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cause_n	church_n	let_v	lord_n	1,630	5	3.9393	3	false

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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

plot against him And as it is the nature of envy where once it is grown to an height nothing will now content them but his blood They resolve never to leave till they had brought him to the Crosse taken him out of the way hoping thereby to turne the stream of mens affections either to deterre or discourage any for ever looking after him more This was their designe but see how the successe falls out clean contrary to their expectation By this means Christ cometh to draw more then ever Even as Samson slew more at his death Judg. 16.30 then in his life Thus the Son of man of whom Samson was a Type he draweth more by and after his death then ever he did in his life more being lift up from the earth then ever hee did being upon the earth In his life he drew some and many which the Pharisees looking upon through the spectacle of envie a true multiplying or magnifying glasse making things seem more or greater then they are take for a world The world is gone after him But in and after his death he draweth not onely some and many but all If I be lifted up from the earth I will draw all men unto me Observ The Counsels of the Enemies of Christ wonderfully frustrated 2 Sam. 15.31 Even thus doth God often elude and frustrate the counsell of his and his Churches enemies turning them into folly as hee did the counsell of Achitophel Oft-times bringing out of them clean contrary successes to what they intended The Patriarchs moved with envy sell their brother Joseph into Egypt Acts 7.9 But God turns that foule fact of theirs into great good both to him and them making it the means of his preferment and their preservation All the wayes and means they could have used could not have procured so great advancement unto him but no thanks to them As for you saith he to them ye thought evil against me but God meant it unto good Gen. 50.20 even to save much people alive Judas in betraying the chiefe Priests in condemning the Jews in crucifying the Lord of life they all thought evill against him intending to take him out of the way that his very name might either be blotted out or rendred infamous to all posterity But God meant it unto great good even to save much people alive making use of this as the means to effect and bring to passe the Redemption and salvation of his Elect. Thus doth God make use of the wicked counsels and designes of his and his Churches enemies to bring about his own gracious purposes still over-reaching being above his enemies how potent or politick soever So it is said of the Egyptians Exod. 18. Exod. 18.11 In the thing wherein they dealt proudly God was above them And what was that thing why that designe of theirs against the Israelites of which you may read Chap. 1. Cap. 1. ver 10.16.22 Come let us deale wisely say they They thought what by policy and what by power to have suppressed and kept under the Israelites But herein God was above them frustrating their counsels nay bringing out of them a clean contrary successe Not only judging them in the very thing wherein they thought to judge Israel Vid. Ainsworth in Exod. 18.11 as the Chaldee paraphrase glosseth upon that place drowning them in the sea who had designed to drown all the males of the children of Israel in the rivers but making use of that bloody designe as a means to bring about the deliverance of his oppressed people as you may read it in the second Chapter of that Book Exod. 2.3 5. c. Instances of like nature are obvious Proud Haman designes the ruine not onely of Mordecai that was too sleight a revenge but of the whole Nation of the Jews But see how God was above him turning it as to his ruine and Mordecai's advancement hanging him up upon the Gallowes which he had prepared for Mordecai Hester 7.10 chap. 10. v. 3. chap. 8. v. 17. and setting up Mordecai in his place so to their comfort and enlargement causing light and joy and gladnesse to break forth unto his people out of that black cloud which threatned them with ruine and destruction Reason The power wisdom goodnesse of God therein manifested This God hath done and this hee daily doth therin manifesting his power wisdom goodness viz. in bringing one contrary out of another light out of darknesse It is the skill of the Physician to turn the rankest poisons into soveraigne medicines vipers into treacles And it is the power wisdom goodnesse of our God thus to turne the counsels and intendments of his and his Churches enemies to great good making use of them for his owne glory and the good of his Church Applic. Let the meditation be usefull Applic. and that both to the Churches Enemies and Friends 1. For her Enemies 1. To the Enemies of Christ Let them cease to meditate vain things such as plot and conspire and take counsell against God against his truth religion cause people let them be advised to desist and break off their vain undertakings Why do the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing Psal 2.1 2. The Kings of the earth set themselves and the Rulers take counsell together against the Lord and against his Anointed To plot and conspire and take counsell against God and his Christ against his truth his people it is but a vaine thing they do herein but meditate vanity as the Originall there hath it It matters not how promising the designe be how cunningly contrived how closely carried how potently prosecuted yet all is in vain ver 4. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh them to scorn being able to confound or over-rule all adverse counsels so as either to bring them to nought or else to bring good out of them And this he will do not but that for a time the Churches enemies may seem to prevaile So did the Jews against our Saviour they brought him to the Crosse I but yet they shall misse of their end So did the Jews in stead of blotting out the Name of Christ they make it glorious In stead of turning back a few from him they draw the world after him And what happened to the head shall also happen to the body What ever wicked men open or secret enemies plot and contrive against the Church shall tend to the good of it in the end He that hath promised that All things shall work together for good Rom. 8.28 c. both can and will make the counsels and endeavors the plots and practices of his enemies turn to the good of his people Let wicked men then be perswaded to break off these vaine undertakings Had the Scribes and Pharises and the rest of that malignant crew ever dreamed that this should have been the issue of their counsells in crucifying the Lord of life viz.

