II. The mystery contained in it —
That the deepest mysteries of our holy religion were shadowed forth by it, we are well assured, because our blessed Lord has expressly referred to it as illus- trative and explanatory of them. Let us, for distinct- ness' sake, consider,
1. The provision made —
[God ordered that a brasen serpent should be made like unto the other serpents, (but without their venom ;) and that it should be erected on a pole in the midst of the camp. And herein was a great mystery. What, I would ask, is the provi- sion which God has made for the recovery of a ruined world ? Has he not sent his only dear Son into the world, to be made " in the likeness of sinful flesh," yea, to be " made in all things like unto us, sin only excepted0?" Has he not caused that glorious Person to be suspended on a cross, and to yield up his own life a sacrifice for sin ? Has he not moreover commanded that in every place, and in every age, that adorable Saviour should, by the preaching of the everlasting Gospel, be " evi- dently set forth crucified before the eyes of mend ? " Here then we behold that which was prefigured by the brasen serpent. In affirming this, we speak only what our Lord himself has declared e. Indeed on several different occasions did he refer to this type, as to receive in due season its accomplishment in himf. O how are we indebted to God for the light of his blessed Gospel ! Little did the Israelites know what a stupen- dous mercy was here exhibited to their view. Doubtless, as a mere ordinance for the healing of their bodies, they would be thankful for it ; but how thankful should we be, who see in it such a wonderful provision for our souls ! Let us contemplate it : God's co-equal, co-eternal Son, Jehovah's Fellow, made incarnate ! The Deity himself assuming our nature with all its sin- less infirmities, and dying an accursed death upon the cross! and this too for the salvation of his own rebellious creatures ! O let us never for one moment forget, that this is the means which God has appointed for our deliverance from death and hell : let us contemplate it, till our hearts are altogether absorbed in wonder, love, and praise.]
2. The direction given —
[The only thing which the Israelites had to do, was, to look unto the brasen serpent. There was nothing else re- quired of them : they were not first to heal themselves in part ; or to apply any other remedy in conjunction with this: nor
c Rom. viii. 3. with Heb. ii. 17. and iv. 15. d Gal. iii. 1.
e John iii. 14. f John viii. 28. and xii. 32.