and despised knowledge brought to them by him to turn at his reproofs promising to pour out his Spirit to them and make known his words In which is implied that upon their turning he would forgive their former sleightings of him and sinnings against him which if they had not been to be forgiven and overlooked by him would have hindred them of such dispensations of his Grace and Spirit to them Prov. 1.22 23. As thence also the wicked are called upon to forsake their ways and the unrighteous man his thoughts and turn to the Lord and he will have mercy upon them and abundantly pardon them Isa 55.7 And Christ tells the unbelieving Jews that would not come to him that they might have life that he would not accuse them to his Father and that if any man heard his voice and believed not he judged them not now because he came not into the world to judge the world but to save the world John 5.40 45. 12.47 In which saying it 's evident that the world he came to save includes also the now unbelieving persons in it while it 's yet a day of Grace he is saving them Also by his Intercession for transgressours as the Propitiation for the sins of the whole world and by renewed dispensations of patience forbearance and further grace to them as appears 1 John 2.1 2. Isa 53.12 Luke 13.8 Yea he prayed for such as actually abused and crucified him and in the repenting of such afterward he actually pardoned and forgave them Luke 23.34 with Acts 2.37 38 39. 3.19 20. 2. As Moses lifted up the Serpent that whosoever were stung with the fiery Serpents might have advantage and opportunity there-through to look upon it he declaring and informing them that it was set up as a means of healing and that it was Gods mind for giving healing by it that they look up to it and that it would not give forth any healing-virtue to them if not beheld by them yea probably if not beheld till they were healed if they turn'd their eye from it before its virtue had its force in and upon them though the Serpent was the same whether beheld or not beheld Even so is and must the Son of Man be lifted up that men may have an advantage and opportunity of beholding him he being not to be beheld if not lifted up How can they believe on him of whom they have not heard And how can they hear without a Preacher Or how can they preach except they be sent For Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10.14 17. Which makes it needful that they that know him and are commissionated of God as every one that hears hath commission to say to others Come Rev. 22.17 do hold him forth commend and magnifie him to men It 's true that the Apostle there in Rom. 10.18 propounding that question Have they not all heard answers Yes doubtless their voice is gone into all the world and their words to the ends of the earth Alluding to Psal 19.2 3 4. Where the Holy Ghost speaks of the Heavens declaring the glory of God and the firmament shewing his handy-work And so of Gods Works and Providences setting him forth and uttering knowledge as elsewhere it 's said All his works shall praise him To which also they are often called upon Psal 145.8 9. 148. 150. And the Lord they commend and praise is doubtless the same of and to whom he saith Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundations of the earth and the heavens are the works of thine hands c. Psal 102.25 Which the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews applies to the Lord Jesus the Son of Man by whom the Lord hath spoken to us in these last days and by whom he made the worlds Heb. 1.1 2 10 11. And surely whosoever beholds him as there lifted up and praised so as to betake themselves to him for help they do and shall find mercy with him Whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved In every nation he that fears God and works righteousness is accepted of him Rom. 10.12 Acts 10.34 They that by nature or without verbal or vocal instruction do the things contained in the Law that love God and their neighbour though uncircumcised or not under the outward Regiment of Gods Kingdom and Ordinances their uncircumcision shall be accounted circumcision that is they shall be accepted and accounted of as Gods Church Rom. 2.25 26. And of those that by such means also are won in to God I understand in part what our Saviour saith That many shall come from the East and from the West even such as are not the children of the Kingdom and born under the distinct knowledge and Ordinances of God as the opposition to them in the following words do manifest wherein he adds and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac in the Kingdom of God when the children of the Kingdom such as are born and brought up in the professed Church and so are professedly under Gods Government or Ordinances shall be cast out Matth. 