A Dry Rod Blooming and Fruit Bearing, Treatise · Part 2 · Section 1
SECT. I. The true ſtating of the ſecond propoſition from the text, with its due partition, and partiall explication.
THe Spirits Method in giving ſentence upon chaſtenings is to paſſe from conceſſion unto ſenſe, to correction unto faith: Hee grants the preſent, the now of paine unto their feeling; True, the chaſtening is for the preſent grievous, yet would he not, they ſhould thence conclude nothing but bitterneſſe in their chaſtening; He therefore ſuddenly corrects ſuch miſconceits, by adding an aſſertion of its after gaine, commending it to faith to bee realized and ſetled in the ſoule, for ſtrength againſt ſenſe of preſent evill, and victory over prevailing griefe. Nevertheleſſe afterwards, &c. The Summe is in this ſecond concluſion.Concluſ. 2. All chaſtenings (however painfull, yet) are indeede very gainefull things, or more largely in the Apoſtles owne termes, All hastenings for the afterwards yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of righteouſneſſe unto them that are exerciſed thereby. Of which I ſhall treate in the former order: The truth, the manner, the certainty, and neceſſity of this gaine iſſuing from the rod muſt bee declared, then faith may worke kindly on it.
1.1 Qu…d ſit. The truth will eminently appeare in the right unfolding of the termes in the text; they be generally two. 1. The Subject. 2. The Attribute. The ſubject in this propoſition, is the Root, or Riſe of all this gaine, and it is onelyonly the dry Rod, that Chaſtening, which was opened in the foregoing part; which onelyonly wee may remember in its formall conſideration, is the rod of love, uſed by the Father of mercies upon his owne children; The other part is the worke here.
2. In the Attribute ſeverall particulars fall under inquirie. 1 The gaine ſelfe. 2 The condition unto which it is deſigned. 3 The ſeaſon of its returne. 4 The manner of its riſe from the former ſtocke. What may all theſe meane?
1.foreign. The full account of this chaſtening gaine is given out in three expreſſions. Fruit, Righteouſneſſe and Peace. 1 The generall nature of it is touch't, in that it is ſtiled Fruit, Iſa. 27.6. Mic 7.13. Fructus importat dulcedinem unde fructus eſt, delectari in fine adepto. Aquin. in text. Pſal 92.14.a word of no bad notation of it ſelfe, unleſſe ſpecified by ſome adjunct, Fruit of ſinne, or Fruit of our owne doings, &c. Two coſinderations it imports which doe much commend this gaine. 1. Sweetneſſe of goodneſſe; it muſt bee good becauſe it is fruit, unleſſe made evill by ſome other bitter ingredient; it is therfore a common paraphraſe of a ſweet & good ſucceſſe, They ſhall bring forth fruit, when the Spirit would deſcribe the proſperous condition of any: Fruit therefore is good enjoyed, wherein ſtands mans delight or pleaſure; So then, when fruit is promiſed, ſweet and good is intended by the rod, which when enjoyed is fruit, and being fruit is pleaſant; This is no reproach, no chaſtenings.
2. Abundance or fulneſſe is implyed in this alſo;Deut. 28.4. Fruit in this kind is a collective terme; As the fruit of the land, is not one eare or ſheafe, but the crop,Deut. 22.9. and the fruit of the vineyard is not one grape or cluſter in the uſuall ſpeech, but many cluſters or all the gathering; ſo not one ſweet or good can bee the fruit of chaſtening compleatly, but the harveſt and crop of many goods and ſweets: ſo that the weight of this generall word commends thus farre the gaine of chaſtenings, It is a full cup of all good things for ſoules delight; And yet adde one thing more, for honour of Gods Scourge, if this bee fruit of chaſtening, it is as firmely intailed on the rod, as the grape upon the vine, or the apple on its tree, or the cherry on its graffe; All this is carried in the terme of fruit.
