heart will Interpret this of an happy opportunity to shew a signal duty and kindness not take it for a commission to destroy him against so many Pregnant Interdictions to the contrary And this was the sence and the sentence of David and he was a Prophet 3. For the argument drawn from Providence it is not only irrational and unsafe but impious When Judas committed a rape upon Divine Providence to gratifie his Avarice he did highly aggravate his own guilt so our Blessed Saviour argues the case before Pilate Thou couldst have no Power John 19. 11. at all against me except it were given thee from above therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin And sure David had not taken Divine Providence by the right handle if he had abused it unto Parricide As long as he continued stedfast in his duty he might rely upon it that Providence was not weary to protect him but awake to watchover him and to put him into possession of the Throne whenever it should legally become void for him But we cannot offer a greater contumely to Almighty God than to set his Providence at variance with his Commands and make his Goodness contradict the Justice of his own Ordinance If it be lawful to forsake the plain path of his Commands to follow the maze of Providence then the misfortunes of any Adversary would be a good warrant to destroy him and the rule of our practice should not be as the Apostle hath set it If thy enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him drink but thus If thy enemy hunger starve him if he thirst give him gall and vinegar and heap coales of fire upon his head Not to melt him into a reconciliation and kindness but to consume him into ashes And if this had bin warrantable what had Davids own doom bin when he was forced to flee from the face of Absalom when God had put out his Glory and cast his Throne down to the ground Then the Inference had bin Irrefragable Persecute him and take him for there is none to deliver him But this is ill Logick and worse Divinity Careat successibus opto Quisquis ab eventu facta notanda putet Let us reflect upon Davids imprecation against such as follow Providence that they may add affliction to affliction Let their Table be made a snare and their wellfare a trap pour out thine indignation upon them Psal 69. 26. and let their habitation be desolate why for they persecute him whom thou hast smitten and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded 4. 'T is true David was anointed to succeed but till he was duly put into possession he was but a Subject And being heir Apparent to the Kingdom it became him so much the less to be a Traitor to that Crown to which he had so fair a Title 5. And to be afflicted in the Minority of his exaltation may be of Singular advantage to him The Rod may discipline the Scepter and he that has felt how keen the sword is may learn by that sad experience to manage it so much the better when it is actually put into his hands by the Lord of Hosts he that has practised obedience in the Passive sence knows the better how to govern others The Captain of our Salvation was made perfect through sufferings And herein David was to be his Type and therefore he must not ascend the throne upon steps made by the treasonable slaughter of his Predecessor but be led to it by the Cross and take Persecution in the way to his Coronation And his faithful Servants must be content to suffer with him that they may be advanced and glorified together And thus much of the Agitators plea and of that Combination of Probabilities which did concur to attempt his loyalty viz. Provocation and a seeming Necessity Prediction and Providence Opportunity and a just Title to the Crown with the Importunity of almost forlorn Adherents Qu. We have the Issue of the Temptation in two particulars 1. In what David did 2. In what he suffered 1. He did not slay him he abhorr'd that practice Sauls life was precious in his eyes But to prevent a further mischief of his inraged Souldiers he arose up himself and cut off the Skirt of his military robe And he had a threefold end in it 1. To confute the Calumnies of his enemies who had accused him for a Traytor wherefore saith he doest thou give ear to the insinuations of those men who would perswade thee that David seeks thy life Where by the way we may observe that David does not impute it to Saul's inclination his duty taught him to believe the King of himself would do no wrong but to the malice of some Sycophants Behold thine eyes see that the Lord hath this day delivered thee into my hands and I was advised to kill thee but mine eye hath spared thee for I said I will not put forth my hand against my Lord for he is the Lords Anointed 2. And hereby he does vindicate his own Innocency As it was a demonstration of Christ's Power to make a rescue when the Souldiers which came to apprehend him were struck down backward at the dread of his presence So it was a Demonstration of Davids Innocencie that he cut off but Sauls skirt when it was in his Power to cut off his life My Father see the skirt of thy Robe in my hand My taking this only and not thy life from thee is a clear evidence That I have no Treason or Malice in my heart against thee And David had A Third end in it To convince Saul of the error into which some Sycophants had misled him and to melt him into reconciliation and kindness And so it happened for Saul melted