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. 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 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 2. All subjected unto death 2. Subjected unto death Gen. 3.17 and 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 Souls 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 of 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 Vse 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 to 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 should escape Not so saith he Except ye repent Luke 13.3 ye 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
him 175 T. Type why made use of by our Saviour 4 W. Liberty of Will in the work of conversion decryed 160 Will not forced in the work of Conversion 192 Men drawn out of the World how 166 The Word Christs Instrument in drawing men to himself 171 The Word being the Drawing Ordinance is to be submitted to 191 ERRATA P. 2. l. 27. r. represented p. 8. l. 9. r. Handkerchiefes ibid. marg r. Fernelius p. 18. marg r. per Serpentem p. 21. l. ult dele And. p. 23. l. 30. for where r. whence p. 29. marg r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 30. l. 11. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 33. l. 8. for hear r. here p. 41. l. 9. for grace r. cure p. 70. l. 32. dele up p. 7. 6. l. 7. r. quovis p. 107. l. last r. turned to dust p. 145. marg r. salvet p. 149. marg r. ex Gentibus p. 160. marg for decayed r. decryed p. 162. l. 29. r. not all THE MYSTICALL BRASEN SERPENT JOHN 3. Ver. 14.15 14. And as Moses lift up the Serpent in the Wildernesse even so must the Son of Man be lifted up 15. That whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have eternall life THE former part of this Chapter spends it selfe in the report of a usefull conference betwixt our Blessed Saviour and Nicodemus Coherence Wherin we may hear a gracious Master teaching and instructing an untoward and ignorant Scholer insome of the chiefest principles of Christian Religion as viz. The Mystery and Necessity of Spirituall Regeneration that he doth in the verses before the Text. The Meritorious and Instrumentall cause of Man's salvation The meritorious cause of it his owne Death and Passion The Instrumentall cause of it Faith in himselfe Both these you have in the words which I have now read unto you And as Moses c. Division In which two verses our Blessed Saviour informes this his Scholer and us of two things 1. The manner of his owne Death 2. The end and use of it The manner of his death ver 14. As Moses c. The end and use of it ver 15. That whosoever beleeveth c. The manner of Christs death set forth by a Typicall expression Begin with the former of these which our Saviour sets forth as you see not in plaine and open termes but under a covert expression making use of one of the Types and figures of the old Testament for the confirming and illustrating of what he would have Nichodemus and us to know and beleeve concerning his own death as viz. That he should die How he should die To what end he should die What benefit should redound from his death and By what means it should be conveyed all lively presented and held forth in this Type of the Brasen Serpent which Moses lift up in the Wildernesse Even as Moses c. So must the Son of Man be lift up Here two things considerable the Type Truth Here then two things mainly considerable the Type and the Truth the Shadow and the Substance The Type or Shadow the Brasen Serpent lift up The Truth or Substance of that Type that shadow The Son of Man lift up These two I shall look upon first severally then joyntly Severally 1. The Type the Brasen Serpent Beginning with the former of them the Type For so I look upon this Brasen Serpent as having in the first institution of it a double use to the Israelites the one Corporall the other Spirituall A Corporall use for the healing of their Bodies A Spirituall use directing them to Christ for the healing of their Souls Of such double use was the Mannah to them both Corporall and Spirituall food Corporall food given them for the present refreshing and nourishing of their bodies Spirituall food as being a Sacrament of the Body of Christ and of the nourishment which they might receive from him And of like use was the water which issued out of the Rock Usefull as water for the quenching of their bodily thirst as a Sacrament representing the Blood of Christ and so was to them not only Corporall but Spirituall drink so saith the Apostle himselfe expresly concerning both these 1 Cor. 10.3.4 Our fathers did all eat the same Spirituall meat and did all drink of the same Spirituall drink c. The same not only with themselves but with us Christians viz. the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ represented by those Sacraments And the like we may say of this Brasen Serpent The Brasen Serpent both a Medicine and a Mystery It was to the Israelites both a Medicine and a Mystery Having in it a Medicinall use for the curing of their Bodies a Mysticall use for the representing of Christ to them by whom their Souls might be cured saved And of such use our Saviour here maketh it bringing it in not barely by way of Similitude and resemblance but as a Type and Figure purposely destinated and appointed to point at himself So taking it here premise we these two enquiries concerning it the one more Generall the other more Particular 1. Why did our Saviour here make use of a Type a figure 2. Why of this Type this Figure Quest 1. Why our Saviour here maketh use of a Type Quest 1. For the former Why did our Saviour here make use of a Type Answer Ferus ad loc Answ For this we shall need no other reason but only to look upon the Scholer with whom he hath to deal Nichodemus a Pharisee ver 1. A Master in Israel ver 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Doctor a Teacher of the Law one well versed in the Law one that stood much upon the Law Joh. 9.28 one of Moses his Disciples And hereupon our Saviour being to deal with him deales with him in his owne Element fetching an Argument from the Old Testament from Moses to teach and convince him concerning that which should be accomplished under the New Testament in himselfe Quest 2. Why this Type Quest 2. But why doth he single out this Type rather then any other Many other Types and Figures there were in the Old Testament very lively representing and holding forth the Death and Passion of Christ As viz. the Paschall Lamb and the daily Sacrifices both which the Jews themselves do acknowledge to point at the Messiah Why doth our Saviour here make choice of this Answer 1. To this it may bee answered Answ 1. No Type more lively representing the thing typifyed 1. Amongst all those Types there was not any more lively more fully representing and setting forth the mystery of Christ then this of the Brasen Serpent A Type which contains in it a Sermon of the whole summ and Marrow of the Gospel Little or nothing necessary to be known and beleeved concerning Jesus Christ but wee may read it in this one Type 2. Besides in the second place amongst all the Types in the Old Testament
2. A convincing Type as there was none more lively representing so we shall find none more strongly convincing convincing the unbeleeving Jewes and not only convincing but confounding them and all others who deride and make a mock of Christ crucifyed as if it were a thing not possible that a crucifyed Christ should be the Saviour of the world How can he save others say they that could not save himself Mat. 27.42 How shall hee save others from the wrath of God that could not save himself from the rage of men What power what vertue can there be in his death To them this Type returnes answer Why how could the Brasen Serpent being but the shape and Image of a Serpent a livelesse piece of Brass Nehushtan as Hezekiah in a vilifying way calls it a Brasen piece 2 King 18.4 how could this cure and heal their fore-fathers in the wildernesse That which had no life how could it save life Yet this did that Serpent being lift up to the bodies of all that beheld it And why then may not the Son of Man being lift up a crucifyed Christ do as much for the souls of all that beleeve on him It was not without good reason then that our Saviour maketh choice of this Type this Figure Amongst all the Types of the Old Testament none more demonstrative none more clearly representing more strongly convincing what here he layeth down concerning himself To make this good come we now to take a nearer view of this Type it selfe Things considerable in the Type The History whereof you have set forth briefly and fully in those four verses of the 21. of Numbers ver 6 7 8 9. which if you cast your eyes upon you may at the first sight take notice of divers particulars very observable concerning this Brasen Serpent as viz. 1. The Matter of it 2. The Form and fashion of it 3. Upon what occasion it was made 4. At whose appointment 5. How used 6. To what end 7. With what efficacy All of them to be taken notice of by us that we may see what a correspondence and agreement there is betwixt this Type and the Truth of it which is Christ To touch upon the particulars briefly 1. For the matter of it 1. The matter it was Nehushtan Brasse not Gold but Brasse ver 9. Observ God tieth not himselfe to the costlinesse of Ordinances Observ God not tyed to costly Ordinances nor to the excellency of means By weak and contemptible wayes and means he oftentimes effects great matters Reas This he doth that the work may be known and acknowledged to be His and that all the glory of it may returne clearly to himself not sticking by the way in the Ordinance or Meanes God could have commanded Moses to have made this Serpent of Gold as well as the Israelites required Aaron to make their Calf But he would not have them to make an Idol of the one as they had done of the other He would not have them to look too much at the means but through it to look at him who coveyed that cure and comfort to them through that means But this by the way 2. For the Form or Fashion of it 2. The forme Serpens aeneus factus est quo magis Presterem qui aeri concolor erat referret H. Grot. ad Text. ver 8. ver 6. it was a Serpent not a true reall Serpent It had neither life nor venome in it only an Effigies the shape of a Serpent resembling one of those Serpents wherewith the Israelites were stung and that both in shape and colour And thence called a Fiery or Burning Serpent carrying the similitude of one of those Presteres those Fiery Serpents so called as from the colour so from the inflamation which they caused in the bodies which were stung with them And this was Israels Antidote against the biting of those reall Serpents Observ Thus doth God sometimes make use of shadowes for the working of reall effects Observ God worketh reall effects by Shadowes So we read of Peters shadow working strange cures upon all that came within the verge of it Act. 5.15 and of Pauls Hand-kerchiefe doing the like and more to those to whom they were applyed driving away Diseases and Evill spirits too Act. 19. Act. 19.12 Not that there was any such inherent vertue in either of these but that God was pleased to manifest his Power in weaknesse 2 Cor. 12.9 which ofttimes he doth working not only by unlikely but even by contrary means bringing good out of evill making a Serpent to heal Thus the skill of the Physicians turnes Vipers into Treacles which take the name from that ingredient Poysons into Antidotes Theriace Medicamentum Theriacum Fernetius Junius repelling or driving out one poyson with another And thus doth the wisdom of our God make use sometimes not only of the enemies crosses but of the sins of his people turning them to their great good making use sometimes of one sin for the curing of another I of many I of all as here he maketh use of one Serpent for the curing of the stings of all other Serpents Here is a second particular 3. The third is upon what occasion 3. The occasion this Brasen Serpent was made This the story layeth down clearly and briefly thus Numb 21.5 The Israelites beginning to laoth their Mannah they murmure against God and are readie to rise up against his servant Moses Thus complaining without a cause God giveth them a cause to complain ver 6. He sends Fiery Serpents amongst them by the stinging whereof many of them die ver 7. others of them come to Moses now complaining of their misery who before were surfeited of God's mercy Their earnest suit to him is that he would be a Suitor for them that God would take away the Serpents from them This request of theirs Moses presents ver 8. and God hears and answers Non ad voluntatem sed ad Salutem not removing the Serpents from them but providing an Antidote a remedy against them which remedy was this Brasen Serpent Observ Observ 1. Great sins great punishments 1 King 12.11 Thus God often deals with the sons of Men visiting their iniquities not only with Rods but with Scorpions as Rehoboam threatens the men of Israel specially their ingratitude their murmurings and repinings at his dispensations their slighting his mercies above all their loathing of Heavenly Mannah For these sins God often sends sharp and stinging judgements Despisers of the riches of Gods goodnesse treasure up wrath to themselvs Rom. 2. Rom. 2.4 5. 2 But in the second place upon their repenting he repents Observ 2. Upon mans repenting God repents Deut. 32.39 2 Cor. 12.9 upon their humbling and returning he returnes and heals not always by removing the judgements No Pauls thorn sticks in his flesh notwithstanding his frequent and earnest solliciting the Throne of
Grace about it But by reaching forth unto them something that shall be equivalent as he did a sufficiency of Grace to Paul I hasten Ibid. 4. By whom appointed 4. The fourth particular is by whom was this remedy appointed The Text tells us that Moses set up this Brasen Serpent A president for the Ministers of the Gospel who in their ministrations ought to make it their work to advance and lift up Jesus Christ as Moses did this Serpent But what did he do it of his own head Not so but by a Divine direction Numb 21.8 It was God himself that found out this way and means of cure it was hee that directed Moses how to make it and how to use it Observ God saves by his own means Observ God will save only by his own means He will blesse all and only his own Institutions As for humane inventions how specious how plausible soever yet they have no assurance of a blessing from God Had Moses made and erected this Serpent of his owne head as Aaron and the people did their Golden Calf it might have proved to them as that did a snare but not a remedy pernicious but no wayes profitable What ever vertue this Brasen Serpent had it had it from a Divine Institution August de Mirabil Scripturae lib. 1. cap. 33. Non in Serpente sed in Domini imperio salus continebatur saith Augustine upon it The healing vertue was not in the Serpent it self but in the commanding power of God It was not the Serpent but the word so saith the Psalmist Psal 107 Psal 107.20 He sent forth his word and healed them His word Verbum Jussionis Promissionis saith Musculus Muscul in Text. his word of Command and his word of Promise This Word it was that made this an effectuall means for the healing of their Bodies And the same word it is that maketh the Sacraments of the New Testament to be effectuall means for the conveying of Spirituall good to the Souls of Beleevers It is not in the outward Elements nor yet in the hand that reacheth them forth It is not in the Water in Baptism It is not in the Bread and Wine in the Eucharist which being in themselves but common water and common Bread and Wine what can they do to the washing nourishing refreshing of the Soul or what vertue can the Minister infuse into them No it is the Word the word of Divine Institution the word of Command the word of Promise that maketh these effectuall to such ends and purposes which otherwise have no more power and vertue in themselves then the Brasen Serpent had which Moses lift up in the wildernesse 5. There is the fifth particular 5. The use of it How this Brasen Serpent was used by Moses It was only to be lifted up set upon a Pole or Pearch lifted up on high 6. And to what end must it so be lifted up 6. The end of it Why that all Israel might see it specially that those who felt themselves stung with those fiery Serpents might look up unto it 7. 7. Benefit by it And what benefit had they by thus looking upon it why thereby they were healed how mortally soever they were wounded The mysticall Brasen Serpent Jesus Christ Thus I have briefly touched upon the most materiall particulars observable in the Type To follow this shadow no further Come we now to look upon the truth of this Type which is Jesus Christ the truth of all those Types and Ceremonies under the Law I am the truth John 14. 1 Cor. 10.4 John 14.6 the substance of all those shadowes Among other the true brasen Serpent So it followeth As Moses lift up the Serpent c. So must the Son of man be lifted up The Son of man The Son of man the phrase opened A stile or appellation given in the Scriptures sometimes in common indefinitely universally to all men all sorts of men all of those sorts All which being men descended from men by the way of naturall generation they are called the sons of men and every one the son of man Instances for both are obvious O yee sons of men saith the Psalmist Psal 4. Psal 4.2 God is not as man saith Balaam that he should lye neither the son of man that he should repent Numb 23. Numb 23.19 Blessed is the man that doth this and the son of man that layeth hold on it saith the Prophet Isai cap. 56. Isai 56.2 The son of man that is every man of what quality or condition soever Sometimes it is more peculiarly appropriated to some one particular person So we find it given as I remember onely to three viz. to Ezekiel Daniel Christ To Ezekiel it is given by God himselfe speaking to him in the second Person Son of man stand upon thy feet Ezek. 2.1 Ezek. 2. ver 1.3 6. c. And so frequently in most Chapters of this Prophesie In like manner it is given to Daniel by the Angel Gabriel Dan. 8. Dan. 8.17 Vnderstand O son of man To Christ it is given in the Old Testament by Daniel who tels us how in his vision he beheld one like the son of man Dan. 7. Dan. 7.13 And as some conceive it by Asaph Psal 80. Psal 80.17 Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand Chald. Paraph. Basil Muscul Ainsworth Junius and the son of man whom thou madest strong for thy selfe The Son of man that is the Messia who is before called the Branch ver 16. even that Branch that grew out of the Stem of Jesse Isai 11.1 My servant the Branch Zach. 3.8 Behold the man whose name is the Branch Zach. 6.12 even he is there called the son of man In the New Testament it is given to him only by himselfe speaking of himself in the third Person The son of man hath not where to lay his head Mat. 8.20 The son of men is come to save that which was lost Mat. 18.11 The son of man must be lifted up saith the Text. Quest Quest Why given to Christ But why is this appellation thus frequently given unto Christ Ans Answ To import Many answers are returned some of them more witty then weighty I shall onely single out three of them The two former more generall the other more particularly appliable to the Text Christ appropriates this stile to himselfe to import principally these two things 1. His Nature 2. His condition the truth of the one the meannesse of the other 1. His Nature 1. His Nature The truth of his humane nature To shew that he was truly man though not descended from man by that ordinary way of naturall generation yet a true man having a true humane soul a true humane body The Son of God made the Son of Man by taking the nature of man into personall union with his Godhead Heb. 2.16 He
