THe Service of this day is designed to celebrate the glorious Memory of King Charles the Martyr. Yet he was arraign­ed as a Malefactor, and a high Court of Justice was erected for his Trial. A Court that was no ways High, but in Guilt and Impu­dence: No way capable of the Title of Justice, but by an Antiphrasis; because it was so eminently unjust, as well in it's illegal Constitution, as in their direful proceedings against their Royal Soveraign. Yet before this Court he is led, even as a Lamb to the Slaughter; and the Scene is dress'd up, with all the formalities of a legal Trial, that he might with the better Grace [Page 2] be mocked out of his life, by a Pageantry of Justice.

But whether such Barbarous attempts upon the Person of a King, by his own Liege People, be warrantable in the sight of Heaven, will be best decided by the vote and practice of a worthy subject, who was a great sufferer, under the Power of a Severe Soveraign; yet himself a great Prince, and a Stout Souldier, and a man after Gods own heart. Aud upon this Accompt I have made choice of this Text, for the subject of my Discourse at this time. And it came to pass afterward, that Davids heart smote him, be­cause he had cut off Sauls Skirt.

Which words do intimate, 1. Temptation, and, 2. declare the Issue of it. The Temp­tation was, To destroy Saul, his Royal Soveraign: 2. The Issue of it was, an Act of Policy, with his Remorse and Repentnce for it.

The first words of the Text do refer us to the Temptation: And it came to pass af­terward. The latter do report the Issue: Da­vids heart smote him, because he had cut off Sauls Skirt.

In the first, we shall consider the strength [Page 3] of the Temptation; how it was fortified, with what force of argument it was armed, and with what vigour of Importunity it was managed, to assault him.

In the second we shall observe two things.

1. What David did, He cut off the Skirt of Sauls Military Robe.

2. What he suffered, His heart smote him for it.

1. The Temptation came upon him (as the wise-man observes Poverty to come up­on the slothful,) like an armed man; and did most impetuously assault him upon ma­ny accompts. For there was a mighty Pro­vocation, and a seeming necessity; and ad­vantagious Providence and a fair opportunity, a cleer Title to the Crown and a pretended Oracle; to make way and lay claim to it. These were very plausible arguments, and there wanted not a Combination of Agita­tors, or a pathetical Importunity to inforcethem. O peraepretium est etiam ipsorum militum audire consultationem, eo quod exhorta­tionis versuta malitia, illu­strat justi men­tem solidam it inconcussam. Chrysost. Hom. de D avide et Saule Eras inter­prete.

1. The Temptation was armed with a specious kind of necessity, which hath no Law to govern it. The implacable malice of Saul, and his frequent Machi­nations to destroy David, without any cause or colour of offence, were a mighty [Page 4] provocation. His malice being wilful and of this complexion, no duty of Davids could possibly either oblige or satisfie. Saul was haunted with an evil Spirit. And when the fit was upon him, none could be found so able to apply an effectual remedy as Da­vid: he is earnestly invited to attend, the v. Chap 18. & 19. charmes of his hand and harp do becalm the distemper, that did afflict him; yet so ignoble, so mean, so vile was his malice, he paies his Physician and musick with a Jave­lin. The King of beasts is not half so fierce and raging: The Lion may be made gen­tle, and kindness will oblige him; where he meets with a due submission, he will exercise a Princely Clemency: But such was the perverse humour of this King of Israel, no duty in David, no worthy per­formance could mitigate his displeasure: Davids prudence did increase his jealousy; his merits did inflame his envy, and his best Services did the more inrage his malice. When David conducted his forces by his own order, his best success became not only a matter of suspicion, but a crime, as if it had bin an attempt of Treason to defeat his enemies. But the most unreason­able [Page 5] of Saul's fears and jealousies were those, which arose upon the account of Gods presence and blessing in his enter­prizes; he was afraid of David, because the 1 Sam. 18 12. Lord was with him. But it is the property of a wicked man, to carry the fear of a slave towards Almighty God, because he wants that of a dutiful Son, a pious Ser­vant.