into tears and an ingenuous acknowledgment of Davids tender loyalty And it came to pass when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul that Saul said Is this thy voice my son David And Saul lift up his voice and wept and he said to David Thou art more righteous then I for thou hast rewarded me good whereas I have rewarded thee evil And thou hast Vers 16. to 20. shewed this day how thou hast dealt well with me for as much as when the Lord had delivered me into thy hand thou killedst me not for if a man find his enemy will he let him go well away Wherefore the Lord reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day This was the first What David did 2. What he suffered His heart smote him There was a palpitation of the heart doubtless in him through the commotion of his blood and spirits and the tumult of his passions For hope and fear anger and compassion were in conflict while he was upon such a hazardous attempt But this in the Text was not a natural palpitation of the heart but a check nay a sharp stroak of Conscience For shew
have the Prophets declaration That the Lord is departed from him That 1 Sam. 15. 12. 13. 27. he hath rejected him and rent away his Kingdom and given it unto thy self When he is divested of his Princely Power and Regal Majesty and the Crown setled upon thy head by an Act of Heaven not to assert thine own right and title is more than an effeminate weakness it can be no less than a supine stupidity And has the holy Oyl been poured upon thy head to so little purpose If that Oyl has made thy person sacred has it added no vigour no activity to thy spirit He that has given thee the Crown hath given thee the sword also to secure and guard it and not to draw it in thy own defence is to receive it in vain Give some proof of thy Princely Prowess and Magnanimity and suffer not thy Title to be any longer subject to dispute or question Lay hold upon the present opportunity which a happy Providence hath put into thy hand and let this day be the period of his reign that it may be the commencement of thy own These we may imagine were the Arguments which Davids Servants had mustered up to strengthen their temptation when they did advance the proposition to assault his Loyalty And now behold the Philosophical moderaration of Davids spirit Behold a Conflict a Victory a Crown and Triumph That Cave was the field and the Combate was wonderful David wrestles and Anger played the Champion Saul was the matter of the Combate God the spectator and the judg What a sharp Conflict was here betwixt Sense and Reason Self-love Loialty kindness towards his suffering friends and allegiance towards his dread Soveraign But David was as firm and stedfast as a Rock in his resolved integrity Neither the memory of former sufferings nor the sense of present streights nor the fear of future dangers nor the solitude of King Saul nor the imporunity of his own party nor the hopes of impunity nor the possession of the Kingdom upon the death of Saul could prevail with him to avenge himself or shake his stedfast Loyalty This victory was more glorious than his triumph over the Giant the proud Philistine for there he subdued but a single enemy but here he conquered himself and his whole Army Saul's life was precious in David's 1 Sam. 16. 21. eyes and he did abhor to kill him Nor was this Policy in David but Conscience That which was Saul's fear was his best security He was afraid of David because God was with 1 Sam. 18. 12. him And why so God doth restrain the spirit of Princes And he it was that bridled up the spirit of David As Joseph in another case How shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God Such a wickedness David deemed it to take away Saul's life and therefore when he had him at another time at the like advantage he gave this charge to his Captain Abishai Destroy him not for who 1 Sam. 26. 9. can stretch forth his hand against the Lords Anointed and be guiltless Obj. But this Prince was wilful merciless Agitator and a Tyrant Sol. We are obliged to be dutiful Not only 1 Pet. 2. 17 18. to the just and gentle but also to the morose and froward And if I be under a violent persecution it is not lawful for me vim vi repellere to incounter force with force but when the Aggressor is my equal or fellow-subject And then it must be done cum inculpata tutela when I can make no escape by flight and have no other way for my defence But my Prince has his Authority over me from Heaven and therefore I must be subject to him out of Conscience as for the Lords sake The sword is put into his hand by Almighty God and for For the King is not anointed over single Persons but over Gods Inheritance 1 Sam. 10. 1. Chap 15. 17. the head of the Tribes any private Person or any Club of subjects * to wrest it out is a double Usurpation They do invade Gods Sovereignty who say Vengeance is mine and the Princes Perogative whose office it is to protect and punish when we will be our own Protectors and defend our selves against the order of God and Man we deservedly forfeit the Protection of them both Obj. But that Power which God had put into this Prince's hands to inable him to Protect he did imploy to persecute Sol. Why in that case there is no necessity to resist because then God has made it our duty to suffer And it is better if 1 Pet. 3. 