August 29

PART II.—John 3:14.

HAVING glanced at the resemblance between the disease of the Israelites and that of sin, let us now direct our attention to the remedies provided. Both the remedies were provided and appointed by God. The Lord commanded Moses to prepare the serpent of brass, human ingenuity never could have thought of such a remedy. Our redemption by Jesus Christ was the result of Divine wisdom: God devised our recovery in this way. His profound and infinite knowledge was only adequate to this difficult and mysterious achievement. Here is the wisdom of God in a mystery. While the wisdom of God planned both remedies, it will be seen that both were the result of disinterested goodness. No other motive could actuate God in reference to the Israelites than that of pure compassion, so in reference to human redemption, it was because God loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son for its redemption. In both remedies, we see the communications of Divine power. The serpent of brass, was the medium of communicating the healing power to the people. In Christ God hath put forth the exceeding greatness of his power, in delivering our world from the effects of sin, and the vassalage of the devil. Christ Jesus, in his mediatorial offices and work is emphatically the power of God. It will be observed, also, that both remedies resembled the agents by which the diseases were inflicted. A serpent inflicted the deadly bite, and a brazen serpent was the antidote provided. So by the first Adam's sin, mankind became morally diseased, and by Christ, as our second Adam, in that very nature, we have the grand remedy for that disease. As by man came sin, and condemnation, and death, so by man also came obedience, satisfaction, and eternal life. By the first Adam's transgression, we became ignorant, depraved, wretched, and perishing: by the second Adam's righteousness and merits, we obtain knowledge, holiness, peace, and unerring felicity. Both the remedies were to be elevated,—the serpent of brass, upon a pole, and Jesus upon the cross, and by the publication of his gospel. In the one case, the remedy was exhibited before the whole camp of Israel, and by the other, Jesus is to be held up to the unnumbered myriads of the human race. Well might the Apostle when experimentally conscious of the efficacy of the gospel remedy, exclaim, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ."