds and prevent their perishing So God is alsufficient for us too in all our trials and temptations and hath provided for us all grace and blessing in Christ Jesus and will not fail to dispence it to them whose hearts are perfect with him For the Lord God is a Sun and a Shield He will give grace and glory and no good thing will he with hold from them that walk uprightly Psal 84.11 And therefore it is good for us to follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth though through Floods and Seas and Wildernesses though into straights and exercises tryals and temptations knowing and believing him to be such as he hath manifested himself to be in that Wilderness able and faithful to supply and save us in all conditions and that he hath promised to be with us when we pass through water and fire to preserve us from being hurt of them Isa 43.2 3. Oh Lord God of hosts blessed is the man that putteth his trust in thee for thou Lord hast not failed them that seek or follow after thee Psal 84.12 9.10 There is no State or place so barren of provision or relief wherein in obeying and following after Christ he cannot or will not provide and afford such help and succour to us as he sees fit for us which may serve both to fault our unbelief and fearfullness to betrust our selves with him and to follow him whithersoever he calls us and also to stir up and excite our faith and confidence in him and our willingness to obey and follow him But I shall add no more to this first point but come to the second which is the main CHAP. III. The second Point in part considered who is the Son of Man and three Reasons propounded why Christ is so called THE Second point is That the Son of Man must be lifted up To which Point the other two may also be reduced they holding forth but the way wherein or manner after which and the end to which he is to be lifted up In speaking to this Second Point we may consider 1. Who is meant here by the Son of Man 2. Why he is so called 3. What is and what is implyed in the lifting of him up and in part 4. Why he must be lifted up and lifted up in such acts as we shall mention leaving the fuller consideration of it to the last Point 1. Who is this Son of Man or who is meant and pointed at by that phrase or Title and that appears every where in the wrightings of the Evangelists to be no other then he who spake even the Lord Jesus Christ himself And so both other expressions of the Evangelists and those that are about this Text do evidence For First For other expressions we have our Saviour himself as related in Matthew plainly signifying it Mat. 16.13 For there the Evangelist tells us That Jesus asked his Disciples Whom do men say that I the Son of man am plainly calling himself the Son of Man As also in the same Chapter ver 27. Saying The Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and then he shall render to every one according to his Works But he that shall come with his Angels and whose Father God is and shall come to Judge the World and shall render to every one according to his Works is evidently asserted to be the Lord Jesus Christ See for that Rom. 2.6 16. Act. 10.42 17.31 2 Thes
according to the testimony of God by his Holy Spirit concerning him Psal 106.3 and accordingly in their hearts liking loving and desiring after the knowledge and enjoyment of him trusting in and cleaving to him with purpose of heart Psal 31.23 Cant. 1 2 3 4. 2.4 5. 5.7 8. 8.6 7. 1 Cor. 16.22 Isa 26.8 9. Phil. 3.7 8 9 10.1 John 3.23 Acts 11.23 24. 2. In their word speaking nothing but what is high holy and honourable concerning him Holding forth the word of life and blessing and speaking well of his name Psal 47.6 7. 98.1 4. 66.1 2 3. 100.1 2 4 5. 3. In their Life and Conversation for there also he may be lifted up and glorified and magnified of us yea both in life and in death Phil. 1.20 As therein also he may be blasphemed dishonoured and denied as is implied 1 Tim. 6.1 Tit. 2.5 1.16 But surely he ought not to be denied blasphemed or put to reproch by us or by occasion of us He hath not so deserved of any man but to be blessed and highly honoured And that is best done when to a high commendation of him in our words we add also such a conversation and carriage as speaks him excellent in our esteems and experiences of him When we shew that he is upright and that there is no unrighteousness in him Matth. 5.16 2 Thess 1.12 Psal 92.15 1 Pet. 2.9 11 12. Now though the lifting him up by his Father in the acts done to him in his personal body in his calling him to upholding and accepting him in raising him from and rewarding him for and after his Sufferings and the obedience and service done and performed by him for us be the main and most fundamental lifting him up absolutely necessary with respect to us and our Regeneration and Salvation Yet I apprehend That the lifting him up also as to manifestation and commendation of him to and in the eyes of others both by the Spirit of God and by men especially his holy Saints and Servants that desire and are set for his Glory and the good of others is here also with the former way and acts directly included and intended And indeed as to his being lifted up of God both Father Word and Spirit it must be so as we have partly said because it was so purposed and decreed of God It was his purpose and grace given us in Christ Jesus before the world that