unespied so doth Sathan insinuate himselfe into the most sacred societies Job 1.6 into the most holy duties I even into the bosomes of men secretly closely 2. A Serpent for his poison The Serpent is full of venome and so is Satan of malicious wickednesse 2. In malicious wickednesse O thou full of all subtilty and mischiefe thou child of the Devil saith Paul to Elimas the Sorcerer Acts 13. Acts 13.10 Such was the child and such is the father Satan full of wickednesse in himself thence called sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that wicked one Matth. 6.13 Ephes 6.16 And full of poisonous malice against God and his people which upon all occasions he is ready to vent and spit forth in mutuall accusations accusing God to man and man to God seeking to communicate his poison to infect and impoison and destroy others Here is the Serpent which stung our first parents and in them all their posterity But what is the sting of this Serpent sin 2. The sting of this Serpent sin Serpents have their stings or teeth whereby they convey their poison wounding where they fasten so hath this old serpent whose sting is sin The sting of death is sin saith the Apostle and so of Sathan 1 Cor. 15.56 who hath the power of death Had it not been for this Heb. 2.14 Satan could never have hurt our first parents A serpent may wind round about the body of man yet unlesse it fasten the sting or teeth in him it hurts him not Had not Sathan fastened the sting of his tentation in our first parents drawing them to sin against their God all his assaults had been to no purpose Hence was it that our blessed Saviour came off safe from those incounters with this old serpent both in the wildernesse and in the garden The Prince of this world cometh saith our Saviour but hee hath nothing in me John 14. John 14. He assaults him as he did our first parent in the Garden but he could not hurt him because he could not fasten the sting of his tentation in him to draw him to sin But in our first parents hee did wounding first the woman then the man drawing both into the transgression and so by that means impoisoning the whole nature of man inwrapping all their posterity both in the guilt and stain and dominion of sin Hence is the sting of this serpent 3. And what is the effect of this stinging 3. The Effect of this stinging why behold that not onely painfull and dangerous but deadly Hereby whole mankind was poisoned and the whole of man Like as those serpents stinging the one part of the body the poison spread it selfe through all the members Thus the poison of sin entering by one man it hath poisoned the whole Masse of mankind and every part of man so as every power and faculty of the soule and every member of the body they are all poisoned and that mortally Such was the stinging of those serpents it was mortall deadly Rom. 6. last incurable by any naturall means and such is the effect of sin The wages of sin is death Death not onely temporall but spirituall and eternall Of which I shall have occasion to speak hereafter Lo here then the condition of all the sons of men by nature Mans naturall condition very miserable A condition how miserable Who is there but so looketh upon the condition of a poor Israelite being stung with those fiery serpents what was his smart his anguish Thinking of them learn to pity our selves or others being yet in the state of nature having the sting of sin sticking in our soules O what horrour what torment will this procure to us if not speedily cured That we feel it not now it is because we are asleep An Israelite being asleep possibly he might not feel the anguish of his stinging but being awakened hee could not but be sensible of it Hence it is that wicked men now feele not the smart and anguish of their sins Alas they are asleep but if ever God awaken them as sooner or later hee will in this life or in hell what horrours what torment will these procure unto them See it in Judas when the old Serpent had fastened the sting of his tentation in him and brought him to betray his Lord and Master at first he feeles it not but so soon as God had awakened his conscience see now how in the anguish of his soule he runs to the Chief Priests even as these Israelites being stung did to Moses bewailing his condition complaining of his sin and misery Matth. 27.4 I have sinned in betraying innocent blood but all in vaine without either cure or ease The poison being got to his heart he swels and bursts and dies upon it And here is the first thing which I propounded to be taken notice of Mans misery by nature represented and shadowed out by the condition of an Israelite stung with these fiery serpents Vse 2. Gods mercy in providing a remedy 2. In the second place behold we also in the same glasse the height of Gods mercy in providing a salve for this sore a remedy for this misery What a mercy do we account it in God that hee was pleased to provide a brusen serpent to cure the stinging of those fiery serpents And so indeed it was specially if looked upon according to the circumstances of it That he who was justly provoked to wrath against them for their sins their ingratitude their murmuring and repining against him that he should provide a remedy for them and that hee should then do it when all other means had left them desperate that he should step into them in this their great necessity what a mercy Behold the like a far greater mercy in the thing signified That God should provide a way and means of deliverance for us when wee were enemies to him Rom. 5.8.10 and that he should then do it when neither men nor Angels could do any thing for us behold here as infinite wisdome so infinite mercy And who can behold it without a thankfull admiration That God should turn Physician to such a Patient that he should devise for them and prescribe to them who spared not to devise and speak and act against him then taking them in hand for cure when all other means had given them over how doth this commend the mercy and love of God both towards them and us Behold here the truth of that prophetical protestation Ezek. 33. Ezek. 33.11 As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked That God punished some of the Israelites with death for their rebellions it was but justice making them exemplary to the rest Poena ad paucos terror ad omnes That he spared the rest providing a cure for them this was mercy wherein God declared that hee was not delighted in the misery and destruction of
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 Vse 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 in 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 Moses and what is their errand Men and Brethren Act. 2.37 what 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 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 might 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 onely 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. A 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 The Redeemer shall come to Zion saith the Prophet Isai 59. Isai 59.20 There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer saith the Apostle relating to that of the Prophet Rom. 11. 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 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
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 The 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 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 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 I 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 that reconciliation betwixt God and man He reconciled both viz. Jews and Gentiles unto God in one body by the Crosse Ephes 2.16 having 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 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 onely by way of a serious Exhortation Exciting and perswading every one of us that renouncing all other wayes and means Vse Seek salvation only by and through Christ we would put our souls onely 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 are 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 onely 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 can 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 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
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. 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 up 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 So 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 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 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 not 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 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 her Faith No the Text tels us expressely whence that healing vertue came ver 30. Luk. 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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
