PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Thomas Manton — Volume 11
Thomas Manton · 316,591 words · 316 reading sections
Section 1
.i^ PRINCETON, N. J. % 5/i^// BX 8 y I !) . FIJ IS /U vV 1 1 ^ Manton, Thomas, 1620-1677. The complete works of Thomas Manton m ^.•v %^t ^'^^pa ■ ' ;* i^ Vl'r ^^^ :.• '< ;^-i ■'-»f*1^ 1. •t^t COUNCIL OF PUBLICATION. W. LINDSAY ALEXANDER, D.D., Professor of Theology, Congregational Uuion, Edinburgh. J…
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„ IX, " Because the carnal mind is enmity to God," &c,, ver. 7, 469 „ X. " So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God," &c., ver. 8, . . . . 473 „ XI. " But ye are not in the flesh, &c,, ver, 9, . 484 SERMONS UPON THE SEVENTEENTH CHAPTER OF ST JOHN. VOL. xr. SERMONS UPON JOHN XVIL SERMON XXXIII. An…
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VeR. 19.] SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. 5 Prov. viii. 31, * Eejoicing iu the habitable parts of the earth, and my delights were with the sons of men.' When the incarnation was passed, then he longed for tlie time of his passion: Luke xii, 50, ' I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitened till it be accompl…
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Secondly, The act, ayia^ca, ' I sanctify.' Things are said in scrip- ture to be sanctified when they are set apart, and fitted and prepared for some holy use. 1. As it signifies to separate, or set apart from a common to a holy use, as the sacrifices under the law were separated and chosen out of the flock or herd, th…
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8 SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. [SeR. XXXIII. through the eternal Spirit to God/ Heb. ix. 14. la his human nature principally he was the sacrifice ; for it is said, Heb. x. 10, ' We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.' The godhead could not be offered, for who can offer himself, or …
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2. Positively, * For their sakes.' The apostles are chiefly concerned in the context, who were sent into the world upon a peculiar message and errand ; but all the elect are intended, partly because it is pre- sently added, ver. 20, * Neither pray I for these alone, but for all that shall believe in me through their wo…
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Secondly, The means of applying and conveying this benefit: ' Through the truth,' ev aXrjOela. It may be rendered ' through the truth,' ' in the truth,' or ' for the truth ;' all which readings admit of a commodious explication. 1. In the truth, or truly, in opposition to legal purifications, which were but a shadow o…
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4. With what confidence we may use the means of grace, because they are sprinkled with the blood of Christ. Christ hath purchased grace, such a treasure of grace as cannot be wasted ; and this is dis- pensed to us by the word and sacraments. The apostle doth not say barely, he died ' to cleanse us,' but ' to cleanse us…
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7. It showeth us who are partakers of the benefits and fruits of Christ's death : Heb. ii. 11, ' For both he that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified, are all of one ; wherefore he is not ashamed to call them brethren ; ' Heb. x. 14, ' For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified ; ' pe…
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[5.] Dedicate yourselves to God, to walk before him in all new obedience: Kora. xii. 1, 'I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.' SERMON XXXIV. Neither 'pray 1 for these alone, hut for them als…
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Use 1. It is much for the comfort of them who do already believe. You may be sure you are one of those for whom Christ prayeth, whether Jew or Gentile, bond or free. Particulars are under their general. How do we prove John or Thomas to be children of wrath by nature ? All were so. So Christ prayeth for all those that …
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1. There is something implicit in this confidence and reliance upon Christ, and that is a lively sense of our own misery, and the wrath of God due for sin. All God's acts take date from the nothingness and necessity of the creature, and from thence also do begin our own addresses to God. God's acts begin thence, that h…
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[1.] Accepting Christ in the word. Faith is expressed by receiving him : John i. 12, ' To as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe in his name.' Re- ceiving is a relative word, and presupposeth God's offer. Art thou willing to take Christ upon these terms ? Yes…
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Now I shall handle the necessity, use, and power of the word to work faith. 1. The necessity of the word preached ; it is the ordinary means. It is a nice dispute whether God can work without it. God can enlighten the world without the sun. It is clear ordinarily he doth not work without the word ; we are bound, thoug…
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Use. Examination. Is our faith thus wrought ? Every one should look how he cometh by his faith, by what means. True faith is be- gotten and grounded upon the word ; it is the ordinary means to work faith. The word will be continued, and a ministry to preach it, as long as there are any to be converted. The gospel alone…
