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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
world_n	death_n	sin_n	sting_n	3,612	5	12.7179	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77504	The mystical brasen serpent: with the magnetical vertue thereof. or, Christ exalted upon the cross, with the blessed end and fruit of that his exaltation, in drawing the elect world to himself, to believe on Him, and to be saved by Him. In two treatises, from John 3. 14, 15. 12. 32. Whereunto is added A treatise of the saints joint-membership each with other. As they were delivered to the Church of God at Great Yarmouth, by John Brinsley, minister of the gospel, and preacher to that incorporation. Imprimatur, Edm. Calamy. July 30. 1652.	Brinsley, John, 1600-1665.	1653 (1653)	Wing B4719; Thomason E1249_1; ESTC R208891	155,986	284

unespied so doth Sathan insinuate himselfe into the most sacred societies Job 1.6 into the most holy duties I even into the bosomes of men secretly closely 2. A Serpent for his poison The Serpent is full of venome and so is Satan of malicious wickednesse 2. In malicious wickednesse O thou full of all subtilty and mischiefe thou child of the Devil saith Paul to Elimas the Sorcerer Acts 13. Acts 13.10 Such was the child and such is the father Satan full of wickednesse in himself thence called sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that wicked one Matth. 6.13 Ephes 6.16 And full of poisonous malice against God and his people which upon all occasions he is ready to vent and spit forth in mutuall accusations accusing God to man and man to God seeking to communicate his poison to infect and impoison and destroy others Here is the Serpent which stung our first parents and in them all their posterity But what is the sting of this Serpent sin 2. The sting of this Serpent sin Serpents have their stings or teeth whereby they convey their poison wounding where they fasten so hath this old serpent whose sting is sin The sting of death is sin saith the Apostle and so of Sathan 1 Cor. 15.56 who hath the power of death Had it not been for this Heb. 2.14 Satan could never have hurt our first parents A serpent may wind round about the body of man yet unlesse it fasten the sting or teeth in him it hurts him not Had not Sathan fastened the sting of his tentation in our first parents drawing them to sin against their God all his assaults had been to no purpose Hence was it that our blessed Saviour came off safe from those incounters with this old serpent both in the wildernesse and in the garden The Prince of this world cometh saith our Saviour but hee hath nothing in me John 14. John 14. He assaults him as he did our first parent in the Garden but he could not hurt him because he could not fasten the sting of his tentation in him to draw him to sin But in our first parents hee did wounding first the woman then the man drawing both into the transgression and so by that means impoisoning the whole nature of man inwrapping all their posterity both in the guilt and stain and dominion of sin Hence is the sting of this serpent 3. And what is the effect of this stinging 3. The Effect of this stinging why behold that not onely painfull and dangerous but deadly Hereby whole mankind was poisoned and the whole of man Like as those serpents stinging the one part of the body the poison spread it selfe through all the members Thus the poison of sin entering by one man it hath poisoned the whole Masse of mankind and every part of man so as every power and faculty of the soule and every member of the body they are all poisoned and that mortally Such was the stinging of those serpents it was mortall deadly Rom. 6. last incurable by any naturall means and such is the effect of sin The wages of sin is death Death not onely temporall but spirituall and eternall Of which I shall have occasion to speak hereafter Lo here then the condition of all the sons of men by nature Mans naturall condition very miserable A condition how miserable Who is there but so looketh upon the condition of a poor Israelite being stung with those fiery serpents what was his smart his anguish Thinking of them learn to pity our selves or others being yet in the state of nature having the sting of sin sticking in our soules O what horrour what torment will this procure to us if not speedily cured That we feel it not now it is because we are asleep An Israelite being asleep possibly he might not feel the anguish of his stinging but being awakened hee could not but be sensible of it Hence it is that wicked men now feele not the smart and anguish of their sins Alas they are asleep but if ever God awaken them as sooner or later hee will in this life or in hell what horrours what torment will these procure unto them See it in Judas when the old Serpent had fastened the sting of his tentation in him and brought him to betray his Lord and Master at first he feeles it not but so soon as God had awakened his conscience see now how in the anguish of his soule he runs to the Chief Priests even as these Israelites being stung did to Moses bewailing his condition complaining of his sin and misery Matth. 