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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
virtue_n	brazen_a	look_v	serpent_n	839	5	9.9901	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A22507	A commentarie vpon the fourth booke of Moses, called Numbers Containing, the foundation of the church and common-wealth of the Israelites, while they walked and wandered in the vvildernesse. Laying before vs the vnchangeable loue of God promised and exhibited to this people ... Heerein also the reader shall finde more then fiue hundred theologicall questions, decided and determined by William Attersoll, minister of the word.	Attersoll, William, d. 1640.; Attersoll, William, d. 1640. Pathway to Canaan.; Attersoll, William, d. 1640. Continuation of the exposition of the booke of Numbers.	1618 (1618)	STC 893; ESTC S106852	2,762,938	1,336

handled before Now wee come to consider the yssue and effect of the whole matter according to the determination of God For as he foretold what should come to passe so hee faileth not in it but accordingly verifieth the same Whatsoeuer hee hath spoken shall fall out whether hee promise any thing vnto vs or threaten any thing against vs. Hee is not as man that he should lye neyther as the sonne of man that hee should repent as Balaam by the Spirit of God prophesieth heereafter in this booke Chapt. 23. verse 19. And Christ our Sauiour teacheth Math. 5 18. that Heauen and earth must passe away but one word of his mouth shall not passe away but all shall be accomplished and fulfilled This euent heere mentioned is two-fold First respecting the guilty in the 27. Verse where it is shewed that shee shall perish according as shee sinned and her name shall turne into a Prouerbe of cursing Secondly in respect of the innocent because by drinking of the water shee shall receiue and feele no hurt but God will turne that wrongfull suspition and causelesse calumniation into a great blessing and so reward her innocency that he wil turne the heart of her husband toward her who hath the hearts of all men in his power and turneth them about as pleaseth him so that they shall mutually loue one another and be blessed in their children that shall be giuen vnto them Now the question may be asked Obiect whether this force to discerne betweene the guiltie and the innocent and to bring to light the things that were hidden in darkenesse were in the water it selfe and a qualitie inherent in it and infused into it I answer Answer we must ascribe no power to the water it selfe which in regarde of the substance was no other then common Water forasmuch as both the guilty and the vnguilty did drinke of it or at least might drinke of it The whole force proceeded from the operation of God and his holy institution The brazen Serpent set vpon a pole and looked vppon by them that were bitten by the fierie Serpents did heale them so that albeit they were stung yet they dyed not Howe came this to passe Was it in regard of the matter or of the forme Surely of neyther but all the vertue proceeded from GOD the author of it When Christ healed the blinde man Iohn 9. verse 6. He spate vpon the ground and made clay of the spettle he annointed the eyes of the blinde man with the clay and bad him wash in the poole of Siloam who went his way and washed and returned seeing All men know and can easily iudge that this could not by any naturall operation restore sight to the blind so that it was Christ that healed him not the spettle not the clay not the annointing not the washing This may bee expressed and conceiued by the miracle that Christ shewed vpon the woman that had an issue of blood Mat. 9 20. Marke 5 28. She came behind him and touched the hem of his garment for she said If I may touch but his clothes onely I shall be whole what then Did his garments heal her or were they the cause that her fountain of blood stanched and dried vp No it was the power of Christ that gaue a blessing to the weake meanes and therefore he saith to his disciples Some bodie hath touched me Luke 8 46. for I perceiue that vertue is gone out of me He saith not out of the border of my garment which shee hath touched Shee touched indeede the garment of Christ but it was her faith in Christ that made her whol So in this place both sorts that came to be tryed drunke of the water and according as they were either innocent or not innocent so it fell out vnto them howbeit it was God that vnderstandeth all secrets that brought the trueth to light not any inherent strength that was in the waters Verse 27. And when he hath made her to drinke the water c. Heere wee haue obserued that the successe of the whole busines is contained wherein Moses declareth what doth follow and most certainly come to passe if the woman haue beene abused Heere is set down the temporall punishment that shall come vpon her The more she hath stood vppon her purgation and the greater her impudency and shamelesnesse hath beene the more notorious is her sinne and the more notable is her punishment God hauing all meanes in his owne hand could haue punished her if it had pleased him otherwise but to make it the better appeare that he is the maintainer and preseruer of marriage which is his owne institution and that all might acknowledge the iudgement to be from his hand hee punisheth her in those parts wherewith shee had offended Hee hath all diseases in his owne power to bring vpon the breakers of his ordinance and the transgressors