of the Gospel within the kenn of this Brasen serpent under the offers of Grace this shall be their condemnation that they will not come unto Jesus Christ And who but must needs acknowledge this a deserved condemnation Refusing of Christ a just condemnation When God had provided a Brasen serpent and caused it to be lift up in the Camp of Israel for a remedy against those fiery Serpents had there been any amongst them who feeling themselves stung yet out of a contempt or neglect of the ordinance of God had refused to repaire unto it who but would have adjudged him guilty of his own death and have accounted him worthy to perish and die This hath God done for us wee being all of us mortally stung by that Old serpent God himselfe of his infinite wisdome and mercy hath found out and laid out a means of cure for us He hath given his Son for us to be made like unto US to take our nature upon him in that nature to be lift up upon the Crosse to suffer to die for us Not only so but he causeth him also to be lift up in the Ministry of his word there to be held forth to be crucified as it were before our eyes daily nor yet only to bee set before us but to be offered to us with a Command and a Promise The one requiring us to look up unto him the other assuring us of a perfect cure upon our so doing Now what shall we slight and neglect so great salvation Shall we so far abuse this grace and mercy of God as not to make use of this means of salvation What shall now be said for us Our blood be upon our own heads we must perish in our sins and that deservedly And therefore to draw to a conclusion of this point be we all of us perswaded to look out for our selves Come we O come we unto Jesus Christ that we may be made partakers of this healing saving vertue which is to be found in and from him Motives Motives me thinks I should need none to set on such a motion to perswade all of us to come unto Jesus Christ 1. Do but consider our own misery 1. Our misery without Christ without him fitly as I have shewed you represented and shadowed out in the condition of a poor Israelite being stung with some of these Serpents We are by nature in a perishing state and there is no Medicine can cure us but this no name under Heaven by which we can have any probable or possible hopes of salvation but this Let our necessities then drive us unto Christ Without him we perish having no other means of cure but by him Had there been any other Salve or Medicine in the world that could have cured a stung Israelite he should not have needed to have made use of the Brasen serpent Were there any other way or meanes whereby salvation might possibly be attained there might be some plea for our not coming unto Christ But wee are here concluded and shut up unlesse hee save us wee perish Let our necessities drive us 2. Attractivenesse in Christ 2. And secondly there is that in him which may draw us viz His willingnesse to receive us and his Ability to help us Of the former of these our Saviour himself assures us Joh. 6.37 He that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The later wee may see in the Type in the Text The Brasen serpent was a present cure to all that came it matters not how mortally stung they were in what part of the body whether with one or more Serpents of what continuance it was here they found a present remedy Even such vertue is there to be found in the Lord Jesus It matters not what our sins be what for number what for nature what for continuance how many how great how inveterate soever only come unto Jesus Christ we shall find it true by experience that he is an Alsufficient Saviour Quest The Question then will bee How shall a poor sinner come unto Jesus Christ so as he may obtaine salvation by him Answ To this the third Conclusion returns Conclus 3. answer Only by beleeving on him So you have it in the Text The Son of Man must be lift up That whosoever beleeveth on him should not perish Doct. Behold here the onely way whereby a poor perishing sinner may come to be made partaker of that saving vertue which is in Jesus Christ viz. By beleeving on him Beleeving on Christ the only means of receiving benefit by him A Truth lively shadowed out in the Text which still upon all occasions I shall have recourse unto What was the way and means whereby an Israelite being stung came to partake of healing vertue from the Brasen Serpent Num. 21.8 9. Why it was by looking up unto it When he looketh up upon it he shall live Even thus is the saving vertue derived from Christ unto sin-stung sinners viz. By looking upon him Looking upon him not with a bodily eye as Papists do upon their Crucifixes or as the Jewes did who beheld him hanging upon the Crosse who had better never have seen what they did but with a Spirituall eye the eye of the Soul the eye of Faith by beleeving on him This is the way and means which every where we are directed to This was John the Baptist's Doctrine he preached Faith as well as Repentance John Baptized with the Baptisme of Repentance saying unto the people that they should beleeve on him which should come after him that is on Jesus Christ Act. 19. Act. 19.4 This did our Saviour himselfe presse Ye believe on God believe also on me John 14. John 14.1 And the same did his Apostles after him When the Jaylour came to Paul and Silas putting the question unto them Acts 16.31 Sirs what shall I do to be saved They presently returne him this briefe answer Beleeve on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved Even as if a poor Israelite being stung had come unto Moses enquiring of him what he should do to be healed Moses could have returned him no answer but this Look up unto the Brasen Serpent and thou shalt be healed Thus when a wounded soule feeling the sting of sin sticking in the conscience cometh unto the Ministers of Christ and desireth direction from them what to do their answer is Go look up unto Christ Beleeve on the Lord Jesus thou shalt be saved Here is the way the onely way and meanes of obtaining benefit by Jesus Christ Heb. 2.4 Faith Justus ex fide The just shall live by faith Explic. For the opening and illustrating of this usefull Truth give me leave briefly to unfold unto you these three particulars 1. What this faith is which healeth and saveth 2. Three particulars unfolded How this faith healeth and saveth 3. Why this should be the onely way and means