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 wer '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 Onely they which were stung they were they for whom the Brasen Serpent was set up Onely sinners are such as shall be the better for Jesus Christ This is a true saying 1 Tim. 1.15 Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners Let not the apprehension of thine omn sinfulnesse discourage Onely 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 The whole need not the Physician but the sick Onely 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 their 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 Yet 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 Yet 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 It 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 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 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 Object 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 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 touch of the hem of his grrment wrought a present cure upon that Haemorroisse Mat. 9.20 the woman which had had a flux of blood for twelve years Object 5. Object 5. Relapses I but my case is yet
Elect even as Moses a temporall Saviour he brought the Israel of God from under the power and tyranny of that Egyptian Pharaoh So doth the Lord Jesus the eternal Saviour of his people he bringeth his Elect out from under the power of this spiritual Pharaoh challenging and vindicating his own right His own right So they are both by a right of Donation and Purchase being given to him by God his Father purchased by his own blood And thus being his now he rescues them from the hands of his enemie and theirs even as David rescued his Lamb or Kid 1 Sam 17.34 35. taking it out of the mouth of the Lion and Bear So doth Christ rescue his Elect delivering them from the power of Satan which cannot bee done without great force and power And therefore he may well be said to draw them Satan will not willingly yeild up his hold He that contended so earnestly with Michael the Archangel Jude 9. about the body of Moses will much more contend about the souls of men The stories in the Gospel informe us how unwillingly Satan was ejected out of the one how being compelled to leave them he rent and tare them Certainly he will not willingly leave what possession he hath in the other Here is the power of Christ in drawing men from the power of Satan 3. He draweth them out of the world 3. Out of the world John 15.19 having chosen them out of the world he draweth them out of it To this end Christ gave himselfe He gave himselfe for our sins saith the Apostle that he might deliver us from this present evill world Gal. 1.4 And this he doth when he maketh an actuall application of the merit of his death unto his Elect people he delivereth draweth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eripâ—ret plucketh them out as the word in the Originall properly signifieth of this present world But how doth he do it not in respect of place but in respect of quality I pray not saith our Saviour speaking of his Disciples that thou shouldest take them out of the world John 17.15 but that thou shouldest keep them from the evill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from that evil one viz. Satan or from the evill that is in the world And thus Christ delivers his people viz. from the evill world 2 Pet. 2.20 severing them from the corruptions and pollutions which are in the world In this mire the world generally sticks and lieth Now in this respect Christ draweth his people out of the world causing them to steer a new course no longer to walk according to the course of this world Ephes 2.2 as somtimes they did but teaching them now to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts Tit. 2.12 What these worldly lusts are I shall not need to tell you Saint John hath reduced them to three heads The lusts of the flesh voluptuousnesse 1 John 2.16 sensuality The lusts of the eyes covetousnesse The pride of life ambition These and the like lusts the men of the world are given over to so as they rule and reigne in them But these Christ teacheth and causeth his people to deny renounce abandon which he doth by putting a new spirit into them even a Spirit of sanctification changing them in the inward and outward man so as they are no longer conformed unto this world viz. Rom. 12.2 in the corrupt manners and customes of it Thus are they severed from the world and drawn out of it And that not onely in regard of a renunciation of the sinfull lusts of it but also a holy sequestration from it Thus also doth Christ draw his people out of the world so as though they live in it yet they live like men of another world not minding onely the things of this present world but seeking after and setting their affections upon the things that are above where their chief treasure is 4. Thus drawing them out of the world he draweth them also out of themselves 4. Out of themselves This is a lesson which all Christs disciples must learn If any man will come after me let him deny himselfe Mark 8.34 And this lesson Christ teacheth all that come to him to deny themselves viz. their owne carnall reason perverse wils corrupt affections and not onely so but he teacheth them to deny to renounce their own righteousnesse viz. in respect of any affiance and confidence in it Not having mine own righteousnesse Phil. 3 9. saith Paul of himselfe And so he draweth them out of themselves The case is ordinary men when they are drawn out of the mire of this world brought to renounce and abandon the grosse evils therein and to walke in regard of their outward conversation regularly and blamelesly yet now they stick in themselves setting up their owne righteousnesse as the Pharisee did as if that were sufficient to justifie and save them by which means they are kept off from coming unto Christ Now Christ drawing his Elect hee draweth them out of themselves causeth them to renounce all to make loss of all as Paul saith of himselfe What ever they have have done can do merits priviledges vertues performances whatever is or may be supposed to be theirs Christ causeth them to relinquish all so coming naked unto him Thus doth he take them off from their owne bottoms and draw them out of themselves And here are the things from whence Christ draweth them Qu. 2. But whither doth he then draw them Qu. 2. Whither he draweth them An. An. To himself Here is the second Inquirie to which the Text it self returns a generall answer He drawes them to himself even as the Loadstone draweth the iron to it self so doth Christ draw his Elect people to himself viz. to have union and communion with him in grace here and glory hereafter More particularly Christ draweth his Elect to himself as being under a double relation 1. As to a Saviour 2. As to a Lord. Both these Christ being lift up is made Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour Act. 5.31 and under both these relations doth Christ draw his people to himself 1. As to a Saviour 1. As a Saviour My spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour saith Mary Luk. 1.47 even as the Brasen Serpent drew the eyes of the Israelites to it self as the onely means of their temporall cure so doth Christ draw the eyes and hearts of his Elect to himselfe as to a Saviour their Saviour the onely meanes of their eternall salvation Thus doe poor sinners come unto Christ even as those woundrd Israelites did to their Brasen Serpent fixing their eyes upon him looking up to him and resting upon him for Justification and Salvation Thus was the blessed Apostle drawne unto Christ Christ being effectually revealed to him Phil. 3.9 now he lets go all maketh loss of all renouncing whatever he had formerly put any confidence in wholly betaking
