PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Thomas Manton — Volume 12
Thomas Manton · 320,280 words · 319 reading sections
Section 241
[4.] His resurrection was his victory over death, which is the wages of sin. If Christ be risen from the dead, then is sin conquered ; for the sting of death is sin. Therefore his resurrection declareth plainly that sin is done away, and so it is a pattern and pledge to assure us of the forgiveness of sins. 3. His exa…
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(4.) Fulness of grace given him to dispense the Spirit to his redeemed 372 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SeR. XLIV. ones : Acts li. 33, ' Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Gliost, he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear.' As soon as he w…
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[2.] He doth interpose his love, will, and desire for our salvation, and all grace that is necessary thereunto, in all our difficulties, conflicts, and temptations. To intercede is the part of an inferior towards a superior ; thus is Christ as mediator to God : John xiv. 16, 'I will pray the Father.' He is to ask his o…
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VeE. 35.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. 375 to be separated. Secondly, The word ' separate' also noteth it; to separate us from our own love to Christ is a harsh phrase. Thirdly, It is said, ver. 37, Sia tov ayarrijaavTO'; — 'Through him that loved us.' And again — ' The love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord,' ver…
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1. That we may be conformed to our head, and pledge him in his bitter cup. Jesus Christ was a man of sorrows, and there would be a strange disproportion between head and members if we should live altogether in honour and pleasure : Col. i. 24, ' That I may fill up what is behind of the sufferings of Clu-ist in my flesh…
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2. That if we meet with many troubles, this will be no excuse or 378 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SeR. XLV. plea to exempt us from our duty ; for as afflictions should not make us doubt of God's love t.o us, so they should not make us abate of our love to God : Ps. xliv. 17, ' All this is come upon us, yet we have not …
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380 SERMONS UPON KOMANS VIII. [SeR. XLV. Doct. 2. That none of these things can dissolve the union between Christ and believers. 1. That there is a strict union between Christ and believers, the scriptui-e doth everywhere manifest it ; and the word 'separate' here implieth it, — for notliing can be separated, but wli…
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[1.] Christ intercedeth for us in all our conflicts and temptations, because he loveth us, and is mindful of us : Heb. ii. 18, ' For that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted ;' and Heb. iv. 15, 16, 'For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling …
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VeR. 35.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. 383 love Christ maintaineth his interest in our souls. The stony ground could not abide the heat of the sun ; the thorny ground was choked with the deceitfulness of riches and voluptuous living. Waters or bribes may carry away some unmortified souls ; but sincere love to Christ will…
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L Literally expressed — ' For thy sake we are killed all the day long.' Where— (1.) Tlie cause — ' For thy sake ;' out of love to him, and zeal for his glory, and the purity of his worship. This instance showeth, partly, that the true religion is ever hated in the world ; and partly, that for the love of God we ought …
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2. Such have been the trials of God's children in all ages ; as the instance is brought from the godly who lived under the law-dispensa- VOL. XII. 2 B 386 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIH. [SeR. XLVI. tion. Now, if the saints of old endured such liard things, and tribulation even unto death, then it foUoweth — [1.] It is no…
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4. Reason. It is necessary to have this prepartion of heart, that we may the better deny other things. Life is that which maketli us capable of all the contentments of the flesh and pleasures of the world, and maketh them valuable to us. Now this is a blow at the root, we are prepared for mortification ; when we can de…
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Secondly, For particular duties, as well as particular truths. In the general, there is less controversy about the commandments than about the creed; the agenda of Christianity are more evident by the light of nature than the credenda. Yet, because the commandments Vers. 36, 37.] sermons upon rom.^ns vin. 389 are gen…
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(2.) By a resolution against all known dangers. It will cost us loss of credit: 1 Cor. iv. 13, ' We are made as the filth of the world, and the ofF-scouring of all things unto this day.' Used as the unworthiest creatures in tlie world, as the sweeping and filth of the city ; many were cast forth as unworthy to live in …
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[4.] If the less be countervailed by a greater gain, you have no reason to stick at it. In the general, it is gain to a believer to die : Phil. i. 21, ' For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain ; ' and 2 Cor. v. 1, ' For we know, that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dis- solved, we have a building o…
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First, To explain the nature of this victory ; it doth not consist in an exemption from troubles, or suffering temporal loss by them, or utter perishing as to this world, but keeping that which we contend and fight for; we do not vanquish our enemy so as to cause all opposition to cease ; yea, or that we shall not temp…
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Vers. 36, 37.] sermons upon Romans vin. 395 God would count you woi'thy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you ; ' John xxi. 19, ' This he said, signifying by what death he should glorify God ; …
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Thirdly, Who is this true believer that will be more than a con- queror? The victory is sometimes ascribed to faith, 1 John v. 4, 5 ; sometimes to love : Rom. viii. 35, ' What shall separate us from the love of Christ ? ' Love is not only taken passively, for the love where- with Christ loveth us, but actively, for the…
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[2.] As God is invincible in his power, so he is unchangeable in the purposes of love ; for, according to his unchangeable nature, ' whom he loveth, he loveth to the end.' His new-covenant gifts are ' without repentance,' Eom. xi. 29. The matter is made sure between God and Ciirist : John vi. 39, ' This is my Father's …
