Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	aaron_n	life_n	rod_n	21	3	9.7870	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66899	Moses and Aaron, the king and the priest by the author of the examination of Tilenus before the triers, in the time of the late rebellion.	Womock, Laurence, 1612-1685.	1675 (1675)	Wing W3346; ESTC R20340	27,170	67

a vital eye 2. a vital tongue 3. a vital sting 1. A vital eye and so it must be virga vigilans like that of Jer. 1. 11. Jeremy A watching Rod. 2. A vital tongue and so it must be virga clamitans like that Mic. 6. 9. of Micah a preaching Rod. 3. A vital sting and so it must be virga stimulans like that of St. Paul a goading and a quickning 1 Cor. 4. ult Rod. 1. It must be a watching Rod Vigilat autem virga cuncta populi peccata considerans ut percutiat et corripiat delinquentes I have Hieron in Jer. 1. 11. Ezek. 33. 8. Heb. 13. 17. and 2 Tim. 4. 5. made thee a watchman saith the Lord to the Prophet The very essence of the Bishops Office consisteth in a superintendency his work is to watch for Souls 2. A preaching Rod if it be a genuine Rod of Aaron it will speak to every man and to every sin in its own Language And St. Chrysostom tells us that two things are requisite for corection and reproof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a discreet mildness with an ingenious liberty of speech Plus tamen erga corrigendos agat benevolentia quam severitas plus cohortatio quam commotio plus charitas quam potestas saith Leo. Kindness is more prevalent towards the correction of Delinquents than severity charity of more efficacy than an imperious Power For some dispositions as St. Austin observes are wrought upon magis docendo quam jubendo magis monendo quam minando more by Perswasion than by 1 Cor. 4. 21. menaces such dispositions as are unrelenting at the spirit of meekness to such other applications are highly necessary and upon this account the Rod is 3. Virga stimulans a smart and goading Rod and in this case the great Apostle out of very charity resolves to use sharpness 2 Cor. 13. 2 10. The virtue of good-men is not sine cuspide vel aculeo not without some sting and there are some tempers will require it Yet I would not have this Rod turned into Exod. 7. 12. 2 Tim. 3. 8. a Serpent unless it be with a design to swallow up the Rods of Jannes and Jambres when they bewitch the People to withstand Moses If any be so obstinate that they will not be corrected by Aaron's Rod neither obedient to the voice nor awed by the eye nor quickned by the sting of it especially if any be so insolent as to wrest the Rod out of Aaron's hand if he provokes Aaron to appeal to Moses and Moses's Rod be thrown out after him and that becomes a Serpent to him he may thank his own stubbornness for that Transubstantiation for instead of a gentle Rod he deserves to be whipt with Scorpions The Prophet Jeremy saw a Rod Jer. 1. 12 13. and a seething Pot too and it is the observation of Origen Si ergo tali virga Disciplinae non emendaris in cacabum mitteris cacabus in Psal 38. Homil. 2. succendetur If the Rod of Discipline cannot reform thee thou shalt be cast into the seething Pot to be consumed 3. It must be a florid Rod some leaves it should have not broad enough to lodg or shelter Serpents but soveraign to heal and then to hide the scar and blemish of the infirm and surprized Patient But some sores are so deep foul and offensive they must be drawn and laid open in order to their cure to furnish leaves to cover such is to skin over an old sore till it rankles till it become more noisome and contagious But to make the Rod florid it must have blossoms as well as leaves It is expected whatever Habits are in fashion amongst others that the Priests should be cloathed with righteousness and salvation that they should be endued Psal 132. 16 with the flower of Learning and the beauty of Holiness And why should not this have the advantage of Wealth and Honour to adorn and dress it up as well as other Rods Though such Secular accessions cannot make it the more Sacred yet they may make it the more awful which will make it also the more serviceable both to the Church of God and to Moses his Vicegerent And this would be a means to make it what it should be 4. A fruitful Rod some perhaps do really mind nothing but the leaves and blossoms to cloth and adorn them So they may be kept warm and gay they care for nothing else But as Leo hath it Tua Conscientia honorem Ep. 93. Chap. 16. sibi debitum vindicant qui pro animabus sibi creditis non laborant Bestiae irruunt septa ovium non claudunt Fures insidiantur excubias non praetendunt Morbi crebrescunt remedia nulla prospiciunt Feed Mic. 7. 14. thy flock with thy Rod saith the Lord to his Prophet The flock must be fed and to that effect the Rod must be fruitful There are bitter Almonds whose virtue is to allay the fumes digest the crudities and dry up the inundations of Intemperance to open Obstructions those of Covetousness and Oppression to expel the wind that flatus of pride and vanity to purge the reins and the inner man of all inordinate lusts and passons and very useful to smooth the skin of a Christians outward conversation to make it beautiful and lovely And there are sweet Almonds too which afford an oyl and milk to close the wounds of a broken heart to refresh the weak to cool the Calentures of distempered Consciences and bring them to repose and comfort When we have such solid and such vital such florid and such fruitful Rods as these set before the flock Methinks we should all be of Jacobs breed our inward conceptions and outward productions our hearts and our works should be of the same complexion by the transforming Power of a happy imitation To conclude life consisteth in motion and the vigour of life discovers it self in the quickness of that motion and even by the constitution of his Rod Aaron is instructed to use Expedition in the Administration of his Discipline For the Almond-tree hath its name from the forwardness of it's productions When causes which fall under the Inspection of this Rod are kept too long before they come to a Decision this is an ill sign and provokes justly to complaint and murmuring It argues the Rod to be blind or dumb soft or stupid without sting or life not like the Rod that shoots up by Gods appointment for that Jer. 1. 11 12. is followed with a speedy sentence and a due execution Let the Rod be Expeditious in its Process that there be no cause of murmuring upon that account and then men will stand in awe of the sting and reverence the eye and obey the voice of it And not only so but finding shelter and protection in the leaves Beauty and Ornament in the blossoms Food Physick and refreshment in the fruit they will delight to dwell under the shadow of it When they see it Soveraign to heal and sweeten all our bitter waters of strife they will really believe of this what the Jews do but fable of that other That it descends from the tree of life They will cry out Servetur endeavour to have it flourish and pray that it may be preserved and prosper in the Church amongst us to the Worlds end Amen FINIS