in remembrance Which that you may doe I shall second my Counsels with my Prayers resting Yours under God ready to serve you in the Gospell of his Sonne JOHN BRINSLEY July 1. 1652. THE SAINTS Joint-Membership ROM 12.4 5. For as we have many members in one Body and all members have not the same Office So we being many are one Body in Christ and Every one Members of another IN the verse foregoing we have a Charge A generall charge propounded a charge directed by this our Apostle to these his beleeving Romans and in them to all other Christians The sum whereof is that they abandoning of Arrogancy and curiositie not overweening themselves or intermedling with other folks businesses they would quietly content themselves in the Stations wherein God had set them wisely improving the severall gifts bestowed upon them to common and mutuall Edification in all Christian Humility and Charity For I say through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you not to think of himselfe more highly then he ought to think or to be over-wise above what he ought to be wise but to think soberly or to be wise unto sobriety according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith This Charge in the words I have now read he prosecuteth and presseth which he doth by an Argument taken à Comparatis from a Comparison Prosecuted by a comparison a Comparison betwixt the Naturall and Mysticall body in which as in every Comparison we may take notice of two things two parts the Protasis and Apodasis the Proposition and the Reddition The former we have in the fourth verse For as we have many members in one Body The parts of the comparison c. The later in the fifth verse So we we being many are one body c. In the former of these the Proposition 1. The Proposition the Apostle maketh observation of three paticulars 1. The Vnity of the body one body 2. The Plurality of members We have many members in one body 3. The Diversity of Offices And all member have not the same Office So is it in the Natural body the body of Man or other living creature The body is one one Totum integrale one Integrall whole made up of many members which are distinct and differing the one from the other Differing in site and place some higher others lower as the head and the feet Differing in externall forme and fashion some of one fashion others of another Differing in Order and Dignity some more noble and principall others more ignoble Differing in their Offices and Operations All have not the same Office saith the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same Action the same Operatoon the eye hath one Office the ear a second the tongue a third and so in the rest Thus it is in the Naturall body There is the Proposition But that is but the shell or paring The kernell and meat which our souls are to feed upon we shall find it in the later part the Reddition 2. The Reddition which followeth So wee being many are one body in Christ Wee Meaning the Church in speciall that particular Church to which he directs this Epistle the Church at Rome in generall the whole Catholick Church whereof that Church was a part and Paul himself a member which he was not properly of the Church at Rome no more then of Corinth or Ephesus or for ought I know of any other And this Church he here calleth a Body The Church called a Body a term usually and familiarly given to any society or combination of men Thus in the Camp as the whole Army so every Brigade every Company being ordered in a martiall way in ranks and files they are called a Body the Body of the Army a body of Horse a body of Pikes c. A Military Body thus in the Civill State as a whole Kingdome or Commonwealth so every particular Society every Corporation is a Body a Politicall Body and such is the Church As the Church Catholick so every particular Congregation is a Body an Ecclesiasticall Body so our Apostle here calls it as often elsewhere 2 Cor. 12.12 Ephes 4.4 16. Colos 3.15 Hebr. 13.3 And not unfitly may the Church be so called and that in regard of those Resemblances which are betwixt it and the Naturall body Resemblances betwixt the naturall and Mystical body The chief and principle whereof our Apostle here in this verse sets before us I shall take them up in their order as I fall with them in the words 1. The first which we meet with is the Plurality of members Resembl 1. Plurality of members which are diverse in We being many So is it in the naturall body which is a compages of many members meeting and joyned together And so it is in this Mysticall body of the Church We being many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the members of the Church may be said to be and that in a double respect 1. In regard of their Persons 1. Their Persons they are many Such is the Church catholick a Body made up of many Members The Church Catholick Invisible of the whole company of true Beleevers in all Ages and Places of the world The Church catholick visible of the whole company of Professours which under the Gospel may well be called many and such is a particular Church a congregation a body made up of a plurality of many members How many there must be or may be in such a Church the Spirit of God in Scripture hath not precisely determined it I know some others have done it making the least number in a particular church to be seven without which number it cannot be a constituted organicall church And the greater to be so many as may conveniently meet together in the same place to partake in all the ordinances of Christ But for my part I shal not vouch either of these contenting my selfe with what the Text holds forth that a church is a Company a Plurality a Body made up of many members Many for their Persons 2. Many in regard of their Offices 2. Offices and gifts which are various and diverse So is it in the Naturall body as the former verse tels us Many members many offices All members have not the same office And so it is in the Church as the persons are many so are their Offices and gifts diverse So it followeth in the next verse ver 6. Having then gifts differing c. Here is a first Resemblance 2. A second is in the unity of this Body Resembl 2. Unity of the body Many members but one body so is it in the naturall body We have many members in one body saith the Proposition So we being many are one Body saith the Reddition Such is every particular Church where there is a company of visible Saints joyned together in the fellowship of the Gospel united in the profession of the
is that which the Apostle meaneth where he presseth it upon his Philippians that they should stand fast in one spirit with one mind Phil. 1.27 And again in the next Chapter ver 2. Fulfill ye my joy saith he that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before Concordes of one heart one soule Thus was it anciently said of two entire friends 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There was one soule in two bodies Thus should it bee with Beleevers though they be distinct persons and divided into severall societies yet they should have but one soul be all of one heart Sois it in the naturall Body there are many members but one heart Thus should it be with the members of the mystical Body O that it were so they should have but one heart So is it promised to the Church under the Gospel in those known Texts Jer. 32.39 Ezek. 11.19 I will give them one heart And accordingly it was performed in the Proto-primitive times as you shall find it Acts 4.32 The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soule Vnanimous in their judgments united in their affections O that it were so in these might be so in all times All of us pray for it strive after it 1. That we may be of the same mind the same judgement 1. Onenesse of judgement to be desired This our Apostle begs for and from his Corinthians 1 Cor. 1.10 Now I beseech you brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgement A Text which I have heretofore handled in this place and given a publick account to the world And this let all of us beg for our selves and for all the Churches of Christ in this Nation and elsewhere that we and they may all bee in this sense like-minded thinking and speaking the same thing Thus is it with the members of the naturall body many members but one Tongue Thus should it be with the members of the mysticall Body they should all speak the same thing all looking the same way In the naturall body there are two eyes and two legs but they both look and go one and the same way Crosse eyes and splay-feet where the one looketh one way and another another are no small blemish and deformity to the natural body And so are Crosse-Christians to the mysticall Body such as are crosse in their judgments singular in their opinions affect to be so 2. Much more they who are crosse in affections It is that which I now more directly and principally aime at and I wish I may hit the mark Christians 2. Christians should be of one heart like affected towards each other though they cannot alwayes be of the same mind yet should they be of the same heart Though they cannot bee like minded towards some controverted points of lesser concernment yet they should be like minded one towards another So our Apostle presseth it upon these Romanes ver 16. of this chapter Be of the same mind one towards another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be like affectioned one towards another A consectary fitly following upon this conclusion in the Text Christians being members one of another let them be like affected one towards another 1 Loving one another 1. Loving one another Be ye like minded having the same love saith the Apostle in that place forenamed Phi. 2.2 Love as it is the bond of all Christian vertues so it is the bond of all Christian Societies In both which respects it is called the bond of perfectnesse Col. 3.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The most perfect bond tying hearts together which no other bond can do And being so it must in the first place be put on by all those who would join themselves to the mysticall body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Apostle there Above all put on charity which is the bond of perfectnesse This our Saviour layeth down for a character whereby his Disciples may be known By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another Joh. 13 35. As malice is Satan's brand which he sets upon his Goats so Love true Christian love brotherly love as the Apostle calleth it Heb. 13.