that thereby the world should be drawn unto him certainly they would never have done what they did 2. For Gods own people 2. To God's own people Comfort against Adversaries such as are friends to Christ friends to his truth his Church and Religion let them make use of this Meditation for the staying and comforting of their hearts against all the plottings and conspirings of the many and potent enemies of the Church Many and Potent so they are some open others close and secret all setting themselves against the truth the Religion of God by all means seeking the suppression of it To which end they deal with Christs Religion and the Professours of it even as the Jows dealt with Christ himself they crucifie both labouring by all means to make it and them as odious and infamous in the eye of the world as possibly they can and thence it is that they spit upon the face of Religion casting those terms of infamy and reproach upon the good wayes of God and those that endeavour to walk closely in them I shall not need to name them they are but too well known all which are but as so many nails whereby they fasten the true Religion of Christ the power of godlinesse to the Crosse wounding and piercing it through that so having rendred it infamous they may deter or discourage any from looking that way which lieth under such a cloud of reproach and disgrace But let not all this dishearten It was not the crucifiing of Christ in his Naturall body that could turne the eyes of men from looking towards him or their hearts from beleeving on him It is not the crucifying of Christ in his Mysticall body the crucifying of his Religion or the Professours of it that shall deter men from owning Christ and his waies The experience of all ages hath made it good that the malice rage and violence of the bitterest and bloodiest enemies of the Church hath been but as bellowes to this fire blowing up spreading and dispersing that Religion that truth of God which they have sought and thought too have supprest and extinguished Such was the issue of the rage of those Heathenish Tyrants in the infancy of the Church the ten Primitive Persecutions Sanguis Martyrum The blood of those Martyrs proved the seed of the Chruch This Vine having ever since been the more fruitfull for that blood which was powred at the root of it And the same we may say of that Antichristian Tyranny which hath been excercised in suceeding ages upon the true professours of the Gospel of Christ Bloody Persecutours have thought by their Dracoes Lawes lawes written in Blood and the severe execution thereof utterly to have supprest the truth of the Gospel that none should have dared to own it But see how it hath fallen out contrary to their expectation every Martyr proving like a Phoenix out of whose ashes not one but many more have sprung up Thus Jesus Christ where ever he hath been crucified in himself or members still he hath drawen many to himself No fear therefore that by this means by crucifying of Christ the enemies of the Church should prevail against it Hereby they do but lift up Jesus Christ that he may draw the more unto him Quàm non sint formidanda impiorum consilia saith Musculus upon it Such little cause have we to fear the plots and counsells of wicked and ungodly men being against Christ they shall not prevail their counsels shall be brought to nought and return upon their own heads Psal 7.16 This is one of the priviledges and Prerogatives given unto Christ by his Father Psal 110.2 That he shall rule in the midst of his enemies This he doth he sits at the stern of their counsels turning them this way or that way making them whilst they go about to do their owne wils to effect his as to clear his truth whilst they go about to darken and obscure it to promote and further the cause of his Gospel whilst they go about to hinder it so getting glory to himselfe and good to his Church out of their most malicious and dangerous intendments Such was this of the Scribes and Pharisees and Chief Priests against our Saviour They plot his death hoping that when they had brought him to the Crosse not only his person but his cause should have for ever been buried in silence and oblivion but behold the success clean contrary by this means the Son of Man being lift up he comes to have a more vigorous influence upon the world then ever before now he cometh to draw not a few but many not many but all If I be lift up I will draw ll men unto me Having taken up this in the generall come we now to deal with the words more particularly Four particulars And therein for the more clear opening and distinct prosecuting of them take we notice of these four particulars 1. Who draweth 2. Whom he draweth 3. Whether he draweth them 4. How he draweth them In the first we have the Agent the person drawing In the second the Object the things or persons drawn In the third the Term of the Action whither they are drawn In the fourth the Manner how they are drawn we shall find a