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1. There is a union with Christ the head. That ye may conceive of it, take these propositions. [1.] The whole Trinity is concerned in this union. By the com- munion of the Spirit we are mystically united to Christ, and by Christ to God. The Father is, as it were," the root, Christ the trunk, the Spirit the sap, we the…
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[4.] The manner of this union. It is secret and mysterious : /xe7<z fjbva-Trjptov, Eph. V. 22, ' This is a great mystery ;' not only a mystery, but a great mystery ; ' but I speak concerning Christ and the church.' It is a part of our portion in heaven to understand it : John xiv. 20, 'At that day ye shall know that I …
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[2.] From the communion of the Spirit, there is a secondary union by love, and seeking one another's good, as if they were but one man ; wherever dispersed throughout the world, and whatever distinctions of nations and interests there are, they may love and desire the good of one another, and rejoice in the welfare, an…
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2. It is the ground of that exchange that is between Christ and us ; we communicate to him our nature, our sins, and troubles, and Christ communicateth to us his nature and merits and privileges. What hath Christ from thee ? Thy nature, thy sins, thy punishments, thy wrath, thy curse, thy shame ; and thou hast his titl…
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VeR. 21.] SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. 31 but in a peculiar manner it governeth and guidetli his own natural body; so Christ is 'head over all things to the church.' Eph. i. 22. Certainly this is a great honour put upon poor worms. What are the fruits of it ? We are interested in all Christ's communicable privileges ; we n…
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SERMON XXXVI. That they all may he one ; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us : that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. — John XVII. 21. Secondly, I am now to handle the second branch, the pattern of this unity, ' As thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee.' It is elsew…
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voL. xr. c 34 SERMONS UPON JOHN xvii. [Ser. XXXVL ness ! God dwelleth in both ; in light, to show the excellency of his nature ; and in darkness, to show the weakness of our apprehension. The Son is begotten by the Father, yet is in the Father, and the Father in him ; the Spirit proceedeth from them both, and yet is …
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And the resemblance between the mystical and the personal union. In the hypostatical union, our nature is united with Christ's nature; in the mystical union, our person with his person. In the hypo- statical union, Christ matched into our family ; in the mystical union, the soul is the bride. It is an honour to the who…
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[2.] In your care not to dishonour your head : 1 Cor. vi. 15, ' Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot ? God forbid ! ' [3.] By your delight and complacency. You should make more of the person of Christ: Cant. i. 13, ' A …
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VeR. 21.] SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. 39 But how is this the fruit of the mystical union ? The fruits of the mystical union are four, to this purpose : — 1. HoHness: ' Whosoever is in Christ is a new creature,' 2 Cor. v. 17. Sanctification is a fruit of union : 1 Cor. i. 30, ' For of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of Go…
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1. The act, ' He shall convince.' 2. The object, ' The world.' 3. The particulars, what he shall convince them of, ' Of sin, of right- eousness, and of judgment.' 4. The means, ' By the Spirit.' 5. The effects of this, and how this was accomplished, and what a mighty confirmation this was of the aj)Ostles' testimon…
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42 SERMONS UPON JOHN' XVII. [SeR. XXXVI. the Spirit shall convince the world ' that the prince of this world is condemned/ and that Christ is the prince and saviour, and he must be owned and exalted, and his kingdom set up everywhere. Thus when poor men were to bait the devil, and hunt him out of his territories, and …
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SERMON XXXVII. That they all may he one ; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us : that the world may believe thai thou hast sent me. — John XVII. 21. Having proved the point, I shall examine why Christ should be so 44 SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. [SeR. XXXVII. earnest to have the wor…
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2. For the safety of the church. Though God doth not change their natures, yet he breaketh their fierceness, that they may not be such bitter enemies ; and so persecution is restrained ; and when there is a restraint, and he ties their hands by conviction, we enjoy the more quiet. Alas ! what wolves and tigers would we…
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1. Sometimes to lessen their judgment. Certainly the degrees of eter- nal punishment are not equal ; there is irepLaaorepov Kpliia, Mat. xxiii. 14, ' a greater judgment ; ' there is a hotter and a cooler hell ; there are few stripes, and many stripes. In the world to come, ' it is more 1 Qu. ' mucli ' ?— Ed. VeR. 21.…
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Use 3. It presseth us not to slight, nor yet to rest in these convic- tions, and in this temporary faith. 1. Do not slight your convictions and remorses of conscience. Though all convinced men are not converted, yet there are none con- verted but they are first convinced. A temporary faith, taken up upon common induce…
