The former part of this chapter is spent in a discourse with Nicodemus. (1.) About regeneration. That great pharisee needed to be catechised and taught the plainest principles of Christianity. (2.) About salva- tion by Christ, the great secret which our Lord brought out of his Father's bosom. He instructed him in two things mainly — (1.) The manner of purchasing ; (2.) The manner of applying, this salvation. As the whole context may be comprised under these two heads, so also the words read to you. The manner of purchasing is by Christ's coming into the world and dying for sinners ; the way of applying is by faith in the Son of God. He instructeth him in the manner of purchasing ; partly that he might not think light of sins, seeing he must die for them ; partly that he might not be scandalised at his sufferings, as afterwards he buried Christ, and provided a mix- ture of myrrh and aloes for his funeral, John xix. 39. He instructeth him in the way of applying and obtaining the purchased benefits, partly that he might not be ashamed of professing himself one of Christ's followers and disciples ; partly to engage his heart to own him as the Saviour of lost sinners, having sufficient virtue to cure the sin- fulness and misery of such as fly to him by faith. These things are represented to him by a type, and that a notable one, the type of the brazen serpent. In the words take notice —
1. Of the 7rp6rcun<i, or proposition, ' As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness.'
2. The a7r68ocrt9, or the reddition or explication of it, ' Even so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.' In which —
[1.] The way of saving mankind, ' The Son of man must be lifted up.'
[2.J The means of applying it, ' That whosoever believeth in him.'
[3.] The benefit propounded, negatively, he ' Should not perish ; ' positively, ' But have eternal life.'
I shall open the words by a short illustration, and then come to the point.
1. For the protasis. *As Moses,' by God's appointment, though the minister be only mentioned : Num. xxi. 8, ' The Lord said unto
454 SERMON UPON JOHN III. 14, 15.
Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent ; ' it was not his device, but God's ordinance ; no invention and institution of his ; he had God's express command and vrarrant for it. ' Lifted up ; ' that is, set upon a perch or pole, as an object to be looked upon by the stung Israelites. ' The serpent ; ' that is, the brazen image and figure of a serpent. Signs are often called by the name of the thing represented and signified. ' In the wilderness ; ' a figure of this world, through which we have our passage to the heavenly Canaan. You may add, that the 7rp6Tacn<;, or proposition of the type, may be more full, ' That the people might not perish, but be healed and live,' for then the reddition or explication of the type will run more smoothly.
2. The apodosis. ' Even so must the Son of man ; ' that is, Christ, spoken of in the former verse ; the Son of man that ascended and descended, that was in heaven, and knew the depths of God's counsel, and came down to make them known to us. This Son of man must ' be lifted up,' believed on, or looked unto by faith, and then the guilty sinner is healed, and shall not perish, but have eternal life. The lift- ing up of the Son of man in the sound and first hearing seemeth to note his exaltation ; but it doth not carry that notion here, but such a lifting up as is correspondent to the erection of the brazen serpent on a tree or pole. It signifieth the crucifixion of the Son of God, not his exaltation, but the lowest act of his humiliation. So in many other places : John viii. 28, ' When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he.' He speaketh it to the wicked Jews ; and how did the Jews lift him up but by crucifying him ? Surely they intended no honour to him, yet there it is made their act. So John xii. 32, 33, ' I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men after me. This he said, signifying what death he should die,' as the evan- gelist there explaineth his meaning ; so that there needeth no further scruple about the sense of the words. It followeth, ' that whosoever ; ' all persons are invited, without exclusion of any ; that universal particle comprehendeth sinners of all sorts and sizes, of all ranks and conditions in the world. ' Believeth in him ; ' this answereth to looking upon the brazen serpent. Believing is a looking to Christ, a looking upon him by the eye of faith. ' Shall not perish, but have eternal life.' He shall escape the present danger which he feareth. Souls shall be healed, and delivered from hell, and life eternal is restored to them.