lifting up upon the cross. So must the Son of man be lifted up. Learn hence, That the Lord Jesus Christ is of the same use and office to a sin-stung soul, which the brazen serpent was of old to a serpentstung Israelite. Here observe, 1. Wherein the brazen serpent and Christ do agree. And, 2. wherein they differ. They agree thus: In the occasion of their institution; they were both appointed for cure and healing. Were they serpent-stung? we are sin-stung; devil-bitten. Was the sting of the fiery serpent inflaming? Was it spreading? Was it killing? So is sin, which is the venom and poison of the old serpent, They agree in this; that they both must be lifted up before cure could be obtained; the brazen serpent upon the pole, Christ upon the cross. They both must be looked unto before cure could be obtained; the looking up of the Israelites was as necessary unto healing, as the lifting up of the serpent. Faith is as necessary to salvation as the death of Christ. The one renders God reconcileable unto sinners, the other renders him actually reconciled. Again, did the brazen serpent heal all that looked upon it, and looked up unto it, though all had not eyes alike, some with a weak, others with a stronger eye? In like manner doth Christ justify and save all, that with a sincere faith, though weak, do rely upon him for salvation; Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish. Further, the brazen serpent was effectual for Israel's cure after many stingings; If after they were healed they were stung afresh, and did look up to it, they were healed by it. Thus the merit of Christ's death is not only effectual for our cure and healing at our first conversion, but after involuntary relapses and backslidings, if by faith we have recourse to the blood of Christ, we shall find it efficacious for our further benefit and future healing. In a word, as the brazen serpent had the likeness of a serpent, the form, the figure, the name, the colour of the serpent, but nothing of the venom and poison of the serpent in it; so Christ did take upon him our nature; but sin, the venom and poison of our nature, he had nothing to do with though Christ loved souls with an invincible and insuperable love, yet he would not sin to save a soul. This was the similitude and resemblance between Christ and the brazen serpent. The disparity or dissimilitude follows: The brazen serpent had no power in itself, or of itself, to heal and cure; but Christ has a power inherent in himself, for the curing and healing of all that do believe in him. Again, The brazen serpent cured only one particular nation and people, Jews only; Christ is for the healing of all nations, and his salvation is to the end of the earth. Further, The brazen serpent cured only one particular disease; namely, the stinging of the fiery serpents: had a person been sick of the plague, or leprosy, he might have died, for all the brazen serpent: but Christ pardons all the iniquities, and heals all the diseases of his people, Psal. ci. 3. Yet again, Though the brazen serpent healed all that looked up unto it, yet it gave an eye to none to look up unto it; whereas Christ doth not only heal them that look up to him, but bestows the eye of faith upon them, to enable them to look unto him that they may be saved. In a word, the brazen serpent did not always retain its healing virtue, but in time lost it, and was itself destroyed, 2 Kings xviii. 4. But now the healing virtue and efficacy of Christ's blood is eternal. All believers have and shall experience the healing power of our Redeemer's death to the end of the world. Lastly, The Israelites that were cured by looking up to the brazen serpent, died afterwards; some distemper or other soon carried them to their graves but the soul of the believer that is healed by Christ shall never die more; Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Here observe, 1. The original source and fountain of man's salvation; and that is, God's free and undeserved, his great and wonderful love. God so loved the world: he doth not say how much, but leaves it to our most solemn raised thoughts; it is rather to be conceived than declared; and admired rather than conceived. God so loved the world: Hence note, That the original spring and first cause of our salvation is the free favour and mere love of God; a love worthy of God from whom it proceeds, even love inexpressible and inconceivable. Observe, 2. The greatness of the gift by which God evidenced and demonstrated the greatness of his love to a lost world. He gave his only begotten Son: that is, he delivered him out of his own bosom and everlasting embraces. Now this will appear a stupendous expression of God's love, if we consider that God gave him who was not only the greatest, but the dearest person to him in the world, even his own Son: that he gave him for sinners; that he gave him for a world of sinners; that he gave him up to become a man for sinners; that he gave him up to become a miserable man for sinners; that he gave him up to be a sacrifice for the sin of sinners. Observe, 3. The gracious end for which God gave this great gift of his love to lost sinners: That whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. Where note, 1. The gentle and merciful condition upon which salvation depends: Whosoever believeth in Christ shall not perish. 