[ontemplations. LIB. V. hisw~rd,without the Rod; but he will doeby meanes, that which he can as eafily A doe Without.There was no venue 10 the Rod,none 10 the !lroke;but all in thecommand of God. Meanes mull: be ufed, and yettheireflicacymu(\ beexpeCl:ed outof chemfelves. It doch not fuflice God to name the Rod, without adefcriptioo ; (Whm'y sho• fmott.ft the Rwcr :. ) Wherefoce ~but eo ftrengthen the fmth of Mofis,that he miohc well expe6l this wonder from char, which he had tryed eo be miraculous. H~w could he but firmely beleeve, that the fame meanes which turned the waters into bloud,and turned the fea into awall,could as well.turn the ftone into water~ Nothing more raifes up the heart in prefent afliante,then the recognition offavours,or wonders palfed.Behold,the fame Rod that brought plagues to the Egyptiaus,brings deliverances to Ifrael.By the fame meanes can God fave and c6ndcmne:like as the ll fame fworddefends and kills. That power which turned the wings ofcheQ!!ailes to the wildernelre,curned the courfe ofthe water through the Rock: he might (ifhehad pleafed) have caufed a Springtowell out of the pbine earth; but he will nowfetchit outofthe ftone, to convince and fhame their infidelity. What is more hard and dry then the Rock~ What more moift ~nd fupple then water (That they may beafhamed eo think, theydiftrufted left God could brino themWlter out ofthe Clouds or Springs,the very Rock !hall yeeld it. 0 And now, unle!IC their hearts had beene more rocky than this ftone, 'lhey could not but luve refolved theminto teares,forthis diffidence. 1 wonder to fee thefeIfraelices fed withSacraments: Thei•bread was facramen- c tall,whereofthey communicated every day: left any man fhould complaine offrequence,the lfradites received daily; and now their drinke wasfacramemail, that the ancient Church may give no w>rrant ofa dry Communion. Twicerherefore bath the Rock yeelded them water ofrefrefhing,to fignifie that the true fpirituall Rock yeelds it alwaies. The Rock that followed them was chrift : Out ofthy fide, o Sa.,iour ,ilrued that bloudyftreame,whereby the thirft of all beleevers is comfortably quenched: Letus but thirft;not with repining,but with faith;rhis Rockofthine !hallabundantly ll.ow forth to our fou\es,and follow us,ull this water be changed into that newwine,which welhall drink with thee in thy Fathers Kingdome. CJ"he F9.Jie of A M A L & x : or the hand of · M o sa s lift up. .,0 fooner is lfraels thirft flaked, then God bath an Amalekite ready to D alrault them. The Almighry bath choiceof rods to whip uswith; and will not be content with onetryall. They would oeods be quarrelling with M•fis,without a caufe; and now God fends the Amalekires to quarrel with th~m.It is juftwith God,that theywhich would be coren. dino ,~ith their bell: friends,lhould have work enough ofcontending with enemies. E Iotheir palfageout of..Egypt,Godwould not leade themtheneareft way,by the Philiftims Land,left they fhould repent at the fight ofwarre; now they both fee, and feele ir.He knows how to makerhefitteft choice ofthe times ofevill;andwnhholdsrhatone while, which he fends another, not without a juft reafon, w)i.y-heo I fends,and. with-holds ir: And though to us theycomeever(as we chink)unfeafo~- , bly, and atfome rimes more unfitlythen othets; ye he that fends them knows the~< opportunities. Whowould not have thought, aworfe time catdd neve< !uvebeenepickt for If- ' raels warre,then now~ In the feeblenelre oftheir troupes,when theywereweaned, rhirlly,unweaponed;Yet now mull the Amalekiresdoe that,which before,the.Phlliftims might nor doe: Weare not worthy,not abletochufe fot ourfdves. To
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