believeth not is condemned already The Arminians dream of Universal Redemption Christ dying intentionally for all The Brazen Serpent was made a Type of Christ now the Brazen Serpent cured not all persons only them that looked upon it So those who either through ignorance or stubbornness look not on Christ by Faith have no benefit by him 2. In case the people of Israel had not looked upon this Serpent Alone if they had set up another Brazen Serpent by this and looked upon both they had not received a cure So after God hath set up Christ to be a Saviour if any shall presume to set up another Saviour by him as the Papists who look partly to Christ and partly to their Merits they can receive no sanative vertue from him For us of the Protestant perswasion to look upon our duties equally with Christ our prayers and tears as expecting they should merit salvation this is to make two Brazen Serpents to set up two Christs and then we cannot be cured We are to use duties but to look beyond them to Christ. They are good duties but bad Christ's If we trust to our duties for salvation they will be Fiery Serpents to sting us not Brazen Serpents to heal us 3. In case the Brazen Serpent was set up upon a Pole if Israel had looked only upon their sting and not upon the Serpent they had not been cured So if we look only upon our Sins and through despair look not up to Christ vve have no healing from him To keep avvay from Christ because of our sins is a disparagement to Christ as if there were more malignity and poyson in sin then vertue in this Brazen Serpent Indeed vve must look with one eye upon sin but vvith another eye upon Christ. Look on sin vvith a penitent eye and on Christ vvith a believing eye Weep for sin that slevv Christ but hope in the Lamb slain 4. In case Israel had looked upon the Brazen Serpent yet if it had been vvith an eye of scorn or contempt as despising that remedy God had provided they had not been cured Jesus Christ is lifted up but if he be looked upon as the Jews looked upon him vvhen he hung on the Cross vvith an eye not of reverence but disdain he vvill not cure The blasphemous Socinians look upon Christ only as a meer man and his blood not satisâ—…ory or meritorious these cannot be â—…ved by him Isa. 53. 3. He is despised of Men. To these he is not a Brazen Serpent but a consuming fire 5. The Brazen Serpent resembled Christ in the issue and result of it He who looked on the Serpent had an infallible cure So he that can but look wishly on Christ by Faith is certainly savâ—…d Joh. 3. 14. Whosoever believeth on him shall not penish Our misery at first came in by the eye looking upon the apple undid us but looking on Christ aright saves us 2. I shall show the Transcendencies of Christ the Spiritual Brazen Serpent above that in the Wilderness 1. The Brazen Serpent was inanimate it could repair life not infuse life But Jesus Christ gives life to the World Joh. 6. 33. Yea a never-dying life Joh. 3. 15. Eternal life Life is sweet but this word Eternal makes it sweeter 2. The Brazen Serpent could cure only a sting in the body The Lord Jesus heals a more deadly sting in our souls Psal. 103. 3. So deep were these wounds that they could not be healed but by deeper wounds made in Christ's side He was fain to die to cure us 3. The Brazen Serpent could cure only those who were within sight of it such as were afar off and in remote parts of the Wilderness had not their sting removed But Jesus Christ cures none but them who are afar off Jer. 2. 5. They are gone far from me The East is not so far from the West as the sinner is from God but herein appears the vertue of our Spiritual Brazen Serpent he heals none but them who are afar off Such as are not only aliens but rebells that live in the Devil's Territories Christ works a cure upon them and turns them from the power of satan Act. 26. 18. 4. The Brazen Serpent cured them that looked on it but if they had wanted the organ of fight there had been no cure for them What would a poor blind Israelite have done but Christ our Brazen Serpent not only cures us when we look upon him but if we want our sight he enables us to look upon him Christ not only saves us when we believe but he gives us power to believe Ephes. 2. 8. Christ anoints us with the eye-salve of his Spirit that we may look up and looking up we are cured Use. 1. Information 1 Branch In this Mystery of the Brazen Serpent see by what improbable means God doth sometimes effect great things What was a Brazen Serpent What likelihood that this should heal one that was stung it was a meer Image a shape and this not applyed to the wound but only beheld and looked upon yet this wrought a cure Reason would with Sarah have laughed at this A bitter Tree cast into the vvaters did dulcifie and make themsweet to drink of Clay and spittle cured the blind man vve vvould rather think it should put out ones eyes that did see What is there in the Rainbovv to prevent a deluge What is Bread and Wine in the Sacrament that these Elements should be consecrated to such an high mystery as to be a symbol of Christ's Body and Blood What more strange then that a dead man should quicken the vvorld but God loves to amuse and non-plus human vvisdom and bring great things to pass by vveak contemptible means 1 Cor. 1. 