2. The infinite goodness of God in proposing such a vast reward unto us, upon our performing of this condition; He shall have everlasting life. Learn hence, That faith is the way which God hath appointed, and the condition which God hath required, in order to our obtaining salvation by Jesus Christ. This faith consists in the assent of the understanding, that Jesus is the Saviour of the world; in the consent of the will, to accept of Jesus freely and voluntarily, deliberately, advisedly, and resolvedly, for our Saviour; in accepting the merit of his blood, and submitting to the authority of his laws; it being in vain to expect salvation by Christ, if we do not yield subjection to him; he that thus believes in Christ, that submits himself to his ruling power, as well as commits himself to his saving mercy, shall not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God. Observe here, That the salvation of sinners was the intentional end, and the condemnation of them only the accidental event, of Christ's coming into the world. The design of Christ's first coming into the world was to save it. The end of his second coming will be to judge the unbelieving part of it. Observe secondly, That unbelief is the formal cause of the sinner's damnation; it is that sin which doth bind all other sins upon the sinner, and consigns him over to damnation; it is that sin which doth not only procure damnation, but no damnation like it; which is intimated in the next verse. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. nity of a choice and invaluable privilege Observe, here 1. The worth and digdeclared, Light is come into the world. A personal light, CHRIST; a doctrinal light, the Gospel. Observe, 2. The unworthiness, abuse, and great indignity, which the world, through infidelity, offers to this benefit: they reject it, and love darkness rather than light. Observe, 3. The dreadful sentence of wrath which the rejection of this benefit, and the abuse of Christ, brings upon the impenitent and unbelieving world. It terminates in their full and final condemnation: This is the condemnation; that is, 'tis a just and righteous condemnation, 'tis an inevitable and unavoidable condemnation: 'tis an heightened and aggravated, 'tis an accelerated and hastened, an irrecoverable and eternal condemnation. Learn hence, That the greater and clearer the light is, under which the unregenerate and impenitent do live in this world, so much the heavier will their condemnation and misery be in the world to come, if they wilfully and finally reject it. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved : 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God. In these words our Saviour acquaints us with the different nature of sin and holiness. It is the nature of sin, and the property of sinners, to hate the light, because it discovers the evil and sinfulness of their ways unto them, and condemns them for them; as the Ethiopians are said to curse the sun for its bright and hot shining: whereas holy and gracious persons, that walk uprightly, do love the light; that is, they delight to have their thoughts, words, and actions, tried by the light of the word, be cause they are wrought in God; that is, performed as in the sight of God, according to the direction of the word of God, and with a single eye and sincere aim at the glory of God. Learn hence, 1. That the word of God, or the gospel of Jesus Christ, has all the properties of a great and true light. It is of a pure and purifying nature, it is of a manifestive and discovering nature. It has a piercing power, and penetrating virtue; it enters the darkest recesses of the soul, and detects the errors of men's judgments, as well as discovers the enormities of their lives. Learn, 2. That nothing is so hateful to, and hated by, a wicked man, as the discovering and reproving light of the word of God; for at the same time that it discovers the sin, it condemns the sinner. Learn, 3. That a truly gracious person, who acteth agreeable to the will of God, is not afraid to examine his actions by the word of God; but desires and delights that what he doth may be made manifest both to God and man. He that doeth truth, cometh to the light, and rejoiceth, that his deeds may be made manifest, because they are wrought in God. 22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized. 23 And John also was baptizing in Enon, near to Salim, because there was much water there; and they came and were baptized: 24 For John was not yet cast into prison. Our blessed Saviour having now finished his excellent sermon, preached to Nicodemus at Jerusalem, he departs thence with his disciples into the country of Judea, to make proselytes by the ordinance of baptism. Where note, 1. Our Lord's unwearied diligence in doing his Father's work and will. He goes from place to place, from city to country, preaching with, and baptizing by, his disciples; for Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples, John iv. 2. Note, 2. That the enjoyment of Christ's bodily presence did not take away the use of his own ordinances. None are above ordinances, till they come to heaven. The ordinance of baptism is here administered by the disciples, even in the presence of Christ himself. This is called, The baptism of repentance, of which children, as well as others, were capable subjects; because baptism doth not require children's repentance at present, but engages them to repentance for time to come; as children that were circumcised were obliged to observe the whole law, but could not perform it till they came to understand it. Note, 3. How John did go on with his work of baptizing, though Christ and his disciples did eclipse and obscure him; though the people now flocked after Christ, All men came unto him, ver. 26. yet John kept to his duty. 