that Israel might see and grant, it was no reason his choice should be limited, whose power is unlimited.

Fruitfulness is the best argument of the calling of God: not only all the plants of his setting, but the very boughs cut off from the body of them, will flourish. And that there may not want a succession of increase, here are fruit, blossoms, buds; both proof and hope inseparably mixed.

It could not but be a great comfort unto Aaron, to see his rod thus miraculously flourishing; to see this wonderful testimony of God's favour and election: sure he could not but think, "Who am I, O God, that thou shouldst thus choose me out of all the tribes of Israel? My weakness hath been more worthy of thy rod of correction, than my rod hath been worthy of these blosHow hast thou magnified me in the sight of all thy people! How able art thou to uphold my imbecility with the rod of thy support, how able to defend me with the rod of thy power, who hast thus brought fruit out of the sapless rod of my profession! That servant of God is worthy to faint, that holds it not a sufficient encouragement, to see the evident proofs of his Master's favour,

soms.

Commonly, those fruits, which are soon ripe, soon wither; but these almonds of Aaron's rod are not more early, than lasting: the same hand, which brought them out before their time, preserved them beyond their time; and for perpetual memory, both rod and fruit must be kept in the ark of God. The tables of Moses, the rod of Aaron, the manna of God, are monuments fit for so holy a shrine. The Doctrine, Sacraments, and Government of God's people, are precious to him, and must be so to All times shall see and wonder, how his ancient Church was fed, taught, ruled. Moses's rod did great miracles, yet I find it not in the ark. The rod of Aaron hath this privilege, because it carried the miracle still in itself; whereas the wonders of that other rod were passed. Those monuments would God have continued in his church, which carry in them the most manifest evidences of that which they import.

men.

The same God, which by many transient demonstrations had approved the calling of Aaron to Israel, will now have a permanent memorial of their conviction; that whensoever they should see this relic, they should be ashamed of their presumption and infidelity. The name of Aaron was not more plainly written in that rod, than the sin of Israel was in the fruit of it; and how much Israel finds their rebellion beaten with this rod, appears in their present relenting and complaint; Behold, we are dead, we perish. God knows how to pull down the biggest stomach, and can extort glory to his own name from the most obstinate gainsayers.

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CONTEMPLATION II.-THE BRAZEN SERPENT.

NUMBERS XXI.

SEVEN times already hath Israel mutinied against Moses, and seven times hath either been threatened or punished; yet now they fall to it afresh. As a testy man finds occasion to chafe at every trifle, so this discontented people either find or make all things troublesome. One while they have no water; then bitter: one while no God; then one too many : one while no bread; then bread enough, but too light: one while they will not abide their governors; then they cannot abide their loss. Aaron and Miriam were never so grudged alive, as they are bewailed dead. Before, they wanted onions, garlic, flesh-pots; now they want figs, vines, pomegranates, corn. And as crabbed children that cry for every thing they can think of, are whipped by their wise mother, so God justly serves these fond Israelites.

It was first their way that makes them repine. They were fain to go round about Idumea; the journey was long and troublesome. They had sent entreaties to Edom for licence of passage the next way, reasonably, submissively; it was churlishly denied them. Esau lives still in his posterity; Jacob, in Israel: the combat which they began in Rebecca's belly is not yet ended. Amalek, which was one limb of Esau, follows them at the heels the Edomite, which was another, meets them in the face: so long as there is a world, there will be opposition to the chosen of God. They may come at their peril; the way had been nearer, but bloody; they dare not go it, and yet complain of length.

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If they were afraid to purchase their resting-place with war, how much less would they their passage! What should God do with impatient men? They will not go the nearest way, and yet complain to go about. He, that will pass to the promised land, must neither stand upon length of way nor difficulty. Every way hath its inconveniences; the nearest hath more danger, the farthest hath more pain; either or both must be overcome, if ever we will enter the rest of God.

Aaron and Miriam were now past the danger of their mutinies; for want of another match, they join God with Moses, in their murmurings though they had not mentioned him, they could not sever him in their insurrection; for, in the causes of his own servants, he challenges even when he is not challenged. What will become of thee, O Israel, when thou makest thy Maker thine enemy? Impatience is the cousin to frenzy; this causes men not to care upon whom they run, so they may breathe out some revenge. How often have we heard men that have been displeased by others, tear the name of their Maker in pieces! He, that will judge, and can confound, is fetched into the quarrel without

cause. But if to strive with a mighty man be unwise and unsafe, what shall it be to strive with the mighty God?

As an angry child casts away that which is given him, because he hath not that he would, so do these foolish Israelites: their bread is light and their water unsatisfying, because their way displeased them. Was ever people fed with such bread or water? Twice hath the very rock yielded them water, and every day the heaven affords them bread. Did any one soul amongst them miscarry, either for hunger or thirst? But no bread will down with them, save that which the earth yields; no water but from the natural wells or rivers. Unless nature may be allowed to be her own carver, she is never contented.

Manna had no fault, but that it was too good and too frequent: the pulse of Egypt had been fitter for these coarse mouths. This heavenly bread was unspeakably delicious; it tasted like wafers of honey; and yet even this angels' food is contemned. He that is full despiseth a honeycomb. How sweet and delicate is the Gospel! Not only the fathers of the Old Testament, but the angels, desired to look into the glorious mysteries of it; and yet we are cloyed. This supernatural food is too light the breadcorn of our human reason, and profound discourse, would better content us.