27 28. This the Lord doth 1. That his Glory may shine forth the more The less appears in outvvard means the more of God is seen The less beauty and splendor is in the Load-stone the more the virtues of it are admired And the less outward Pomp is in the instrument the more Gods wisdom energy is manifested 2. God would have the World see what power is in his Institution God appointed the Brazen Serpent therefore a word of Blessing went along with it to heal Psal. 107. 20. He sent forth his word and bealed them In the blessed Sacrament we are to look above the Elements a word of Blessing goes along with God's Institution to make this Ordinance effectual for the sealing up of Christ and all his benefits to us 2. Bran. In this Mystery of the Brazen Serpent see what infinite need we stand in of Christ. What would a stung Israelite have done without a Brazen Serpent if Balm be needful for one that is wounded if an antidote be needful for one that is poysoned then Christ the Brazen serpent is needful for a soul stung with sin Yea and what need have we to look often upon Christ in the
frequent Celebration of the Lords Supper where Christ in a special manner is lifted up though we have looked upon this Brazen serpent formerly yet still we have need to look upon him we are not perfectly healed Indeed Israel if they had looked but once on the Brazen Serpent they were perfectly cured but though we have looked several times on Christ in the Sacrament and can say by experience We have fetched vertue from him yet we are not perfectly cured Though the guilt of sin be taken away yet not the presence and in-being Our bloody issue is not quite dried up our wounds bleed afresh our sins break out again I appeal to the best hearts alive how often have they been stung with sin and tentation since they looked last on Christ lifted up in the Sacrament O what need then to come often to this Ordinance Herein the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper differeth from the Sacrament of Baptism which is to be administred but once this often 〈◊〉 Cor. 11. 26 If we consider how strong our corruptions are how weak our Graces how numerous our wanâ—…s it may make us come often to the Lords-Table where we may have an healing sight of Christ. He that wants Gold goes often to the Indies Our Spiritual indigence may renew our addresses to the Lords-Supper for strength and comfort 3. Bran. See in this Mystery the Cabinet of Free-grace opened and God's love sparkling forth Three ways 1. That God hath provided Christ this Brazen Serpent as a remedy for stung lapsed sinners Oh infinite goodness of God that when vve had degenerated from him by Apostacy the Lord should take pity of us and instead of brandishing his flaming svvord should erect a Brazen serpent and make Christ knovvn to us in his healing vertues When the Angels sinned there vvas no Brazen serpent for them God did not send them to the Hospital to be healed but to the Jail to be punished They are reserved in everlasting Chains Jude 6. O rich Free-grace that hath indulged us vvith a remedy and found out a vvay of cure for all our desperate maladies 2. See Gods Free-grace that some should be healed of their sting and not others There are but a fevv healed There is a time vvhen sinners vvill not be healed Jer. 51. 9. We would have healed Babylon but she is not healed and there is a time vvhen sinners cannot be healed Nah. 3. 19. There is no healing of thy bruise Novv Christian vvhen most die of their vvound that the Brazen serpent should be sent to thee to cure thee Oh stupendious Grace that God should lay his left hand upon many of the rich and noble and lay his right hand upon thee that Heaven should fall to thy lot that thou shouldst be one of those few that are saved* cry out in admiration Lord how is it that thou shouldst show thy self to me and not unto the world 3. See God's Free-grace that he cures us upon such cheap terms When we were wounded so deadly God did not put us to charges we were not to bring money to purchase our Cure not rivers of Oyl or drops of blood no only look upon the Brazen Serpent and the Cure is effected Isa. 55 1. Come without money and without price We are not to pay for our Cure Spiritual Blessings are too dear for our purse to reach Christ made a purchase for us in his Blood all he requires is to receive it and be thankful 4. See how justly all wicked men perish God hath provided a brazen Serpent a glorious Saviour that whoever believes in his blood may obtain mercy God beseecheth yea chargeth men to believe if therefore through folly they neglect Christ or obstinacy refuse him how righteous will God be in pronouncing that last and fatal sentence upon them They who perish under the Gospel must needs be double damned Hell's furnace will be heated seven times hoter for them because they put away Salvation from them Act. 13. 