17. the will of God be so to suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing God gives thee an opportunity to exercise thy Faith and Patience thy self-denyal and thy meekness thy Equanimity and generous Reliance upon him And when he calls thee to this suffering he is well able to reward thee for it Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness sake You are not left without a precedent For the joy that was set before Mat. 5. 10. 1 Pet. 3. 14. him Christ himself was pleased to endure the Cross and despise the shame And he Heb. 12. v. 2. left us an example that we should not avenge our selves but follow his steps in Obedience unto blood committing both our cause and our selves 1 Pet. 2. 21 23. to him who judgeth righteously And this was exactly Davids Practice The Lord judg between 1 Sam. 24. 12 13. me and thee and the Lord avenge me of thee but mine hand shall not be upon thee As saith the Proverbs of the Antients Ab impiis egredietur impietas which is H. Card. an argument quod impium est se ulcisci wickedness proceedeth from the wicked but mine hand shall not be upon thee This was his profession unto Saul and his complaint to Almighty God was to the same effect Princes have persecuted me without a cause Psal 119. v. 161. but my heart stands in aw of thy word Obj. But the Souldiers do here remind Agitators David of something that had bin delivered by God himself in favour of their pretensions Sol. When Souldiers turn Preachers every Act of Providence that seems to favour their designs shall be the voice of God every opportunity to do mischief to such as they oppose shall be interpreted a command from Heaven to do it And for ought appears in the sacred Text there was nothing else in their Allegation Let us grant that the Lord had said to David in express Terms Behold I will deliver thine enemy into thy hand Yet he did not determin the Person he did not tell him That enemy was his Sovereign If he had said expresly Behold I will deliver Saul into thy hand Yet what to do had bin a further question what to kill him no that thou maist do vers 4. to him as it shall seem good to thee And a loyal
subject-vallies with their prominency and strike terrour into the passengers with the danger of their falling mountains that were almost inaccessible affording no ordinary passage but for wild Goats His rage was so desperate Ad init cap. his malice so deadly no danger could discourage no difficulty could stop him He does expose himself and his whole Army to a perilous expedition that he might quench his insatiable thirst after the innocent blood of a most worthy Son and Subject Now Vim vi repellere what more frequent Doth not the very Law of Nature warrant the Practice To repell force with force If David had made a virtue of this necessity and stretcht out his hand to take away the life of such a malicious Aggressor in his own defence surely the Argument of Self-preservation was pleadable in his justification especially if Providence falls in to second this necessity as it did here which brings a fresh supply to the force of the Temptation 2. There was it seems about Engedi a vast Cave where the Shepherds were wont to secure their Flocks against the scorching Sun and ravenous wild beasts thither David was retired to shelter himself and that small party which was his Guard While the Kings Army was upon their March Divine Providence which over-rules Nature and steers the actions of Princes directs Saul into this Cave whether to take his rest or to relieve nature some other way is uncertain Hereupon David's Officers are animated to tell him that now he had an opportunity to make that Cave the slaughter-house and tomb of his deadly Enemy They tell him that to shake hands with such a Providence is to take leave of it not to embrace it were to slight it not to follow it were to cross it and the ready way to provoke God to wink at his destruction who had watched so long carefully for his safety What the Prophet said to Ahab in the name of the Lord after he had dismissed Benhadad his deadly enemy whom the Lord had delivered into his hands Because 1 King 20. 42. thou hast let go out of thy hands a man whom I appointed to utter destruction therefore thy life shall go for his life and thy people for his people To this effect did those Agitators of David's Army argue in respect of Saul And to inforce the Argument and the Temptation 3. They alledg an Oracle which in their opinion had devoted Saul to destruction as a Sacrifice to Divine Justice and their own Peace-offering For the men of David said unto him Behold the day of which the Lord said to thee Behold I will deliver thine enemy into thy hand that thou mayst do to him as it shall seem good unto thee Where and when and by whom this Oracle was delivered is uncertain whether by Gad or by Nathan or by Samuel but such an Oracle they pretend David had received to support and comfort him in his Persecutions and he had made report of it to his followers to encourage them to adhere firmly to him And time and providence being the best interpreters of such predictions they took the confidence upon this occasion to plead that it might be put in practice Otherwise not to act upon such a warrant would be an inexcusable remisness if not a stupid cowardice and disobedience It would be a means to offend and provoke God to neglect his own life and safety and to wrong them his most faithful servants 4. That they had advised David to kill