is made manifest now by his appearance in what God hath wrought by and done to him for us 2 Tim. 1.9 10. And as for mans exalting him and lifting him up in his ministration and service in the Gospel and in heart and life it 's no more then God requires of us and his love and the excellency in and love of Christ to us obliges us to and challengeth of us And therefore so it must and ought to be also Psal 96.3 4. But because that must be lifted up the necessity of his being lifted up hath direct and main respect to the end whereto he is to be lifted up that is That whosoever believeth on him may not perish but have eternal life As also the necessity that he be so lifted up As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness hath reference thereto Therefore I shall not more fully speak to the necessity of his being lifted up and so lifted up till after the speaking to those two following Points The Son of Man must be lifted up that 's the second Point The other two follow in order The manner how and the end to which he must be and must be in such manner lifted up For I shall also leave the Use of all this till we have considered and viewed those Points also they both appertaining to the full view of this which is the main Point CHAP. VIII The third Point That the Son of Man must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness Where several Analogies and Agreements between them are considered Point 3 HOw the Son of Man is to be lifted is the next Point to be spoken to and that is As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness In which may be implied 1. As verily and certainly as that was done so must this be done also and indeed that lifting up of the Serpent being a type and figure preaching forth this lifting up of the Son of Man must not be made frustrate for then as a type it should have failed and been false Where the shadow goes before the body follows And where the type and figure was fore-ordained to instruct into the truth that was to be revealed there the truth also thereby signified must in its time take place and be accomplished all things written of him in the Law of Moses also whether Prophecy or Type and Figure must be fulfilled Luke 24.46 But not onely so but also 2. As so As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness So even after such a sort and manner must the Son of Man be lifted up There is agreeableness correspondency and answerableness between the one and the other as may be seen in many Particulars As 1. In the occasion of it There the people walking in the Wilderness were disobedient murmured against God despised his mercy bounty and goodness and provoked him in wrath to send fiery serpents among them to bite and kill them and as a remedy there against that Serpent was commanded to be and accordingly was lifted up And so here men in the wilderness of thâ—s world being ransomed by Christ out of that sentence of Condemnation that lay upon us all for our first Fathers Transgression and under a state of much mercy and bounty from God yet not without trials and temptations are found sinning against God and despising the Heavenly Manna Christ Jesus and the knowledge of God in him and discontent with Gods dealings through the temptations of sin and Satan and so fall under his power and are obnoxious to destruction This occasions a necessity of lifting up the Son of Man both in his exaltation by God and unto men for their healing Yea our first Parents and we all in them being tempted though in a Paradise listening to the Tempter and siding with him to a discontent with Gods allowance to us in the Creation because one Fruit was forbidden and to a desire of and coveting after what was unlawful and forbidden us fell under the power of the old Serpent the Devil and Satan So as by him to be stung and wounded to death even a death of our souls and spirits from the life and favour of God and of both body and soul to be exposed to and filled with misery and mischief to destruction and as a remedy against that Bite it was necessary Christ should be lifted up on the Cross and dye for us and be raised up again and exalted to a state of Power and Glory for raising us up and so he is
appear clearly and evidently in his proceedings And if it be so equitable that they who neglect or refuse to look to Gods salvation perish how much more will it be so for those who beside their neglects and rejections of this remedy themselves and through so doing either are unfaithful to God in his Design of mercy to men while having some knowledge of it vouchsafed to them and command to help their Brethren therein in setting forth or lifting up this remedy to them they neglect so to do so as through their unfaithfulness they occasion them thorow ignorance and misprisions to erre and perish there from surely it s but just if those Persons bloods also be required at their hands as is threatned Ezek. 3 18. and 33.6 8 or and much more still if they also oppose and set themselves against Christ and the grace of God in him and the testimony of God in the Gospel concerning him Inasmuch as they are not only defective and injurious to their own souls but also betray or offer violence to the souls of others defrauding them of or driving them from their everlasting welfare and salvation yea and as to the latter sort found fighters also against God and his Grand Design 