Evidence for Heaven, Treatise · Part 8
Fatherly Chastisements.
Heb. 12.6.
Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every sonne whom he receiveth.
IN these words, the Apostle fetcheth an argument of Divine and Fatherly Love, from a Rod, and concludes sonneship, by adoption, from Chastisement, Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every sonne whom he receiveth
The Position of the Apostle, is confirmed by a plurality of witnesses, both Solomon and Christ concurre with Paul herein; Whom the Lord loveth he correcteth, even as a father the son in whom he delighteth, saith Solomon, Prov. 3.12. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten, saith Christ, Rev. 3.19. The truth of this position hath been experimented by a cloud of witnesses, by all the Sonnes and Daughters of God, that have gone before us unto Glory, and will be by all that shall follow after us, and therefore needs not much proving. The Apostle tells us, That through many afflictions, we must enter into the Kingdom of God. And in ver. 8. of this Chap. saith, that if ye be without Chastisement (whereof all are partakers) then are ye Bastards, and not Sonnes.
Immunity from correction, is rather a Character of a Bastard, than of an Adopted Son of God; it is rather a note of an Ismael, than of an Isaac; it is rather the mark of a Goate, than of a Sheep; it is rather a demonstrator of a child of this world, than of a Disciple of Christ: for the Crosse is a reculicen which all Christs Disciples must weare, as he himself tels us: In a word, it is rather a badge of an heire of Hell, than of an heire of Heaven; of a reprobate, rather than an elect, and adopted Child of God, for Chastisement is the universal lot of all Gods Children, as this Text tels us, Whom the Lord loveth he Chastiseth, yea, scourgeth.
The most people in the world, fetch their evidence of Gods Love, from Gods liberall dispensations of his gifts, either natural or supernatural, eternal or internal, transient gifts: I have this gift liberally dispensed to me of God, saith one, and I have that gift liberally dispensed to me of God, saith another. I have health (saith one) and I have wealth, saith another; I have no changes, but constant prosperity, through my pollicy in winding with the times: I have esteem in the world, and successe in every thing I go about ortake in hand; therefore doubtlesse God loves me;Thus from providences. Ergo. Another looks higher than this, and saith, I have natural parts, and supernatural gifts liberally dispensed to me of God, above what many others have: I have wit and understanding, &c. more than many others: I have knowledg, and I have utterance, and herein excell many: I have esteem among the Godly wise, and a name to live: I have a form of Godlinesse, and a shadow of every grace of the Spirit, many Talents in my hand, and hence conclude, God doubtlesse loves me, whoever he hates, Ergo. But neither of these argue well for their sonneship, nor their eternal estate; for no where doth the Scripture make any of these signs of Gods special love, or our adoption.
It is evident by Scripture, That a Cain may prosper in the World as well as an Abel, and a glutton excell a Lazarus, in these contingent things: An Ahithophel, through his policy, may enjoy prosperity, while a Paul suffereth all adversity: A sonne of Beliall, may weare Purple and Scarlet, and fare deliciously every day, while a Sonne of God weares sheep-skins, and goats-skins, and lives upon Gods Providence: A Nebuchadnezzar may have successe in his enterprises, as well as a Ioshua for a time, Philistins may triumph, while Israelites are led captive: A Iudas may have as good natural parts, and supernatural transient gifts, as a Paul, or a Iohn, as a chosen vessell or a beloved Disciple, yea, happily more: A Iesabell may be as beautifull in the eye of man, as a Rebeckah: A Pharisee more exemplary in a form of Godlinesse, than a Nathaniel: an Hipocrite may be more like a beloved Child of God, in his own eyes, and other mens too, than a true Child of God. A foolish Virgin may have as faire a Lamp in her hand, as a wise. By all which it is evident, That none of these things, are sufficient to denominate a man, beloved of God, after a special manner, nor to render him an Adopted Son of God.
In these words the Apostle lays before us, things quite contrary to these (to wit) chastisement and scourging, as signs of Gods love; Here is love written in Characters, a hand that every one cannot read, a hand that few can read right; Here is love wrapped up in a rod, which none but a loving and beloved child, can draw out, or well apprehend; none but a child, savingly indued with the Spirit of his Heavenly Father, can see his love, when he feels his rod, or argue his sonneship,1 Cor. 11.32. from his chastisement. To fetch an evidence of Gods Love, and a mans own Adoption from Gods Chastisements and Scourgings, is peculiar to a Child of God, and it is his prerogative, thus to do.
It is not every Adopted Child of God neither, that can thus argue his sonneship; I am Chastised of God, therefore I am beloved of him; I am scourged more than many others, therefore doubtlesse I am beloved more than others: It must be a child, grown to some maturity in grace, that must thus conclude; Whom the Lord loveth, he correcteth, &c.