Vers 10. Saul is evident and without doubt they urged the execution with much importunity as well for their own ease as for their Masters rescue They had been his constant Companions in his travels in his exile in his durance many a hard march many a hungry meal had they endured under his Conduct to attend and guard his person many hazards had they run and many dangers had they escaped and now they carried their lives in their hands while they were hotly pursued by an enraged Prince and a puissant Army Though David's life was the main quarry that was hunted after yet they were part of the Covie and it was the common game to make them prey and booty aswell as their Master They could not but long to be rescued out of this jeopardy To return home and sit quietly under their own vines and enjoy their dear Relations This was a very desirable satisfaction but not to be hoped for so long as Saul was so implacable And their sad experience had convinced them this malice was so mortal it was not to be extinguished but with his life Nor did they desire to press David's tenderness or generosity so far as to put the office of an executioner upon him They desired but his Order nay his leave had been sufficient warrant to them to attempt his rescue with their own And being thus redeemed out of his enemies hand and out of his Jurisdiction too this would have been a Crowning Mercy unto David and have put it absolutely into his power to reward their honest and suffering Loyalty Therefore if not out of love to himself yet out of kindness and a grateful compliance with them he was obliged to listen to their counsel For though careless of his own safety yet to betray theirs was inhumanity if his own life were not dear to him yet when he has the remedy in his own hands and may so easily prevent it to let them still dwell in danger was such a piece of improvidence as was not pardonable in a Soldier and a General being inhansed by a double guilt 1. of unkindness and 9. ingratitude And these united Grievances might amount to so high a provocation as to beget a mutiny in his party and induce them to consult their own peace and leave him to shift for himself 5. And no doubt they did inforce the temptation further upon the account of his title to the Crown and so twisted his interest into the argument together with their own David was the Lords Anointed and declared Heir-Apparent to the Kingdom by a sentence from Heaven God say they has intail'd the Crown upon thee and wilt thou be so tame as to suffer Gods declared enemy to cut off that intail by taking away thy life before thou canst inherit Saul knows very well upon whom the Crown is to descend so Vers 20. that in seeking to destroy thee he fights against God and attempts to cross the Decrees of Heaven and to frustrate the Counsel of the most High To fight against him therefore is to fight the Lords battel to remove him is the way to accomplish Gods revealed will together with his secret Beneplaciture and to establish thy self according to Gods Ordinance Saul hath rendred himself unworthy of the Crown and unfit to govern he hath ruin'd himself and the whole Kingdom barbarously slain the Priests and Servants of the Lord and spared those enemies whom the Lord had expresly devoted to destruction We
Jacobs Prophesie which follows in the very next words be their portion I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel Let their Factions be as the dust before the wind and their designs as the grass upon the house-top that withereth before it be plucked up But let thy hand O Lord be upon the man of thy right-hand our Gracious Sovereign make him strong for thine own self Clothe his enemies with shame upon himself let his Crown flourish That under his Government we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty So we thy People and the sheep of thy Pasture will give thee thanks for ever and shew forth thy Praise to all generations Amen NUMB. 17. 10. And the Lord said unto Moses Bring Aarons rod again before the Testimony to be kept for a token against the Rebels and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me that they die not WHen the flames of dissention do break out in the house of God a Religious Prince can do nothing more noble nothing more becoming his Royal Office than to bring water to quench it God having intrusted him with the Supream Power is pleased also to deposite the Court-rolls of Heaven Deut. 17. 18. in his hands He creates him Custos utriusque Tabulae Defender of the Faith and a Nursing Father of the Church David even for Gods sake was glad to be a door-keeper in the house of God that he might shut out profanation and debar intruders from invading the Sacred Office and committing a Rape upon Holy Things Besides there is no Prince so strong in his Militia and the affections of his people but he will stand in need of Gods assistance and the Priests interest lies chiefly here Though weak and defenceless in himself yet he hath the conduct of a Spiritual Militia Preces Lacrymae Prayers and Tears are at his Devotion And these can prevail with God and bring relief if distressed unto Caesars Legions So that Interest alone is sufficient to procure a reciprocal aid between them The Priest is obliged to pay Homage to the Prince to bless him in Gods name to honour him before the people and the Prince is reciprocally obliged to succour and support the Priest Aaron was assigned to Moses for a coadjuton to be his Prophet his Spokesman Exod. 7. 