3. And their destruction must needs be inevitable and unavoidable when it befalls them for if they only refuse and neglect to look to Christ that they may be saved by him yet how can they possibly escape destruction there being no other name given under Heaven whereby they may be saved but this of Christ the Son of man lifted up as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness If there could have been deliverance from Death and wrath any other way God would not have put his Son upon such abasement and sufferings that we might be saved by him And now if there be but one Medicine that will Cure a Disease and if that be when with much care and cost it is procured rejected how can that Person who rejects it possibly escape dying of his Disease Such is the case here Acts 4.11 12. Heb. 2.3 And they in refusing the grace of God and Christ provoke him to anger how much more if they be unfaithful to others and hinder them of their good And how then can they escape destruction also from him seeing He is so infinitely great in power wisdom and counsel against them A child of three years old may as well or better think to make its party good against the greatest Giant in the World as the greatest and most powerful Man or Company of men in the World may think to make his or their party good against God Who can stand when He is angry whose fury is poured forth like fire and before whom the Rocks are thrown down Noh 1.6 Thence the Prophet proposes to Israel what is good to be always proposed by us to our selves when we be tempted to sin Can thine hands be strong or can thine heart indure in the day when I deal with thee Ezek. 22.14 And the Apostle proposes the like to the Corinthians to perswade them to look singly to God in Christ and not to provoke him to anger by looking to other things and committing Idolatry which is a spiritual adultery with them against him Do we provoke the Lord to jealousie Are we stronger thâ—n He 1 Cor. 10.22 Surely that 's a great folly to ingage so Great Invincible and Almighty a Power against our selves But how then can they prosper and stand against him and not be overthrown by him and perish from his presence who are Enemies and Adversaries to him in his Grand Design If it s his absolute Purpose and Decree to the accomplishment whereof He ingages all his wisdom and counsel power and greatness that the Son of man must be lifted up how then can they but perish who set themselves against him to keep or throw him down either in his Person or Truth or Members Surely they must needs and it s but just right and reasonable that they perish in all their designs purposes and endeavours there being no wisdom understanding or counsel against the Lord Prov. 21.30 No fleeing from his Presence Psal 139.7 8. Nor standing against his Hand or Power None ever resisted or hardned themselves against him and prospered Job 9.3 4. All that rise up against Christ therefore whether in Himself his Truth or People must inevitably and unavoidably be destroyed What got Pharaoh by opposing him and persecuting his People but destruction to himself and all his Armies What got Saul and Haman and Julian and all the Persecutors of Christ and his People but their own Ruine And so shall it be with all others be they never so great or prudent or numerous though Jewes and Gentiles conspire against him yea and though the Kings of the Earth stand up and the Rulers take counsel together they shall not prosper but He will laugh them all to scorn and have them all in derision and when he speaks against them in his wrath and vexes them in his hot displeasure as so he will speak to them if they persist against him they shall perish before Him Psal 2.1 2 3 4 12. and 68.1 2. No weapon formed against Him or his Spouse and People shall prosper because in them also He will be admired and glorified 2 Thes 1.10 And every tongue that riseth up against them shall they also condemn Isa 54.17 Whence Vse 8. This Doctrine also affords matter of comfort and consolation that however men neglect and slight Christ and the Devils with their Instruments and Followers oppose Him and how few soever they be that duely prize him yet He must and shall be lifted up It 's Gods Decree and Ordination and it must take place This Christ comforted himself with the consideration of in John 6.37 when he had said that the Jewes saw and believed not on him He adds as a comfort to himself his Disciples and Lovers All that which the Father giveth me shall come to me and He that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out It is in the neuter Gender as to the former Branch not all they that but all that which the Father giveth me we may understand it of all that glory honour fulness of grace salvation blessing power authority c. All this shall come to him in despight of Men and Devils that set themselves against him or any who carry unworthily towards him not believing what or though they see what may commend him to them and draw them and their hearts after him as it is said in Isa 52.13 14 15. Behold all ye that love the Lord Jesus know and behold it for your comfort my Servant shall deal prudently or as the Margin hath it shall prosper He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high He shall be both exalted of God with his right hand and extolled both by the Spirit of God and by his Servants the Holy-men yea and