27.4 I have sinned in betraying innocent blood but all in vaine without either cure or ease The poison being got to his heart he swels and bursts and dies upon it And here is the first thing which I propounded to be taken notice of Mans misery by nature represented and shadowed out by the condition of an Israelite stung with these fiery serpents Vse 2. Gods mercy in providing a remedy 2. In the second place behold we also in the same glasse the height of Gods mercy in providing a salve for this sore a remedy for this misery What a mercy do we account it in God that hee was pleased to provide a brusen serpent to cure the stinging of those fiery serpents And so indeed it was specially if looked upon according to the circumstances of it That he who was justly provoked to wrath against them for their sins their ingratitude their murmuring and repining against him that he should provide a remedy for them and that hee should then do it when all other means had left them desperate that he should step into them in this their great necessity what a mercy Behold the like a far greater mercy in the thing signified That God should provide a way and means of deliverance for us when wee were enemies to him Rom. 5.8.10 and that he should then do it when neither men nor Angels could do any thing for us behold here as infinite wisdome so infinite mercy And who can behold it without a thankfull admiration That God should turn Physician to such a Patient that he should devise for them and prescribe to them who spared not to devise and speak and act against him then taking them in hand for cure when all other means had given them over how doth this commend the mercy and love of God both towards them and us Behold here the truth of that prophetical protestation Ezek. 33. Ezek. 33.11 As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked That God punished some of the Israelites with death for their rebellions it was but justice making them exemplary to the rest Poena ad paucos terror ad omnes That he spared the rest providing a cure for them this was mercy wherein God declared that hee was not delighted in the misery and destruction of

him that is willing to follow not so but the clean contrary it is the difference as I have told you betwixt Drawing and Leading a man that is willing is led a man unwilling is drawn And such are all men before Christ comes to overpower their wills So as Grotius might well have spared his gloss upon the Text I will draw all men Sed eos intellige qui non reluctantur Grot. Annot. in Text. that is saith he Eos qui non reluctantur Such as are willing to follow But where are they I shall not dwell upon that More usefully for our selves Vse 2. The glory of Conversion to be given to Christ As many of us as have tasted of this grace of God in the great work of our Conversion in bringing us home unto Christ learn we hence whither to give the praise and glory of it Not unto our selves but unto Jesus Christ not unto our willing or running but unto his drawing It is not of him that willeth Rom. 9.16 nor of him that runneth saith the Apostle Alas of our selves we could neither run nor yet will to run before conversion being dead in trespasses and sins we could not so much as move towards Heaven no nor yet will to move no more then a dead man can will his own resurrection even this will is of God It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do Phil. 2.13 Had not Christ drawn us we had never come unto him And therefore not unto us not to the goodnesse of our natures not to the tractablenesse of our tempers the ingenuity and sequaciousnesse of our dispositions nor yet to the benefit of our education or what ever else but only to the free grace of God in Christ bee all the praise and glory of this work Vse 3. Be convinced of natural Impotency and Reluctancy For others who are as yet strangers to this work who never yet felt this attractive power working upon their souls let them be convinced of the truth of what hath been now delivered viz. that they cannot come unto Christ of themselves they cannot come except Christ himselfe draw them Whence is it that many neglect seeking after Christ and after faith in Christ and put off the work of their conversion from day to day why there is a false principle in their hearts They think that to beleeve is the easiest thing in the world that they can come unto Christ when they list Not so except Christ himself draw thee there is no coming unto him It is not in man to bring himself nay it is not in all the Men and Angels in the world that can draw a soul to Christ Except Christ himselfe put to his hand it neither can nor will come to him Be convinced of this And being convinced hereof now take heed of drawing back Vse 4. Take heed of drawing back when we feel Christ beginning to draw Our coming unto Christ depends upon his drawing And therefore doth he beginne to draw take heed how we hold off How know we whether ever hee will draw again which if he do not wee are men without hope But of this more hereafter in the next point to which I now come The second thing held forth to us in the Text is The effectuall working of Jesus Christ in bringing his Elect home to himselfe Observ 2. The effectuall work of Christ in bringing men home to himselfe I will draw them to me Those who in themselves are both unable and unwilling to come Christ over-powreth and causeth to come to himselfe A truth excellently shadowed out in that known parable of the lost sheep Luke 15.5 which the shepherd having found he layeth it upon his shoulders and bringeth it home This Shepherd is Christ the chiefe Shepherd the Shepherd and Bishop of souls 1 Pet. 5.4 1 Pet. 2.25 as Saint Peter cals him The lost sheep are his Elect before conversion who in regard of Gods Election are sheep Matth. 