The holy Eucharist, or, The mystery of the Lords Supper briefly explained

4. The brazen serpent resembled Christ in the design of its being lifted up, and that was intuition; when Israel were stung, they must look upon the Brazen serpent; which looking implied a secret hope they had of cure. So Christ was therefore lifted up on the Cross, that he may be looked upon by an eye of Faith. The people of Israel needed not to have taken down the Serpent from the Pole, and touched their sores with it; they were only to look on it, and they were healed. So we need not go to fetch Christ down from Heaven (as the Papists do who make him to be corporally in the Bread); no, if we do but look upon him fiducially, we shall be cured of our sting.

4. The brazen serpent resembled Christ in the design of its being lifted up, and that was intuition; when Israel were stung, they must look upon the Brazen serpent; which looking implyed a secret hope they had of cure. So Christ was therefore lifted up on the Cross, that he may be looked upon by an eye of Faith. The people of Israel needed not to have taken down the Serpent from the Pole, and touched their sores with it; they were only to look on it, and they were healed. So we need not go to fetch Christ down from Heaven (as the Papists do who make him to be corporally in the Bread); no, if we do but look upon him fiducially, we shall be cured of our sting.

Observe four Things about the Brazen Serpent. There were four cases in which the Brazen Serpent would have done the people of Israel no good, though it were lifted up.

1. In case the Brazen Serpent had been set up, yet if they had not fixed their eye upon it, it would not have cured them. So though Jesus Christ be lifted up as a Saviour to the world; yet if this Brazen Serpent be not looked upon believingly he will not save,