46. Pagans perish in the want of a Brazen serpent and Christians in the Contempt Jesus Christ saith Come unto me all ye sinners who are stung with guilt I will heal you I conflicted with my Fathers wrath I was wounded and out of these bleeding wounds comes forth a soveraign medicine to cure you But desperate sinners love their disease better then their remedy They had rather die then look up to Christ for life Psal. 81. 11. Israel would none of me Oh strange delirium the old Serpent after he hath stung men hath bewitched them that they mind not a Cure Who will pity such as willfully cast away themselves how will mercy slight their tears at last and God's justice triumph in their deserved ruin Use 2. Let us look in a right manner upon this Mystical Brazen Serpent Heb. 12. 2. Looking unto Jesus The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the stedfast fixing of the eye upon some lovely beautiful object Faith will be of more use to us than any other grace As an eye though a dim one was of more use to a stung Israelite than any other member Faith discerns the Lords body To encourage Faith Consider 1. Christ was lifted up upon the Cross purposely to cure us Christ had no other end in dying but to heal his blood is a soveraign balm for a sin-sick soul. Such as feel the burden of their sins need not question Christ's willingness to save them when the very design of his death was to cure Psal. 147. 3. He healeth the broken in heart Serpents as Naturalists affirm have a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or great love to their young and will hazard their lives for them So full of love was Christ our Mystical Brazen serpent as to die for us by whose stripes we are healed Isa. 53. 5. 2. Such as do not look up to Christ's merits do necessitate themselves to damnation Mar. 16. 16. He that believeth not shall be damned Had not Israel lift up their eyes to the Brazen serpent they had died for it If thou dost not look up as David did Psal. 25. 15. Mine eyes are ever towards the Lord then thou must look up as Dives did Luk. 16. 23. In hell he lift up his eyes Oh therefore let us fix our eye upon the Brazen serpent looking unto Jesus Let us look up to the sacrifice of Christ's blood and to the cloud of incense which he sends up by his glorious Intercession Object 1. But I fear I have no Faith alive in my Soul whereby I should look up Though Israel were stung yet they were alive but how dead do I find my heart Answ. We must distinguish between a Christian that is liveless and that is without life A sick man is liveless and hath no mind to stir yet he is not without life So Christian thou maist be liveless and thy grace dormunt yet the seed of Faith may be alive in thy heart
Did not David find his heart dull and listless though he was not dead in sin yet he was dead in duty why else did he pray Quicken thou me Psal. 119. 25. But that deadness which is in a Believer he is sensible of which argues life he mourns for it and never leaves till he hath in the use of means recovered that agility and liveliness of soul as once he had Object 2. But if my Faith be alive it is so weak that I fear I shall receive no benefit from the Brazen serpent Answ. If it be a true Faith though weak it will fetch vertue from Christ. Suppose an Israelite had had but one eye and that eye had been sore yet looking on the Brazen serpent he had been presently cured Blear eyed Leah might have been cured though thy Faith be weak it will justifie Say as Cruciger on his death bed Lord I believe but with a weak Faith yet I believe Object 3. But my sins are of that magnitude that I am discouraged from looking up to Christ Answ. Captivate fear and advance Faith Suppose an Israelite had been more stung and bitten than others yet by looking on the Brazen serpent he might have been healed as well as they that had but the least sting Christ's blood believed in cures the greatest stings What cannot the blood of God do it cured Manasses three deadly stings bloodshed Idolatry Sorcery 2 Chron. 32. 2 3. The Brazen serpent can cure the Crimson sinner Isa. 1. 