Whether it were out of tenderness: or Shame, or Policy; once he was resolved not to ingage his own hand in so Barbarous an Act, as the murthering of him; he de­signs therefore to take him off by Stratagem, and to ruine him in the way of Generosity; 1 Sam. 18. 13. with 25. he does advance him to be a Captain: in his Army, but it is with Design to have him cut off by the sword of the Philistins; Then he gives him his Daughter in marriage, that 1 Sam. 18. 21. 25. his bed might become a snare to him; for his intent was, that Davids life should pay for her dowry. When these Designs and the attempts of Assasinates had, through Divine Providence, become improsperous: And when Davids incounters with the Phi­listins, had out of hazard brought him Ho­nour, out of peril Triumph; Then Saul [Page 8] resolves to act that part himself which was most proper for so ill a nature, the part of a Ty­rant and a Butcher. And then he pursues him in his own Person, as a Partridg upon the mountains; and many fetters were im­ployed and watchful to intrap him. But Divine Providence was ever ready to step into his rescue; for one while he is arrested in his pursuit, by the Spirit of Prophesy, which came upon him; another while he is diverted by the incursion of the Philistins into his Territories. And thus the All-wise God does order the attempts of malicious enemies to be subservient to his own over­ruling Power, for the safety of the faithful; but this respite from Persecution was of no long continuance. The Philistins are no sooner retired, but like an unwearied Blood-hound Saul takes the scent afresh, and follows this innocent Lamb, as if he had bin a beast of prey; nor can the desolate wilderness se­cure him against his causeless Indignation. He does march up such craggy rocks and mountains as threaten the subject-vallies with their prominency, and strike terrour into the passengers with the danger of their falling; mountains that were almost in­accessible, [Page 7] 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 [Page 8] 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 [Page 9] 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 [Page 10] 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 [Page 11] 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 [Page 12] 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 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 [Page 13] 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 [Page 14] 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 [Page 15] 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 fellow­subject: 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 [Page 16] 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 [Page 17] 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 [Page 18] 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 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 [Page 19] 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 [Page 20] is none to deliver him. But this is ill Logick and worse Divinity.

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. 'Tis 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 [Page 21] 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 [Page 22] 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 [Page 23] 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 [Page 24] 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 me a guilty Person, and I will presently shew thee his lictor, his Tormentor: Shew me a Traitor, and I will shew thee a Scaffold where the block and Axe lyes for his Execution; that is, the Con­science of the malefactor: Conscience is the Centinel of the Soul, placed there to descry the enemy upon his approach, to give us the Alarm and notice of the danger; If the enemy hath stoln upon us, and entred our Quarters by surprize, it is his office then to check us, and rouse us up to make resist­ance and expel him. And upon this account, and to this effect did Davids heart smite him. For David found himself guilty, and the Rabins say, he was afterwards pun­ished by Retaliation, when his own gar­ments would not serve to keep him warm. Yet others tell us he was Innocent, for what he did was to a good end, and out of an honest and good intent; only, say they, it [Page 25] is the part of good minds to startle at the Face of the Serpent, at the appearance of evil, and to fear guilt where really there is none to be found. But, by the favour of these Civil Advocates, a good end cannot sanctifie a bad action: If the fact be unde­cent, a good meaning can never give it a good Complexion. We must not make our Prince his weakness a Foile to set off our own integrity. When Hanun had cut 1 Sam. 10. off the garments of his Ambassadors, Da­vid could not but resent the affront, and was so highly incensed at it, he revenged it with a sharp Hostility. And shall David offer such an indignity to the King his Ma­ster? Kings are jealous of their Honours; and good subjects are modest upon that ac­count, fearful many times to receive due praise, lest it should beget suspition, and raise envy, by a misconstruction, as if it were a means to draw the eyes and hearts of sub­jects from their Prince to themselves: for this reason Joab when he had besieged Rab­bah and brought it to so great distress, it could not hold out a storm; he sends to his Prince to come and take the honour of the Conquest: Now therefore gather the [Page 26] rest of the People together, and encamp against 2 Sam. 12. 28. the City and take it, lest I take the City, and it be called after my name. It sounded ve­ry harsh in Saul's ears, he did not like the musick at all, when the women sung to their Tabrets, Saul hath slain his thousands, 1 Sam. 18. 6. and David his ten thousands. For a subject to be eminently prosperous against his Princes enemies, is not always safe for him; but to attempt any thing against his Person that may lessen his Grandeur or his Prudence in the esteem or opinion of his People, is inju­rious; and if it be a matter of reproach to his Royal Dignity, it is more heinous, and amounts to Treason.