Love, as attributed unto God, is not a quality; as it is in man, but an effect of tree grace, and it is either more generall or more speciall: Of the more generall Love of God towards man, we read in Mar. 10.21. where it is said, of the young man that came to Christ, That Iesus beholding him, loved him. Of the more speciall Love of God towards some, we read Ierem. 31.3. 2 Thes. 2.16. Iohn 13.1.
The more generall, or common Love of God, is manifested in, and by his common gifts and dispensations, such as the young man that came to Christ was indued with (to wit) great place in the World, great possessions, morall righteousnesse, desire of, and indeavour after eternall life, with the injoyment of temporall felicity, and predominate corruption.
But the more speciall Love of God towards man, is manifested in, and by his Fatherly chastisements and scourgings, as this Text tels us, Whom the Lord loveth, he chastiseth, &c, Whom the Lord loveth] after a speciall manner, he sooner, or later certainly chastiseth; He scourgeth every sonne whom he receiveth unto glory.
The Chastisements of God, are many for number, various for kind, differing in measure, duration, and immediate causes; but my purpose is not to discuss these, but to consider, when Gods Chastisements, of what kind soeever, are sure and certain pledges of his more speciall and eternall Love towards a man; which to find out, I will premise these foure things.
First, That Chastisements and sufferings from God, are not pledges of Divine love towards all: A man may be Chastised of God, and yet not be beloved of God, but hated, as Esau was; All things saith Solomon, come alike to all, and if all things, then Chastisements alike to all; Eliphaz tels us, That a man is born to trouble (it is as incident to him) as to the sparks to fly upward, Job 5.7. Troubles are Chastisements; and these do not argue love to all that are visited with them.
The second thing premised, is this; That although Chastisements and scourgings, are not pledges of Gods Love to all, yet they are to some. Thou in very faithfulnesse hast afflicted me, saith the Psalmist, Psal. 119.75.
The third thing premised is; Who they are to whom Chastisements and scourgings are pledges of Divine love? they are pledges of Divine love to them and to them only, to whom all things work together for good (to wit) to the Adopted Children of God;To them that love God. When we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world, saith an Adopted Son of God, of himself and his brethren, 1 Cor. 11.32.
The fourth thing premised is; When Chastisements and Scourgings are pledges of Divine love, and that is, when they are sanctified: Sanctified chastisements, and they only, are pledges of Gods speciall love toward man.
Quest. But how shall I know, whether Gods chastisements be sanctified …o me, or not?
Answ. Chastisements sanctified, have many appearances, many effects they produce, whereby they may be known, a few of which I will mention, instead of many.
1. Chastisements sanctified, make a man to reflect on himself, read himself over, and call his sinnes to remembrance, as appears in Iosephs brethren, Gen. 42.21. and Iob 7.20.
2. Chastisements sanctified, lead to repentance; Ephraim was by chastisements sanctified, brought to repentance, Ier. 31.18, 19▪ and so was Manasseh, and the Prodigall: By which it is evident, That Chastisements sanctified, make a man turn from his evill way unto the Lord; they make a man turn to him that smiteth; they regulate the whole man▪ and conform him to the whole Will of God, they better his Obedience; Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I have learned to keep thy Word, saith David, Psa. 119.67. and it's said of Jesus Christ, Though he were a Sonne, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered, Heb. 5.8.
3. Chastisements sanctified, make a man humble,Cant. 1.5, 6. vile in his own eyes; My soul hath them still in remembrance, (saith the Church of her afflictions) and is bowed in me, Lam. 3.20. I am black (saith the Spouse, when under the sun of persecution) by my Mothers Children. Look not upon me, because I am black, &c. The Churches afflictions were sanctified, and hence it was, that she was humbled by them, and become vile in her own eyes.
4. Chastisements sanctified, wean a man from the world, mortifie in him the love of the world, and deaden his affections to the noblest vanities of the world; they draw the heart from all things here below, and work it to a holy contempt of them, and inhance the price of grace and glory.
5. They drive the soul to God, and indeare communion with him; they will make a man pray frequently, and pray fervently; Seek the Lord early, and seek him earnestly, wrestle with God in prayer, G…n 32.witnesse Iacob and the Prodigall.
6. Chastisements sanctified, beget and increase love in the chastised, towards the chastiser; Rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee, saith Solomon, Pro. 9.8. Chastisements sanctified increase love to God.
7. Chastisements sanctified meeken the heart, and moderate anger, mortifie in man hatred and malice, which generate thoughts and desires of revenge, against the instruments in Gods hand; They beget patience under all strokes; I have sinned, Mic. 7.9.therefore I will beare the indignation of the Lord, saith the soul, whose Chastisement is sanctified, and justifiesGod in all his dealings.