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the mark of Christs sheep All of us then who professe such a Relation to Christ and his Mysticall body see that this affection dwel in us that wee do unfainedly love all out fellow members So our Apostle presseth it in the 9. verse after the Text Let love be without dissimulation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a usefull and needfull qualification There is a great deale of seeming but little sincere love in the world Scarce is there a man but maketh some shew of love or friendship to his neighbour yet how many in the mean time have their hearts brim full of rancour and malice Let Christians seek after sincerity as in all graces so in this of love that they may imbrace each other with mutuall and cordiall affection So the Apostle there prosecutes his Charge in the verse following ver 10. Be kindly affectioned one towards another with brotherly-love or in the love of the Brethren A very emphaticall expression Christians must not onely be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lovers of the brethren but they must also be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kindly affectioned in that love The word properly signifieth a Parentall love such as is betwixt Parents and their children a natural love Such should the love of Christans be towards their brethren wherein they ought to abound each to other That is Pauls prayer for his Thessalonians 1 Thes 3.12 The Lord make you to increase and abound in love one towards another and towards all men Thus was Paul affected towards them as it there followeth Even as we do towards you And thus would he have them affected towards their brethren with an exundant love so as it might over-flow even to others also to all that came in the way of it And it shall be my prayer for you all of you of this Congregation and particularly for you who have given up your names and selves anew unto Christ to wait upon him and submit unto him in all his holy ordinances And not for you onely but for all the true Churches of Christ and all the members thereof as elsewhere so specially in this Nation Now the Lord make you to abound in love one towards another A low Ebbe of Brotherly-Love in this Nation A Prayer I think never more needfull since Christ had a Church upon earth then it is at this day amongst us in this Nation wherein what a sad and low ebbe of this affection may we see every where Divided
that any are coming in at the Penitents door being fallen under the censures of the Church of Suspension or Excommunication or by any scandall giving just cause for them here is matter of Humiliation and Grief to their fellow members who take notice of it Paul chargeth it as no small crime upon his Corinthians that taking notice of a scandalous member the Incestuous person They were puffed up and did not rather mourn 1 Cor. 5.2 And so in Temporall Sufferings In temporall sufferings Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them and them which suffer adversity as being your selves also in the body Heb. 13.3 Thus did the Primitive Christians sympathize with their brethren in their bonds so they did with the Apostle Heb. 10.34 Ye had compassion of mee in my bonds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They sympathized were as fellow sufferers with him and as with him so with other of their brethren as hee tells them in the verse foregoing Ye became companions of them that were so used meaning the Martyrs of those times And as in sufferings for Christ so in any other losses or crosses or ailements Christians should have a fellow-feeling with their fellow-members condoling with them not rejoycing at them no such an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rejoycing over the miseries of others is not only unchristian but inhumane and unnaturall but lamenting over them Thus did David sympathize even with his enemies as himself tels us Psal 35.12 13. Such as rewarded him evill for good to the spoiling of his soul as he saith even to the taking away of his life had it lien in their power Yet saith he as for me when they were sick my cloathing was sackcloth I humbled my soul with fasting c. And did hee this for his enemies how much more should Christians do it for their Brethren their fellow-members Truly not to be affected with the sufferings of Saints is a shrewd evidence of one that is no true member of the body or if he be he is under some sad and dangerous obstruction To this let mee add As these mutuall members should have mutuall joyes and sorrowes so mutuall Desires and mutuall Cares and mutuall Fears I will but touch upon each Mutuall Desires or Well-wishes 3 Mutual wel-wishes each to other Well-wishes for their Temporall much more for their Spirituall welfare Such were the wishes of the beloved Disciple to his well-beloved Gaius 3 Joh. ver 2. Beloved I wish above all things that thou maist prosper and be in health even as thy soul prospereth Be in health in his body and prosper in his soul These were the two things which the Heathens according to the light which they had were wont above all things to wish to their friends Orandum est ut sit mens sana in corpore sano that they might have sound minds in haile bodies Juvenal and I know not what Christians can better wish one for another then sound bodies and sanctified souls Thus the members of the naturall body by a secret instinct they do as it were seek and desire the welfare each of other let the members of the mysticall Body do the like Let no man seek his own but every man anothers wealth so our Apostle instructs his Corinthians 1 Cor. 10.24 Not but that Christians both may and ought to seek their own wealth their own Spiritual and Temporall welfare and that in the first place therein preferring themselves before others So runs the rule Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe Mat. 19.19 Now Regula est prior Regulato The rule must be in order before that which is regulated by it Christians must first love themselves otherwise they cannot love their neighbours as themselves But they may not impropriate these wel wishes to themselves but extend them to others to their neighbours brethren as being a part of themselves So the same Apostle expounds his own meaning Phil. 2.4 Look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Also The desires and well wishes of Christians being fellow-members must be mutuall And so should their Cares be 4. Mutuall c res So the Apostle presseth it 1 Cor. 12.25 The members should have the same care one of another So have the members of the naturall body they have a mutuall care for the preservation and welfare each of other And so should the members of the Mysticall body they should have such a mutuall care specially for the Spirituall welfare each of other It is the commendation which Paul giveth of Timothy that he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naturally care for the state of his Philippians Philip. 2.20 Those things which concerned the salvation of their souls and the welfare of their Church Such is the care of the natural and such should be the care of the mysticall members a naturall cordiall sincere affectionate care each for other And so again for their fears they should also be mutuall 5. Mutuall feares and jealousies Christians should bee afraid of each other where there is just cause of feare So was Paul of his Galathians when he took notice of their haltings I am afraid of you saith he lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vaine Thus Christians may and ought in some cases to have a kind of an holy jealousie one over another Jealousie is an affection which flowes from love And however being inordinate it groweth to great and sinfull inconvenience betwixt the nearest Relations Jealousie is the rage of a man Prov. 6.34 yet being well ordered it is an usefull passion Thus was Paul affected towards his Corinthians as he tels them 2 Cor. 11.2 I am jealous over you with a godly jealousie And thus Christians both may and ought to be affected each to other When they shall see their brethren begin to warp and turne aside from any of their principles and to suck in any dangerous errours which was the case of those Corinthians or to fall from their first love to abate of their zeale and forwardnesse in the practise of Piety now they not onely may but ought to be jealous over them Only let it be with a Godly jealousie A Godly Jealousie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Apostle with the jealousie of God not out of any light and ungrounded suspicion and surmise not out of any by and sinister respect but with an eye to God to his glory and their brethrens good And that Christians both may and ought to be jealous over one another As it is with the members of the Body if one of them have a tumour a sore breeding the rest are jealous of it fearing what it may come to The like Christians may and ought to be over one another in a like case that so they may performe those offices each to other which their mutuall relation in that case calleth for Which what they are I shall now come in the