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5. If there should be a profession, there is no power. The net draws bad fish as well as good. There are mixtures in the church. Many revere godliness, but were never acquainted with the virtue and power of it. Many have an excellent model of truth, and make a profession as plausible and glorious in the world as possib…
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5. To be more faithful in the duties of your relations. The fruits of the mystical union run to every part of the spiritual life. None commend their religion so much as those that make conscience of the duties of their relations, that they may carry themselves as becomes christians, husbands and wives, parents and chil…
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3. Consider the great good that cometh by it. For the present, you stop the mouth of iniquity : Titus ii. 8, ' That he that is of the con- trary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.' It is the duty of christians not only to approve themselves to God, but, as far as they can, to wicked men, to take o…
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1. Observe, Christ's care to make us every way like himself, as far as our capacity will bear ; like, but not equal. The reiteration showeth his care, ' Let them be as we are ;' and ' The glory which thou hast given me, I have given them.' VeR. 22.] SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. 55 What resemblance is there between us and …
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Now Christ is thus earnest to make us like himself, partly out of his own love ; he cannot satisfy his heart with giving us any inferior privilege. Whatever he had and was, it was for our sakes ; as man, lie received it for us : Ps. Ixviii. 18, ' Thou hast received gifts for men ;' compared with Eph. iv. 8, ' He gave g…
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58 SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII, [SeR. XXXVIII. latitude and degree which Christ doth, yet in the same manner they solace themselves in God : ' We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is,' 1 John iii. 2. When we behold him in the glass of the gospel we are transformed, much more when we see him as he is. As the iro…
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Use 1. To help us to conceive of the mystery of union. Some men fancy that as soon as we are united to Christ we are actually glorified in this life. It is true Christ is equally united to them upon earth as to them in heaven ; he that reigneth with the church triumphant fighteth with the church militant ; but there is…
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Use 1. In times of desertion, when we see nothing in ourselves, look upon Christ as a depositary, the first receptacle of grace ; he is justi- fied, sanctified, ascended, glorified ; and encourage thyself to take hold of Christ, that thou mayest have all these things in him. Use 2. To be thankful to God for Christ : '…
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Christ's request for union is again repeated, with the advantage of another expression, to declare the nature of it. So that in this verse we have — 1. The nature of the mystical union. 2. The end of it ; with respect to believers and the world ; their conviction of Christ's mission, and the Father s love to the disc…
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64 SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. [SeR. XXXIX. in him : it is proclaimed from heaven, that we might not be afraid to go to God. 2. If you expect anything from him, you must expect it in Christ. Christ is not only the meritorious cause, but the means. All we look for is not only from him, but in him. As God first loveth Chri…
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What use shall we make of this ? Use 1. If Christ be in us, as God was in Christ, let us manifest it as Christ did. Christ manifested the Father to be in him by his works : John X. 37, 38, ' If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not ; but if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works, that ye may know …
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Let me press it : — 1. If Christ be not in us, the devil is : Eph. ii. 2, ' Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.' Man's heart is not a waste ; it is occupied by Christ or Satan…
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2. Wait for him in the ordinances. Where should a man meet with Christ, but in his ordinances, in the shepherds' tents ? All the ordi- nances have an aspect upon our union with Christ, either to begin or continue it. God offereth him to us in the word : 1 Cor i. 9, ' God is faithful, by whom ye are called to the fellow…
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1. With respect to believers, ' That they may be made perfect,' &c. 2. With respect to the world, and their conviction, ' That the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me.' First, With respect to believers, ' That they may be made perfect in one,' TereXeiQifjLevot et? ev. This…
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V£R.»23.] . SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. 71 ately from God, and ' in all ; ' all are made perfect in one. We can- not possess any thing in the world except we encroach upon one another's happiness.- Worldly things cannot be divided i, without lessening ; and we take that from others which we possess ourselves. Envy showeth…