15.24 in regard of their naturall condition are lost sheep wandring in the pathes of sin and death having no disposition of themselves to returne to the fold These sheep this great Shepherd seeketh Luke 19.10 The Son of man is come to seeke that which was lost And seeking he findeth them and finding them he bringeth them home causing them to return to the Shepherd and Bishop of their soules 1 Pet. 2.25 For the opening and illustrating Illustrat of this usefull truth viz. Christs drawing of poor sinners to himselfe give me leave to propound and resolve these two or three Questions 1. Whence they are drawn 2. Whither they are drawn 3. By what means Christ draweth them For the two former more briefly Whence and Whither they are drawn In drawing as in every motion there are two terms A quo and Ad quem Whence and Whither whatever is drawn is drawn from one place or thing to another Quest Whence Christ draweth men Qu 1. First then Whence doth Christ draw his Elect Answ In generall Out of the state of nature An. To this we might answer in the general Hee draweth them out of the state of nature which is a state of sin and death In this estate do all men naturally lie in a state of sin The whole world lieth in wickednesse 1 Joh. 5.19 And consequently in a state of death Death passed upon all for that all have sinned Rom. 5.12 Now out of this estate Christ draweth his Elect as so many Lots out of Sodom so many Lazaruses out of the grave Bringing them out of that state of sin and death into a state opposite to it a state of righteousnesse and life More particularly More particularly Christ draweth men 1. Out of Darknesse 1. Out of darknesse Jer. 38.9 12 13 Even as Jeremy was drawn by Ebedmelech out of the Dungeon where he was like to perish So are poor sinners drawn by Christ out of the Dungeon of ignorance In this Dungeon do all men naturally ly They all sit in darknesse Luke 1.19 and in the shadow of death being by nature no better then darkness it self Ye were somtimes darkness Ephes 5.8 destitute of heavenly light wholly ignorant of what belongs to their eternall peace and happinesse Now out of this dungeon doth Christ draw his Elect calling them out of darkness That you should shew forth the vertues of him who hath called you out of darknesse 1 Pet. 2.9 And this he doth by causing a light to shine forth unto them Luke 1.79 Matth. 11.25 Giving light to them that sit in darknesse revealing unto them those supernaturall mysteries which are hid from the wise and prudent of the world 2. He draweth them from under the power of Satan 2. From the power of Satan Acts 26.18 Under this power do all men naturally lie possessed and held captive by Satan Now from under this power Christ draweth his

took not upon him the nature of Angels saith the Apostle but the seed of Abraham And so was he made the Son of Abraham the Son of David the Son of Man Here is the truth of his humane nature 2. The Meannesse of his condition 2. The meanness of his condition Thus the phrase is sometime used in Scripture carrying a Tapeinôsis with it The Son of Man that is mean man miserable man Man that is a worme and the Son of man that is a worm saith Bildad in Job chap. 25. Job 25.6 Lord what is man saith the Psalmist that thou art mindfull of him Psal 8.4 Isa 51.12 or the Son of Man that thou regardest him Poor man base man So our Translation renders that of the Psalmist Psal 49.2 Both Low and high rich and poor together And so again Psal 62 9. Surely men of low degree are vanity and men of high degree are a lie In both places the Originall hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beni Adam Filii Hominis The Sons of man that is as the Septuagint renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Earth-born As the Latines were wont to call ignoble persons H. Grot. Annot. in Mat. 8.20 Terrae filios Sons of the earth so here Filii Adam Sons of earthie man base man opposed there to Beni Ish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Filii viri The sons of noble man The phrase there imports meanness of condition And so it doth in those places forenamed where this stile is given to Ezekiel and Daniel The Angel calls them Sons of Man to humble them by puting them in mind of their frail condition And in a like sense our Saviour applyeth it to himselfe importing his state of humiliation and abasement upon earth wherein he subjected himselfe to a meane and vulgar condition Being God blessed for ever and the Lord of all he emptied himselfe so the Originall hath it Phil. 2.7 Phil. 2.7 Descripsit hāc voce Christus suam illam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de quae agitur Phil. 2.7 H. Grot. ibid. Quasi ex Omni Seipsum ad Nihil redegit Bez. Annot. Gr. Mat. 8.20 Nec aliud est hic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quàm apud Isaram cap. 53.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 H. Grot. Annot. in Matt. 8.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sese inanivit he evacuated himself made himselfe of no reputation saith our Translation devesting himselfe of his robes of Majesty and glory he brought himselfe as it were from all things to nothing And took upon him the form of a servant subjected himself to a servile mean condition so as not to be the owner of any thing And in this regard he calls himselfe the Son of man The Son of man hath not where to lay his head the phrase sounding as much as that of the Prophet Isaiah Isai 53.3 Contemptus abjectissimus virorum as Junius renders it a man despised and rejected of men 3. These reasons of the phrase are generall There is a third which is more peculiar to the Text Christ here stileth himselfe the Son of Man 3. The Nature which suffered shewing in what nature he was to bee lifted up to be crucifyed viz. in his humane nature Not as the Son of God but as the son of Man True indeed by reason of the union of the two Natures in one Person and by a communication of properties as Divines call it the Death and Passion of Christ is attributed to the whole Person which is denominated sometimes from one nature sometimes from another And thence it is the Apostle saith That Acts 20.28 God purchased the Church with his own blood that is that person who was truly God as well as man 1 Cor. 2.8 he shed his blood which he did not as God but as man Whole Christ was lift up suffered died but it was according to