must be used and applied, and, as it were, brought home by every one to his own case. Every Israelite who would be healed, must look on the serpent. He must turn his eyes upon it, in the hope and expectation of a cure. And thus it is with the salvation provided for sinners. It is not enough that it has been provided. It is not enough that Christ has been crucified, and has thereby offered a sufficient sacrifice for sin. Sinners must secure to themselves an interest in that sacrifice. They must make the blessings purchased by it their own. And how can they do this? By looking to the Son of Man thus lifted up: by turning their eyes upon the cross, in the hope and expectation of being saved by it from sin. This is the direction which Christ has expressly given for applying to ourselves the benefits of his death; "look unto me, and be ye saved!"* But how are we to understand this direction? What is meant by our looking unto Jesus Christ, and by turning our eyes upon the cross? It is plain that sinners cannot look on Jesus Christ in the same manner as the Israelites looked on the serpent of brass, that is, with their bodily eyes. This is impossible. It is the eye of the soul, which is here meant. The looking spoken of is the Isaiah, xiv. 22.

looking of the heart. When the soul is turned towards Jesus Christ, casting all its hope of being saved on the sacrifice which he has made for sin, and humbly praying to be made partaker of the benefits purchased by that sacrifice, then may it be truly said to look to Jesus Christ. And what in fact is this, but that very believing on Christ, that faith in Him, which the scriptures so constantly set forth, as the only way of procur ing an interest in his precious blood-shedding? "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." "By him all that believe are justified from all things." "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not on the Son shall not see life: but the wrath of God abideth on him." By grace are ye saved through faith."* To which passages of scripture let us add only the words of the text, "the Son of Man must be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."

2. We may observe that this way of sav. ing sinners by faith in Jesus Christ, is a way altogether of God's providing. To have set up the brazen serpent for the purpose of healing the wounds of the people, was a way of giving relief, which would never have *Acts, xvi. 31.-xiii. 39.-John, iii.36.-Ephes. ii. 1.

entered into the heart of man; a way, which if it had entered into his heart, he could ne, ver have made effectual. It was altogether of God. The wisdom of God planned the way, and prescribed the means. His power alone made those means successful. Thus it is with the salvation of the gospel. No man could ever have planned it. It was far above out of his thoughts. It was utterly beyond his power to have accomplished it. God alone could have planned a way, and provided a sacrifice. He alone could say what satisfaction he required for our sins, and in what way he could be reconciled to his guilty creatures. This way he has been pleased in mercy to make known to us. He has told us, that it is the way of faith in Jesus Christ, and that "whosoever believeth in him, shall not perish, but have eternal life." What then have we to do, my brethren, but thankfully to use the remedy thus provided for us? It is a remedy indeed, which may seem strange to our natural ideas, a remedy which we may be tempted to look upon as weak, and insufficient, and unlikely to succeed. But might not the Israelites on the same ground have objected to the remedy provided for them? Might not they have called it weak, and insufficient, and unlikely to succeed, and have

given this as a reason for not making trial of it? Yet we have seen in their case how false and impious such reasonings would have been. Be assured, that they will be equally false and impious in our case. In answer to every objection of this kind, let us remember, that the way of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ is the way of God's providing. It is his own appointment for the saving of our souls. Thoroughly persuaded of his wisdom, power, and truth, let us rely, with full assurance on his word. Is Christ "the Lamb of God; the Lamb whom God himself hath provided for a burnt offering? Let us by faith behold this Lamb. Has "God sent him forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, for the remission of sins?" Let us look to him and be saved.

The necessity of doing this will more strongly appear from observing,

3. That this way of salvation by faith in JESUS CHRIST is the only way. "Other foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which is JESUS CHRIST." "Neither

is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved,"* but the name of JESUS CHRIST. There is * 1 Gor. iii. 11.—Acts, iv, 12,

no way of coming unto the Father, but by Jesus Christ.* What then must become of those, who build not on this foundation, who trust not in this name, who come not by this way? Consider, what would have become of the wounded Israelites, had they refused to make use of the remedy provided for them? When bidden to look at the Brazen Serpent for a cure, had they said, 'No: we will try some other means of procuring relief. We will go to the physi'cians. We will have recourse to medi'cines. We will see if we cannot heal ' ourselves:' what must have been the consequence! They would certainly have died. For the remedy which they would have refused to try, was the only one, which could heal their wound. Such then exactly is the case with the salvation provided by the Gospel. It is the only salvation from sin. Those who from pride, or perverseness, or negligence, refuse to have recourse to it, met perish. "He that hath the Son, hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not life."+

4. We may observe that this way of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ is free and open to all. None are shut out from it, but those who shut out themselves. It is a

*John, xiv. 6. +1 John, v. 12,