Moses will not revenge this wrong, God will; yet will he not deal with them himself, but he sends the fiery serpents to answer for him how fitly! They had carried themselves like serpents to their governors; how often had they stung Moses and Aaron, near to death! If the serpent bite when he is not charmed, no better is a slanderer. Now these venomous adders revenge it, which are therefore called fiery because their poison scalded to death: God hath a hand in the annoyance and hurt of the basest creature; how much less can the sting of an ill tongue, or the malice of an ill spirit, strike us without him! While they were in Goshen, the frogs, lice, caterpillars spared them, and plagued the Egyptians; now they are rebellious in the desert, the serpents find them out and sting them to death. He, that brought the quails thither to feed them, fetches these serpents thither to punish them. While we are at war with God, we can look for no peace with his creatures: every thing rejoices to execute the vengeance of his Maker. The stones of the field will not be in league with us, while we are not in league with God.

These men, when the spies had told them news of the giants of Canaan, a little before had wished, Would to God we were dead in this wilderness: now God hath heard their prayers, what with the plague, what with the serpents, many thousands of them died. The ill wishes of our impatience are many times heard. As those good things are not granted us, which we pray for without care; so those evils, which we pray for and would not have, are often granted. The ears of God are not only open to the prayers of

faith, but to the imprecations of infidelity. It is dangerous wishing evil to ourselves or ours: it is just with God to take us at our word, and to effect that which our lips speak against our heart.

Before, God hath ever consulted with Moses, and threatened ere he punished; now he strikes, and says nothing. The anger is so much more, by how much less notified. When God is not heard before he is felt, (as in the hewing of wood, the blow is not heard till the axe be seen to have struck) it is a fearful sign of displeasure it is with God as with us men, that still revenges are ever most dangerous. Till now all was well enough with Israel, and yet they grudged: those, that will complain without a cause, shall have cause to complain for something. Discontented humours seldom escape unpunished, but receive that most justly whereat they repined unjustly.

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Now the people are glad to seek to Moses unbidden. Ever heretofore they have been wont to be sued to, and entreated for without their own entreaty; now their misery makes them importunate: there needs no solicitor, where there is sense of smart. It were pity men should want affliction, since it sends them to their prayers and confessions. All the persuasions of Moses could not do that, which the serpents have done for him. O God, thou seest how necessary it is we should be stung sometimes, else we should run wild, and never come to a sound humiliation : we should never seek thee, if thy hand did not find us out.

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They had spoken against God and Moses, and now they humbly speak to Moses that he would pray to God for them. He, that so often prayed for them unbidden, cannot but much more do it requested; and now obtains the means of their cure. was equally in the power of God to remove the serpents, and to heal their stinging; to have cured the Israelites by his word, and by his sign: but ne finds it best for his people (to exercise their faith) that the serpents may bite, and their bitings may envenom, and that this venom may endanger the Israelites; and that they, thus affected, may seek to him for remedy, and seeking may find it from such means as should have no power but in signification; that while their bodies were cured by the sign, their souls might be confirmed by the matter signified. A serpent of brass could no more heal than sting them. What re

medy could their eyes give to their legs? Or what could a serpent of cold brass prevail against a living and fiery serpent? In this troublesome desert we are all stung by that fiery and old serpent: O Saviour, it is to thee we must look, and be cured; it is thou that wert their paschal lamb, their manna, their rock, their serpent. To all purposes dost thou vary thyself to thy Church, that we may find thee every where: thou art for our nourishment, refreshing, cure; as hereafter, so even now, all in all.

This serpent, which was appointed for cure to Israel, at last stings them to death, by idolatrous abuse. What poison there is in idolatry, that makes even antidotes deadly! As Moses therefore raised this serpent, so Hezekiah pulled it down: God commanded the raising of it, God approved the demolishing of it. Superstitious use can mar the very institutions of God; how much more the most wise and well-grounded devices of men!

CONTEMPLATION III.-OF BALAAM.

NUMBERS XXII.-XXIV.

MOAB and Midian had been all this while standers by and lookers on. If they had not seen the pattern of their own ruin in these neighbours, it had never troubled them, to see the kings of the Amorites and Bashan to fall before Israel. Had not the Israelites camped in the plains of Moab, their victories had been no eye-sore to Balac. Wicked men never care to observe God's judgments till themselves be touched: the fire of a neighbour's house would not so affect us, if it were not with the danger of our own: secure minds never startle till God come home to their very senses.

Balac and his Moabites had wit enough to fear, not wit enough to prevent, judgment: they see an enemy in their borders, and yet take no right course for their safety. Who would not have looked, that they should have come to Israel with conditions of peace? Or why did they not think, "Either Israel's God is stronger than ours, or he is not. If he be not, why are we afraid of him? If he be, why do we not serve him? The same hand, which gives them victory, can give us protection." Carnal men, that are secure of the vengeance of God ere it do come, are mastered with it when it doth come; and not knowing which way to turn them, run forth at the wrong door.

The Midianites join with the Moabites in consultation, in action, against Israel: one would have thought, they should have looked for favour from Moses for Jethro's sake, which was both a prince of their country, and father-in-law to Moses; and either now, or not long before, was with Israel in the wilderness. Neither is it like, but that Moses having found forty years' harbour amongst them, would have been (what he might) inclinable to favourable treaties with them; but now they are so fast linked to Moab, that they will either sink or swim together. Entireness with wicked consorts is one of the strongest chains of hell, and binds us to a participation both of sin and punishment: an easy occasion will knit wicked hearts together in conspiracy against the Church of God.

Their errand is devilish, Come, curse Israel: that which Satan