Dost thou see thy Prince cover his feet Vse. 2 (as it is said here of Saul)? Dost thou ob­serve any thing undecent in his conversation? Thou mayest have a loyal heart, no design to destroy him; but draw not out the sword of a virulent tongue, to cut off his skirt (to diminish his due esteem and splendour), to curtail his Robe of Defence and Dignity; the wealth, and strength, and honour, and reputation of a Prince; for his Prudence, Justice, Valour; and other Virtues, are as his Military Robe; They do clothe, defend, [Page 27] and adorn his Majesty. If any passion or temptation hath prevailed with thee to cut off any Skirt of this Robe, to eclipse or impair any of thy Princes Interest; Recollect thy self, and reflect upon the offence, and let thy heart smite thee; and as a fruit of thy true repentance, study to make amends for it. So did David, confregit viros suos; His Party were bent to murder Saul, but he broke their obstinate resolution, by his loyal exhortation, The Lord forbid, saith he, that I should stretch forth my hand against Saul; For though there be nothing in his nature, nothing in his temper, nothing in his carriage toward us, that may oblige me; yet there is a civil obligation lyes upon me, Ver. 6, 7. he is my Master; and a pious Reverence I owe him, for he is the Lords anointed. When he could alledg nothing else, he doth fetch an argument from heaven to plead on his behalf; though non propter sanctita­tem, yet, propter sacramentum: God hath put the holy oile upon him, and that renders his Person Sacred and inviolable. The Grace that has dignified him, doth restrain me; whatever the qualities of his natural Con­stitution are, His Majesty is most excellent; [Page 28] and as he is Gods Vicegerent, I must have a Religious veneration for him. And wtih these arguments he breaks the stubbornness of his rough Soldiers, and charms them into calmness and submission.

And now tell me, Shall we take our Creed in this point of Loyalty, from the Sword-man, or from the Prophet? Shall we govern our Practice by the bloody Counsel of the Sol­diers of Fortune, or by the Judgment and Practice of the man after Gods own heart?

What a vast distance, what a direct op­position there is betwixt the Principles of David, and those of our late pretended God­ly Party, the bloody Tragedy that was act­ed this Day upon our Gracious King of ever blessed memory, doth sufficiently witness.

If Divine Providence allow'd them an op­portunity for this their attempt of Parracide, it was designed for their trial, and as well to shame, as to discover their secret malice and hypocrisie. They had no Provocation but their own Guilt; no necessity but of their own making; no Prediction but a mercenary Almanack; and I am sure, no Title to the King­dom, but what was pleaded by the Husband­men in the Gospel, This is the heir, come let [Page 29] us kill him, and seize upon his Inheritance. And this Argument, pressed by their own Ava­rice and Ambition, with the Clamours of a malicious giddy multitude, prevailed.

What Jacob upon his death-bed, be­queathed to those Brethren in iniquity, I shall apply to them, and so conclude; Simeon and Levi (for they went by couples, whether you count them by Nation, or by Faction, mat­ters not) are brethren, Instruments of cru­elty are in their habitation. O my soul, come not thou into their secrets; unto their Assembly, my honour, be not thou united: For in their anger they slew a man; A man of Gods right hand; A man (as much as any) after Gods own heart; the best of men, and the best of Princes: And in their self-will they digged down a wall; A Government that was a Bulwark to our lives, our liberties, our for­tunes; to defend them from violence and invasion: Cursed be their anger for it was fierce, and their wrath for it was cruel.