8.12 But I say notwithstanding whatever of this nature may be true however God in his lifting him up in his Providences and Works and the manifestations of him implicitely therein may do for the rendring him visible to men that they may behold him look to him and be saved by him Yet it concerns us as our duty and is that which God requires of us that we so lift up Christ in our distinct Preaching of him to men that men through our ministration may behold him in the distinct express declaration of him and be saved from their errours ignorances and iniquities which while they by their wisdom know him not in the wisdom of God as manifested in his works and providences they run into As to that purpose and for that cause it hath pleased God to appoint the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe 1 Cor. 1.21 It was not another light John bare witness to then that which enlighteneth every man coming into the world and that shined in the darkness before he bare witness to it It was not made another in or by his witness only more plainly declared and pointed to It was the same that was in the world though the world knew him not that came to his own and by his own was not received which whosoever received whether of the world or of his own were made the sons of God It was the same Word which was in the beginning with God that in due time was made flesh to bring us through his Sufferings in the flesh unto God in whom was the life and from whom the light came that always shined and in all the world But God to help men to discern him whom otherwise in his wisdom or more wise way to the view of the world as the way of his Creation and Providence is they usually overlook and
have everlasting life we may well give up our selves unto him and say Truly we are thy Servants we are thy Servants the Sons of thy Handmaid thy perpetual Servants Thou hast loosed our bonds offering up our Bodies a living Sacrifice holy and acceptable to him which is our reasonable service of him Psal 116.16 Rom. 12.1 Yea how doth it become us to accept this his grace with all acceptation and for ever to laud and magnify Him To enter his Gates with thanksgiving his Courts with praises being thankful to him and blessing his Name Lauding and praising him that He hath passed such a Decree as this that as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth on him might not perish but have everlasting life And as the Son himself our Lord the Son of man hath published and will publish the Decree saying I will proclaim the Decree The Lord hath said unto me thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the utmost ends of the Earth for thy possession thou shalt rule them with an Iron-Rod c. So let us make it our rejoycing and the business we mind to proclaim the same to all calling upon all to hear it and be glad of it to imbrace and submit to it for ever blessing him and calling upon all Creatures to bless him with us who hath so Decreed for us and is so Decreed of for us Let us lift up our voice and sing for the Majesty of the Lord and cry aloud from the Sea glorifying the Lord though in the fires of afflictions and sufferings even the Name of the Lord God of Israel the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all grace comfort and consolation from the Isls of the Sea Yea let us make a joyful noise to the Lord all the earth serving the Lord with gladness and coming into his Presence with a Song Giving thanks unto him because he is good his mercy prepared for us and given to us in Christ Jesus everlasting and his truth enduring from generation to generation Calling upon all to take notice of his goodness herein unto all and to praise and laud and bless him with us Yea and upon all Creatures too as in Psal 148. especially the Saints and holy ones who believing on him have title to and interest in his promises of salvation and life everlasting Yea let us praise him every where and in all things chiefly in his Sanctuary or Holy Place and Holy Ordinances looking diligently unto Jesus that we fail not of the grace given us in him through any of the politick workings of Siâ— the World and Satan to that purpose against us but that we may be accounted worthy of it to life everlasting To whom â—e Glory and Dominion Honour and Praise now and in all Ages throughout all Places of his Dominions even for ever and ever Amen And Oh that my Soul may bless the Lord at all times and all that is within me may bless his holy Name and let every thing that hath life and breath praise Him till we all come to sing everlasting Hallelujahs in his glorious Kingdom Amen and Amen Laus Deo Christo suâ— in Eternâ—m c. FINIS THE CONTENTS Chap. 1. BRief Observations upon Nicodemus and our Saviours discourse with him p. 1. Chap. 2. The words of the Teâ—t considered its Parts four main Points then observed The first Point The Type of the Brazen Serpent lifted up spoken to in some brief Notes upon it p. 22. it should have been p. 14. Chap. 3. The Second Point in part considered viz. That the Son of man must be lifted up Who is the Son of man And three Reasons propounded why Christ is so called p. 23. alias 26. Chap. 4. Two other Reasons and they the principal ones of Christ calling himself the Son of man p. 48. alias 40. Chap. 5. A twofold Sense of the Phrase of lifting up viz. putting to Death and Glorifying or Advancing and what is implied in it in the latter Sense especially