resolution to each in the Text. Touch upon them severally and briefly by way of Explication Q. 1. Who draweth An. Christ himself 1. The person drawing He it was that was lifted up and being so he draweth I will draw Obj. But is not this the Act of God the Father How God the Father draweth Joh. 6.14 to draw to bring men home unto Christ So saith our Saviour himself elsewhere No man cometh unto me except the Father draw him how then saith he here that when hee should be lift up he would draw all men to himself An. To this the Answer is obvious The Father draweth Filio trahente pater trahit Aquin. ex Chrys ad loc and the Son draweth having one and the same essence they have also the same will and the same work that which the one willeth the other willeth and that which the one worketh Joh. 5.17 the other worketh My Father worketh hitherto and I worke both joyning together and co-operating in every work that is wrought in for or upon the creature Opera Trinitatis ad extrà sunt indivisa So was it in the first Creation the Father created and the Son created the Father working by the Son And so is it in the New Creation the work of Regeneration and Conversion in bringing men home unto Christ the Father draweth and the Son draweth the Father working by the Son through the Spirit The Father draweth men to his Son the Son draweth them to the Father and to himself I will draw all men Qu. 2. The second Enquirie is about the Object 2. The object or things drawn upon which this attractive power and vertue is exercised whom Christ draweth

that any are coming in at the Penitents door being fallen under the censures of the Church of Suspension or Excommunication or by any scandall giving just cause for them here is matter of Humiliation and Grief to their fellow members who take notice of it Paul chargeth it as no small crime upon his Corinthians that taking notice of a scandalous member the Incestuous person They were puffed up and did not rather mourn 1 Cor. 5.2 And so in Temporall Sufferings In temporall sufferings Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them and them which suffer adversity as being your selves also in the body Heb. 13.3 Thus did the Primitive Christians sympathize with their brethren in their bonds so they did with the Apostle Heb. 10.34 Ye had compassion of mee in my bonds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They sympathized were as fellow sufferers with him and as with him so with other of their brethren as hee tells them in the verse foregoing Ye became companions of them that were so used meaning the Martyrs of those times And as in sufferings for Christ so in any other losses or crosses or ailements Christians should have a fellow-feeling with their fellow-members condoling with them not rejoycing at them no such an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rejoycing over the miseries of others is not only unchristian but inhumane and unnaturall but lamenting over them Thus did David sympathize even with his enemies as himself tels us Psal 35.12 13. Such as rewarded him evill for good to the spoiling of his soul as he saith even to the taking away of his life had it lien in their power Yet saith he as for me when they were sick my cloathing was sackcloth I humbled my soul with fasting c. And did hee this for his enemies how much more should Christians do it for their Brethren their fellow-members Truly not to be affected with the sufferings of Saints is a shrewd evidence of one that is no true member of the body or if he be he is under some sad and dangerous obstruction To this let mee add As these mutuall members should have mutuall joyes and sorrowes so mutuall Desires and mutuall Cares and mutuall Fears I will but touch upon each Mutuall Desires or Well-wishes 3 Mutual wel-wishes each to other Well-wishes for their Temporall much more for their Spirituall welfare Such were the wishes of the beloved Disciple to his well-beloved Gaius 3 Joh. ver 2. Beloved I wish above all things that thou maist prosper and be in health even as thy soul prospereth Be in health in his body and prosper in his soul These were the two things which the Heathens according to the light which they had were wont above all things to wish to their friends Orandum est ut sit mens sana in corpore sano that they might have sound minds in haile bodies Juvenal and I know not what Christians can better wish one for another then sound bodies and sanctified souls Thus the members of the naturall body by a secret instinct they do as it were seek and desire the welfare each of other let the members of the mysticall Body do the like Let no man seek his own but every man anothers wealth so our Apostle instructs his Corinthians 1 Cor. 10.24 Not but that Christians both may and ought to seek their own wealth their own Spiritual and Temporall welfare and that in the first place therein preferring themselves before others So runs the rule Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe Mat. 19.19 Now Regula est prior Regulato The rule must be in order before that which is regulated by it Christians must first love themselves otherwise they cannot love their neighbours as themselves But they may not impropriate these wel wishes to themselves but extend them to others to their neighbours brethren as being a part of themselves So the same Apostle expounds his own meaning Phil. 2.4 Look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Also The desires and well wishes of Christians being fellow-members must be mutuall And so should their Cares be 4. Mutuall c res So the Apostle presseth it 1 Cor. 12.25 The members should have the same care one of another So have the members of the naturall body they have a mutuall care for the preservation and welfare each of other And so should the members of the Mysticall body they should have such a mutuall care specially for the Spirituall welfare each of other It is the commendation which Paul giveth of Timothy that he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naturally care for the state of his Philippians Philip. 2.20 Those things which concerned the salvation of their souls and the welfare of their Church Such is the care of the natural and such should be the care of the mysticall members a naturall cordiall sincere affectionate care each for other And so again for their fears they should also be mutuall 5. Mutuall feares and jealousies Christians should bee afraid of each other where there is just cause of feare So was Paul of his Galathians when he took notice of their haltings I am afraid of you saith he lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vaine Thus Christians may and ought in some cases to have a kind of an holy jealousie one over another Jealousie is an affection which flowes from love And however being inordinate it groweth to great and sinfull inconvenience betwixt the nearest Relations Jealousie is the rage of a man Prov. 6.34 yet being well ordered it is an usefull passion Thus was Paul affected towards his Corinthians as he tels them 2 Cor. 11.2 I am jealous over you with a godly jealousie And thus Christians both may and ought to be affected each to other When they shall see their brethren begin to warp and turne aside from any of their principles and to suck in any dangerous errours which was the case of those Corinthians or to fall from their first love to abate of their zeale and forwardnesse in the practise of Piety now they not onely may but ought to be jealous over them Only let it be with a Godly jealousie A Godly Jealousie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Apostle with the jealousie of God not out of any light and ungrounded suspicion and surmise not out of any by and sinister respect but with an eye to God to his glory and their brethrens good And that Christians both may and ought to be jealous over one another As it is with the members of the Body if one of them have a tumour a sore breeding the rest are jealous of it fearing what it may come to The like Christians may and ought to be over one another in a like case that so they may performe those offices each to other which their mutuall relation in that case calleth for Which what they are I shall now come in the

heads have made divided hearts Division in judgement hath bred division in affection so as the love of many is now waxed cold So it was foretold by our Saviour Matth. 24.11 12. Many false Prophets shal arise and shal deceive many And because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold And surely never was it more truly and sadly verified then in this Age this Nation wherein through the seduction of false teachers every where sowing the tares of their erroneous doctrines and the abounding of all kind of iniquity the love of many many professours their love to God and love to their Brethren is now grown cold not shewing it selfe as heretofore in the offices and exercises of true piety and charity O that that God who causeth the sea when it is at the lowest ebbe to flow againe would also cause a returne of this Affection unto his Church and people in this Nation That those who being members of the mysticall Body are also members one of another might be truly and cordially affected each to other which were there no other argument to perswade yet me thinks this alone which I have now in hand being duely considered should bee abundantly sufficient What members of the same Body and mutuall members members one of another and shall wee not own one another shall we not imbrace one another be cordially affected each to other Now the good Lord who can and will make dry bones to live revive this affection where it is dead or dying and confirme it where it yet continues that being thus members one of another we may fulfill the great and everlasting Commandement which as it hath been taught from the beginning of the world as Saint John tels us 1 John 3.11 so is it to be practised to