But God be blessed, who hath repaired that Wall, by restoring the Son of that Royal Martyr to reign over us.

And for such of that Combination and Bro­therhood, whose hearts are still so reconciled [Page 30] to their bloody Practices, that they do not yet smite them; 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.

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 utri­us (que) 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 [Page 32] 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 [Page 33] 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 [Page 34] 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 [Page 35] 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: Dixit (que) Dominus ad Mosem. The [Page 36] 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 present them before Aaron the Priest, that they may Minister un­to him. The Investiture is from Moses, but the Direction and Authority is from God himself.

Moses, we see, had good warrant for this; but the Peoples jealousie suggested, that he had his own ends to serve under pretence of Gods Institution. They suspected he had a design to establish his own Throne and an usurped Prerogative; and they thought there was no way so likely to accomplish this, as by advanceing his allies; his elder brother, Aaron, to the high-Priests Office. And if he could perswade the People that [Page 37] this establishment was by Gods own appoint­ment, while the Glory of the Myter did put out their eyes and dazle their judgments, he might take his Advantage to make himself an absolute Prince over them. That this was their sense is evident from their discourse, Ye take too much upon you; will ye put out the eyes of this People? and wilt thou [Mo­ses] Vers. 3, 13, 14. make thy self altogether a Prince over us? Hereupon as well to vindicate the Integrity of Moses, as the Authority of his own In­stitution, God appoints Moses to be the Pa­tron of Aarons Case, Dixitque Dominus ad Mosen; And the Lord said unto Moses, &c. 'Tis strange an Office that lyes under so much contempt amongst some, should be a mat­ter of so much emulation amongst the Prin­ces of Israel. Indeed it is a great Priviledg to have so free an access to God, as the Priest ever had; and a great Dignity to be next Moses (the Prince) as well in point of Honour as Authority. But if their eyes were dazled with the splendour of the Myter, Num. 18. 1. their heart should have weighed what a bur­den it is to bear the iniquity of the Sanctuary, and of the Priesthood. This haply might have taken off the envy, and we should [Page 38] not have had so many Rivals to promote a Faction against the right Incumbent in the vid. Bonfr. in Chap 16. 2. holy Office. Ambition started the dis­pute, which was promoted by Corah out of envy, and the Sons of Ruben his confede­rates; and began upon this pretence. Before the Num. 16. 1. Tribe of Levi was separated to the Priests Office, the first-born of every Tribe was hal­lowed, as it were by right of Primogeniture Chap. 3. Vers. 45. to perform the duty. They took it ill to be divested of this Right (which the Law of nature had intailed upon them) and to see it translated intirely upon Aaron and his Sons, created matter of envy and indignati­on (especially in Corah and the Sons of Ru­ben). If one Priest must needs be setled o­ver all the Tribes, why not the Son of Ru­ben, the first-born? For though his Father forfeited his birth-right, yet Gods Law doth Gen. 49. 3. 1. Chron. 5. 1. not extedn the penalty beyond the third or the fourth Generation; and by this time the intailed curse being cut off, it is just his posterity should be restored to the right of Primogeniture. This was very plausible for the Rubenites to plead, while they aimed likewise, in all probability, at the Scepter. But this would not serve Corah's turn, he [Page 39] affected an Ecclesiastical supremacy himself (so Moses tells him:) But he could not tell Chap 16. 10: well how to make out his Title, for though he was of the Tribe of Levi, yet he was head but of the Second house; Aaron was of the first. He was therefore to gratifie Exod 6. 21. his envy by procuring Aarons Jurisdiction to be voted down, and his Power levelled, that himself might be exempted from all Canonical Obedience, and become an Indepen­dent. And then his Ambition suggested, That by his popularity and little Arts of insinuati­on, he might gather a numerous congrega­tion. And to this end he courts the Peo­ple, Chap 16. 3. and pleads the cause of a Godly party; Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the con­gregation are holy, every one of them. And therefore sufficiently qualified to choose their own Priest, or administer to themselves. This Doctrine did so bewitch the People, that (even after the Ringleaders of the Faction, Corah and the Sons of Ruben were removed by a Signal and Stupendous vengeance) all the Chap 16. 42. congregation (not one Tribe excepted) con­spired against Moses and against Aaron, to carry on the design, until fourteen thousand and seven hundred of them were swept away [Page 40] with a new plague, and the rest silenced by a Miraculous decision of the controversy. In the interim, how does Aaron the Defen­dant, behave himself in this quarrel? why, he shews himself (as becomes a Type of Christ) worthy that Office, which they maliciously contended to wrest from him, when he sees Num. 16. 48. that wrath is gon out and the plague begun: He takes his Censer to make an Atonement, and standing between the dead and the living, He exposeth his own life as a sacrifice for these his enemies; but for his cause he pleads not one word, but submits himself and it, wholly to him that judgeth righteously: and so we proceed to,