p. 65. alias 57. Chap. 6. A twofold way of Exalting the Son of man viz. either by Real Action upon his Person or by Demonstration of him and of his Worth and Excellency to others The former of these Enlarged upon p. 77. alias 69. Chap. 7. Of the second way of Lifting him up viz. By Demonstration of him and of his Glory unto men by whom that was and is to be performed and wherein p. 85. Chap. 8. The third point viz. That the Son of man must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness and therein several Analogies and Agreement between them considered p. 109. Chap. 9. The fourth and last Point The end of the Son of mans being so lifted up viz. That whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting Life Six Observations drawn from hence the first of which concerning mens danger of perishing opened p. 136. Chap. 10. The second Observation spoken to viz. That God hath no pleasure in mens death or perishing and some objections against it answered very briefly p. 147. Chap. 11. The third Observation briefly spoken to shewing Christ to be the only Medicine for our misery and Way to happiness appointed of God for us and what an inducement that consideration is to love God and accept of Christ p. 154. Chap. 12. The fourth Observation considered and therein the necessity and nature of believing on the Son of man unto Salvation with its desirableness and acceptableness to God p. 162 Chap. 13. The fifth Observation viz. That whosoever believeth on the Son of man shall not perish but have Eternal life having two Branches the former of them is here explicated What the perishing is from which the believer on the Son of man is preserved and how he is preserved from it p. 182. Chap. 14. Of the second Branch of the fifth Observation What Eternal life is and how the believer on Christ shall have it p. 202. Chap. 15. The Application of the two former viz. the 4th and 5th Observations in part in Exhortation to believe Reproof for not believing Incouragements to continue in believing on the Son of man and some Directions thereto p. 212. Chap. 16. Some further usefulness of the said Observations in Cautions and Instructions p. 225. Chap. 17. The sixth and last Observation viz. about the necessity of the Son of mans being lifted up spoken to in certain Conclusions the first of which in two Branches shews the necessity of Gods lifting up Christ in himself both as to mens believing on him and as to their being saved and living for ever by him p. 239. Chap. 18. Another Conclusion proving the necessity of his being lifted up by way of Demonstration to men both by God and men both unto mens
said He that abideth in him sinneth not He that sinneth wandreth from the way hath neither seen him nor known him 1 Joh. 3.6 Thus the believing on him preserves from perishing from the way whereas they that believe not are apt to perish So 1. Either by running out of the Doctrine and way of truth into false Doctrines and Heresies of Damnation being with specious pretences and appearances presented to them as through want of stable rootedness in Christ and dependance on him the Galatians were in the way to have done and as God oft hath left them to do who believed not the truth but have had pleasure in unrighteousness 2 Thes 2.10 11 12. Either fear of men or desire of their favour or will to be rich or the appearing probability of falshood cause those that believe not in Christ to erre from the faith into by-ways of Judgment 1. Tim. 6.10 2. Or else by running into ways of worldiness uncleanness covetousness discontents and unrighteous practices as the Israelites into lusting after evil things Idolatries Fornication and as Demas that forsook Paul having loved this present World 2 Tim. 4 10. And of both these ways of perishing out of the way the Apostle John warnes the believers in 1 John 2.15 16 17 18 19 c. First of perishing from the way by loving the world or the things of the world the lust of the eyes the lust of the flesh or the pride of life ver 15.16 And then of the Deceivers 〈◊〉 and Antichrists when he saith ver 18. Little Children it is the last times and as ye have heard that Antichrist should come even now there are many Antichrists c. Of whom also he warnes 2 Joh. 8. Look to your selves that we loose not the things that we have wrought And as a preservative against both prescribes the faith of Christ or the believing on him 1 Joh. 2.24 25 28. Let that therefore which ye have heard from the beginning abide in you if that which ye have heard from the beginning abide in you ye also shall continue in the Father and in the Son namely so as neither by the love of the world nor by the Antichrists to be drawn out from them and this is the promise which he hath promised eternal life And in 1 John 5.13 These things have I written to you that believe that ye may know that ye have everlasting life and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God 2. There is also a perishing in the end and that 's a sad perishing indeed its sad to perish from the way for that also leads to perishing in the end and will end in it unless rich and marvellous