of his Law he might therefore haue stricken her with the leprosie or with plague and pestilence with the consumption with incurable agues or with such an issue of blood as we heard off before in the woman that was cured by touching of Christs garment but to brand her with a perpetuall marke of infamy and to shew how hee hateth adultery hee meeteth with her in her owne kind and punished those parts of her body which she had abused Ezek 16.25 She had opened her feet as the Prophet speaketh to euery one that passed by so that shee became as a wife that committeth adultery which taketh strangers in stead of her husband Her filthinesse was powred out and her nakednesse discouered her belly and thighes communicated to another howbeit her pleasure should be turned into paine and she should be iudged as women that breake wedlocke she should feele the curse of God end her daies in reproach for as she had sinned with her belly so her belly should swell through greatnesse and anguish and as she had opened her thighes so they should rot away so that she shold be punished where she most deserued and become a fearefull spectacle of a forlorne creature and a liuing carkasse consuming in her flesh and dying being yet aliue We doe all learne from hence Doctrine God punisheth in the same things wherein men and women offend and in the same maner that God doth not onely punish sinne but he punisheth sinne in his owne kinde He dealeth with men and women in his punishments as they deale with him in their transgressions so that according as we sinne so we are punished We see this by infinite examples laid before vs in the word of God Consider with me the enemies persecuters of Daniel that sought his life and caused him to be cast into the Lyons denne but how doth God meete with them he might haue reuenged himselfe vpon them by his owne immediate hand but hee would not for they perish and are punished the same way Dan. 6.14 for the king commanded to bring

Peter They fall by frailty with Dauid but they rise not by repentance with Dauid They sinne with Salomon but they repent not with him 〈◊〉 ●7 They sinne with the Iewes but they are not pricked in heart with the Iewes saying What shall we doe They persecute the Saints of God with the laylor Acts 16.29 but they tremble not at their sin nor seeke to the seruants of God saying Sirs what must we doe to be saued They break out with their tongues and iustifie themselues as Iob but they set not a watch before the dore of their lips Iob 42 6. they doe not abhorre themselues neither repent in dust and ashes with Iob saying Psal 39.1 I will t●ke heede to my wayes that I sinne not with my tongue I will keepe my mouth bridled They flye from the presence of God with Ionah but they remember not to pray with him for pardon ●on 1.3 and ● 1.8 acknowledging that such as waite vpon lying vanities forsake their owne mercy Let vs therfore all learne to profit by the fauorable dealing of God toward offenders neither abusing his louing kindnesse nor continuing in sinne nor presuming of his mercy assuring our selues that if the persons receiuing pardon be such as are penitent then assuredly to the impenitent there is no forgiuenesse This the Apostle setteth downe Rom. 2.4 5. The acceptable time of repentance for all of vs is the time present what time we haue to come is vncertain Late repentance is oftentimes constrained and sildome true repentance The longer a diseased man continueth in his sickenesse the harder is his recouery Let vs not delay and deferre our repentance This is the blessed time and the acceptable season To day therefore if we will heare his voyce let vs not harden our hearts in sinne Heb. 3.7 8. Fourthly let vs not spare to seeke the saluation Vse 4 and thirst after the conuersion euen of the greatst sinners Let vs not account their estate and condition forlorne and desperate Neither iudge any before the time 1 Cor. 4.5 vntill the Lord come who will ligh●en things that are hid in darkenesse and make the counsels of the heart manifest and then shall euery man haue praise of God The husbandman waiteth for the fruite of the earth Iames 5 7 and hath long patience for it vntill hee receiue the former and latter raine Now we are Gods labourers and husbandmen 1 Cor. 3 9.6.7 ye are Gods husbandry and Gods building Paul planteth and Apollo watereth but God giueth the increase So then neither is hee that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giueth the increase Wee are vnto God the sweet sauour of Christ in them that are saued 2 Cor. 2 15.16 and in them which perish to the one we are the sauour of death to death and to the other the sauour of life vnto life This must be our comfort in the midst of all discomforts iniurious dealing and hard measure offered vnto vs to know that euery man shall receiue his wages according to his labour And the Prophet prophesying of the kingdome of Christ that he should spread out his hands all day vnto a rebellious people maketh this his stay and staffe of rest Esay 49 4. I haue laboured in vaine I haue spent my strength in vaine and for nothing but my iudgement is with the Lord and my worke with my God Let vs therefore goe Iustile forward in building vp the house of God preach in season and out of season and commit the fruit of the work and successe of all our labours to the Lord whose word is neuer deliuered nor heard in vaine as the Apostle vrgeth it 2 Ti. 2.24 25 26. Vse 5 Lastly seeing God is