2. The Trial. But had not a special Verdict past against them already? Had they not ac­knowledged a judgment, upon the loss of 15000 Souls, swept away by a threefold Vengeance, the devouring earth, the consu­ming fire, and a wasting plague? But this is thought imputable to some rashness of con­duct in the business; or to Moses's In­terest and importunity with God. And so their Spirits being imbittered and their hearts hardened, those judgments made no impressi­on upon them. In mercy therefore, God [Page 41] deals with them in cool blood, and summons them to a new Trial; wherein he vindicates the Authority of his own Institution, and seals Aarons Pattent for the sacred Office with a miracle.

In this Trial we are to consider, 1. The Jury, 2. The Verdict. In the Jury we may consider, 1. The nature, 2. The number, 3. The place of their meeting.

1. They are Rods. Men many times do so far degenerate, becom so unreasonable, that God appeals to senseless creatures to take up the dispute and decide the contro­versie, that he has with them, Hear O ye mountains the Lords controversie.

Besides, the Rod is an Emblem of Autho­rity, an Ensign of Jurisdiction. The Lord shall Psal. 110. Heb. 11. Psal. 89. 32. Apoc. 21. 15. send the rod of thy power out of Sion. And there is a threefold use of the Rod, consonant to that Emblematical. signification. For 1. Sup­port; for 2. Chastisement; and 3. Mensuration. And it belongs to the justice of Authority to support the weak and innocent, to chastise the wicked and impenitent, and to mete out re­ward and punishment respectively unto all. The Rods therefore are not unfitly put upon the Jury to find for the Priests office. And [Page 42] the Rods of Almond-Trees most opposite to this purpose; for this being the first of Trees that awakes out of the dead of Winter, and shoots up to cloath and dress it self, to it belongs the right of Primogeniture amongst the Trees; and therefore it is so much the fitter to deter­mine upon what Tribe the Sacred Priesthood, a special branch of the right of Primogeniture, is to be transferred.

2. For the number of these Rods, there is some difference amongst Interpreters, because the Tribe of Joseph was divided into two Fa­milies, and had a double portion in the land of Canaan, and so upon that civil account, there were twelve Tribes besides the Tribe of Levi; therefore some think there were twelve Rods besides the Rod of Levi. But such an inequality had been apt to breed another quarrel; and therefore it is more probable, there were but twelve Rods, according to the number of the Tribes in their Original; and that these Rods were all of the same stock, the same growth, the same gathering and pre­paration, that there might be no disparity to beget new cavils touching the decision.