where ever the Gospel is preached God's Ministers they are his Standard-bearers and their work is to lift up Christ for indeed what is the Gospel but a Doctrine concerning Christ concerning his one Person two Natures three Offices his Obedience Merits Benefits In all holding forth Christ that the people might behold look up to him beleeve on him Thus is Christ there lifted up A truth and a usefull one which I will not wholly exclude out of the Text. The first sense proper to the Text. But the stream of other Expositors Ancient and Modern and that for ought I know with one consent carry the sense another way understanding the phrase in the first sense of the Death and Passion of Christ There was the Son of Man lift up and that in a literall sense lift up upon the Crosse and of this I conceive our Saviour here to speak In this sense we find this phrase used by himselfe in two other places of this Gospel Joh. 8.28 and 12.32 in the former place he tells the Jewes When you have lifted up the Son of Man then you shall know that I am hee Now how did they lift him up Why by crucifying him lifting him up upon the Crosse The later Text is expresse and full And I saith our Saviour if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men after me Lifted up how why the next verse explains it This spake he saith the Evangelist signifying what death he should die Thus the people there understood him as appears by the 34. verse of that Chapter and I see no reason why we should not so understand him here in the Text as under this phrase notifying to Nichodemus and us both his owne death and the Manner of his Death Quest But here the Question may be why our Saviour should here make use of this dark and covert expression Quest Why our Saviour here maketh use of this expression why doth he not rather in plain and simple termes say So must the Son of Man be crucifyed but he must bee lifted up Ans Answ Not to insist upon what some collect from it though true and usefull 1. Our Saviour calleth his Death a lifting up because say they it was the way to his Exaltation 1. The Cross the way to his Exaltation He shall drink of the Brook in the way saith the Psalmist therefore shall he lift up the head Psal 110. Psal 110. last which some understand of the bitter Cup of the Passion making way to his glorious Exaltation Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory Luk. 24. Luke 24.26 He humbled himself c. Therefore God highly exalted him lifted him up Phil. 2. Phil. 2.8 9. His Humilintion was the way to his Exaltation 2. Nay more It was to him an Exaltation 2. The Crosse it self an Exaltation Christ in his death however he seemed to be depressed humbled yet he was even then exalted in as much as therein he triumphed over his and his Churches enemies overcoming even there where he seemed to be overcome Overcoming Death by dying Sin Satan Hell by suffering yeelding Even there in his Passion upon the Cross he spoyled Principalities and Powers Colos 2.15 triumphing over them as the Apostle hath it In it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. in his Passion upon the Crosse which was to him as a Chariot of Triumph Never did Conqueror triumph so gloriously in his Chariot as Christ upon his Crosse And in this regard the Death and Passion of Christ might here be called an Exaltation a lifting up 3 The phrase alluding to the Type the Brasen Serpent which was 3 But to let both these passe It is enough our Saviour here maketh use of this phrase being led to it by the Type which not onely shadowed out his Death but the manner or kind of his death and that most clearly and lively as I might show you in some particulars 1 The Brasen Serpent was lift up above the Earth 1 Lift up above the earth so was Christ in his death he was lift up from the earth as himselfe phraseth it Joh. 12.32 2 The Brasen Serpent was set upon a Pole 2 Upon a pole or perch and thus was Jesus Christ lift up upon the Tree He bare our sins saith Saint Peter 1 Pet. 2.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just Apol. 2. in his own body upon the Tree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 super lignum illud upon that wood the wood of the Crosse The one typifying the other 3 The Brasen Serpent was lift up in the wildernesse 3. In the Wildernesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In loco vasto pleno veneni in quo figura mundi Christi temporibus corruptissimi H. Grot. ad loc so saith the Text in a waste and solitary place full of venome and poyson and such saith Grotius was the world nay the Church in the time of Christ marvellously corrupted and impoysoned with all kind of Error and Superstition 4 The Brasen Serpent was so lifted up as that all the Camp of Israel might see it and to that end set up in the midst of the Camp 4. In the midst of the Camp that they might behold it from all quarters Thus was Christ lift up as it were in the midst of the world that the Elect of God in all ages in all places of the world might look up unto him 5 And lastly The Brasen Serpent was lift up that whoever beheld it might be healed 5. For a healing medicine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simili effectu Grot. how mortally soever he was stung And to the same end was Christ lift up that whosoever looketh up to him by faith might be saved as the verse following explains the resemblance betwixt these two Thus was the Brasen Serpent lift up Christ lift up after the like manner and so was the Son of man lift up The death of Christ necessary And it was requisite he should be so so saith the Text So must the son of man be lifted up Must So our Saviour often layeth it down inculcating upon his Disciples the necessity of his death Matth. 