his humane Nature So St. Peter explaineth it 1 Pet. 3.18 Christ was put to death in the flesh So again Chap. 4.1 Christ suffered in the flesh that is in or according to his humane Nature As for the Godhead it was immortal impassible it could neither die nor suffer It was the Manhood that was the proper and immediate subject of this Passion And therefore saith our Saviour The Son of Man must be lift up The Type resembling the Truth the Brasen Serpent Christ in To dwell no longer upon the Phrase Come we now to bring these two together the Type and the Truth the Serpent and the Son of Man and see how the one resembles and answers to the other These Resemblances are many But I shall not take up every particular I shall onely reflect upon those few which I named already Beginning with 1. The Matter Isai 45.2 1. The Matter of the Serpent It was Brass Brass a strong and durable mettal enduring both the Hammer and the Fire a fit Emblem of strength Whence it is that strong impediments are called Gates of Brass Psal 107.16 And an imprignable strength is called a Wall of Brass Jer. 1.18 and Chap. 15.20 Dr. Taylour Christ revealed p. 308. Isai 9.6 And herein some observe a fit resemblance of Christ who was the Lord strong and mighty as he is called Psal 24.8 strong to stand against all the powers of Hell A brasen wall mighty to deliver his people Mighty to subdue and destroy his enemies And thence described by his feet of Brass Revel 2.15 Able to tread under foot all adverse power Mighty to suffer and undergo what ever the Justice of God should inflict The humame Nature of Christ in it self was weak but being supported by the power of the Godhead dwelling in it it was mightily enabled for the enduring of what ever sufferings Hereby the flesh of Christ became as Brass It was Jobs speech of himself Is my strength the strength of stones or is my flesh of Brass Job 6. Job 6.12 Truly such was the flesh of Christ in his sufferings made able to undergo that which all the men and Angels in the world must needs have sunk under 2. For the form or fashion 2. The Form It was a Serpent such in appearance not in truth having the shape of a Serpent but neither the sting nor poyson And herein again fitly representing this Son of man Heb. 4.15 who was a man like unto us in all things sin onely excepted Herein two particulars 1. Christ was like unto us To us Men Christ like unto us men He was made in the likeness of men saith the Apostle 2 Phil. Phil. 2.7 that is of us meer men I of us sinful men Rom. 8.3 God sending his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh Rom. 8. Even as that Brasen serpent carried the likeness of other poysonous and venomous Serpents so did Christ carry the similitude of sinful flesh being a sinner both by Reputation and Imputation In common repute a sinner a great sinner We know that this

man is a sinner say the Pharisees to the blind man John 9. Joh. 9.24 that is a great and notorious sinner Mark 15.28 Isai 53.12 He was numbred among the transgressors saith the Evangelist citing that of the Prophet Esay Nay more having as a surety taken upon him the sins of the world the world of his Elect he was now a sinner by imputation and the greatest sinner in the world 2 Cor. 5. last He was made sin for us saith the Apostle viz. by Imputation having the iniquities of many Isai 53. ver 6. and 12. of us all laid upon him And herein fitly answering the Type wherein we have a Serpent stinging and a Serpent healing Rom. 5.19 Ex serpente morbi per serpente medicinae Per hominem peccatum mors per hominem justificatio resurrectio H. G●oti in Text. Even thus by a man came sin and death and by a man cometh righteousness and life The first Adam woundeth being a man like unto us the second Adam healeth being a man like unto us also God could have found out many other Antidotes and remedies against the poysonous stingings of these Serpents but he makes choise of this A Serpent stings and a Serpent must heale Even so possibly he could have found out many other wayes and means for the Redeeming and saving of his people but his Wisdom puts it upon this way as most congruous and convenient 1 Cor. 15.21 that as by a man came death so by a man should come the Resurrection of the dead that as in Adam all die so in Christ should all be made alive as the Apostle goeth on 1 Cor. 15. 2. Christ was like unto us Men Christ like unto us sinful men Serpentem hunc aeneum in eo Christi gessisse imaginem quòd alius erat quàm videbatur rectè notavit adversus Tryphonem Justinus de eo serpente sic loquens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 H. Grot. ibid. us sinful men but himself not sinful Even as that Serpent was like unto other Serpents but without the sting and poyson that was in them Thus our blessed Saviour how ever he carried the similitude of sinful flesh yet he was no wayes infected or tainted with sin whether Original or Actual Free from the poyson of Original sin which had infected the nature of all other men Being sanctified in his conception by the supernatural work of the Spirit he was born holy That holy thing which shall be born of thee Luke 1. Luke 1.35 Free from Actual sin He did no sin neither was there guile found in his mouth 1 Pet. 2. 1 Pet. 2.22 And here again behold the Truth answering to the Type The stinging of those poysonous Serpents cured by a Serpent that had neither sting nor poyson The sting and poyson guilt and power of sin taken away by him that was free from both Christ hath suffered for sins saith St. Peter the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God 1 Pet. 3. 1 Pet. 3.18 He was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. last Here is a second resemblance in the form of this Serpent 3. 