L1s.V,U. A A R o N s [e'lfer and 'Rod_ R8.9 A BeforeGods calling,all men are alike: Every na"',~ne:-,;:-.s·· ,~~l'i;k-e:-,:-v-,ri:-tt~c:-!1:-in~t-;-h-,ei"'r-::R~o-,d:-; I-~_;,_--I there isno diffaence in the lettersl in the wood;ndrher the characters of A.aron are. fairer,nor the flaffe more precious; It is the choice ofGod that makes the diflinclton:So it is in our calling ofChrillianity;All are equally devoid ofthe pof!ib!lity of oracc: All equally livelcffe; by n3ture we all are fonsofwrath:lfwe be now better ~hen others, who fepamed us~ We areall Crab-fio,ks in this Orchard ofG.od, he may graffewhat fruit he pleafes upon us,only thegrace and effetl:uall calling ofGod makes the difference. · Thefe twelve heads oflfrael 1vould never havewritten their names in tbc:ir rods, bur in hope they might bechofen to this dignity. What an honour was rhis Priefihood,whereofall rhe Princest>f lfrael are ambitiousdftheyhad not thought it an B high preferment,they had never fo much envied theoffice of Aaron. What (ball we think ofrhis change ~ Is the Euangelicall minifiration ofleffe worth then theLeviticall: Whiles the Tellamenr is better,is the fervice worfe~ How is it thatthegreat think rhemftlves too ;;ood for this imployment ~How is it,that underrhe G9fpell men aredifparaged w!ththat which honoure~ them under the Law; that their~mbition and our fcorne meet in one f!lbjetl: ~ • ;. Thefe twelve rods arenot laid up in the feverall cabinets oftheir Owners;bl!l.are. broueht forth and laid before the Lord. It is licGod fl10uld make choiceofhis own attendants. Even we men hold it injurious ro have fervams obtruded upon us by othtrs:nevtr flJ:tll that man hav.e c0mforrinhis MinifierywhomGod hath oat chofen. The great Commander ofrhe world bath fer every man in his fiation; To one c he harh faid, Stand thou in this Tower and warcl); To anot.her,Makethou good thefeTrenches;To a third.Digge thou in this Mine.He that gives and knowes our abilities, can bell fetus onwork. This Rod was thepallorall flrrffe of Aaron,the great Shepherd of libeL God tellifies his approbation of his charge, by the fruit. Thata rod cut offfrom.the tree, lhould bloffome,it was firange;but that in one night it lhould bear buds,bl~ffomes; fruit,and that both ripe and hard,irwa~ highlymiraculous.The fame power tliat revives 1hedead plants ofwimer,jn the Spring, do5h'it here without earth, without time,without Sunne; that lfrad might fee and grant, it w~s no re~fon his choyce fl10uld be limited,whofepower is unlimited. Fruitfulneffe is the bell argument ofthecalling ofGod.: Not only all the plants D ofhis fening,but the very boughs cutofffrom the body ofrhem,will Aouril\1. And' that therf 'll"Y not want a fucceffion of mcreaf~, here are frmt, bloffomes, bilds i b01b proofe and hope infeparably mixed, It could not but be a great comfort untoi.A aron,to fee his rod thus miuculoufly flouri!hing ; to fee this 1vonderfull Tefrimony of Gods favour and t!o&ion: Sure he could not but think, Who am 1,0 God, that thou fl10uldell rhuschoofeme out ofall the Tribesonfrael ~ Myweakneffeha1h bin more worthy of thy rod ofcorreClion,then my rod hath binworthy ofthde bloffomes.How hall thou magnified me inthe Gght ofaU thy!feople ~ How able art thou to uphold my iml>ecility with the rod of thy fupport~ how able to !lefiend ~1e with the rodofthy power,who hall: thus brought fruit out of the fapldfe rod of7ny profeffion ~ That fervant of God is E wo1rhy to faint, that holds ir not a fufficient inwuragement rp fee the evident proofesofhisMallersfavour. ,. ·' Commonly,thofefruits which are fooneripe,foone wither,but thefe Almonds of Aarons rod are not more eaiiy,then !ailing:the fame hand which brought them out before their time, preferved thero beyond rhcir time ; and for perpetual! memory, both rod and fruit'mull be kept ip tbeArkofGoc\.TheTables of Mofis,the Rod of .A•ron,theManna ofGod,are mQnumentsfitfor fo boly a lhrine. The DoClrine,Sac craments and government ofGods people, are precious to him, and mull be fo to men.AII times lhall f~e•nd wonder,how hisancient Church W>S fed,taught,fulcd. <.Jiufrs his rod did great mirac;les, yet r fiode it not in the Ark. The Rod of 01aroJt bath this priviledge,becaufe it caried the miracle llill in itfdf;whereas rhe 1>/onder!l of that otherB.od :were paffed.Tlrofemonument!\ wouldGod havecoo.tio.tted in hi> Gggg i Churoh,
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