16.21 From that time began Jesus to shew unto his Disciples how that he must go up to Jerusalem and suffer many things c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 24.26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oportet exaltari He must bee lift up The death of Christ was not a thing casual accidental much lesse needlesse no it was both needfull and necessary In a threefold respect Necessary How What in respect of Christ himself no. In him it was a free and voluntary act Phil. 2. 8. He humbled himselfe and became obedient to the death even the death of the crosse How then Why necessary in a threefold respect 1 In respect of
his creature That God bindeth some wicked and ungodly men over unto just condemnation for sin this he doth in justice yet is he not delighted in the destruction of his creature and thence is it that he hath provided a way and means of salvation for others Hee that lift up this brasen serpent in the wildernesse for those surviving Israelites he hath also lift up a Saviour for us delivering his own and onely Son to the death for us that he dying we might not die that believing on him we might not perish but have everlasting life Vse 3. And hath God done this for us Vse 3. Exhortation to make use of this remedy O let not this grace and mercy of his bee in vain to any of us When God had caused the brasen serpent to be set up in the wildernesse such as were stung with those fiery serpents I suppose they should not need to have been pressed to go out of their Tents to repaire and look up unto it for cure Such is our condition as you have heard All stung and that mortally by this old Serpent And such hath Gods mercy been he hath provided a brasen serpent for us caused his Son to bee lift up for us O let us not now neglect so great salvation but come forth of our Tents go we out of our selves and come unto Jesus Christ looking up to him that we may bee made partakers of the benefits of his death and passion To this end was the brasen serpent lift up that the people might look up to it And to this end was the Lord Jesus Christ lift up upon the Crosse that poor sinners might look unto him And this let us do I mean as many of us as feel the need wee have of him as feele the sting of sin sticking in our souls and so desire to be freed not onely from the guilt and terrour but also from the power of it For such and onely such they are that shall have benefit by Christ The brasen serpent being lift up all Israel might look upon it but they only had benefit by it who feeling themselves stung looked up to it for cure Thus is it with our Brasen Serpent the Lord Jesus Others may look upon him and yet be never the better for him So did the Jews who saw him crucified yet had no benefit by him Ferus ad Text. Multi viderunt oderunt Many of them saw him and hated him and so had better never have seen him Thus do many Christians behold Christ in the history of the Gospel behold him crucified before their eyes in the preaching of the word and yet not feeling the neede they have of him they shall never have any benefit by him O then labour wee first to be sensible of this to feele our selves stung mortally stung Be we sensible of our condition So we are whether we feele it or no and the lesse we feele it the greater is our danger and the lesse hope of grace onely labour to bee thus sensible hereof that so wee may feele the need wee have of Jesus Christ that wee may see our selves dead men without him Now and not till now are we fit for him Other qualifications or predispositions hee requireth none onely that we be sensible of the need we have of him Being such now come we unto him and come with boldnesse and confidence being assured that wee shall finde a perfect cure in him and from him wee shall not die but live So much the verse following will assure us of wherein we shall meet with the two other particulars which I took notice of in the Type fully answered viz. the end and efficacy of this our Brasen Serpent To which I now come Ver. 15. That whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have Eternall life IN which words wee may see the Truth not onely Answering The Truth excelling the Type but Excelling the Type advanced above it and that in two particulars In the Effect of it and in the Extent of that effect For the Effect The brasen serpent was the means of a bodily cure of preserving a temporall life But Christ is the means of a spirituall cure of procuring an eternall life For the Extent of that effect The brasen serpent was erected for the use and benefit of the Jew Christ crucified is a Saviour both of Jew and Gentile the efficacy and vertue of his death extending to both alike That whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have eternall life Division Shall we devide the words we may take