18. I speak not this that any should presume but that no broken-hearted sinner should despair 2. Bran. Let us acknowledg God's wonderful mercy in bestowing the Brazen serpent upon us O bless God cordially for Christ who was lift up upon the Cross and is held forth in the Sacrament for our consolation and salvation How joyful was an Israelite that lay burning with his sting when he saw the Brazen serpent erected We have infinitely more cause to be joyful for Christ whose blood delivers us from â—…rath to come 1 Thes. 1 10. What had become of us if Christ not pityed us and come into the world Had not Christ been lifted up we had been thrown down to hell for ever Let us then bow the knee in all reverence and with the leper that was healed return to give glory to God Luk. 17. 15. Use 3. Comf Let this chear up the hearts of all true Believers You that now look upon Christ lift up upon the Pole shall shortly see him lift up vpon the Throne You that have seen Christ in his Crucifixion shall shortly see him in his Coronation In short you that now behold Christ lifted up for you shall shortly be lifted up to him And there you shall behold the wonders of his love the riches of his glory and shall be for ever solacing your selves in the light of his blessed countenance The Spiritual Vine John 15. 1. I am the True Vine THe Name of Christ is most fragrant and because of the savour of his good Oyntments therefore the Virgins love him Jesus Christ is the beauty of Heaven and the joy of the heart In him all fulness dwells Colos. 1. 19. In this flower is all sweetness If the Gospel be the field Christ is the treasure hid in it The knowledg of Christ is so precious and delectable that though St. Paul knew him before yet he desires to know more of him he would have more light from this Sun Phil. 3. 10. That I may know him as he who hath found a gold Mine desires to dig out still more Gold Jesus Christ in Scripture is set out by several Metaphors 1. He is compared to the Rose of Sharon Cant. 2. 1. the Rose is the Queen of Flowers So sweet is this Rose of the Heavenly Paradise that it makes us a sweet savour to God 2. Christ is compared to a Pearl of Price Mat. 13. 46. other Pearls add no realworth to them that wear them but Christ this illustrious Pearl doth he makes us worthy through his worthiness Ezâ—…k 16. 14. But among all the Metaphors and Allegories in Scripture none doth more lively decipher and set out Christ than the Vine He calls himself here the True Vine The Vine saith Pliny is to be ranked the highest among all the Plants that grow Doct. 1. That Jesus Christ is a Spiritual Vine The Analogies are these 1 The Vine is of it self weak and must be supported and born up So the humane Nature of Christ was of it self weak and was fain to be supported and underpropped with the Divine Nature 2. The Vine grows in the Garden not in the Forest So Christ this blessed Vine grows in the Garden of the Church He is not known among the Heathen they being Forest ground are not the better for this Vine To Israel pertains the Glory for unto them were committed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Oracles of God Rom. 3. 2. 3. The Vine communicates to the Branches Believers are called Branches of the Vine ver 5. Christ shoots up his sap of Grace into these Joh. 1. 16. Of his fulness have we all received Then let not the branches grow proud all comes from the root of the Vine The Saints gifts and graces are derived from Christ. Therefore he calls the Spouses Graces his Graces Cant. 5. 1. I have gathered my myrrh not thy myrrh The Branch hath nothing but what it receives from the Root 4. The Vine hath rare delicious fruit growing on it it bears sweet clusters the promises are the clusters of Grapes growing on Christ the True Vine The Promises are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in him 1 Cor. 1. 20. the Promises are made in Christ and grow upon him as fruit on the Tree 5. There are many things about the Vine useful besides the fruit The Leaves that grow on it saith Pliny have a Physical vertue to allay heats and inflamations the Gumm that distills from it is good against Leprosie So it is with this Spiritual Vine the Lord Jesus he is exceeding useful and full of vertue There is vertue in his Passion Resurrection Intercession he pleads for us as the Advocate for the Client He perfumes our holy things with his Incense Christ's Prayer is the cause why our Prayers are accepted Such various excellency is in this Vine 1. See the different Vertues in Christ to the Godly and the Wicked To the Godly He is a Vine full of Comfort to the Wicked He is not a Vine but a Rock of offence The Godly feed on Him the Wicked stumble at him the Wicked are offended at the meanness of Christ's Person the Spirituality of his Doctrine the Strictness of his Laws but to the Godly he is a Vine yielding most fragrant delicious fruit 2. Bran. See the misery of men living and dying in sin they are not implanted into Christ therefore do not at all partake of his precious fulness The Vine