mercifull to miserable Sinners as a good shepheard taking them out of the iawes of the Lyon bringing them vnto the sheepefolde and feeding them in greene pastures let vs seeke to be like our heauenly Father in shewing mercy and forgiuenesse toward such as greeuously offend against vs. Euery mans experience telleth and teacheth him the mercy of God to be exceeding great we feele it toward our selues wee see it daily toward others we reade that blasphemy it selfe findeth place for pardon Mat. 12.31 Wee find this to be the nature of God The Lord the Lord Exod. 34.6 7 gracious and mercifull slow to anger and aboundant in goodnesse reseruing mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquity trangression and sinne If we will be the children of God we must resemble our heauenly Father we must expresse the liuely lineaments of his face wee must bee transformed into his likenesse and beare his image in all holinesse and righteousnesse This the Apostle teacheth Col. 3.12 13. To this purpose Christ propoundeth the parable Matthew chapter 18. verses 32 33 35. teaching vs that wee must forgiue small things that receiue the pardon of greater we must remit a sew pence because God forgiueth vs many talents an huge summe an infinit debt But if we will not forgiue nor forget the trespasses done to vs we are stamped in the image of the diuel who was malicious and a murtherer from the beginning we make a law against our selues inasmuch as we shall find the Lord so toward vs as wee deale toward our brethren For there shall bee iudgement mercilesse to him that sheweth not mercy Iam. 2.13 Mat. 7.2 and with what measure wee mete it shall bee measured to vs againe Verse 9. Moses made a Serpent of brasse and set it vpon apole and when a serpent had bitten a man then he looked to the serpent of brasse and liued We saw before how the prayer of Moses was heard and the remedy prouided of God to heale the people We saw in God the greatnesse of his compassion wee saw in the people the fruit of their confession we saw in Moses the grace of meeknesse and gentlenesse suffering all things and enduring all things Heere there is offered to our considerations the obedience of Moses the setting vp of the serpent and the recouery of the people Moses doth not heere consult with flesh and blood neither doth he vse carnall wisedome to bee his counseller which in matters of faith is an enemie to God He doth not reason whether it were likely that a piece of brasse should remedy this biting or whether a dead thing shold giue life but so soon as he receiueth the commandement of God hee prepareth himselfe maketh ready a brazen serpent pitcheth it vpon an high pole the people looke vpon it and are recouered This cure was not by Phisicke or Chirurgery or by inherent vertue in the brasse as in a medicine but by casting vp the eye vpon the serpent and beleeuing the ordinance of God who had appointed the serpent for that purpose We are all of vs from hence to learne and consider That the brazen serpent standing on the pole was a type and figure of Christ crucified Doctrine The

resemblance or representation of the nature substance or essence of Angels but onely of their office and function alone so that if this serue to confirme and ratifie imagery in the Church it can proue no image of the persons of Christ of his Mother and of the Saints but onely of their office Moreouer these new idolaters do borrow the weapons of the old idolaters that liued in the dayes of Tertullian Tertul. contra Marcun lib. 3. who alleadged this example of the Cherubins which the Rhemists doe to whom he answereth it was done for ornament of the Arke not for worship of the images so that to warrant any setting vp of religious images against the second commandement a man must haue the like speciall warrant and word that they had from the Lord. For if Moses had set vp the Cherubims or brazen serpent for those causes without Gods commandement hee had sinned greeuously and commited idolatry which God abhorreth And whereas they say God forbiddeth onely the idols of the heathen made for adoration of false Gods it is a vaine cauill Epipb bere 14 55 79 E●ipb Epist ● Ioan. Hiero. and an olde and cold euasion For the commandement is generall condemning the images of all heretikes made for any vse of religion Againe this conceit is euidently confuted by Moses who opposeth the voyce of God heard in the mountaine to all images and namely to the image of God himselfe who is said to haue appeared in no likenesse lest they should make an image of him Deut. 4.15 16. Take good heed to your selues for ye saw no image in the dayes that the Lord spake vnto you in Horeb out of the minds of the fire that ye corupt not your selues and make you a grauen image or representation of any figure whether it be the likenesse of male or female where he reasoneth that because they saw no image they must make none The second question is of the manner how Obiection 2 this curing and healing was wrought and performed It was set vpon an high pole or perch to be seene and viewed of all the people They were stung they looked vpon it they were by and by healed at the very sight thereof none that saw it perished though they were stung before Now the question is how this naked sight and bare beholding of the brazen serpent could cure this byting and turne the ranke poison into a counterpoison I answer Answer there was no proper force or naturall power inherent in the image it selfe For in all naturall things consisting of the matter and the forme the force which they haue proceedeth either from the one or from the other either from the matter whereof it is made or from the forme whereby it consisteth The matter of this serpent was brasse without sense without breath without life which hath no vertue or vigour to cure the stingings and bytings of venemous beasts more then the brazen Lauer the brazen Grate Exod. 3● 1● Chap. 35 1● Chap 36 1● Chap 3● 1● Leuit. 