'Tis the duty of God's ministers to continue in their diligence, and go on with their work, when God raises up others about them of greater parts and better success. O! the admirable humility of that minister, who can say with John the Baptist, Let another increase though I decrease. 25 Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews, about purifying. 26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. Observe here, What a spirit of envy there was in John's disciples against Christ, lowers: He, that was with thee beyond upon account of the multitude of his folJordan, baptizeth, and all men come to him. Where note, 1. How meanly John's disciples think and speak of our Saviour, compared with John their master. They do not so much as allow him a name, or give him any title, but, He that was with thee beyond Jordan, the same baptizeth. Observe, 2. How they intimate, as if Christ had received all his credit and reputation from their master, John: He to whom thou barest witness, baptizeth; as if they had said, "This man whom the people flock after, neglecting thee and thy disciples, is much inferior to thee; for he came to thee, thou didst not go to him; thou baptizedst him, he did not baptize thee: thou gavest testimony to him, he did not give testimony to thee." Whence we observe, What a bitter spirit of envy and emulation there has always been amongst the ministers of the gospel, even from the very first plantation of the gospel, which causes them to look upon the exalted parts and gifts of others as a diminution and debasing of their own: but why should the prospering of the work of God, in one minister's hand, be matter of repining unto others? Shall not God honour what instruments he pleaseth? And will he not reward all his faithful labourers, according to their sincerity, not according to their success? 27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. 28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. 29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly, because of the bridegroom's voice. This my joy therefore is fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease. 31 He that cometh from above is above all; he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all. Observe here, How holily and wisely John the Baptist corrects the envy and jealousy of his own disciples, and endeavours to root out all prejudice out of their minds against Christ; in order to which, he shows them a five-fold difference betwixt Christ and himself. 1. He tells them Christ was the Master, John but his minister, and that he had told them so from the begin ning: Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. The faithful ministers of Christ think it honour enough to be servants to him, and would not have their followers attribute the least part of that honour and glory to them, which is due to Jesus Christ. 2. John acquaints his disciples, that Christ was the Bridegroom of his church, to whom the christian church was to be solemnly espoused and married; and that he had honour enough in being one of the Bridegroom's friends and servants; and accordingly, instead of envying, he rejoiced at the success which the Bridegroom had, and took great pleasure in it. Learn, 1. That the relation betwixt Christ and his church is a conjugal relation, a relation of marriage; yet set forth under the name of Bride and Bridegroom, rather than under the notion of a complete marriage, because it is but begun here, and to be consummated in heaven. And also to show, that Christ's and his people's affections are as warm and fresh, as strong and vehement, towards each other, as the affections of espoused or newly married persons are to one another, Isa. Ixii. 5. 4s the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee, Learn, 2. It is honour sufficient to the ministers of Christ, that they, as friends of the Bridegroom, are employed by him to further the marriage relation betwixt him and his spouse. Their office is to woo for Christ, to commend his person, and to invite all persons to accept of him for their head and husband, 2 Cor. xi. 2. I have espoused you to one Husband, that I may present you as a there is no greater joy to the ministers of Learn, That chaste virgin to Christ. Christ, than to see themselves honoured by him, as his instruments, in preparing a people for Christ, and happily uniting them unto him. O! how little do our people know, and less consider, how much of the comfort of their poor ministers' lives lies at their mercy: We live as we see any of them stand fast in the Lord; we die as we see others stick fast in their sins. This was the second difference which John acquaints his disciples was found betwixt Christ and himself. The third follows, ver. 30. He must increase, but I must decrease. He must increase; that is, in honour and dignity, in esteem and reputation, in discovery and manifestation. He shall shine forth as the rising sun, and I must disappear as the morning-star. Not that John's light was diminished, but by a greater light obscured only; as all the stars disappear at the appearance of the sun. Yet observe what matter of joy it was to John to