notice in them of two things a Condition and a Promise A condition the same with the condition of the new Covenant the Covenant of Grace viz. believing on Jesus Christ Whosoever believeth on him The Promise importing the great benefit accruing to them who shall rightly performe this condition They shall not perish c. Wherein wee may take notice first of the benefit it selfe then of the persons to whom it extends The Benefit it selfe which is partly Privative partly Positive Privative deliverance from death They shall not perish Positive fruition of life and that eternall life They shall not perish but have eternall life The Extent of which benefit is indefinite universall to all those that shall performe the condition That whosoever believeth c. It is not my purpose to insist precisely in the steps of this Division I shall rather for our better and more profitable proceeding draw forth the words into four distinct and plaine doctrinall Propositions or Conclusions The first whereof is necessarily implyed the rest plainly expressed 1. Four Doctrinall Conclusions All men by nature are in a perishing estate and condition 2. The onely way and means of deliverance out of that perishing state is by Jesus Christ and him crucified 3. The onely way and means of receiving benefit by and from Jesus Christ is to believe on him 4. Whosoever so believeth on him shall have perfect salvation by him Four main and usefull Conclusions each a Principle of Christian Religion a Head of Catechisme necessary even for children to know and understand and yet of soveraigne use for the most growne Christian I shall handle them distinctly and plainly still having an eye to the Type here set before us wherein as in a glasse we may read the truth of every of these perticulars and of the greatest part of what I shall say concerning them Begin with the first Conclusion 1. All men by nature in a perishing condition A truth though not directly expressed yet necessarily implyed All men by nature are in a perishing condition Mark it Christ the true Brasen Serpent was lift up that whosoever believeth on him should not perish c. A cleare intimation that without Christ and without faith in Christ all men are but dead men in a perishing state a state of perdition deprived of life subjected unto death 1 Deprived of life 1.
Deprived of life that life which the Text speaketh of viz. Eternall life which is begun in Grace perfected in Glory of this life are all men naturally deprived Being destitute of the Life of Grace so saith S. Paul of the Gentiles before conversion Eph. 4 18. 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
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
his death be made effectuall Even as the Brasen Serpent was lift up for all those Israelites which feeling themselves stung looked up unto it and to those who did so look upon it it was effectuall and availeable for their cure and that to all of them Even thus was the Lord Jesus lift up upon the crosse for all those that shall believe on him For them Christ prayed I pray not for those alone saith our Saviour that is for his Apostles and Disciples onely but for them also which shall believe on me John 17.20 And for them he died I lay down my life for my sheep John 10.15 Such as being elected before time are in time called to believe on him And to all and every of these shall his death be made effectuall Whosoever c. Whosoever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Omnis credens Whosoever the term explained all and every one that believeth Be they what they will what for Nation what for Sex what for Condition outward or inward c. For Nation whether Jew or Gentile Herein again the Type falls short of the truth The Type falling short of the Truth and is out-stripped by it The Brasen Serpent was lift up for the benefit of the Israelites one Nation onely but Christ the true Brasen Serpent is lift up as well for the Gentile as for the Jew as well for all Nations as for one Nation In that day saith the Prophet Esay there shall be a root of Jesse which shall stand for an Ensigne of the people to it shall the Gentiles seek Isai 11. Isai 11.10 This Root of Jesse is Jesus Christ the Son of David the Son of Jesse So the Apostle himselfe expounds it Rom. 15.12 He being lift up upon the Cross is made an Ensign a Standard to the people and that not onely to Jews but to Gentiles In him shall the Gentiles trust saith the Apostle And so doing both Jews and Gentiles having a like interest in him shall have a like benefit by him So saith the same Apostle expresly Rom. 1.16 where speaking of the Gospel he tels us that it is the power of God to salvation to every one that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Grecian To Jews and Gentiles no difference betwixt Nation and Nation no nor yet betwixt Condition and Condition or Sex and Sex Bond and free rich and poor noble ignoble male female all alike in Christ Jesus Gal 3.28 So Paul tels his Galatians There is neither Jew nor Greek neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Jesus Upon their coming to him and believing on him all alike justified and saved by him Even as the Israelites coming and looking to the Brasen Serpent they were all a like cured Young and old Masters and servants Princes and Peasants no difference betwixt the one and the other Even so is it with all that come unto Jesus Christ Rom. 3.27 The righteousnesse of God which is by the faith of Jesus Christ is unto all and upon all that believe saith the same Apostle for there is no difference Whosoever believeth on him shall have alike benefit by him But I must not dwell upon