Joy in Tribulation, Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII. The difference betweene punishnishment and chastisement.
OBserve from hence five manifest differeces wherby the chastisements of God are distinguished from his punishments. The first is from the fountayne, or cause, whence they issue. Chastisement is from a fatherly love, and faithfulnesse in his Covenant.Heb. 12. 6. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, & scourgeth every …on whom he receiveth. Rev. ….19.As many as I love, I rebuke & chasten. See also Pr. 3.12. His promise in his Covenant is, If they break my Statuts & keep not my Commandements: Psal. 89.31 32,33, 34, 35.Then will I visite their transgression with the rod, & their iniquity with strokes: My Covenant will I not break, &c. I hauehave sworn by my holinesse I will not faile David. The Prophet knowing this, confesseth,Ps. 115.7…. I know that of very faithfulnes thou hast afflicted me.
Contrarily, the punishment of the wicked is from the wrath of God, as an Enemy:Rom. 1.18 The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse of men, which with-hold the truth in unrighteousnesse. & 2.8…VponUpon them that disobey the truth, shall be indignation and wrath. Thus when the Lord had set down the great provocations of that rebellious people, he infers;Deu. 32.22 Fire is kindled in my wrath, and shall burne to the bottome of hell. Ier. 15.14.I will make thee to passe with thine enemies into a land which thou knowest not; for a fire is kindled in mine anger, wh…ch shall burne upon you.
The second difference is in the subject. Divine chastisement is proper to the children of God, but punishment b… longeth to rebels. God scourge…h every son whom he receiveth, but bastards are without correct…on: Heb. 12.….…which is more evidētly taught us in that word of the original there rendred (chastise) foreign, which is derived from foreign, a sonne, or childe. Reason also will further confirme it; For correction being the cutting off the offence, that the offender may be reconciled, belongeth therefore to children: But punishment is the cutting off the offender, that others may take heede and beware; and therefore is due to rebels and traitors.
The third difference is the finall cause, or end unto which these afflictions are aymed. The end of chastisement is amendment of life, whence it receiveth the mine of corr… ction; which signifieth to set righ…, or strait.Psa. 119.67 Before I was affl…cted I went astray, but now I keepe thy word… Rev. 3. 19.As many as I louelove I rebuke and chasten; be zealous therefore, and amend. Another end is trial and exercise of our faith, love, patience, and other graces. Hence afflictions called a fiery triall to prove us. 1 Pet. 4,12So another Apostle calls tentations, The triall of our faith. Iam. 1.2,3.Consider also that saying of Saint Peter, 1 Pet. 1.6.7. Looke as by some paynefull worke in putting forth the strength of the armes, legges, &c. for the overcomming of some difficulties, the body is exercised, the sinewes and other organicall parts much confirmed, the vital, and all the members not a little strengthened: so when our faith, love, patience, or any other member of the new man is employed in any spirituall actions, wherein some fleshly Combatant is vehemently opposed, certaine is it, that howsoever (for the present) there may follow some sense (at least) of weaknesse, yet even the grace so tried, and the whole inward man gathers much comfort, and activenesse from such fiery trials. For it is the very exercise of the spirituall man;Heb. 12.1… yeelding excellent fruit to those that are exercised by it. For as trees shaken with the winde are better rooted: so grace after a storme is more firmly setled.Rom. 5.3, 4,5: Patiēce is wroght out, & perfited by tribulatiō, & grows fruitful in experiēc…: Iam. 13…whē we grow highin our own conceit, and begin to be exalted above measure; then this affliction (as a pruning knife) tops our pride, abaseth us in our owne eyes, and humbles us under the mighty hand of God:Lam. 3.19. 20. Remembring the gall and wormewood, my soule is humbled within mee. Thus when Peter arrogantly preferreh his faith and love above all his fellow Apostles, and all men;Mat. 26.31 33. If all men be offended because of thee, yet will I never bee offended: strooken downe with that triall, and sifted, hee left his swelling conceit behinde him in the sieve, and laying aside his comparisons, answereth in a more modest streine,Ioh, 21.15 Simon, lovest thou mee more then these? Lord (saith hee) thou knowest that I love thee So also that choice vessell of God was kept downe by the buffeter of Satan:2 Cor. 12.7 nay,See Rom. 8.16.17. even the assurance and increase of our glory is intended,2 Cor. 4.17 and wrought by afflictions. But hath the Lord any such end in the punishment of the ungodly? No; but for this cause have I appointed thee, that I might shew my power in thee.Exod. 9.16