3. The occasion of making and setting it up Vpon what occasion was this Serpent made and set up Why upon the deadly biting and stinging of the Israelites by those fiery Serpents whereof some were dead already others in eminent danger of death Behold here what it was that occasioned the making and lifting up of this true Brasen Serpent what occasioned the Eternal Son of God to take our nature upon him in that nature to suffer to die It was our Misery that called for this Mercy we were all stung and mortally stung by the old Serpent who fastning upon our first Parents through them transfused his poyson unto all their posterity Even as one of those fiery serpents fastning upon one member the poyson thereof ran through the whole body inflaming and infecting the blood and spirits in every part Even thus that old serpent the divel fastning the sting of his Tentation in the heart of our first Parents bringing them to transgress the Command and so to break the Covenant of their God he thereby not only wounded them to the death but through them trasmitted that deadly poyson to the whole mass of mankind being then in their loyns Rom. 5.12 so Death passed upon all men saith the Apostle For that all have sinned All the sons of men being in Adam tanquàm in radice as in the common stock and root they sinned in him and so death which had seazed upon him passed upon them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pervasit a Metaphor taken from poyson say some Instar occulti veneni penetravit Pareus Com. ad loc which being received into the stomack it passeth through the whole body secretly dispersing it self through all the veines Thus did the poyson of the old Serpent being taken in by our first Parents it presently passed through the whole body of mankinde transfusing it self into our veynes so as we are all by nature no better then dead men As Mephibosheth once said to David All of my fathers house were but dead men before my Lord the King 2 Sam. 19.28 Such are all the posterity of Adam through his transgression and rebellion against the God of heaven Dead men Anshei Maveth Men of death not only subject to natural but under the power of a spiritual and bound over unto eternal death And here is the occasion of bringing in this true Brasen Serpent of sending a Saviour into the world Had not the Israelites sinned and upon their sin been punished after that manner that Brasen Serpent had never been made Had not Adam sinned and sinning died and all his posterity in him we should not have needed a Saviour The Son of God should not have needed to take our nature upon him in that nature to suffer to die It was our sin and misery that occasioned this Mercy And let the one ever put us in minde of the other The Cross of Christ mindeth us of our sin and misery The Brasen serpent standing in the midst of the Campe it could not but be a memorial to the Israelites to put them in minde of what misery they had brought upon themselves by provoking the anger of God against them The like use make we of the beholding of Christ crucified When he is held forth unto us by the Ministers of the Gospel in the Word and Sacraments Gal. 3.1 there crucified before our eyes when we consider what he hath done what he hath suffered for us and reflect upon our selves and there take notice of the occasion of this abasement What was it that should draw the Son of God from heaven to earth to become the son of man to take our nature upon him in that nature to do and suffer what he

God 2 In respect of the Scriptures 3. In respect of us In respect of God who had decreed it In respect of the Scriptures which had foretold it In respect of us who needed it had perished without it 1. Of God 1. In respect of God who had decreed it God in his eternall counsell had determined that his Son should suffer should die Thence he is said to be the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world Rev. 13.8 viz. as in regard of the vertue and efficacy of his death which extended to the first age of the world as well as the last so in regard of Gods Decree Now Gods Decree being immutable it imposeth a necessity upon that which in regard of secondary causes is contingent and accidentall His Decree is irreversible Isai 46.10 My counsel shall stand In this respect the son of man must die Must is for the King for the King of Heaven whose will is a law imposing a necessity upon the creature a necessity of obeying 2. Necessary in respect of the Scriptures 2. The Scriptures which had foretold it The Scriptures in the Old Testament they had foretold the death and passion of Christ and that both by word by signe By word fore-prophesied it by signes fore-typified it Fore prophesied it After sixty two weeks the Messiah shal be cut off slain but but not for himself saith Daniel Dan. 9.26 He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter saith the Prophet Esay Isai 53.7 Both foretelling the death and passion of Christ Foretipified it Isaak lifted up and laid upon the Altar by his father the Paschal Lamb the daily sacrifices all shadowed out the sacrifice of Christ none more clearly then that in the Text. The lifting up of the brasen Serpent in the wildernesse Now that all these these prophesies these tipes might be fulfilled therefore must the son of man be lift up suffer die For as our Saviour tels the Jewes The Scriptures cannot be broken John 10.35 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non potest solvi It cannot be frustrated made void Rather then the Scripture shall be broken the son of man I the Son of God shall be broken He was broken for our iniquities Isai 53.5 3. Of mankind 3. Necessary in respect of us who needed it God needed not to have given his Sonne Christ needed not to have given himself but we needed it It was not the Fathers necessity nor the Sons