grace and mercy prevent but yet by mercy it may be prevented the lost may be found again as is implied and signified in the parables of the lost Sheep and the lost Groat and the lost child found Luk. 15. The last of which though he lay and perisht with hunger yet came to himself again and being made sensible of it and remembring his Fathers house arose and returned to it So as it 's said of him This my Son was dead but is alive again was lost but is found Namely he was perisht out of the way to happiness but is now brought back into it and found in it again But they that perish in the end are lost for ever as it is said of Amalek His latter end is that he shall perish forever Num. 24.20 There is indeed a perishing in the end in a sence which may be of less mischief yea for mercy Viz. When men perish in the end of their designs and undertakings for that may be in order to their being led to Repentance of such a perishing diverse passages may be understood in which the holy Ghost led his people to pray against their enemies as Let the wicked perish at the presence of God Psal 68.2 Let them be put to shame and perish Psal 83.17 And diverse the like which may possibly be taken in such a charitable as well as in some cases in a harsher sense but to perish in a proper sense as to mens persons in the end is horrible and inconceivably miserable Whether it be 1. At the end of their lives so as their hopes become as the giving up of the Ghost and when they part with their breath their hopes utterly fail them and they go from this life to the dreadful prison to be there reserved against the day of Wrath and then to be brought forth to a worser state of misery and destruction As it is said The Hypocrites hope shall perish whose hope shall be cut off and whose trust shall be as a Spiders web Job 8.13 14. As it was with the rich man who fâ—red deliciously every day but at his death was carried into Hell there to be tormented till Death and Hell give up their Dead to be judged at the great day as it is said Rev. 20.13 14. Luk. 16.21 26. Or whether it be at the end of the World at the great Judgment when Christ shall sit upon his Throne or Tribunal seat and pass that dreadful Sentence upon the unbelieving Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Whereupon they shall go into everlasting punishment and perish with an everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his Power Mat. 25.41 46. 2 Thes 1.7 8 9. To either of which those sentences of the Psalmes about the wickeds perishing may be also applied especially those perishings from their hopes and designes here not awakning them to timely Repentance Indeed it may seem that some that shall perish in that great end of the World the Day of the Lord may not be quite perished from all hope till then by that saying of our Saviour That many shall say at that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name cast out Devils and done many wonderful works to whom he shall say Depart from me c. As if they should plead at that day with some hope of finding mercy but plain it is that they who believe not on Christ but live and dye in their unbelief shall dye in their sins John 8.24 Their sins unpardoned and fast bound upon them and they bound over to suffer the punishment of them and that in the final Judgment in Soul and Body reunited The fearful and unbelieving shall be cast into the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second Death An horrible end decreed to the workers of iniquity and such as cannot be expressed and therefore the Apostle Peter saith What shall their end be that obey not the Gospel As implying it to be unutterably miserable 1 Pet. 4.17 But in none of these senses shall the believer on the Son of Man perish Neither in that which is his hope and design as a believer which is the glorifying of God
helpfulness of others what is the hope of his calling what the unsearchable riches of his grace to be believed and preached by us Eph. 1.18 19. 3.8 and to that purpose say as the Psalmist Be thou exalted O Lord in thine own strength so shall we sing and praise thy power Psal 21.13 Be thou exalted O Lord in thy own glory and excellencies so shall we see and sing of them CHAP. XXIV Some Usefulness of this Doctrine by way of Exhortation and first To look to Christ as lifted up for Vs in all Cases Use 3 ANd surely all that hath been hitherto said of the lifting up of this Son of man and of the end of it may provoke and lead us Exhort 1. To look diligently to him as so lifted up that in looking to him we may be inlightned and our faces may not be ashamed as is said Psal 34.5 He being set or lifted up of God both in himself first and then to us that we might behold him and that in seeing or looking to him we might be strengthned and framed to believe on him and seeing and believing on him we might be saved and have eternal life according to the good and holy will of God Joh. 6.40 Isa 45.22 To which 1. God himself directs and commands us saying Behold my servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth I have put my holy spirit upon him