8. Chastisements sanctified, soften the heart, and make it pliable to the will of God; they subject a man unto Christs yoke.
9. They fit a man for any condition that God cals him unto, prosperity or adversity; they fit him to abound, and fit him to want, fit him to live to Christ, and fit to him to dye for Christ; they fit a man to live to Christ here, and to live with Christ heareafter in Heaven.
10. They make a man long to be dissolved,Thus did Pauls bonds operate in him, Phil. 1.23. to be with Christ, yet patiently to wait on God all the daies of his appointed time, untill his change come, Rom. 5.…. Job 14.14.
11. Sanctified Chastisements indeare to a man, his Fathers house, his house of grace, and his house of glory; they did thus operate in David, Psa. 42. and in Israel in captivity, Psal. 137.1, 6. and in the Prodigall, Luk. 15. When his Chastisement was sanctified unto him, it indeared his fathers house.
12. Sanctified Chastisements will make a man labour to excell in grace; There is no man so covetous after grace, as he to whom Gods chastising hand is sanctified; There is none so sensible of the want of grace, nor of the worth of grace, as this soul is, therefore such an one usually labours, above all others, to excell in grace.
13. Finally, Sanctified Chastisements, leave impression behind them, when they are gone; they do not only make impression, while they are present, as unsanctified Chastisements many times do, but they leave impression behind them, when they are removed; impression of holy feare, of love, of humility, of watchfulnesse, of holinesse, of compassion towards others under Gods Chastising hand; They yield the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse, Heb. 12.11.to them that have been exercised thereby, and the like; they do not barely produce good purposes and promises, but resolve them into performances, according to ability and opportunity.
By some one or other of these, every one may perceive, whether Gods Chastisements be sanctified to him, or no; and so consequently, whether Gods rod, upon himself, be a sign and pledg of Gods speciall Love towards him, or not.
Object. But God Chastises in wrath and displeasure, as well as in love, In my wrath I smote thee, saith God of his own People, Isa. 60.10. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee, &c. Isai. 54.8. How shall I then know, whether God chastise me in love or in displeasure?
Sol. To find out this, Consider, 1. That those which the Lord here speaks of, though they were the Lords own People by profession, yet they were not all such by true conversion, they were not all beloved, after a speciall manner.
2. Know, That God may, and often times doth, Chastise in wrath, and yet in love too; When God Chastiseth his own Adopted Child, he many times doth it in wrath, and displeasure towards his sin, but alwayes in love to his person.
Wouldest thou then know, whether thou art Chastised of God in love, or not; Consider, whether thou art an Adopted Child of God, or not; Try thy selfe by what hath been formerly said, and if thou findest, that thou art truely such, conclude thou mayest certainly, That all thy Chastisements do spring from love; for whatsoever stroks God smites such an one with, he doth it in Love to his person, (this is a sure rule) though God speak bitter things against thee, as Iob complains he did against him, and do bitter things unto thee, yet all springs from his love, though he bide his face from thee for a while, and chastise thee with s…ourging, he doth it in love to thy person; all Gods dealings with thee, spring from his love, his love is the efficient whatsoever be the meritorious or immediate cause of thy Chastisement; When God is angry with thee, and smites thee for thy sinne, it is in love to thy person, he loves thee still. Is Ephraim my deare sonne, is he a pleasant Child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly rem…ember him still, &c. Ier. 31.20.
All Gods Children,Note. even the best of them all here, have faults, many faults▪ and God will not suffer them to go unchastised; Children are sure of chaftisement, however servants speed; legitimate sonnes are sure of chastisement,P…al. 89.30, 31, 32. when they offend, however bastards escape; God hath no time to chastise his Children, but here, therefore they are sure of Chastisement here; it will not stand with Gods Love to passe by them, and wink at their faults; the nearer in relation, the surer of correction, the dearer in affection, the surer of chastisement; Whom the Lord loveth, he chastiseth, and scourgeth every sonne, whom he receiveth.
Wouldest thou then get a true evidence of the speciall Love of God towards thee, and of this Adoption by Jesus Christ, Consider well of two things: First, Whether thou hast been Chastised of the Lord, yea, or nay? Secondly, Whether thy Chastisiments are sanctified to thee, or not? and if thou canst truely conclude on the affirmative, thou hast good ground to beleeve, that thou art one beloved of God, after a speciall manner; that thou art an Adopted Child of God, and an heir of Heaven: But if thou hast been altogether free from, or unprofitable under Gods Chaftisement, thou hast just cause to feare, whether thou art an Adopted Child of God, or not; at least that thou art not yet brought home to thy Heavenly Father; For whom the Lord loveth, he (certainly sooner or later) chastiseth, as the Text tels us, Whom the Lord loveth, he chastiseth, and scourgeth every son, whom he receiveth.