necessity nor yet any advantage that could hereby accrue unto either but our necessities that brought the Sonne of God to the Crosse He must suffer and die otherwise we must have suffered and died and that eternally No other way to redeem us to save us the justice of God requiring that the same nature which had sinned should satisfie such was the cure which God prescribed to the Israelites They were stung by a serpent and they must be healed by a serpent and therefore the brasen serpent must be lift up otherwise they were but dead men And such was the way which the wisdome of God had found out for the redeeming of lost mankind Man sinneth and man must suffer the same nature though not the same person Mercy dispensed with the one but justice required the other And therefore the Son of man must be lift up otherwise all mankind had perished and that for ever so much the verse following clearly imports The Son of man must be lifted up that whosoever beleeveth on him should not perish Intimating that had not the Son of man been thus lift up had not Christ died we had been in a hopeless condition no way for us but we must needs have perished In regard of us then it was expedient It is expedient for us saith Caiphas speaking by a spirit of prophesie That one man should die for the people Joh. 11.50 51 and that the whole nation perish not And thus you see how and in what respects it is here said that The Son of man must be lift up Applic. To make some Application of this useful truth In the first place by way of Information Applic. By way of Information Behold we hear the depth of mans misery the height of Gods mercy Mans misery which required such a remedy Gods mercy in providing and reaching it forth Vse 1. Take wee notice here of the depth of our own misery our naturall misery Vse 1. Mans naturall misery by reason of sin fitly represented and shadowed out in the condition of these Israelites being stung or bitten by these serpents Touching which that the resemblance betwixt the one and the other may more clearly appear wee may in the Type consider and take notice of three particulars Three particulars notified in the Type 1. The Serpent it selfe 2 The sting of this serpent 3. The deadly effect of that sting where it fastened The Serpent it self a venemous and poisonfull creature such generally are all serpents but this more then other and thence called a fiery serpent both from the colour which through the abundance of poyson was shining and glistering like fire and also from the nature and quality of its poison which inflamed and burnt the body like unto fire The sting or teeth of this serpent the instrument whereby it conveyed that poison the effect of that stinging which was not onely painfull and dangerous but deadly Now I suppose your thoughts run before my meditations in applying of every of these All which read us a usefull lecture touching our naturall misery shadowing out unto us how wee are all stung by that old Serpent whose sting is sin and the fruit thereof death Briefly of each 1. The Serpent Satan Revel 12.9.20.2 1. Behold here the Serpent which hath stung us Sathan that old Serpent as he is sometimes called and that not unfitly 1. A Serpent in as much as in that shape he seduced our first parents 1. Seducing our first parents in that shape coming to the woman in the shape of a serpent speaking in and by the serpent making use of that creature as his instrument in conveying his suggestions 2 Cor. 11.3 whence it is said that the serpent bebeguiled Eve that is Satan in the Serpent 2. Resembling the serpent 2. Resembling the serpent and that in two prime qualities and properties of that creature viz. the subtilty and poysonous nature of it 1. In Subtilty 1. In subtilty Gen. 3 1. The serpent was more subtil then any beast of the field Gen. 3. Satan more subtil then any of the sons of men Crafty to deceive 2 Cor. 11.3 The Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty Having his windings and turnings 2 Cor. 2.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 6.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and subtile insinuations his Devices his Methods as the Apostle calleth them whereby he winds himself in and out Even as that serpent was able to creep in and out of the Garden

up that whosoever beleeveth on him should not perish but have Everlasting Life The Magneticall Vertue OF THE CROSSE OF JESUS CHRIST JOHN 12.32 And I if I be lifted up from the Earth will draw all men unto me I Have already spent some time in opening unto you the manner and end of our Saviours Death both laid down in those two verses ver 14 15 of the third Chapter of this Gospel As Moses lift up the Brasen Serpent in the Wildernesse so must the Son of Man be lift up That whosoever beleeveth on him should not perish but have Eternall Life Now taking hold of that phrase there redoubled viz. Lifting up I have singled out this portion of Scripture wherein our Saviour sets forth as the Manner so the Fruit and Consequent of his Death The former fore-prophesied the later fore-promised both by our Saviour himselfe The Manner of his death fore-prophesied If I shall be lifted up The Fruit of his Death fore-promised I wil draw all men unto me Upon the former of these I have insisted already viz. the Manner The manner of Christs death of our Saviours death set forth here again as you see by the same Periphrasis the same expression If I be lifted up Lifted up how Why in his Passion upon the Crosse where he was lifted up from the earth So the Evangelist explains the phrase in the verse following This spake he ver 33. signifying what death he should die viz. the death of the Crosse where he was to be lifted up Quest The d ath of Christ not dubious as the Brasen Serpent was in the wildernesse If I