And because the Tribe of Levi was divi­ded into two Families, though Corah head of [Page 43] the second House, and Aaron's Competitor or Numb. 26. 11. Adversary at least, was extinguished, and his Sons (being preserved by special Providence) probably had yielded the pre-eminence to Aaron, (deeming it sufficient honour for them to be dignified with that lustre that would be reflected upon them from the Glory of the head of their Elder Family,) yet to take off all colour of dispute about the Succession, God gave express order, That Aaron's, and not Levi's name, should be written upon the Rod for the Tribe of Levi.

3. For the place where this Jury of Rods were put together, it was the Tabernacle of Vers. 3. the Covenant before the Testimony, before the Tables of the Law, by the Pot of Manna; Psal. 94. to signifie that the Rod is an excellent Ʋsher of obedience to the Law; and if it prevails not to that effect, that then it is a ready in­strument to drive us from the comfort of the Pot of Manna, the benefit of the Sacrament. Or it might be intended that the sacredness of the place should take away all suspition of fraud, and add Authority to the miraculous obsignation of Aaron's office. This being the place where God did vouchsafe to exhibit his Gracious presence to determine them upon [Page 44] appeal, in all doubtful Cases: the Rods were placed here, to signifie, that this being a kind of Sacred Lottery, the event was wholly at Gods disposal; [...], Greg. Nyss. That the grace of Priesthood is not of men but of God. Ideo & Aaron Sacerdotem ipse elegit; ut non humana cupiditas in eligen­do sacerdote praeponderaret, sed gratia Dei: non Ep. l. 10. Ep. 82. voluntaria oblatio, nec propria assumptio, sed caelestis vocatio, Ambros.

And now this Emblematical Grand Jury. will afford us an excellent Definition of a Priest or Bishop; he is a person slipt off the common stock of Mankind by a special act of separation, not rooted in the earth, not fed with the crude juices of nature, to soften and infeeble him, to make him pliant to the bent of evil inclinations; but mortified to the motions of the flesh; dead to the Temptati­ons of the World; that being impregnated with blessings supernatural, with grace and knowledg, he may bring forth abundant fruit for the service of Gods Church. And the Ver­dict which went for Aaron represents him to be such a person: For behold, his Rod had budded buds, and brought forth leaves, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded Almonds. Vers. 8.

Here is a production, which nature never had a due conception of, at least never travel'd for it. A dry Rod swell'd into turgent buds, and buds dilated into lovely blossoms, and di­gested into wholsome fruits, and all ex tem­pore; a threefold miracle to render Aaron's election the more certain and unquestionable. Buds and Flowers and Fruit; here's provisi­on for posterity by an orderly succession. And the order of their pullulation is an evidence that Gods Grace does not destroy Nature, or pervert the common course of it; but only as­sist, quicken, and advance her in her operati­ons.

Austin calls this Rod, Sacramentum Sacer­dotale; De Temp. Ser. 99. ep. l. 1. ep. 50. Lib. 10. ep. 82. Origen. Pelu­siot. Ambr. Austin. Fructus nucis amaram qui­dem & aspi­ram cortium habet, sub qua latet quod est esculentum, &c. Theod. & Hier. in Jer. 1. and Is. Pelusiot, [...], The Type of the Priesthood. And what doth it sig­nifie, Nisi quod nunquam Sacerdotalis marces­cat gratia, saith St. Ambrose. The Fathers ob­serve further of this Tree, that the outside, the rinde, the husk, the shell, are hard and a­stringent, sharp and bitter; but the inside, the fruit, the kernel, are sweet, nutritive, and re­freshing. This is a significant Hyerogliphick of the Priests duty. It instructs him to be vigi­lant and active in his office, austere and morti­fied in his life, patient and hardy to endure [Page 46] the storms of reproach and opposition, while he is discharging himself in a salutary fruitful­ness. Let him be cloathed with the leaves and blossoms of a decent Conversation; but laden with the fruits of all good works; that the Church under the inspection of such Pastors may be as a Garden of Nuts, and the Spouse delight to descend into it with his train of Graces, and inconceivable consolation.

In short, all Priests have their Rods; but all Rods are not thus florid, thus fruitful. Such as are so, without all peradventure are of Gods election and establishment, as was Aaron.