see himself outshined by Christ: Let him increase, though I decrease. That minister has true light in himself, that can rejoice when he is outshined by others; who is content to be abased and obscured, if he may but see Christ dignified and exalted in the lives of his people, whosoever the person is whom God honours as his instrument in that service. The fourth difference wherein Christ excels John and all his ministers, is in the divine original of his person, ver. 13. He that cometh from above, is above all, says John. Now Christ is from above, his original is from heaven: I am from the earth, (though I had my commission from heaven,) and accordingly my words and actions are earthly. My Master therefore infinitely surpasses and excels me in the dignity of his person, and in the sublimity of his knowledge. From the whole, note, How much it is the desire and endeavour of every gospel mi nister to magnify Jesus Christ, to display his glorious excellences and perfections before the people, that they may reverence his person, revere his authority, and respect his laws. This was the care of the holy Baptist here, and it will be the endeavour of every faithful minister of Christ that succeeds John, to the end of the world. 32 And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. 33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. 34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. Observe, 1. Another great difference which the Baptist teacheth his disciples to put betwixt his testimony and Christ's: To the intent that he might remove the prejudice which was upon his disciples' minds against the Messiah, he shows them, that his own testimony (which they so much admired) was by revelation only; Christ's by immediate intuition. John testified only what he had received; but Christ what he had seen; lying in the bosom of the Father. What he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth. Learn hence, That it is Christ's (the great Prophet of his church) peculiar prerogative, to have the knowledge of divine truths immediately from the Father, by special communication; and that all others receive their knowledge from him by gracious illumination only. Observe, 2. How sadly and sorrowfully the holy Baptist resents it, that Christ's testimony was no better received and entertained by the world. He testifieth, but no man receiveth his testimony. John's disciples murmured, That all men come unto Christ, ver. 26. but John mourns that there came not more, and complains that none, that is, very few, received his testimony. Thence learn, That it ought and will be matter of great regret and sorrow to all the friends of Jesus Christ, but especially to his faithful ministers and servants, that his doctrine is so ill received and entertained in the world. It greatly affects and grievously afflicts them, that when they testify of Christ, no man, that is, comparatively very few men, receive their testimony. Observe, 3. The eulogy and high commendation given of all true believers. They receive Christ's testimony, and thereby set to their seal that God is true: that is, have subscribed to, and ratified the truth of God; that God in all his promises of the Messiah, under the Old Testament, is faithful and true. Learn hence, The great honour that God puts upon the faith of believers. As unbelief defames God, and makes him a liar; so faith gives testimony to the truth of God, and setteth to its seal that God is true; He that receiveth his testimony, hath set, to his seal that God is true. Observe, 4. The illustrious character which the holy Baptist gives of Christ his Master; he is the person whom God hath sent, and unto whom God giveth not his Spirit by mea He whom God hath sent; that is, sure. immediately and extraordinarily, from heaven; not as the prophets and apostles were sent, but in a way peculiar to himself; having authority for speaking, not only from God, but as being God himself. And accordingly it is added, that God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him; that is, the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit were poured forth upon Christ in a measure far above and beyond all finite creatures: there being a double difference betwixt Christ's fulness of the Spirit, and all other persons' whatsoever. 1. In the measure of it. God did not give out the Spirit to Christ sparingly, and with limitation, as he did to the former prophets and John the Baptist, in proportion to what their offices required; but he was anointed more plentifully and abundantly with the Holy Spirit above and beyond his fellows. 2. In the manner of its working. The holy prophets that were filled with the Spirit, (according to their measures,) yet could not do or declare all. things, nor act upon all occasions; but sometimes the Spirit restrained them, and sometimes departed from them. But Christ. had no limits put upon the vigour of his spirit, but his own will; therefore could work what and when he pleased. Learn from hence, That Christ had an abundant. fitness from God for the discharge of his office, and an abundant fulness for his people. God did not measure to him a certain quantity and proportion of the gifts and graces of his Spirit, but poured it forth upon him without measure. 35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. The Father loved the Son from eternity as he was his Son by eternal generation; and he loved him as Mediator by special |