illustration That which now remains for the closing up of this point and this Text is a word of Application which I shall direct only two wayes By way of Consolation Exhortation 1. By way of Comfort and Encouragement to Vse 1. Comfort to penitent sinners all poor penitent sinners such as feeling the sting of sin in their souls and being made sensible of the need they have of Jesus Christ desire to come and look up unto him to believe on him Let them know and know it to their everlasting comfort that for their sakes was this Brasen Serpent lift up for their sakes was the Lord Jesus by his Fathers Ordination and appointment lift up upon the Crosse so as they coming unto him shall not misse of benefit by him It matters not what you have been what you are Onely believe God who required no more at the Israelites hands but to look up to the Brasen Serpent requires no more from penitent sinners but to look up unto Jesus Christ by faith So doing whoever thou art thou shalt not perish And what a sweet incouragement is this take it to your selves you to whom it belongeth Are you in the number of those whose eyes God hath opened and whose hearts he hath inclined thus to look up unto the Lord Jesus thus to believe on him To you be it spoken to all and every of you you shall not perish but have everlasting life Whosoever Gaude hic meum tuum omnìum credentium nomen scriptum est Scultetus Now rejoyce and be glad saith one writing upon it Here is my name and thy name and the name of every believer written All written in this promise and so in the Book of life So saith Paul of his fellow-labourers naming some of them by name Whose names are in the book of life Phil. 4.3 And who is there but would be glad to read his name written there no such ground of rejoycing as this Luke 10.20 In this rejoyce not saith our Saviour to his Disciples that the spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoyce because your names are written in heaven Now this may all true believers do Do but evidence to thine own soule the truth of thy faith and then here read thy name written whosoever what is this generall this universall but as if God had said to every man and woman in particular and by name Believe thou and thou shalt not perish Believe thou and thou shalt have everlasting life Do wee but see to the condition he that hath made it will make good the promise Onely believe Let that be the word of Exhortation Vse 2. Exhortation Onely believe which let me presse upon every soul which is in measure prepared for the receiving of it I mean such as do feel the sting of sin and desire to be cured let them look up let them raise up their hearts to beleeve on the Lord Jesus And let nothing discourage or dismay them from or in so doing I know discouragements there are many which poor doubting soules will bee ready to take up and make use of against themselves Discouragements answered from the Type either to keep them from believing on Christ or at least from apprehending the comfort which belongeth to them upon their believing Give me leave to meet with some of them some of the most obvious And therein I shall still have recourse to the Type which methinks gives a very apt and full resolution to the most of the scruples and objections which a sin-stung soule can take up and make use of against it selfe in this way Object 1. O in the first place I am a Object 1. Unworthinesse of the person sinner a great sinner one that
the wounded Israelites did to their Brasen Serpent And to that end 1. Labour to feel the sting of sin 1. Feele the sting of sin to feele our soules wounded and mortally wounded by reason of sin that so we may be made sensible of the need we have of Jesus Christ Till the soule be brought to some sense and apprehension hereof it will never have recourse unto Christ for cure This being done then 2. Get an eye rightly affected 2. In the second place Labour to get an eye rightly affected and disposed as viz. 1. A discerning eye 2. A mournfull eye 3. A longing eye 4. A stedfast eye 1. A Discerning Eye 1. A Discerning eye Such must the Israelites eye be an eye that was able to behold and discern the Brasen Serpent And such an eye must they have who would have any benefit by Christ they must be able to behold Christ to behold him as he is revealed in the word they must have some degree and measure of distinct knowledge concerning Christ as to know what he was what he hath done what he hath suffered c. withall taking notice both of his ability and readinesse to cure all that come unto him His ability how mighty a Saviour Heb. 7.25 how able perfectly or for ever to save those that come unto God by him His willingnesse how tender and compassionate a Saviour being himselfe stung to death that he might know how to have compassion on them that are stung Heb. 4.15 We have not an high Priest saith the Apostle which cannot bee touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are How ready he is to receive all that come to him for cure Come unto me ye that labour c. Matth. 11.28 John 6.37 I will give you rest Matth. 11. Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out John 6. All these truths being clearly revealed in the word concerning Jesus Christ they must bee distinctly apprehended known and believed Here is the first requisite to the right disposing of the eye It must be a discerning eye 2. And secondly a mournfull eye 2. A mournful eye With such eyes I suppose did many of the Israelites look up unto their Brasen Serpent not without tears in them And with such eyes look we up unto ours They shall look upon him whom they have pierced John 19.37 saith the Prophet and they shal mourn Zach. 12.10 So did Mary Magdalene look upon her Saviour Luke 7.38 looking and weeping And so look we upon him mourning And that both for our selves and him In as much as by our sins we have pierced through both pierced our selves as Paul saith of covetous persons They pierce themselves through with many sorrowes 1 Tim. 6.10 So doth every sin more or lesse pierce the soule of the sinner And piercing our selves we have also pierced Christ crucifying him by our sins It is that which the Apostle saith of Apostates They crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh Heb. 6.6 By them he is twice crucified by others once None of us but have had hands in bringing him to the Crosse who died for our sins Great cause to look up unto him with a mournfull eye 3. And thirdly with a longing eye 3. A Longing Eye With such eyes did the Israelites look up to their Brasen Serpent earnestly desiring to receive benefit by it And with such eyes look we up unto ours longing after Jesus Christ that we may be made partakers of his saving benefits I have longed for thy salvation saith David Psal 119.174 And thus let the soule of every poor penitent sinner go out after Jesus Christ in longing desires after him after union and communion with him desiring nothing so much as this This is the height of Pauls desire that he might know Jesus Christ Phil. 3.10 and the vertue of his Resurrection know him not only Contemplatively but Experimentally and Practically feeling the power of his Resurection in raising him first from the Death of sin to the Life of Grace and after from the Death of Nature to the Life of Glory And let it bee so with us let there be nothing so dear and precious in our eye as Christ desire we nothing so much as an Interest in him and Communion with him Look up unto him with a Longing eye 4. And in the fourth place 4. A stedfast eye with a Stedfast eye so did the Israelites look up to their Brasen Serpent fixing their eyes upon it till they were cured And so look we up unto ours fixing our eyes upon the Lord Jesus stedfastly looking upon him untill we have obtained what we look for Psal 123.2 As the eyes of Servants look up unto the hands of their Masters c. So do our eyes wait upon the Lord untill hee have mercy upon us So do wee look up to our Lord and Saviour by faith resting and waiting upon him untill hee have mercy upon us untill our souls be cured perfectly cured Quest But when will that be Answ Why not in this life and therefore let us still be looking up unto him Heb. 12.2 Let us run the Race set before us saith the Apostle looking unto Jesus Heb. 12. Whilst a Christian is running his race he must throughout his whole course fix his eye upon Christ The Israelites as long as they were in the Wildernesse being continually subject to the stinging of those fiery Serpents they had a continued use of the Brasen Serpent and therefore was it carried along with them and still lift up amongst them that upon all occasions they might look up unto it Thus fareth it with us as long as we are in this wilderness here upon earth we are stil subject to daily infirmities and sins and consequently have still need of a Saviour who by the daily application of his merit and communication of his Spirit may work daily cures for us And therefore in the sense of this continued need we have of Jesus Christ let our eyes be still towards him whom God in infinite goodnesse and mercy is pleased still to hold forth unto us in the Word and Sacraments there to be represented to us and lift up before our eyes Thus fixing our eyes upon him wee shall find him to us a perfect Saviour saving us from the guilt of sin that it shall not be imputed to us and delivering us from the power of sin so as though it abide in us yet it shall not rule and raign in us but daily grow weaker and weaker untill we come in the end to have a perfect cure wrought in us and upon us in a perfect deliverance from sinne and death with the full fruition of that blessed and glorious life which shall be the portion of all those who thus look up unto this true Brasen Serpent who thus beleeve on the Lord Jesus So was the Son of Man lift
An. All men saith the Text. The Latine Translation hath it All things All things Omnia A reading which Augustine retaineth and contendeth for And Beza tells us that he findes one Greek copy and that an ancient one Non dixit omnes sed omnia Hoc utique non ad universitatem hominum retulit sed ad creatura integritatem i. e. spiritum animam corpus c. August Totos corpore animo faciam mihi servire Aretius ad Text. Utrumque ad se trahit ut salivt utrumque Ferus ad loc Phil. 2.6 All men 1 Tim. 2.5 The word All explained allowing it reading the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things Shall we so take it how shall we understand it Why Christ draweth all things that is say some not onely the souls but the bodies of men the one here the other hereafter drawing both to himselfe the one in his Kingdome of Grace the other in his Kingdome of Glory Others more fully Christ draweth all things to himselfe not onely men but other creatures How why in respect of that universall Authority and Soveraignty which he hath over them being lift up viz. from the Cross to the Crown he hath all Power given unto him and not onely over all Men but over Angells Devills and all other creatures all which how the knee to him yeelding to him either a voluntary or involuntary subjection and obedience But to let that pass The Greek Copies generally read the word as our Translation renders it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not All things but All men for