c. Isa 42.1 And 2. Christ himself also calls us saying Behold me behold me to a Nation that was not called by his Name Isa 65.1 And look to me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth Isa 45.22 And 3. The holy Spirit exhorts and commands us saying All ye Inhabitants of the World and Dwellers on the Earth when He lifteth up an Ensign on the Mountains see ye and when he bloweth a Trumpet hear ye Isa 18.3 And there is great Reason for it For Motive 1. If we refuse to look to and behold him how then shall we hereafter look upon him when He comes in his glory and calls us to an account and when we must make a reckoning to Him of our doings when He shall set before us that God for our good and welfare out of his abundant grace and mercy to us gave him his only begotten Son and He himself for us and how He through his great and heavy sorrows and sufferings was exalted and lifted up for us as an Object prepared to our hands and every way sufficient able and ready to save and heal us and we after all that would not turn away our eyes from beholding vanity to look upon and consider Him such a loving and lovely Object an Object so fair and beautiful so comely and glorious both for escape and for delight for safety and life Isa 4.2 Psal 45.2 as He was and is to us How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation as was prepared before the face and answerable to the needs and wants of all People and published and lifted up to us If they that despised Moses law dyed without mercy as we noted before under two or three witnesses of how much sorer punishment shall he be counted worthy that hath trampled under foot the Son of God such and so excellent a one as we have seen before in part counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified a common or unholy thing and hath done despight to the spirit of grace c. Heb. 2.3 and 10.28 29. This would be now seriously considered by us As also that Motive 2. If we look to Him the benefit will be great for He will help and heal us at all turns He is of vertue and force to heal our hearts minds and consciences in all cases as it was with the Brazen Serpent what-ever were the stings and wounds received by the fiery Serpents in looking to the Serpent of Brass they were cured of them None of them were so slighty as that they had any promise of living with them without looking to that nor any so deep and dangerous but that in looking up to that they lived So is it here None so good so holy or so little sinful as that without looking to Christ they may expect to be saved and to have eternal life nor are any so bad or desperately wicked but in a hearty serious and timely looking to Christ they may be healed and live for ever Let that then move us to look to him as delivered up to Death for our offences and raised again from the Dead for our Justification glorified at the right hand of God and lifted up in the Gospel by the Holy Spirit and in the exercise of the spiritual gifts of God's Servants given them to that purpose yea in every case let us look to Him to be healed and saved by Him As for instance Case 1. Are we sensible of our sins and sinfulness and ready to despair because they are so great and manifold The way to be healed of such wounds upon our hearts and consciences the fears horrours and smarts of such stings is to turn the eye hither to the Son of man the Lord Jesus not to pore upon our selves our own unworthiness inability to satisfy Gods justice by any sorrows bewailings confessions or amendments of ours nor to set our selves as conceiting our selves able to help or heal our selves by any such courses or by any devises or contrivances of our own or others as Plaisters of our own making or others commending or giving but only to mind and look unto the perfect Law of Liberty continuing to look thereinto that we may see what He is and what He hath done and suffered for us what satisfaction He hath given to justice what Redemption He hath obtained what Peace he hath made what Pardon is Proclaimed in Him for whom He hath suffered according to the Spirits testimony in the Scriptures and to whom He proclaims and preaches Peace there-through the greatness of his love and freeness of his Grace to Man-kind c. Thus the Apostle Peter preached Christ to those who were prickt at their hearts at their hearing that they had been guilty of murthering Christ directing them to believe on Him upon that account that there was in Him remission of sins and the Holy Ghost to be given them by him and they looking to him and yielding up to what He so looked to wrought in them were comforted and healed Act. 2.37 38 41. So also in Act. 3.13 14 19 26. He proposed to others guilty of the same fault the consideration of the blessing in him the Seed of Abraham for all the Families of the Earth and that to them the Jews first God sent Jesus to bless every one of them in turning every one of them from their iniquities The like in Act. 5.30 31. And the Apostle Paul to the Jaylour ready to make away himself and inquiring in a great affrightment what he should do to be saved directed him to