2. The ſpeciall nature of this gaine is Righteouſneſſe, the fruit is therefore ſpecified leſt any doubt its goodneſſe,foreign. it is fruit of Righteouſneſſe; This ſpecification is not from Earth, it is not fruit of ground, nor fruit of body, nor fruit of vine or figtree, nor fruit of cattel, theſe are too low to grow upon Gods rod, the word is from heaven, and thence the meaning of it muſt be fetch't. Now as given us of God, the uſe of it is either proper, or figurative. In the proper uſe of it there be two ſignificats. 1 Gods work upon us, changing our conditions, not our natures,Rom. 5. Ier. 23.6. wiping out our guilt, not our ſtaines, which is the gift of righteouſneſſe or our juſtification in and by the Lord our righteouſneſſe. This cannot bee intended here, for chaſtening ſuppoſeth men the adopted and juſtified of God already; this then cannot bee gained by it. 2 Gods worke in us by the ſanctification of our natures, even an univerſall frame of rectitude in our hearts conforme to the revealed will of God: it anſwers to that holineſſe whereof God aimes to make us partakers by his chaſtening, which in effect is the fruit of righteouſneſſe; it is ſummed up intirely together in thoſe titles, the new creation, the forme or image of Chriſt, and the divine nature: In its parts or members deſcribed, it is knowledge of God, faith in God, love to God, walking with God exactly in the right way and due ſeaſons of his worſhip; it is obedience, meekneſſe, patience, contentedneſſe, humility, bowels, chaſtity, goodneſſe, upright converſation, and whatever elſe is required to the integrity of a Chriſtian,Phil. 1.11. with theſe fruits of righteouſneſſe the Apoſtle praies the Church of God may bee filled by Chriſt Ieſus: Theſe in their collection and growth are the fruit of ſcourgings; no deſpicable gaine. Againe in the figurative or metonymicall uſe of this terme, it notes all the inſaperable adjuncts and conſequents of this righteouſneſſe, in ſhort, eternall life, kingdome of glory, throne and crown of righteouſneſſe, ſo ſtiled becauſe aſſigned to it: It pleaſeth ſome to grant the former, but deny this to bee the intended fruit of chaſtenings;Eſtius in text. I confeſſe that more immediately iſſueth from the rod, but why ſhould we not ſuppoſe life as neere to righteouſneſſe, as righteouſneſſe to the rod? nay it will be neceſſary with this intaile to conceive this fruit, if we duely conſider one rule which I thinke will not faile us, That whatſoever righteouſneſſe is promiſed, or expreſſed as a reward or conſequent of a precedent duty, it may or muſt be underſtood with the latitude of all its effects. And therefore as containing heaven it ſelfe, ſuch is the uſe of it in this place; ſo it is uſed elſewhere variouſly;Hoſea 10.12. to touch but one inſtance, Sow to your ſelves in righteouſneſſe, breake up the fallow ground, for it is time to ſeeke the Lord, till hee come, and raine righteouſneſſe upon you. Here raining righteouſneſſe is an effect propoſed to ſeeking the Lord, breaking up barten hearts, and ſowing in righteouſneſſe; here is one righteouſneſſe the reward of another; who can denie in reaſon, this raine of righteouſneſſe to be ſhowres of greater grace and following glory upon their obedience? Like is the uſe of it here, adn therefore we open to its largeſt bounds. To ſumme up this parcell, much gaine was from the rod, in that it was fruit iſſuing ſweet and abundant good, but more that this fruit is Righteouſneſſe. The name and thing are of divine originall, ſo that fruit of righteouſneſſe muſt be fruit of God, that is, excellent fruit; and two excellencies at leaſt it notes here. 1. Diviue nature, created indeed, and ſuch as is communicable, but exactly conformed to Jehovah Righteouſneſſe the very image of it. 2. Divine bleſſe, which is the confluence of all glories, communicable alſo, and depending upon this righteouſneſſe derived from God, and rooted in him. And is not this excellent fruit? Would any but a beaſt grudge to be whipt into God, into the divine nature, into the image of Chriſt? Who would not be willing to be ſcourged and beaten into heaven, into glory, into life from the wayes of death? Theſe are the ſure gain of chaſtenings, but yet more good.