their sakes it was that Christ took upon him the Office of Mediatorship he is the Mediator betwixt God and Men and upon them he excerciseth a spirituall government in drawing them to himselfe and this power he exerciseth upon all he draweth all men Qu. What are all men drawn by Christ unto Christ An. For Answer I find the word All here diversly expounded Some in the first place taking it universally for all men whatever All drawn to Christ how Potest hic tractus non solum de gratiâ quâ Electi trahuntur sed etiam de potestate quâ reprobi quoque velint nolint coguntur Christo subesse Omnes enim five boni sive mali ab ipso secundum merita sua judicandi sunt c. Ferus ad loc whether Elect or Reprobate good or bad both these are drawn by Christ unto Christ The one by the cords of his grace and mercy the other of his power and justice the one drawn to him as to a Saviour to believe on him to be saved by him the other drawn before him as a Judge brought to his Tribunall there to receive according to their demerits Thus shall all wicked men be drawn by Christ and to him A truth but I suppose not here intended The drawing here spoken of is by way of grace and mercy But how doth Christ thus draw all men 2. Why this he doth say others in the second place by offering himself to all offering grace and mercy life and salvation to all upon the condition of believing 2. Christ offered to all Omnes vocat omnibus salutem offert Ferus Mat. 23. True such an offer Christ maketh unto all all those whom he sendeth the Gospell to And so he may be said to draw all men calling inviting them to come unto him so did he draw Jerusalem in the dayes of his flesh O Jerusalem how often would I have gathered thee And thus he draweth all those that are within the pale of the Church the sound of the Gospell Muscul ad loc Ferus ad loc I dare not say with some Quantum in se est trahit that as much as in him lieth he draweth all men no I know that if Christ put forth his power he can overpower the soule of the most obstinate and rebellious sinner and cause him to come in and that willingly Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy powers Psal 110. Psa 110.3 When Christ puts forth the arm of his power accompanying his Word with his Spirit for that is the day of Christs power then shall his call be effectuall all that are so called shall come to him and that willingly Isa 65.2 Pro omnibus in cruce pependit omnes quantum in se est expansis ad se brachiis veluti trahit Musc ad loc Mat. 28.19 Mark 16.15 Thus Christ doth not draw all men yet outwardly he doth offering himselfe alike to all So he did upon the Cross where his arms were extended and spread abroad as inviting all willing and ready to receive and imbrace all that should come to him There behold the Son of man lift up and drawing all men unto him this he doth more clearly in the preaching of the Gospell which he requireth to be published to all Nations to every creature under heaven There he makes knowne himself offers himselfe to all that will receive him inviting perswading them to come to him to believe on him Thus he draweth all in respect of an outward call that this drawing proveth ineffectuall to some to many to the most the fault is their own in that they doe not hearken to this call they will not follow him drawing but draw back Mat. 23.37 I would have gathered you but ye would not saith our Saviour to Jerusalem In the mean time Christ draweth them outwardly Thus he draweth all not that he intends to save all but that by this means he may draw forth his Elect out of all and bring them home to himself even as the Fisherman the similitude illustrates it well in drawing of his net his drag he draweth all that cometh within the compass of it not onely good fish but weeds and stones and mud and wherefore doth he this why it is for the good fishes sake that what is good he may save Mat. 13.47 Even thus is it with Christ's Drag-net the preaching of the Gospell The Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a net saith our Saviour It draweth all that come within the reach and compasse of it Christ offering grace and mercy alike to all But wherefore this why it is for the Elects sake that Christ may save those which are his by that means singling and drawing them out of the world and bringing them effectually home to himselfe He draweth all that he may save some draws all outwardly by his word that by his Spirit accompanying his word he may draw his Elect out of all making that his drawing effectuall to them to all of them Thus Christ drawes all men A truth but not the whole truth here intended The drawing which our Saviour here speaketh of I look upon it as an inward and effectuall work a drawing and bringing of men home unto himselfe to believe on him Enquire yet further then How may Christ be said thus to draw