generally for all to whom God hath given any competent portion of this worlds goods they who of their superfluity cannot yet even out of their penurie are to cast in their Mite into the Churches Treasury But more especially for rich men Charge them that be rich in this world that they do good that they be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate so Paul directs Timothy 1 Tim. 6.17 18. Thus are Christians to bee communicative to all whose pressing necessities call for it as God inables them reaching forth somewhat to their reliefe This the Preacher calls casting of bread upon the waters Eccles 11.1 But specially to Saints As we have opportunity let us do good unto all men specially to them who are of the houshold of faith Gal. 6.10 Such as through the communion of faith are made true members of the mysticall Body and so joint-members with their brethren these challenge a larger share in the Christians liberality And I might add amongst them such as under a practical Church-Relation ought to be looked upon by the members of that Society in the first place It is in Churches as in Families where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Domesticks are first to be provided for But I am drawing to a conclusion 3. Communicate Tables 3. Tables So did the Primitive Christians of whom we read Acts 2.46 That they brake bread from house to house which I understand not of a Sacramentall for that was mentioned before as I shall shew you anon but a Civill Communion So the Syriack explaines it as our new Annotation taketh notice Domi frangebant portionem they invited each other home and eat together The like is not only lawfull but laudable for Christians to do so as it be in a sober and moderate way sutable to their condition As for profuse and lavish feasting I have no warrant for it In such wayes mens tables become snares both to themselves and others and that more wayes then one snares to their estates snares to their bodies and snares to their soules exhausting the first surfetting and distempering the second destroying the third And therefore if Christians upon speciall occasions do make more liberall and bountifull provisions which I dare not in some cases prohibit let them do it with fear St Jude sets it as a brand upon some in his time These are spots in your feasts of charity when they feast with you feeding themselves without fear Jude 11. Even those sacred feasts those love-feasts which were annexed to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and intended for maintaining the Communion of Saints even they became a snare to some they became occasions of sinfull inconveniences whereupon they were justly left off in after times How much more may other feasting do the like where there is no such bridle upon the appetites of men as there was But sober moderate feasting this becometh Christians Such were those Primitive meetings which the Greek Scholiaes how solidly I will not say collect from that phrase of breaking of bread they were frugall and sober such feasts best become Christians To which according to our Saviours direction they are to invite not only their richer friends but also their poorer brethren as you have it Luke 14 12 13 14. Here is the Christians civil Communion 2. Religious Communion But there is another Communion which is of an higher import And that is sacred Religious Communion which may be divided into Publick and Private 1. Publick 1. Publick Christians as joynt-members of the same Body are to have communion and fellowship in publick Ordinances as viz. in the Word Sacrament and Prayer You meet them altogether in that one verse Acts 2.42 where the Apostle speaking of the primitive believers members of the Church at Jerusalem he saith They continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers So he describeth their Church-Communion which was 1. In hearing the word 1. In hearing the word They continued in the Apostles doctrin that is in hearing them preach To which end they frequently repaired to the Temple as you have it ver 46. They continued with one accord daily in the Temple viz. to hear the word as occasion was offered And hearing the word together they had fellowship and communion in those two other Ordinances wherein Church-Communion may be conceived more properly and immediatly to consist viz. the Sacrament and Prayer Which are there brought in as some not amisse look upon them Vide Bezam Gr. Annot. as two species of that Genus So the vulgar Latine following the Syriack and some other copies expresseth it reading the words Et communicatione fractionis panis orationibus V. L. They continued in the Apostles doctrine and in the fellowship of breaking bread and in prayers 2. 2. Receiving the Sacrament Vide Bez. ad loc Gr. Annot. By the former of which I there understand the Sacrament of the Lords Supper so the Syriack there explains it rendring it fractione Eucharistiae the breaking of the Eucharist Which is there as also elsewhere though not often called Breaking of bread So called not properly from the Sacramentall action of breaking the bread in the Sacrament as I suppose it is vulgarly looked upon but rather with reference to their Love Feasts whereof the Sacrament was one and the principall part as Beza and Grotius observe Bez. Grot. in Act. 2.42 20.7 Thus did they having a respect to the language of the Hebrews who were wont to call their whole Diet by the name of bread they called those as other feasts by the name of breaking of bread And from thence it was translated to the Sacrament as being the chief part of those chiefest feasts upon which account by the way I conceive that that phrase being used in a civil as wel as in a sacred sense primarily in the former is not to be affected by us above others which we meet with in Scripture which as they are more common so do they more properly express and set forth the nature of that Sacrament Now herein to return from whence I have a little occasionally deviated those Primitive Christians had frequent Communion and so ought their successors to have frequently meeting together at the Lords Table participating in that Sacrament of the Supper which as it represents and sealeth up their union and communion with Christ so it mindeth them of that union and communion which they have and ought to have one with another In both which respects it is called by the Apostle in a language which I am sure cannot mis-become a Christians mouth The Communion 1 Cor. 10.16 3. And so thirdly in Prayer 3. Prayer Herein Christians are to joyne together in the publick Congregation Coimus ad Deum quasi manu factâ precationibus ambiamus Tertul. Apolog. surrounding and as it were beseeching the Throne of Grace by their
will not despise the lesse principall or ignoble the eye or hand will not disdaine the foot but own it as a member an usefull and needfull member I and as one of their members The like let the members of the mysticall Body do and that upon this ground So the Apostle presseth it in the sequel of that Chapter 1 Cor. 12.20 21. c. Now are they many members yet but one body And the eye cannot say to the hand I have no need of thee nor again the head to the feet I have no need of you nay much more those members of the body which seem to bee more feeble are necessary c. So is it in the naturall and so is it in the mysticall Body The most noble members in this body they are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle hath it in that verse fore-cited Membra ex parte sunt ficut cuique attributa est sua portio fiuitum officium Calvin ad loc ver 27. Membra ex parte that is members each one for his part and in his place as Calvine most genuinely expounds it And the meanest members are needfull to the whole and may be usefull to any other member They are members one of another And therefore let them not disdaine or despise one another There is a second Thirdly Let them not offend one another 3. The third Negative Instruction Not offend one another This will not the members of the naturall Body do being members one of another they will not willingly offend or any wayes hurt one another let not the members of the mysticall Body do it This Paul telleth his Corinthians that for his own part he was very shie of Giving none offence saith he of himselfe 2 Cor. 6.3 And he would have them to be the like to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inoffensive and that towards all So runs his charge 1 Cor. 10.32 Give none offence neither to the Jews nor to the Gentiles nor to the Church of God Three words under which he comprehends all sorts of persons then in being who were either Jewes or Pagans or Christians Christians should not willingly offend any of these especially the last Church-members being their members let them not offend them Which may be done divers wayes Which is done three wayes 1. By example 2. By word 3. By deed By example scandalizing of them by word defaming them by deed wronging and injuring of them Let Church-members take heed of each 1. Of offending one another by example 1. By Example scandalizing one another scandalizing their Fellow-members this will not the members of the naturall Body willingly do The hand will not put a mote into the eye or lay a stumbling block before the foot Let not the members of this mysticall Body do it let them take heed of being either causes or occasions of stumbling to others Let no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way Rom. 14.