be lift up If What doth our Saviour make a doubt a question of his Death was it a thing contingent and uncertaine Answ Answ Carthus ad loc Si exaltatus c. Hoc refertur ad illud quod superius ait Si autem mortuum fuerit granum c. August ad loc Not so The Particle If here must be understood and taken non dubitativè sed assertivè certitudinaliter as Carthusian well notes upon it not by way of doubting or questioning but by way of asserting and supposing even as in the 24 verse of this Chapter our Saviour speaking of the grain of wheat or other Corn being cast into the ground ver 24. If it die saith he it bringeth forth much fruit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If it dye that is Dying being cast into the ground it dieth seemeth so to do and so dying it fructifieth So here If I be lift up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is being lift up or when I shall be lift up or after that I am lift up so the Evangelist St. John elsewhere useth the word Epist 3. v. 10. writing to Gaius concerning Diotrephes he tels him If I come I will remember his deeds that is when I come so here If I bee lift up saith our Saviour that is when I shall be lift up so the Syriack here renders it Si exaltatus h. e. Cum exaltatus fuero Non enim dubitat futurum esse quod venit implere August As for our Saviours death it was not a thing contingent and uncertain whether in it selfe or to him His Father had determined it himselfe had submitted to it the Prophets had foretold it his peoples necessities required it in all which respects our Saviour himselfe layeth it down in the Text last insisted upon as a thing necessary So must the Son of Man be lifted up Not may but must Joh. 3.14 And afterwards he inculcates the same upon his Disciples Mat. 16.21 where he sheweth them how he must go up to Jerusalem and suffer many things and be killed c. Neither his death nor the manner of his death was a thing dubious and uncertain The Son of Man must be lift up and so lift up as the Brasen Serpent was in the Wildernesse That our Saviour saith here If I be lifted up he speaks it not as doubting but supposing what ere long was to come to passe That being cleared The fruit of Christs death Come we now to that which the Text chiefly looketh upon viz. the Fruit of our Saviours death A Blessed Fruit never did tree bear better viz. the drawing of the world to himself When I shall be lift up from the earth I will draw all men unto me Thus did the Brasen Serpent being lift up it drew the eyes of the whole Camp to it selfe specially such as felt themselves stung by those fiery Serpents And thus saith our Saviour being lift up upon the Cross he would draw the world to himself to look unto him to beleeve on him Even as the Sun being risen above the earth it attracteth and draweth up from it those foggy vapours which before were in or upon it draweth them up towards it selfe Even thus doth Christ the Son of Righteousnesse being lift up from the earth he attracts and draws up the world of mankind those terrae filios sons of the earth who being cleaved to the earth minding nothing but earthly things he draweth up their Eyes and Hearts to himself this he fore promised that he would do And wee shall see it accordingly accomplished But before we come to close with the words themselves looking upon them afar off take we notice of one thing in the generall and that from the connexion of the parts of the Text the Prophecie and the Promise the putting them together If I be lifted up I will draw all men c. See here how wonderfully the Scribes and Pharisees A Generall Observation and other enemies of Christ who plotted his death were disappointed and deceived in their intendments and expectations Wherefore was it that they contrived this evill against him to bring him to the Crosse The Enemies of Christ disappointed that shamefull and accursed death Why this they did that they might thereby not onely take him out of the way but withall render him odious and infamous unto the world so as from thenceforth none should ever look after him any more This it was which galled and vexed the Scribes and Pharisees viz. the successe of his Ministery that so many were taken with him believed on him followed after him and that notwithstanding whatever they could do to the contrary So much we may learn from their own mouthes in the 19th verse of this Chapter The Pharisees said among themselves Perceive ye how ye prevaile nothing Behold the world is gone after him Many there were who hearing of the great miracles which hee had wrought specially that recorded in the fore going Chapter the raising of Lazarus from the dead thereupon as the 18th verse of this Chapter informes us they flocked after him and became his Disciples Now this to the Pharisees who could not endure that any should be preferred before themselves it was no small corrosive it went to the heart of them they could not brook it and therefore they

