Secondly, Christ saith of himself,1 as Moses lift up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the son of man be lifted up: the comparison is excellent and worthy the marking. In the wilderness of Arabia the people of Israel rebelled against God, and thereupon he sent fiery serpents among them, which stung ⟨p. 334⟩many of them to death: now when they repented, Moses was commanded to make a brazen serpent, and to set it upon a pole, that as many as were stung might look unto it and recover: and if they could but cast a glance of the eye on the brazen serpent, when they were stung even to death, they were restored to health and life. Now every man that liveth is in the same case with the Israelites; Satan hath stung us at the heart, and given us many a deadly wound, if we could feel it, and Christ who was figured by the brazen serpent was likewise exalted on the cross, to confer righteousness and life eternal to every one of us: therefore if we will escape eternal death, we must renounce our selves, and lift up the eyes of our faith to Christ crucified, and pray for the pardon of our sins: and then shall our hearts and consciences be healed of the wounds and gripes of the devil: and until such time as we have grace to do this, we shall never be cured, but still lie wounded with the stings of Satan, and bleeding to death even at the very heart, although we feel no pain or grief at all. But some may ask how any man can see him crucified now after his death? Ans. Wheresoever the word of God is preached, there Christ is crucified, as Paul saith,2 Oh foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth, to whom before Jesus Christ was described in your sight, and among you crucified? meaning that he was lively preached among them. We need not to go to wooden crosses, or to golden crucifixes to seek for him; but where the Gospel is preached, thither must we go, and there lift up our eyes of faith to Christ, as he is revealed unto us in the word; resting on him and his merits with all our hearts, and with a godly sorrow confess and bewail our sins, craving at his hands mercy and pardon for the same. For till such time as we do this, we are grievously stung by Satan, and are every moment even at deaths door. And if we can thus behold Christ by faith, the benefits which come hereby, shall be great:
Secondly, Christ saith of himselfe,1 as Moses lift vp the serpent in the wildernes, so must the sonne of man be lifted vp: the comparison is excellent and worthie the marking. In the wildernes of Arabia the people of Israel rebelled against God, and thereupon he sent fierie serpents among them, which stung ⟨p. 334⟩many of them to death: now when they repented, Moses was commanded to make a brasen serpent, and to set it vpon a pole, that as many as were stung might looke vnto it and recouer: and if they could but cast a glaunce of the eye on the brasen serpent, when they were stung euen to death, they were restored to health and life. Now euery man that liueth is in the same case with the Israelites; Satan hath stung vs at the heart, and giuen vs many a deadly wound, if we could feele it, and Christ who was figured by the brasen serpent was likewise exalted on the crosse, to conferre righteousnesse and life eternall to euery one of vs: therefore if we will escape eternall death, we must renoūce our selues, and lift vp the eyes of our faith to Christ crucified, and pray for the pardon of our sinnes: and then shall our hearts and consciences be healed of the wounds and gripes of the deuill: and vntill such time as we haue grace to doe this, we shall neuer be cured, but still lie wounded with the stings of Satan, and bleeding to death euen at the very heart, although we feele no paine or griefe at all. But some may aske how any man can see him crucified now after his death? Ans. Wheresoeuer the word of God is preached, there Christ is crucified, as Paul saith,2 Oh foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth, to whome before Iesus Christ was described in your sight, and among you crucified? meaning that he was liuely preached among them. We neede not to goe to wodden crosses, or to golden crucifixes to seeke for him; but where the Gospel is preached, thither must we goe, and there lift vp our eyes of faith to Christ, as he is reuealed vnto vs in the word; resting on him and his merits with all our hearts, and with a godly sorrow confesse and bewaile our sinnes, crauing at his hands mercie and pardon for the same. For till such time as we doe this, we are grieuously stung by Satan, and are euery moment euen at deaths dore. And if we can thus behold Christ by faith, the benefits which come hereby, shall be great:
- 1Joh. 3.•4.Ioh. 3.•4.
- 2Gal. 3.2.