1. to God and to the people And Moses was enjoyned to be to Aaron instead of God a Sun Exod. 4. 16. and a Shield a Defence and Comfort Indeed Controversies in Religion are seldom managed with that temper that should keep them within their proper sphere Men for the most part contending not so much for Truth as Victory Debates commonly beget Animosities and those Animosities are fomented into Parties and Factions So that a Schism can no sooner arise in the Church but it is presently attended with Sedition in the State When the Church is in jeopardy through the commotions of a tumultuating people the fluctuation of those raging waters does usually make the State sick put the whole body Politick into a distemper If Aaron be disturbed in his Office Moses cannot long sit quiet upon his Throne Divine Providence doth thus order it that the Prince may find himself concern'd as well in kindness to himself for his own tranquillity as in love to God to becalm such raging tempests to bridle and restrain such stubborn dispositions When the offices of Prince and Priest were united in one single person as they were in Melchizedec and by the law of nature in the first-born the necessity hereof was more visible but not more important When the administration of these Offices is committed to distinct persons their interest is so mixt and twisted that like Twins they thrive and fade live and die together Though the pretended quarrel be for Liberty in Matters of Religion yet the Insurrection hereupon is as well against Moses as against Numb 16. Aaron Hereupon the Crown and the Myter the Scepter and the Crosier are concern'd in Prudence to ingage in an inviolable league for the mutual defence of one another Upon this account Moses doth espouse the quarrel of the Priesthood owns its Interest and becomes its Patron under all perils And this he does not fondly and rashly but in the fear of God and upon good advice yea by Gods own order and appointment And the Lord spake unto Moses c. Here we have a great controversie about a Title of office The office of the Priesthood In which there are three things considerable 1. The Case 2. The Trial 3. The Record 1. The Case is Aaron's wherein we shall consider 1. The Competitors amongst whom we shall find a Plaintiff and the Defendant And 2. The Patron In the 2. the Trial we shall consider 1. the Jury and 2. the Verdict A Jury of Gods own Impannelling so that we may be sure it was upright and impartial Take twelve rods according to the number of the Tribes of Israel And write the Prince of every Tribe his name upon his Rod. And lay them up in the Tabernacle of the Congregation before the Testimony where I will meet with you And it shall come to pass Vers 2. 3 4 5. that the mans Rod whom I shall chuse shall blossome 2. The Verdict not given by way of Oracle for they had no great confidence in Moses who was to report the Oracle Therefore God speaks to their eyes by way of miracle and so the Verdict is according to Gods own direction And it came to pass Vers 8. on the morrow That Moses went into the Tabernacle of witness and behold the Rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded and brought forth buds and bloomed blossoms and yielded almonds In the third the Record we shall consider 1. the Exemplification of it and 2. the Design And these are expresly in my Text Refer virgam ut servetur in signum And the Lord said unto Moses Bring Aarons Rod again before the Testimony to be kept for a token against the Rebels This I call the Exemplification of the Record Et quiescant querelae And thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me that they dye not This is the Design and purpose of it 1. We will begin with the Case Aarons Case and first of the Patron of it which was Moses Dixitque Dominus ad Mosem The Hierarchy of the Church was not of Moses's Institution The God of Order established an imparity amongst the officers of the Church Aaron and his Sons were advanced to the Priesthood and the Levites setled in a state of Subordination to them by Gods own appointment Thou shalt appoint Aaron Chap 6. 10. and his sons and they shall wait on their Priests office They are immediately dedicated unto God to serve him in the highest sphere of Ministration And thou shalt give the Vers 9. Vers 10. Levites unto Aaron and to what end Bring the Tribe of Levi neer and
plant which the Heavenly Father hath planted For no man taketh this Heb. 5. Honour to himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron Our Rod is that which undoubtedly sprung from the root of Jesse As Joh. 20. my Father sent me so I send you Out of that ground it shooteth up in the Church of God and all Antiquity sets forth the Lineage of it in the visible succession of Bishops from the Apostles in the several Churches of their plantation In Tabernaculum Bring it into the Tabernacle there it hath the Approbation of Gods eye the protection of his Presence From hence therefore it must take direction to minister in subordination to the Authority and Honour thereof there it is installed ut servetur in signum lodged there in safety obliged therefore to serve the Interest of the Church which is the Interest of God and of immortal Souls In order hereunto it is set up in signum for a sign Yes and in signum ad sagittam too as