Joh. t I. ~ G. ., .: 1 t .. fenfe ,he cures for ever, the; (hall never dye. 3. The ferpent alfo had its time ofcuring, it did not alwayes re~aine the ver~ue, but during the time they were in the wildernelfe; only Jefus Chriil: our brazen fer pent doth ever retaine his power and vertue to the end ofthe world; and hence it is that in the_minifiry,Chrifi is il:ill held forth .u lifted up, tha t all that will but look on him hy .faith may live.4.The ferpenr,fometimes a remedy againfi poyfon, was after turned even to poyfon the Ifraelites, w~ich made H ez,ekf:ah to crufh it, and break it, and ftampe it to powder; but · Jefus Chrifi ever remaines the fovereigne and healing God, he is t he fame yeft erday,and today, andfor ever. He is unchangeable in h. s goodnelfe, ashe is in holy and divine nature, he can never be defaced~ nor defiroyed, but he abideth the Saviour of finnet;s to all eternity ; why then let us rather look_ unto Chrift, and beleeve i!$ Chrift .u lifted up. (i.) as he wascrucified, and dyed on the crolfe. In this refpect he is made a fit object· for a finners faith to trufi upon, and refi upon; . Chrift M crucified, M madefin, 1111d a cur(e f or m , u the objeR: ofour pardon ; 0 this is it that makes Cbrifts death fo defireable; why, therein is vertually and meritoriou!ly pardon ofGn, jufiification, redemption, reconciliation, · and what not? oh cryes a finner, where m11y I fet m7 f oot? how jhould I rtgaincmy God? myJin hath undone me, which way fhould: I caft f or pardon? . why now remember that in feeking pardon, Chrifr was crucified, Chrifr as dying is principally to be eyed and looked at ; who is he that condemneth ! it is Chrift that dyed, ·:R.om.8. 3 4· No quefiion Chri£l:s active obedience during his life was moil: exact, and perfect, and meritorious, yet that was not the expiation of !in ; only his paffi ve obedience (Chrift only in his fufferings) took away fin~' the guilt offin, :and puriifument for fin, weha'Ue redemption through the blood ofChrift, even theforgiveluffe offins. If any humble foul would have recourfeto that Chrifr, who i>now in heaven-, let him firfi in the a<'l:ings of hi~ faith con!Jder him as crucified, as lifted 1p,.as made fin for us, as, through whom (under that conGderation )he is to receive pardon · of!Jn. jufii fi cation, redemption, reconcil iation, fanctification, falvation. · ) . Faith in going to Chrift, .u lifted up, it is principallY, and mainly to look unto the end,_·meanine, intent, -and defigne of ' ~rift in his f~~qin,gs as 'he wilS' lift(d up,; we are not . barely to' · confide~:
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