The fourth difference is in the adjunct: The assistance of Gods holy Spirit (with strēgth comfortably to beare whatsoever is imposed) is ever adjoyned to chastisement:1 Cor. 10. 13. God is faithfull, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able, but will give the issue with the temptation, that you may be able to beare. 2 Cor. 1.4God comforteth us in all our tribulations. This we evidently see exemplified in Iob, who being assailed with al maner of temptations, yet was even mightily supported by that powerful Spirit, by whom in the middest of that fiery furnace (which like that of Nebuchadnezzar, was heated seven times more than usual) he was strongly sustayned in faith:Iob 13.15. 16.18. & 19.25, Though he slay me, I will trust in him: He shall be my salvation: I know I shall be iustified: I am sure my Redeemer liveth. Contrary, the punishments of the wicked are no way lightned by this blessed Comforter, and therefore they instantly sinke under them: as Saul, Caine and Iudas. Observe this truth in one instance:Acts 12. Peter is apprehended, imprisoned, bound with two chains, between two souldiers: All this breaketh not his rest: he sleeps, strōg light could not awake him, till he was smote on the side by the Angell; hee knew the next day was his last, yet see how soundly he sleeps: when he awakes he sees a sudden great light, but without any feare. This rest came not from flesh and bloud; but that blessed Spirit speaking peace to his soule in Christ, gave him power to say, and doe with David: Psal. 4.8.I will both lay me downe in peace, and sleepe, for thou Lord only makest me dwel in safety. On the otherside, Saul was at liberty, had a strōg army, had oftē vāquished those enemies yet no sooner hard of death (& that by the divel, the father of lies) but fals along on the earth, 1 Sam. 28. 20,21.was sore afraid, and there was no strength in him, and though he could not but be very hungry, as having eaten no bread all day and night, yet refuseth to eate. Whence came this feare? from naturall cowardise? nay certainly, Saul was a man used to dangers, and naturally of more courage than Peter, a poore Fisher-man; but the cause was,1 Sam. 16. 14. The Spirit of the Lord (even in his ordinary gifts, as valour, &c.) was departed from Saul: how then could any strength be in him?
The last difference betweene chastisement and punishment, is in the fruits of them. There is no fruit comparable to that of divine chastisement:Heb. 12.10 11. He chastiseth us for our owne profit, that wee may be partakers of his holinesse. It bringeth forth the pleasant fruit of righteousnes to them that are thereby exercised. 2 Cor. 4.17This momentarie light affliction causeth unto us a most excelling excellent (so is the original) eternall weight of glory. Now what can all the world boast of in the least degree comparable to this? I call every christian soule to witnesse, that all is dung and losse in comparison of these sweet fruits; even that (by carnall men) so much despised holinesse, is the image and beauty of God stamped upon a christian, the divine nature; infinitely therefore above all earthly excellencies, which perish with the using.
But what is the fruit of divine punishment, when the visitation of the judge comes upon them, either in that generall day of those great Assises, or the more particular of his private Sessions; some despaire, as Caine, Saul, Iudas; some murmure, as the rebellious Israelites;Rev. 16.9. some blaspheme the name of God, who hath power over these plagus:Hos. 10…8. some call to the mountains & rocks to fal upon them,Rev, 6.16. & cover them. Hēce ariseth much comfort to every afflicted Christian: even our affliction it selfe, if we well consider it, wil afford us no little help against the grief & smart of it.