A Dry Rod Blooming and Fruit Bearing, Treatise · Part 2 · Section 4
SECT. IIII. The Seaſon of the fruit stated.
3. ALL the helpe the text gives us to find out this ſeaſon is in that one large expreſſion, Afterward, which yet conſidered with the reſt leaves us not unſatisfied.foreign. It hath beene noted of the fruit fore-mentioned, that compleatly taken and in its compaſſe it is Grace and Glory, all the effects of Gods favour here begun, and the perfection of it in heaven; for all this is life truly, and life is the fruit of righteouſneſſe: Accordingly this afterward may be of grace, & that is more neere at hand, or elſe of glory, and that hath its ſtated time, the inſtant of our tranſlation. But yet to give you a ſtricter account of this time-ſpecifying expreſſion, it is evident that it points at a future ſeaſon for gaine, contradiſtinct unto that preſent of the paine of chaſtening, and in this future notation three things are carried that concerne this fruit, The Order, Speede, and Duration of it.
1. In this afterward is carried the order of this fruits appearance, it ſucceedes, not foregoes, it is after, not before the paine and Chriſtian exerciſe under it: folly would brand that husbandman, who expects his crop, before he till, or winter bee over; and madneſſe in that Chriſtian who lookes for peace, before his exerciſe performed and rod removed: It was the method God keepes with his owne Sonne (not in way of chaſtening, unleſſe the chaſtiſement of our peace) he muſt firſt ſuffer, and therein manage his ſuffering well, and then enter into his glory; the ſame order is to his members,Iſa 53.5. Luk. 24.26. firſt griefe and exerciſe under the rod, then after fruit of righteouſneſſe and peace.
2. In this afterward is intended ſpeede, that is, ſoone after, or immediatly after labour this fruit is return'd; The travelling womans paine after labouring through ſome throwes, brings forth the child anon; it is at the very heeles of her travaile: (unleſſe it be a croſſe birth, whereof no feare in preſent caſe) ſo ſoone comes fruit of grace and peace upon the Chriſtians travaile under the rod; atleaſt the beginnings or firſt fruit, though not the full expected harveſt.Iſa. 66.7.8. It is a ſweet propheticall note, about the miraculous and fruitful return of the Iewes to Chriſt, after their long rejection and many paines, when they beginne to exerciſe and labour under the rod and word indeede, As ſoone as Zion travelled, ſhe brought forth her children, Nay if that be not ſoone enough after, take a neerer expreſſion, Before ſhee travelled ſhe brought forth, before her paine came, ſhe was delivered of a man child: Then ſhee neede not ſtay to labour: but underſtand it rightly, it is an expreſſion, that noteth ſpeede in fruit-bearing, yet not excluding paine in the due labour of the Church; but a rhetoricall phraſe it is to ſet forth the ſwiftnes of the flocking of the Iews to Chriſt, as afterwards, Shall a nation be borne at once? Hyperbole.This was never ſeene, but ſuch an income ſhal there be of theſe unto the Lord much like to this; As if to expreſſe the quicke deliverance of a woman in her paines, wee ſay, ſhee had her child, before ſhe cryed; joy came ſo ſpeedily after, as if it had beene before. I ſhall cloſe this with an eye to the preſent matter, the harder labour under the rod, the ſpeedier returne of the deſired fruit.
3. In this afterward there is duration noted, it is a long afterward, when once its come, alwaies afterward doth this fruit abide with the exerciſed ſoule; It is like that in the Pſalmiſt, Thou ſhalt guide me with thy counſaile,Pſal. 73.24. and afterward receive me to glory, that is, for ever after never to leave glory againe; no After ſhall follow this to cut it off, but this fruit ſhall bee from generation to generation; eternity is long enough, and that of joy, to recompence a preſent, an inſtant of griefe: ye have the burthen of this note of time, it tells when, how ſoone, how long this bleſſed fruit of chaſtening may be expected. But how doth the rod bring forth? This will be ſatisfied in the laſt inquiting of the manner.