And now I hope such as are of Israel, of what Tribe soever, will submit to Gods Ar­bitration, and be reconciled to Aaron, and kiss his Rod; pay a due regard, a dutiful veneration to that Office and Ministry, which God hath vouchsafed to dignify with a threefold miracle. To this end a publick Record is made of it, to be kept inviolable. And the Lord said unto Moses, bring Aarons Rod again before the testimony, &c.

1. Before the testimony, That whensoever they came to consult God about any emer­gent difficulty, they might not presume to seek his assistance to degrade the Priesthood, [Page 47] or cut off the line of succession, which he had established by such wonderful Prodigies, and to which he had assigned Sanctuary in his holy place; for thither the Rod is brought, and brought thither it is.

2. Ʋt servetur, that it might be kept; such as attempt to undermine Gods sacred Constitutions by the rudeness of popular tu­mults, do but make them take the firmer roots, and ingage God the more to shew signs and wonders for their preservation. Aarons Rod shall find Sanctuary, and be pre­served in perpetuam rei memoriam.

3. Ʋt servetur in signum, It shall be kept for a sign. Mans memory is naturally trea­cherous; and nothing can spoil it sooner than ingratitude and envy. Therefore God does here teach us an Art of Memory, by prescribing tokens to cure us of our forget­fulness; such memorials being significant to Hic et Chap. 16. 38. the use of edifying: though but Ceremonies, God prescribes them, and though they be Jos. 22. 10. but of Mans Institution, he allows of them. Such signs do not confer Grace ex opere operato, not by any real efficacy; no nor yet by way of impetration, they cannot do it. They have no Natural Power, no divine [Page 48] Promise for it. But they are fair Objects to excite and refresh the Memory. And he that will either eschew evil or do good, must first remember that it is his duty, and in this sence and to this effect, every monument of Gods Justice, every remanent instance of the Divine Mercy, may become sacramental to us.

But had Almighty God left himself and his Servant Aaron without witness hitherto? No, those 250 men with Corah and some Numb. 26. 10. others, they became a sign. And the brasen Censers of those that offer'd incense, were made a sign too; they were converted into plates for a covering of the Altar to be a Chap. 16. 40. Memorial unto the children of Israel. They could not approach the Altar, but the re­flection of those plates was a cleer conviction of their late Miscarriages. But when men will proceed in their sin after judgment, they provoke God to erect more signs to upbraid their stubbornness and ingratitude; when they importune him contrary to his express Revelations, they get nothing by it in the end, but the brand of a more lasting infamy: For

4. This Rod is kept in signum Rebellium [Page 49] filiorum Israel, for a token against the Rebels. God had past an Act of oblivion upon Mo­ses's Intercession, in favour of this People, Numb. 14. 21. Dimisi peccatum populi hujus, juxta verbum tuum. But God forgets our sins, upon con­dition we keep a Record and repent of them. If we do repeat them, we revive the memory of our past transgressions; and set up a light, by which those dim characters of our guilt, over which the hand of charity had drawn a curtain, become legible. And yet even here the inestimable Goodness of God is remarkable; he does so mercifully chastize their pride, that the testimony of their con­tumacy shall be the means of their cure, a provision for their amendment, and an An­tidote against the peril of Recidivation. This Rod is to be kept for a token, Ʋt quies­cant querelae, ne moriantur. To take away their Murmurings from me, ( yea and against me too, for they were not so much against Aaron as against the Lord); That they die not, and that was the Design in this Trans­action.