3. The inſeparable property of this heavenly fruit, is peace; the terme ſeemes to anſwer to the former griefe, vexation, or torture that might be in the rod, which diſquiets the man, and fills the fleſh with pain and trouble, this is but for the preſent, working of Gods phyſick, the after fruit of righteouſneſſe brings peace, and ſettles and quiets all again: it is like a ſtomack ſetling cordiall after a tearing vomit. The Syriack reads it by conjunction, the fruit of righteouſneſſe and peace, not loſing any thing of the gain; yet, me thinkes, not uniting cloſe enough that ſweet paire by a conjunction, when the Spirit ſhuts up Peace in Righteouſneſſe, as the inſeparable fruit of that, and ſo makes in a manner one of both, to ſhew their undivided ſocietie: Peace as ſure a fruit of Righteouſneſſe, as righteouſneſſe can be of chaſtening, is Gods own diſcovery,Iſai. 32.17. The work of righteouſneſſe ſhall be peace, and the effect of righteouſneſſe, quietneſſe and aſſurance for ever. But what then is this peace? I ſhall not ſtay long in variety of tranſlations of the word to ſearch this,Pacatum fructum. onelyonly to take the beſt; That is not good that reads paſſively, quieted or appeaſed righteouſneſſe, farre from the word; It is neerer that renders it actively, quieting,Paciſicum, tranquillum. or pacificall righteouſneſſe, for it brings peace with it: but neereſt is the abſolute reading of it, as in ours, peaceable, or peacefull righteouſneſſe, abundance, or fulneſſe of peace hath this fruit in the compaſſe of it. But what is it ſtill? I ſhall return in ſhort, as in the generall uſe of it, Peace is the confluence of all good, and therefore points out a proſperous ſtate, when all things are in peace; ſo in the ſpeciall application of it here, it notes all thoſe kinds and degrees of good which onelyonly can be the cure of the ſeverall evils in the rod: for that way alone looks this peace. Now there be theſe ſore evils uſually in Gods ſcourge. 1. Frownes and diſpleaſure diſcovered in the face of a chaſtiſing God. 2. Smart, and trouble, and vexation upon a ſuffering fleſh. 3. Doubts, and feares, and terrours, ariſing from both the former, in a tender and afflicted ſoul: in all is great bitterneſſe. The fruit of righteouſneſſe, this peace, hath ſoveraigne vertue againſt theſee, and cures them all.Pſal. 119.165. Great peace have they which love Gods Law (ſuch onelyonly are like unto it) and nothing ſhall offend them: they ſhall have no ſtumbling-blocks to vex them; great peace iſſuing from that right frame of heart, conforme to Gods Law, takes away all offence, no reigning griefe to ſuch. 1. This turnes frownes of God into ſmiles, and diſpleaſures into pitie, when the rod hath got the victory, and brought home the wanderer to righteouſneſſe; then it is all peace, God frownes no more,Jer. 31.20. but loves and pities: ſo he ſpeakes to returned Ephraim, It is my deare child, he is my pleaſant ſonne. Peace then is Gods ſmile and favour fixt on his chaſtened, righteous ſeed. 2. This peace hath a good or vertue in it contrary to all diſeaſes, maladies, or ſores that the rod can make, and therefore muſt carry healing in it; every yoke it eaſeth, and every burden it removeth; it is a ſalve for every ſore, no pain can afflict the fleſh, but peace can eaſe it: This is honour in reproach, ſupply in wants, health in ſickneſſe, a guide in wandrings, ſecurity in dangers, reliefe in injuries, life in deaths: this is a ſhelter againſt the ſtorme, and ſhade againſt the ſcorching Sunne; there is no malady whereunto this is not a ſuted remedy, it comforts all ſorrowes, and wipes away all teares from the eyes of Gods chaſtened children.Pſal. 3.5.6. Pſal. 31.22. By this David may be kept ſecure, ſleeping in the ſiege of ten thouſand adverſaries; this ſheweth him his acceptance with God, and eaſeth his terror, when he judgeth himſelfe a reprobate, and an outcaſt from heaven. Nay this a ſure guard againſt all the in-rodes of Satan upon the ſoule, and invincible ſhield againſt his fiery darts. This peace of God, and righteouſneſſe will guard,Pſal. 4.7. or keep ſafe our mindes, our bodies, our all in Chriſt Jeſus. This is peace, the eaſe of every ſmart laid upon the fleſh.
3. Once againe, as no rackings ſo full of torture, as thoſe of a doubting, fearfull, ſelf-condemning heart; ſo no remedy ſo ſoveraigne againſt theſe, as the peace of righteouſneſſe. In a word, this is aſſurance, or confidence ſetled upon the righteous ſoule, that anſwereth every doubt, and quells every feare riſing up from the apprehenſion of Gods diſpleaſure in the rod; it is ſo ſweetly ſtiled,foreign Iſa. 32.17. the ſervice, work, or effect of righteouſneſſe is aſſurance. It doth indeed aſſure God, aſſure life, aſſure deliverance, aſſure glory to the ſoule againſt all cavils; it puts every good out of queſtion, and makes the heart live confidently above every croſſe; ſee now the gaine of chaſtening, Fruit, Righteouſneſſe, and Peace: the rod brings forth a fruit, that deſtroyes it ſelfe, ſweet abundant grace and glory, with Gods ſmiles, griefs ruin, and hearts aſſurance to triumph over every doubt and evill: who would think that ſuch a dry ſtick ſhould bring forth this bleſſed fruit? yet thus it doth. But now to whom? That is the next quaere.