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Use 2. It is a ground of hope, we shall all meet together in one assembly: Ps. i. 5, ' The ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.' Now the saints are scattered up and down, where they may be most useful ; then all shall be gathered together ; then shall be that great …
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2. Fully and finally at the last judgment, by the glory put upon them. The reprobate world shall know, to their cost, when they shall see them invested with such glory, that they were the darlings of God. 74 SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. [SeR, XXXIX. But of what shall the world be convinced ? Of Christ's mission and the sa…
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Use 2. It is a pledge of the Father's love to us ; and if God gave Christ, that was so dear to him, what can he withhold ? Eom. viii. 32, ' He that spared not his own Son, but gave him up to the death for us all, how will he not with him also freely give us all things?' He spared him not ; the Son of his love was forsa…
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VeR. 23.] SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. 77 merit ; not only as it is the more for the freedom of grace that the reasons why man should be loved should be without himself, and so the obligation is increased ; and not merely neither for the greater ful- ness of our comfort ; for if God should love us in ourselves, it would be…
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VeR. 23.] SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. 79 and affections. We were never in the bosom of God, to know his heart ; but the only Son of God, that came out of his bosom, he hath told us tidings of it, and hath bidden us come boldly and call him Father. ' When ye pray, say, Our Father.' (2.) Likeness is another ground of love.…
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(4.) It is unchangeable ; as to Christ, so to us ; from eternity it began, to eternity it continueth : it began before the world was, and will continue when the world shall be no more : Ps. ciii. 17, ' The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting, upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children…
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Vol. XI. F 82 SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. [SeR. XL. was out, and he seemed to be delivered to the will of his enemies, all the creatui'es were in a rout, the sun was struck blind with astonish- ment, the earth staggered and reeled. So God will carry us through our work, and keep us blameless to his heavenly kingdom ; but…
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2. Comfort when we meet with ill-usage in the world. Our Lord Jesus prayeth that the world may be convinced that God loved them as he loved Christ. When the world entreated Christ ill, how was the world convinced that God loved him ? There was an eclipse at his death, which was a monument of God's displeasure : Mat. xx…
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VeR. 23.] SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. 85 but not the sense. God may love a man, and he not know it, nor feel it. But we are to look after both. Therefore I shall do two things — (1.) Press you to get the sense ; (2.) Speak to the comfort of them that have indeed the effects but not the sense. First, I shall press you all…
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[2.] Is not God in Christ willing to show mercy to penitent believers ? or to manifest himself to them as their God and reconciled Father ? Did not his love and grace find out the remedy before we were born ? And when we had lived wit^hout God in the world, he sought after us when we went astray ; he thought on us when…
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[2.] The life that floweth from this union is a hidden thing : Col. iii. 3, ' For our life is hid with Christ in God.' It is hidden, because maintained by an invisible power ; the spiritual life is hidden under 88 SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. [SeR. XL. the veil of the natural life : Gal. ii. 20, ' The life which I now liv…
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We have hitherto seen Christ's prayers for the happiness of his church in the present world ; now he prayeth for their happiness in the world to come. His love looketh beyond the grave, and outlasteth the life that now is ; he cannot be contented with anything on this side a blessed eternity. Glory as well as grace is …
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You may look upon the compellation as an expression of Christ's hearty good-will. When he sueth for our glorification, he improveth VeR. 24.] SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. 91 all his interest in God, * Father, I will' When he pleadeth for him- self, lie useth the same compellation, ver. 1 , ' Father, glorify thy Son ;' ver…
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Thirdly, The next circumstance is the parties for whom he prayeth. It is as necessary to know for whom Christ prayed as for what ; it is not enough to hear of a privilege, but we must consider which way our claim and interest doth arise. For ' those which thou hast given me ;' that is, for all the elect, who are intend…
1,023 wordsSource & rights
Public-domain historical edition (1870); OCR text from Internet Archive. OCR may contain scanning/transcription errors. Verify quotations against page images when precision matters.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.