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

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 mere Image, a shape, and this not applied to the wound, but only beheld and looked upon, yet this wrought a cure. Reason would with ⟨p. 144⟩Sarah have laughed at this. A bitter Tree cast into the waters did dulcify and make them sweet to drink of^*. Clay and spittle cured the blind man; we would rather think it should put out ones eyes that did see. What is there in the Rainbow 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 ²Blood? What more strange then that a dead man should quicken the world? but God loves to amuse and non-plus human wisdom, and bring great things to pass by weak contemptible means,