a mark for the Arrow It is the Prophets complaint Behold I and the children which God hath given me are for signs and wonders It was our Saviours own lot he was set up in signum contradictionis a sign liable to great contradiction against him they shot out their Arrows even bitter words And if so bold with Aaron himself they will not forbear his substitute if they forbear not the chief Bishop they will not spare his shadow As long as Aaron is set up for a sign in the Church there will be found such Archers we have them in our Text with their quiver full of bitter Arrows nay their Arrows are upon the string and upon the flight too As long as they continue to be filii Rebellionis while they retain their froward disposition non quiescunt querelae we shall never be free from Murmurings But are there any of this breed left in our Israel Has not the Gracious Act of oblivion quite extinguished this unquiet spirit 1 Sam. 15. 14. If it has what meaneth then this lowing and this bleating which we hear Are there not a many Murmurers attempting to exasperate the people into a new insurrection that they may once more wrest the Rod out of the hand of Aaron And do these men look for a sign too yes they do and they might see a wonderful sign from heaven if they were not blinded with pride and prejudice and an obstinate Spirit Ecce Dominus behold the Lord himself hath given us a sign Dedisti Psal 69. 6 7. metuentibus thou hast given a token for them that fear thee At the tears and prayers of the Church God saved her with the wholsome defence of his own right-hand For the change amongst us by the Restauration of the King was no other than mutatio dextrae Altissimi wrought by the right-hand of the most-high A sign from heaven this was without all peradventure Yet these men are not satisfied they look for and preach for and pray for another sign and what sign would they have The seven Angels with the seven Apoc. 15. plagues and vials of Gods wrath Would they have more fire come down from heaven Alas They know not what spirit they are of He that came not to destroy mens Souls but to save them did not ordain Aarons Rod for such a sign If that Rod did turn Num. 20. 9. the rock into water as some have imagined yet to be sure it did not turn the water into blood It may bring forth contrition and refreshment but not destruction It bodes better things to mankind even to these Refractory and stubborn children 'T is signum salutare ne moriantur A soveraign preservative That they die not That is the end for which the Rod is introduced and deposited in the sanctuary This 2 Cor. 10. 8. Power of Discipline Dedit nobis in aedificationem God hath given it for edification saith the Apostle and not for your destruction And yet he hath taught us to distinguish betwixt yours and you Something 2 Cor. 10. 8. was to be destroyed in them though not their Persons yet their Carnalities their vices their Schismes and Disorders These works of the flesh The Rod is to be administred in interitum carnis for the destruction of the flesh That the spirit may be 1 Cor. 5. 5. saved in the day of the Lord Jesus Mortification is the way to life and Reformation Jam. 5. ult the door of safety He that converteth a sinner from the errour of his way shall save a Soul from death This is the right Method Gods Method in the Text et quiescant querelae c. Thou shalt quite take away their Murmurings c. We see then why the Rod is placed in the sanctuary not so much for Aaron's own advantage that he may pride himself in the Power and Beauty of it but for the benefit of others even of such as do most oppose it The remoter end is ne moriantur that they die not but in order to this the immediate end is Vt quiescant querelae eorum to still their murmurings The oure must begin here care must be taken in the first place as much as is possible to take away their complaints and murmurings and how shall that be effected Why Virga est mater disciplinae the Rod will open the eyes if it be administred with 1 Sam. 14. 27. a little honey applied to the top of it when the asperity is sweetned with mildness and compassion The Rod and reproof giveth wisdom Pro. 29. 14. If the viper be beaten with a rod it takes away his venom and he becomes an excellent Antidote against poison If we cannot heal their perversities at least we may still their murmurings And to this end the constitution of the Rod is very considerable It must be a streight Rod that the infliction Deut. 25. 2. may be equal to the fault est enim verus praesul virga recta aequaliter justitiam exercens atque semper vigilans It must be a solid Rod H. P. ad Ez. 3. to support the weak and a smart Rod to correct the wicked and a stiff Rod to defend the Innocent Or to keep still to the Metaphor it should have these properties It should be 1. solid 2. vital 3. florid and 4. fruitful 1. A solid Rod not hollow loose or spungy Ezok. 19. 11. Chap. 2. 4. 6. Chap. 3. 8 9. like a cane For it is concern'd many times to encounter with a Rock the heart of flint and the face of brass and therefore it had need be solid and steel'd with Resolution that it may not yield to the applications nor receive the impressions of an importune and stubborn spirit 2. It must be a vital Rod and they say Aaron's Rod did never wither was never barren after it was deposited in the sanctuary And this life must appear in a threefold germination it must bud 1.