6 28 Numb 16 ● 1 King 7 45 the brazen Taches the brazen Sockets the brazen Pot the brazen Censors the brazen Sea the brazen Pillars the brazen Basons and other holy instruments applyed about the Temple and Tabernacle none of which wrought any such strange and wonderfull miracle Nay some of the Hebrew Rabbines and Doctors doe declare that the cure was by contraries Paul Fa● i● par apb ●●ld Dauid inasmuch as the nature of bright shining brasse is such that whosoeuer being bitten of a serpent beholdeth it presently dyeth The outward forme of this serpent was not of nature but from Art made in proportion like to the serpents that stung them but the artificiall forme worketh nothing of it selfe which it receiueth from the workeman Wherfore this brazen serpent could performe no such worke by any force or vertue of it owne Whence then had it this wonderfull power and operation Surely from the ordinance appointment and institution of God onely Thus was the cure performed not as by ordinary means of Phisicke or Chirurgery or by any naturall property of the Serpent such as we know learne and perceiue to be in hearbes simples applyed to places affected and infected For this extraordinary worke must be weighed either by the nature of the thing or by the apointment of God beside beyond the nature of the thing it selfe But not by'the nature of the thing considered in it selfe for we see if a man frame such an image it hath no such strength neither had this any such vertue remaining after this season Therfore by the institution of God it was made forcible and effectuall who can heale all our infirmities at his owne pleasure as he healed Naaman by washing in Iordan 2 King 5 12. restored a great multitude of sicke folke by stepping into the troubled water Ioh. 5.4 gaue sight to the blind Ioh. 9.6 by making clay of spittle and annointing the eyes of the blinde therewith Now this institution was Sacramentall as wee haue shewed for the serpent hanging on a pole figured out Christ hanging on the Crosse who is made of God Iesus that is A Sauiour vnto vs that such as looke on him that is beleeue in his Name should not perish but haue life euerlasting and this kinde of cure did greatly magnifie Gods mercy For if the serpents had beene suddenly taken away as the plagues brought vpon Egypt were it would bee thought they had come by chance and fortune yea the great fauour of God would soone haue beene forgotten Now albeit these serpents remaine among the people albeit they oftentimes sting them albeit they treade vpon them and feele the venome of them yet they may well bite them but they cannot kill or destroy them seeing they had so sudden and soueraigne a remedy at hand to restore them Obiection 3 Another question may be asked why this brazen serpent was kept and reserued so long after the serpents were gone from the Israeites and the Israelites from the wildernesse and were placed in the land of promise for it appeareth to haue beene in king Hezekiahs time seuen hundred yeeres after the erecting of it I answer ●wer it was preserued to be a monument of this history to wit of the peoples rebellion of Gods compassion and of Christs passion because it was a liuely figure of his crucifying and of spirituall grace receiued from him But when once another end contrary to the first institution and Gods ordinance crept in that the people offered incense vnto it albeit it were the commandement of God the worke of Moses the type of Christ the cure of the people yet it was iustly demolished rightly cōmanded to bee destroyed that all occasion of superstition and idolatry might be cut off for euer afterward Obiection 4 But are all things to bee destroyed that are abused and to be abolished that are and haue beene worshipped I answer Answer no for then the

body Thirdly in this Type we see the nature of Vse 3 the Sacraments The brazen serpent in it selfe had no operation to work any thing in it selfe it had no vertue to cure or recouer any man of any disease The Sacraments of themselus cannot conferre grace onely they are instruments of Gods mercies which he vseth of his goodnesse toward vs to conuey to vs good things They are as the Kings gracious pardon that sealeth vp vnto vs forgiuenesse of sins so that being by his institution very auaileable wee must frequent thē with a feeling of our wants with reuerence of his ordinances with hungring after his graces with calling vpon his Name to fit and prepare vs to that heauenly worke God could haue healed his people with his word alone without the serpent as well as with the serpent as the Centurion confesseth to Christ Speake the word onely Math. ● ● and my seruant shall be healed yet he addeth the serpent set vpon a pole for farther assurance of his word and to be a signe of their recouery so God can saue by the Ministery of his word without the Sacraments if it please him yet he addeth and annexeth them as appurtenances to the word to confirme the weaknesse of our