The Exaltation of Christ in the Days of the Gospel

p. 1THE EXALTATION OF CHRIST The alone High-priest of SAINTS. CHAP. I.

And as Moses lift up the Serpent in the wildernesse, so it behoves the Son of man to be lift up, &c.

THis text presents you with the exaltation of the Lord Jesus, and the manner of it.

Occasioned by a discourse between Christ Iesus, and Nicodemus: from the beginning of the Chapter, p. 2these words being a part of that discourse, and they are the words of Christ who is truth it self and cannot lie, the faithfull and true witnesse the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last of all truths, and heavenly mysteries of the Gospel.

The text divided in two parts:

In this Scripture you may be pleased to take notice of two particulars: first, an act to be done, Christ lifted up: Secondly, how it must be done; even as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wildernesse, &c. I shall not meddle with that title by which Christ is pleased to describe himself (the sonne of man) I might note that Christ is the sonne of man, and so true and perfect man, as well as God, Romans 3.4.

But I shall rather pitch upon the mayne glorious Gospell truth held forth in this Scripture, and the truth or conclusion is this.

Doct. That the Lord Jesus Christ now in the dayes of the Gospel, is to be lifted up even as Moses lifted up these pent in the wildernesse.

Christ is to be lifted up now in the dayes of the Gospel.

Note. 1 Christ is to bee lifted up in the preaching of the Gospel.

p. 32 In the soule of believers.

1 In the preaching of the Gospell, and that first for justification and life, as the alone Priest Attonement and peace maker, between God and his people.

2 He is to be lifted up as the alone Prophet, to teach as the alone King and Lawgiver to his Church and people: And this is to be done both in the preaching of the Gospel, and in the hearts of believers.

1 In the preaching of the Gospel, Christ is to be lifted up for justification and life, this was the end for which Christ came into the world John 10.10. I am come that yee might have life, and that yee might have yet more abundantly, ô beloved, Christ came to give life to dead soules, John 5.25. The dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God, and they that heare shall live: and this life Christ communicates to his, in giving his life to purchase life for his own, who were dead in trespasses and sins, Ephes. 2.1. And so freely and fully ustifies all whom he intends to save, Rom. 3.24. And this justification although free, through the redernption that is in Christ, yet we come to participate of that justification by faith, Rom. 3.26, 27, 28. And the preaching of the Gospell is the Instrumentall p. 4means in the hand of God working faith, Rom. 10. from ver. 14. to 17. Faith commeth by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God: therfore Christ is to be exalted in the preaching of the Gospel, for justification and life, that men beholding him, may have life by him.

p. 4See this truth confirmed, Mat. 10.27. What I tell you in darknesse, speak yee in the light, and what ye hear in the eare, that preach yee on the house tops: Note, what Christ doth tell his servants in the darke? he tells them that he is their life, and their light, their justification, reconciliation; and peace, and hee tells them in the dark in secret, that there is no light or life to be attained in any creature or thing beneath the Lord Jesus, and Christ having called them to it, this they are to speak in the light, and to preach it upon the house tops, that is publikely, to make it known to all, that men through the blessing of God may come to the sight of it.

This was the commission Christ gave to his Disciples, to lift up Christ for justification, and life, in the preaching of the Gospel, see Luke 24.47. compared with Mar. 16.16, 17: In Luke the Text sayes, And that repent once and remission of sins should be preached in his p. 5name among all Nations: And in Marke Goe preach the Gospel to every creature, hee that believeth and is baptized shall be saved &c.

Note. In the first, remission of sins is to be preached; in the second, salvation through believing: and both these in Christ, remission of sins in the name of Christ salvation and life through believing in Christ, who is the alone justification of believers, so that justification, remission of sins, &c. through Christ is to be held forth to the view of the soule, that the soule who is a sinner may by the power of God come to see the Sonne; that is to see that remission of sins, that justification that is held forth in Christ, and so come to be made partakers of it: This you shall see farther confirmed by a second word from heaven, Act. 5.20. Goe. stand, speak in the Temple, all the words of this life, that is, all the words of the Gospel of Christ, the means God hath appointed by the workings of his Spirit, to discover life unto the soules of men.

p. 5And secondly, as Christ thus requires it, so likewise the Apostles practice it, you shal ever finde them exalting Christ, so the Apostle Peter, Act. 4.12. …