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Whether it be by the abuse of their christian liberty 1. By abusing Christian Liberty Concerning this speaketh the Apostle there It is not good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine or any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth or is offended or made weake ver 21. Three words the two later whereof are not to be found in the Syriack nor yer in all Greek copies as Grotius notes it importing for substance one and the same thing Some indeed have indeavonred to distinguish them and put different senses upon them But they may rather seeme to be Synonymaes a Congeries an heap of divers words signifying one and the same thing which yet is not without an observable Emphasis Thereby the Apostle insinuates the great heed care and circumspection that Christians should take lest any wayes by the use of things indifferent they should bee so much as in occasion of offence in any degree to their weak brethren The like care the same Apostle presseth upon his Corinthians 1 Cor. 8. where in the 12th verse he tels them When ye so sin against the brethren viz. offending them by the abuse of your Christian liberty which he had spoken of before and wound their conscience ye sin against Christ This do they who willingly or heedlesly offend their weak brethren they sinne against Christ whose members they are and whose work is thereby interrupted and hindred in them Upon this account Paul willeth them to take heed of it Neither doth he therein Pharisee like lay a burden upon other mens shoulders put a yoke upon their necks which himselfe was not willing to touch or bear No in the very next verse he tels them what his own Resolution was Wherefore if meat make my brother to offend or offend my brother 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will eat no flesh while the world standeth ver 13. A truely Heroicall and imitable resolution for Christians rather then bee occasions of scandalizing hindering the salvation of any to abridge themselves in the use of their christian liberty not to do what otherwise they lawfully might do 2. Much lesse in the second place to doe what they ought not to do and so to offend whether grieving or indangering others by their scandalous examples by their inordinate walking 2. Scandalous and inordinate walking Thus did the Sons of Eli by their leud and debauched carriage they made the people to abhor the offering of the Lord 1 Sam. 2.17 This did the Priests in Malachies time By their departing out of the way they caused many to stumble at the Law Mal. 2.8 By their evill examples they seduced some and gave occasion to others to disdaine the worship and service of God O christians take heed that the like never may be charged upon any of you that by your examples you should cause any of your brethren to stumble and fall That by your walking unanswerably to your profession you should make any of those who begin to looke Sion-ward and Heaven-ward to turn aside and to be out of love and liking with the good wayes and Ordinances of God and so to fall off from their following after him that your unchristian courses should be as a nipping frost to these hopefull buds and blossomes and cause them to fall off from the tree O this is a matter which will turn to a sad account another day So our Saviour himselfe hath cast it up Matth. 18 6. Who so shall offend one of these little ones that believeth in me it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the bottome of the sea Of such high consequence is it for a man by his evill example or otherwise so to scandalize a weak brother as to be an occasion of his halting or falling off from his profession better that such a one should suffer the greatest punishment in his body then that he should thus ruine or indanger the
soule of his brother Take heed of thus offending your fellow-members by your example Or in the second and third place by word or deed Concerning both these as Grotius looketh upon it our Apostle giveth a jointcaveat to his Galatians Gal. 5.15 But if ye bite and devoure one another take heed ye be not consumed one of another Bite one another in words Devour one another by deeds Both these let Christians take heed of Of Biting one another offending one another in words 2. By Word defaming one another This will not the members of the naturall Body do The teeth will not bite the hand nor the hand scratch the face Let not the members of the mysticall Body do it by speaking evill one of another It is one of those lessons which Paul willeth Titus to teach the Christians of his time that they should speak evill of no man Tit. 3.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And I wish that Christians in these times would have a greater regard to it To blaspheme no man speak evill of no man by back-biting slandering defaming of them Every of which is a kind of blasphemy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a hurting the good name of another which the word properly signifieth an evill speaking not onely censured by the Spirit of God in Scripture but condemned by the very light of nature Let Christians take heed of it of thus speaking evill of any specially of their brethren fellow-members members of the same mysticall Body Quest But may not men speak the evill which they know by others Ans I answer not alwayes no Christians may not alwayes speak the evill which they know by their Brethren though it be a truth and a truth which they are assured of Doeg when he spake unto Saul concerning David and Abimeleck he spake nothing but what was the truth and what himselfe was an eye-witnesse of as he tels Sauls 1 Sam. 22.9.10 yet David cals him a false tongue in that Psalm which the Contents in your Bibles will tell you is to be understood of him Psal 120.3 True things may be spoken evilly and falsely viz. when they are spoken out of rancour or malice or without any just call or reason and so tend onely to the defamation of the person of whom they are spoken this is an evill which I shall desire you to take heed of And the rather because it is now grown so Epidemicall more rife then ever Is it so that you know any commendable good concerning your Brethren as occasion is offered speak it and speak it freely I know no danger in it where there can be no suspicion of flattery But for evill look about you Examine it before you utter it Quid de quoque viro c. Examine not onely whether it be true which is spoken but whether it be fit to be spoken to such a person at such a time in such a place and to what end it is spoken and what good may come of it If it tend onely to the defaming of another now suppresse it It is an ill Principle which maketh men tongue-tied in the deserved praises of others whilest they are open-mouthed in what may tend to their disgrace Such measure let not Christians offer to any least of all to their Brethren their Fellow-members Christians not to blaze the infirmities of Brethren Not blazing their weaknesses their infirmities It is Chams brand which no time will ever wear out the infamy of that espying his Fathers nakednesse he went and told his two brethren without calling them in to see it and laugh at it Gen. 9.22 Let not Christians doe the like to their brethren Is it so that they occasionally espy the nakednesse the failings the infirmities one of another let them not presently tell it to others To themselves they may and ought in a Christian way advising admonishing reproving them that so what is out of joynt may be set again what is amisse may be healed reformed But now to others specially such as are without Tell it not in Gath publish it not in the streets of Askelon 1 Sam. 1.20 As for Fellow-members in Church-society our Saviours rule and direction is that where private admonition taketh not place with an offending brother they should take one or two more with them Matth. 18.16 And if that availe not then as it followes ver 17. Tell it to the Church not to the whole Congregation that to make the best of it were but a preposterous course but to the Church-Officers the Church Representative All which ought to be done with all christian tendernesse and wisdom But for others who are strangers if not enemies to the Church let them as much as may be be strangers to the infirmities of the members thereof A Lesson which the members of the mysticall may learn from the members of the naturall body where if one member have a secret ailment a soar the tongue will not presently blab it speak of it or the hand open it to every passenger But if it do open it or speak of it it shall be to a friend or to a Surgeon some that may probably contribute somewhat towards the cure of it Thus let Christians deale by the infirmities of their brethren not in opening them but in order to a cure Thus take heed of offending by word by speaking evill one of another And thirdly of evill doing one to another of wronging injuring one another 3. By Deed wronging and injuring one another not biting let them much lesse devoure one another This will not the members of the naturall body do The hand will not buffet the head or wound the foot Let not the members of the mystical Body offer such measure one to another to hurt one another as not in their Reputations so in their Bodies or Estates or any other way Receive us we have wronged no man we have corrupted no man we have defrauded no man it is Pauls Apologie for himselfe and his Fellow-Ministers to his Corinthians 2 Cor. 7.2 All these had the false Apostles his Competitours done to them as he there secretly insinuates They had wronged corrupted defrauded them wronged them by their examples corrupted them by their doctrines defrauded them by their wiles their covetousnesse But this had not Paul done nor any of his Colleagues This let not any Christian do Do it not to any no not to Heathens much lesse to Brethren This is that which Paul chargeth as no small aggravation upon some of his Corinthians 1 Cor. 6.8 Yee do wrong and defraud and that your brethren To doe injury to any is a crime much more to a brother For one member to wrong another is unnaturall and for Christians to wrong one another is unchristian Here is the third negative Instruction which I take up from the Joint-membership of Christians Being members one of another let them not offend one another by Example by Word by Deed. To