faith and to make good the truth of his owne promise And as it was not enough for them to beleeue the word of God to the curing of their bodies the taking away of the stinging of the serpents vnlesse they vsed the helpe of the brazen serpent no more is it sufficient for vs to beleeue the forgiuenesse of sins by Christ vnlesse we labour to strengthen our faith by the Sacraments Nay if any wold not vouchsafe to looke vpon the Serpent being the meanes that God ordained for their recouery it is certaine they regarded not the word of God it selfe that they should liue so if any contemne or neglect the Sacraments being holy seales of heauenly blessings they are plainely conuinced to their faces that they respect not the word it selfe whatsoeuer they pretend to the contrary notwithstanding This we see in Ahaz who neglecting a signe offered vnto him for the better strengthening of his faith is said to tempt God and to despise his word Esay 7 12. The naturall reason of man would neuer beleeue that he should be healed by a serpent of brasse hauing no vertue or vigour in it so carnall wisedome and vnderstanding cannot discerne how a little water sprinkled on the body should be the lauer of regeneration or how a small cantle of bread should bring and conuey vnto vs the body of Christ or a little wine offer and exhibite vnto vs the blood of Christ So that as in this bodily cure both their eye did behold it and their faith did beleeue in like manner in the Sacraments we must shut the eyes of our carnall reason and open the eyes of faith beleeue his word and we shall be comforted For euery man doth in them receiue through the promise of God so much as he beleeueth he receiueth This Christ assureth to the woman of Canaan who had shewed an vndaunted and inuincible faith taking no repulses ouerstriding all difficulties refusing all denials and striuing against all doubts that might arise in her heart saying O woman great is thy faith be it to thee as thou desirest Mat. 15 28. So when two blinde men followed him crying saying O sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon vs he saide vnto them Beleeue ye that I am able to doe this and when they answered Yea Lord hee touched their eyes saying According to your faith be it vnto you Mat. 9 29. Moreouer albeit the Serpent restored life yet was not life present and inherent in the brazen serpent neither abiding in the matter or resting in the forme thereof so albeit Christ be offered and signified yea conueyed and conferred vnto vs in the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper yet he is not carnally and corporally present nor carnally and corporally eaten as the Capernaites imagined ● 60.66 but he is spiritual meat for spirituall men the rest eate the outward signes but are not partakers of the thing signified Thus we see how the consideration of the similitude of the brazen serpent directeth vs in sundry conclusions to be holden and acknowledged touching the Doctrine of the Sacraments of the new Testament Fourthly this present type teacheth vs that Vse 4 we are iustified by faith alone without the works of the Law For as the Israelites stung of these serpents were cured so are we saued as health was offered by the serpent so is saluation by Christ But the Israelites did nothing at all but onely looke vp to the brazen serpent they were not willed to make satisfaction for their rebellion or to goe on pilgrimage nor so much as to dresse and binde vp their wounds but only to behold the serpent set vpon the pole as Christ saith to the Ruler of the Synagogue touching the healing of his daughter Feare not onely beleeue Mar. 5 36 so is it in the saluing of the sores of the soule in the attaining pardon of our sins and obtaining the righteousnesse of Christ There is required nothing of vs touching our iustification and saluation but to fixe the eyes of our faith vpon Christ True it is many other vertues and graces are required to make vp the full perfection of a christian man that he may be complete wanting nothing yet he is iustified and doth stand as righteous in the sight of God by faith onely It is a great weighty controuersie in these daies betweene the Church of Rome and vs what is the cause of life and saluation they ascribe the cause of saluation in part to the merit of our own works and to a righteousnesse inherent in our owne persons and in part likewise to Christ who say they hath made vs able to merit the fauour of God and to satisfie for our own sins We ascribe all our saluation to the mercy of God and the merite of Christ wholly applied to vs by a liuely faith the which manner of sauing vs most fitly agreeth to the nature of God the chiefe Fountaine of our saluation who can abide no pollution neither can any wickednesse stand in his presence who is of pure eyes requireth our perfect obedience so that wanting the perfect righteousnesse of the Law of our owne wee must bee cloathed with the righteousnesse of another whereby we may be saued Euen as Iacob though hee were not by birth the first borne Ambr. de Iacob lib. 2. cap. 1. yet hiding himselfe vnder his brothers garments and hauing put on his coate which smelled most sweetly came into his fathers presence that vnder another mans person he might receiue the blessing of the first borne so is it necessary that we lye hid vnder the precious purenesse of Christ our elder brother that hauing the sweet sauour of his garments our sinnes may be couered with