Ʋt quiescant querelae, to silence and still their Murmurings. Ambition is restless and knows no bounds. Cogitet qui honorem [Page 50] affectat tempestatem se affectare. He that af­fecteth Honour does court a tempest, for, Quid est potestas culminis nisi tempestas mentis? Philo. Such as climb the pinnacle of Ambition are psal. 106. 16. tossed with the greatest tempests. These Isra­elites began with Envy, proceeded to Mur­muring, and at last grew insolent even to an insurrection; they make a forcible entry upon the sacred office, and commit a noto­rious riot, wherein many thousands perish. God having installed Aaron and his Sons in the Priests Office, added this sanction to the Numb. 3. 10. establishment, The stranger that cometh near shall be put to death. Yet their Ambition was grown so great, and their Animosities so high; That God saw it time to take up the quarrel, else all the Tribes had died in it. The earth swallowed them up; and yet they murmured: The Fire consumed them; and yet they murmured; The Plague made havock of them, and yet they murmured. And this spirit of perversness was so great a provocation to a noble and ingenuous nature, God could not but be severe in punishing Numb. 14. 10. of it. They had rejected their Guides, and were ready to stone any charitable Informer. Nothing but a lasting miracle can shame and [Page 51] silence them; Aarons Rod inshrin'd in the sanctuary, must compose their spirits, and make peace betwixt God and them, betwixt them and themselves. If it cannot heal their perversities, it will so far charm them into temper, as to bridle and restrain their bold­ness. They will now suffer Aaron quietly to perform his Office; and his Ministry will be a means to keep off future judgments. And to this end, the Lord said unto Moses, Bring Aarons Rod again, before the testimony to be kept, &c.

What Aaron was amongst the Tribes of Application. Ifrael, the same, upon the matter, is the Bish­op in his Province, and Corah was the figure of such as make Rents and Schismes in the Church of Christ; who are therefore said to have perished in the gainsaying of Corah, as Jud. Ep. v. 11. in their Representative. And yet, Good God! What an Insurrection hath been made a­mongst us upon that account? Aaron, he was voted down and deposed; and in fine you cannot forget what became of Moses. But (to make haste out of that wilderness, and from amongst those fiery serpents that stung so deadly) Moses must be recalled to ap­pease our tumults, to still our murmurings [Page 52] and settle us in Tranquillity. To this end Dixit Dominus, The Lord spake unto his Majesty; not Immediately by a voice from Heaven, but by the voice of holy Scriptures and ancient Councils; by the voice of Rea­son and Experience, by the voice of fundamen­tal Laws and Customs; by the voice of Ortho­dox Fathers and dutiful Sons; by the voice of Royal blood, and by the voice of our great disorders and confusions. Many Cobwebs were to be swept down from our Church-win­dows, and much rubbish to be swept out of our Church-doors; and much dust to be brusht off the garments of inferiour Priests and Levites; some things were amiss in the house of God, and no such Rule as Aarons Rod to square out a Reformation. These were the Lords voice crying unto Moses, to the King, refer virgam, bring the Rod again, &c.

But had we not a Rod already? A rod with a vengeance, a Rod of Corah's own stock, of Corah's own gathering; Floruit virga, Ezek. 7. 10, 11. germinavit superbia, iniquitas surrexit in virga. Ours was just of the same constitution. The Radix, the root of it was iniquity, and that branched out into oppression and violence: [Page 53] A rod of Iron this was, that broke the Royal Scep­ter, and beat down the Royal Branches, and dasht the Church in pieces; A ragged staffe, whose fangs were steel'd with Malice, and died with in­nocent blood. It knockt down Moses, and thrust out Aaron: away with such a Rod, and God be thanked, this Rod of the wicked did not rest up­on the lot of the Righteous; though it was somewhat long in motion, rowling up and down, yet it did not, it could not rest, it was acted by such a vertiginous spirit. This Rod was at last thrown away, and Moses re­stored. And the Lord said unto Moses, bring Aarons Rod again before the testimony.

Not a Rod of Aarons own growth or ga­thering, but a 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; [Page 54] 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 [Page 55] 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, [Page 56] 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: 'Tis 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, [Page 57] 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, Ʋt 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 [Page 58] 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 at (que) 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 [Page 59] 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. 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 [Page 60] 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 [Page 61] 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 [Page 62] 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 [Page 72] 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 [Page 73] 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 [Page 74] 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.