Elect even as Moses a temporall Saviour he brought the Israel of God from under the power and tyranny of that Egyptian Pharaoh So doth the Lord Jesus the eternal Saviour of his people he bringeth his Elect out from under the power of this spiritual Pharaoh challenging and vindicating his own right His own right So they are both by a right of Donation and Purchase being given to him by God his Father purchased by his own blood And thus being his now he rescues them from the hands of his enemie and theirs even as David rescued his Lamb or Kid 1 Sam 17.34 35. taking it out of the mouth of the Lion and Bear So doth Christ rescue his Elect delivering them from the power of Satan which cannot bee done without great force and power And therefore he may well be said to draw them Satan will not willingly yeild up his hold He that contended so earnestly with Michael the Archangel Jude 9. about the body of Moses will much more contend about the souls of men The stories in the Gospel informe us how unwillingly Satan was ejected out of the one how being compelled to leave them he rent and tare them Certainly he will not willingly leave what possession he hath in the other Here is the power of Christ in drawing men from the power of Satan 3. He draweth them out of the world 3. Out of the world John 15.19 having chosen them out of the world he draweth them out of it To this end Christ gave himselfe He gave himselfe for our sins saith the Apostle that he might deliver us from this present evill world Gal. 1.4 And this he doth when he maketh an actuall application of the merit of his death unto his Elect people he delivereth draweth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Erip●ret plucketh them out as the word in the Originall properly signifieth of this present world But how doth he do it not in respect of place but in respect of quality I pray not saith our Saviour speaking of his Disciples that thou shouldest take them out of the world John 17.15 but that thou shouldest keep them from the evill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from that evil one viz. Satan or from the evill that is in the world And thus Christ delivers his people viz. from the evill world 2 Pet. 2.20 severing them from the corruptions and pollutions which are in the world In this mire the world generally sticks and lieth Now in this respect Christ draweth his people out of the world causing them to steer a new course no longer to walk according to the course of this world Ephes 2.2 as somtimes they did but teaching them now to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts Tit. 2.12 What these worldly lusts are I shall not need to tell you Saint John hath reduced them to three heads The lusts of the flesh voluptuousnesse 1 John 2.16 sensuality The lusts of the eyes covetousnesse The pride of life ambition These and the like lusts the men of the world are given over to so as they rule and reigne in them But these Christ teacheth and causeth his people to deny renounce abandon which he doth by putting a new spirit into them even a Spirit of sanctification changing them in the inward and outward man so as they are no longer conformed unto this world viz. Rom. 12.2 in the corrupt manners and customes of it Thus are they severed from the world and drawn out of it And that not onely in regard of a renunciation of the sinfull lusts of it but also a holy sequestration from it Thus also doth Christ draw his people out of the world so as though they live in it yet they live like men of another world not minding onely the things of this present world but seeking after and setting their affections upon the things that are above where their chief treasure is 4. Thus drawing them out of the world he draweth them also out of themselves 4. Out of themselves This is a lesson which all Christs disciples must learn If any man will come after me let him deny himselfe Mark 8.34 And this lesson Christ teacheth all that come to him to deny themselves viz. their owne carnall reason perverse wils corrupt affections and not onely so but he teacheth them to deny to renounce their own righteousnesse viz. in respect of any affiance and confidence in it Not having mine own righteousnesse Phil. 3 9. saith Paul of himselfe And so he draweth them out of themselves The case is ordinary men when they are drawn out of the mire of this world brought to renounce and abandon the grosse evils therein and to walke in regard of their outward conversation regularly and blamelesly yet now they stick in themselves setting up their owne righteousnesse as the Pharisee did as if that were sufficient to justifie and save them by which means they are kept off from coming unto Christ Now Christ drawing his Elect hee draweth them out of themselves causeth them to renounce all to make loss of all as Paul saith of himselfe What ever they have have done can do merits priviledges vertues performances whatever is or may be supposed to be theirs Christ causeth them to relinquish all so coming naked unto him Thus doth he take them off from their owne bottoms and draw them out of themselves And here are the things from whence Christ draweth them Qu. 2. But whither doth he then draw them Qu. 2. Whither he draweth them An. An. To himself Here is the second Inquirie to which the Text it self returns a generall answer He drawes them to himself even as the Loadstone draweth the iron to it self so doth Christ draw his Elect people to himself viz. to have union and communion with him in grace here and glory hereafter More particularly Christ draweth his Elect to himself as being under a double relation 1. As to a Saviour 2. As to a Lord. Both these Christ being lift up is made Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour Act. 5.31 and under both these relations doth Christ draw his people to himself 1. As to a Saviour 1. As a Saviour My spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour saith Mary Luk. 1.47 even as the Brasen Serpent drew the eyes of the Israelites to it self as the onely means of their temporall cure so doth Christ draw the eyes and hearts of his Elect to himselfe as to a Saviour their Saviour the onely meanes of their eternall salvation Thus doe poor sinners come unto Christ even as those woundrd Israelites did to their Brasen Serpent fixing their eyes upon him looking up to him and resting upon him for Justification and Salvation Thus was the blessed Apostle drawne unto Christ Christ being effectually revealed to him Phil. 3.9 now he lets go all maketh loss of all renouncing whatever he had formerly put any confidence in wholly betaking