the end of it yea to eternity That we love one another And that not impaling and confining this Affection within the narrow bounds of that particular Society to which we have a speciall Relation love so appropriated may well bee suspected but extending it to all the true Churches of Christ and all the true members of those Churches as being all members of the same Body To this grand and primary respect I may now subjoyne some other which are but as off-sets to this maine Root daughters and hand-maids to this Mother and Mistresse-Affection as viz. 2. In the second place 2. Sympathizing one with another Christians upon the account of their Joint-membership thus loving one another let them also sympathize one with another This doe the members of the naturall Bodie being joint-members they sympathize have a fellow-feeling each with other So much did we not know it by experience we might learn from our Apostle 1 Cor. 12.26 And whether one member suffer all the members suffer with it or one member be honoured all the members rejoyce with it So should it be with the members of the mysticall Body being fellow-members let them thus sympathize one with another So Saint Peter presseth it 1 Pet. 3.8 Finally be ye all of one mind having compassion one of another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sympathizing having a fellow-feeling of each others condition Thus should Christians be like affected with their Brethren rejoycing with them sorrowing with them So our Apostle here presseth it upon these his Romans bringing it in upon the account of this their Joint-membership ver 15. of this Chapter Rejoyce with them that rejoyce and weep with them that weep H. Grotius Drusius ex Rabbi Jud. ad loc An allusion as some conceive of it to the two Gates in Solomons Temple the one of which was the marrying door the other the Penitents door and so those who entered in at the one were merry and joyfull those who came in or went out at the other were sad and sorrowfull to both which the Levites applied themselves in their speech and demeanour sutable to their conditions speaking chearfully to the one mournfully to the other Thus ought Christians to sympathize with their brethren being like affected with them both in regard of joy and sorrow 1. Rejoycing with them that rejoice 1. Having mutuall joyes Rejoycing in the welfare of their brethren In their Temporall welfare not envying it nor repining at it but rejoicing in it So did Elizabeths Neighbours and Friends as the story tels us Luk. 1.58 When they heard that the Lord had shewed great mercy unto her viz. in giving her a son they rejoyced with her But specially in their Spirituall welfare Are there any entred or entring in at the Marrying door coming in giving up themselves to be married to Jesus Christ here is a matter of rejoicing It is so with the Angels in Heaven There is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth Luk. 15.10 And so let it be to the Saints upon earth Do we see any who were before alienated brought home unto God either in their first conversion of returning after their defection and departing from him herein rejoice It was meet that we should make merry and be glad saith the father of the Prodigall to his malecontented son for this thy brother was dead and is alive again was lost and is found Luk. 15.32 And so where we see any standing fast in the faith walking in the truth herein rejoice So did John on the behalfe of the children of that Elect honoured Lady as he calls her and tels her 2 Joh. v. 1 4. I rejoice greatly that I found of thy children walking in the truth The like he tels Gaius in the following Epistle ver 3 4. And so was this our Apostle affected for these his Romans Hearing of the fame of their obedience I am glad therefore saith he on your behalfe Rom. 16.19 Thus should mysticall fellow-members rejoice one with another 2. 2. Mutuall sorrows And so mourn one with another having a fellow feeling of each others sorrowes and sufferings Such a Sympathie there is betwixt the Head and members of this mystical Body We have not an High Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities saith the Apostle Hebr. 4.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ being the head of his Church is sensible of the ailements of his meanest members Sympathizing with them Saul Saul why persecutest thou me saith the voice from heaven Act. 9. The foot was trodden on upon earth and the Head feels it in heaven And such a Sympathy there should be betwixt the members of this body and that both in their Spirituall distempers and Temporall Sufferings An Instance of the former we have in the Apostle himselfe 2 Cor. 11 29. Who is weak saith he and I am not weak who is offended and I burn not Thus did he take to heart the Distempers In Spirituall distempers Infirmities Scandals of any weak member of the Church The like should all Christians do not insult over the fals of their Brethren but mourne over them Is it so