light and from the power of Satan to God But how was he to do it Why by preaching of the Gospel by bearing the name of Christ before them Act. 9.15 Hereby drawing them out of the World as fishes out of the sea Hereby drawing them out of themselves convincing them of their insufficiencie and Christs all sufficiencie and so drawing them to himselfe first as to a Saviour to beleeve on him working faith in them by this means Faith cometh by hearing Rom. 10. hearing the word the word of the Gospel Then as to a Lord to be governed by him which is also wrought by the same Instrument 2 Cor. 12.4 5. Here is the outward means but this often proveth ineffectuall Many there are who hear the word and hear it powerfully dispenced who yet are never the better for it so saith the Apostle of the Jewes The word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it Heb. 4.2 And so ineffectuall it often proves to many that sit under the sound of it They are not thereby brought home to Christ Even as many of the Jewes saw Christ lift up beheld him crucified who yet beleeved not on him nay therby they were hardned-against him Even so it is now in the preaching of the Gospell Many there are before whose eyes Christ is lift up crucified in the Word and Sacraments who yet are not brought to beleeve on him or submit unto him 2. To this therefore in the second place is joyned the Spirit 2. The Spirit The Spirit of Christ which he sendeth forth to accompany his word and to make it effectuall in the hearts of his Elect and by this means he draweth men effectually even as the Load-stone draweth Iron by a secret efflux and emission of subtile and insensible spirits thereby attracting that which of it selfe was unapt to move So doth Christ draw men to himselfe by sending forth his Spirit Act. 2. By this means did he draw so many at the day of Pentecost viz. by sending down his Spirit upon his Apostles which accompanying the word preached by them made it effectuall in them that heard it There might we have seen the accomplishment of what our Saviour here in the Text foretells and forepromiseth When I am lift up I will draw all men unto me this he did at the day of Pentecost Being lift up first upon the Crosse in his Passion and then upon his Throne in his Exaltation see how he draweth all men all sorts of men some of all nations to himself this he did by powring out his Spirit according as he had promised Act. 2.17 Joel 2.23 I will powre out my Spirit upon all flesh hereby multitudes were brought to beleeve on him and hereby it is that Christ draweth poor sinners unto himself at this day viz. by sending his Spirit along with his word The word in it selfe is but a dead letter 2 Cor. 3.6 it is the Spirit that quickneth it that puteth life into it The words which I speak are Spirit and Life saith our Saviour to the Jews John 6.63 What ever efficacie the word hath it hath it from the Spirit Qu Qu. 2. What the Spirit herein doth Why what doth the Spirit in this work Answ An. I answer The work of the Spirit lieth principally in two things in Enlightning the Vnderstanding and Inclining the Will 1. It Enlightneth the Vnderstanding 1. It inlightneth the understanding Gal. 1.16 letting in a supernatural light into the soul a light of knowledge revealing Christ to it and in it discovering to it what need it hath of him what an all-sufficiency it may find in him convincing it of it own unrighteousnesse and of a perfect righteousnesse to be found in Christ This is the work of the Spirit it is that which out Saviour maketh promise of to his Disciples Joh. 16. that when he was departed from them Joh. 16.7 8. he would send the Comforter the Spirit And when he is come saith he hee shall convince the world of sin and of Righteousnesse c. And this the Spirit doth the Spirit accompanying the word it convinceth men of sin of their own sinfulnesse the sinfulnesse of their natures hearts lives and as of sin so of righteousnesse as of sin in themselves so of a righteousnesse which is to be sought and may be found out of themselves viz. in Christ who is made Wisedome 1 Cor. 1.30 and Righteousnesse to all those who in the sense of their own righteousnesse go out of themselves unto him This the Spirit with clear and convincing evidence revealeth unto the soul And hereby Christ prepareth the hearts of his Elect whom he intendeth to draw unto himselfe 2. Having thus inlightned the Understanding now in the second place he cometh to incline the Will 2. Inclineth the will causing the soul to come unto himself Quest But how doth Christ bring off the soul hereunto what doth hee compell the Will Answ Not so The will being in it own nature free it cannot be compelled being compelled it should cease to bee a will How then Why by a sweet and gentle overpowring of it working upon it in a way sutable and agreeable to it own nature effectually perswading bowing and inclining it to yeeld to what with such clear and strong evidence is held forth unto it Phil. 2.13 so drawing forth a consent from it working in it a will of unwilling making it willing to close with Christ offered and tendered to it to receive him as Saviour and Lord Thus doth the Spirit work upon the spirit the Spirit of God upon the spirit of man And by this means Christ draweth men to himself sending forth his Spirit together with his Word he worketh effectually in the hearts of his chosen causing them to come unto him to believe on him submit unto him And thus have you the Doctrinal part of this useful Truth briefly opened unto you Now bring we it home to our selves by way of Application Applica Examine whether we have been thus drawn to Christ Vse 1. And that first by way of Examination and Triall whether we have been thus drawn unto Christ or no Drawn we have been outwardly all of us None of us but have had Christ propounded offered held forth unto us in the Ministery of the Word there crucified lift up before our eyes Haply some and many of us have also felt an inward drawing felt our hearts at sometimes somewhat moved and inclined to look towards Christ We have at sometime found the Word exciting and stirring up some motions and breathings that way But are we drawn home unto Christ Many there are who through a common work of the Spirit accompanying of the Word are brought to look towards Christ who never yet come at him Acts 26.28 It was the case of Agrippa whom as himself acknowledgeth Paul had almost perswaded to become a Christian