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(2.) Love is another grace, and of chief regard in this place. Now I shall show you that love hath an unconquerable force and power in 400 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SeR. XLV. itself, especially where it is accompanied with desire, hope, and delight, as it is in a sincere, gracious heart. (1st.) There is an invincib…
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(3dly.) Delight. We have gotten in part a taste and earnest of our fruitiua and enjoyment of God and Christ hereafter, and it is very pleasing to the soul ; so that the tempter must needs have a hard task to draw off the soul from him in whom he delighteth. Worldly men will not let go their vanities, nor sinful wretche…
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Use. It cautioneth us not to be dismayed when the people of God seem to be run down by oppositions and reproaches, and the cause of re- ligion to suffer loss, and visibly to go to ruin. No ; Christ hath promised that ' the gates of hell .shall not prevail against the church,' Mat. xvi. 18. All the powers which the dev…
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(2.) If you mean to be so, you must get a holy obstinacy ; that is to say, an invincible resolution to adhere to God. (1.) A holy obstinacy of faith : Job xiii. 15, ' Though he kill me, I will trust in him.' Satan's great design in all temptations is to crush our confidence. Now, to cast away our confidence is to do ou…
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406 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VXII. [SeR. XLVI. tection. Therefore ia these two acts lieth our safety, in that of redemption and conversion. In short, these two acts do both endear us to Christ, and Christ to us. They endear us to Christ ; by redemption his people are his dear purchase ; if they miscarry, his purchased peop…
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[2.] By reasons taken from the properties of Christ's love. (1.) It is a transcendent love. All love, where it is real, is earnest and vehement. Much more the love of Christ, for that is not to be measured by an ordinary standard, for the apostle saith, Eph. iii. 19, ' That you may know the love of Christ, which passe…
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Vers. 36, 37.] sermons upon eomans viii. 400 or if he ask fisli, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know liow to give good gifts to your children, how mucli more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that aslc him?' God will not deal worse with his children than men do with the…
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These words render a reason why believers are more than conquerors in their sorest trials, and do further carry on the apostle's triumph to a fit conclusion of such an excellent discourse. In the text observe — 1. The assailants — Death, life, angels. 2. The attempt and design — To separate vsfrom the love of God. 3…
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412 SERMONS UPON ROMANS Vllt. [SeK. XLVII. ' We apprehend tlmt for which we are apprehended of Christ,' Phil. iii. 10. Onl)' he first layeth hold upon us by his efiectual grace, and we lay hold upon him ; and our standing dependeth upon our love as a means, and his love as the principal conserving cause. 3. The fruit…
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(1.) As to the effects. When the gospel is made successful to our conversion, and his eternal love beginneth to take effect : Jer. xxxi. 3, ' I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore in loving-kind- ness have I drawn thee ; ' and again, Eph. i. 6, ' He hath made us accepted in the beloved, to the praise of…
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Thirdly, That nothing can separate us from the fruition of his love. This will bo best seen from the grounds — 1. The immutability of God's love to the elect. His elective love maketli not only our vocation effectual, but our justification and glori- Vers. 38. 39.] sermons upon Romans viii. ' 415 fication also, Eom.…
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2. J3y the Spirit: 1 Cor. ii. 12, 'Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we may know the things that are freely given us of God.' The Spirit of God is necessary, tliat we may believe the dnctrine of the gospel, and cure our worldly and sensual inclinations ; for who else…
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Use 1. Is information. 1. To show what cause they have to be ashamed, that are discouraged by smaller temptations ; that cannot ' run with the footmen,' Jer. xii. 6. The smallest things separate them from the love of God in Christ, or darken the comfort of it in their souls. 2. The great privileges of a christian. Tu…
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3. Let us get our hearts confirmed against these temptations that may assault our confidence — life, death. If God prolong life, there is occasion for service ; if death cometh, that is our comfort : Kev. xiv. 8, ' Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord ; ' Phil. i. 20, ' I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Chr…
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First, That the bodily life is frail and transitory, and within a little •while will surely come to an end. The circumstances of the text explained will represent it to you. 1. The body of man is called an house. (1.) For the beauty and comely proportion that is between the parts, as set up by line or rule. There is a…
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3. The attribute or adjunct, ' If this house of our tabernacle.' It is otKi'a iirlyeia, an earthly tabernacle-house ; and that in three regards, — in regard of its composition, sustentation, and dissolution. [1.] In regard of its original and composition. We were made out 426 SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeR. I. o…
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[2.] Let us cease our immoderate care for outward things, which are in themselves of short continuance, and from which we may be taken we know not how soon : Luke xii. 20, ' Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee, and then whose shall these things be which thou hast provided ? ' He was a fool, because…
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This house is described, First, By the efficient cause, expressed negatively and positively. (1.) Negatively, the false cause is removed ; 'an house not made with hands.' Not built by man, of terrestrial and feculent matter — not contrived with man's art and care or skill: things made by man are not comparable to thing…
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eveiy one is the good of all, and the good of all the good of every one. Tliere is one body, one heart, one soul, and one God that is all in all. Whence is it that one citizen loveth another rather than a stranger, one brother loveth another rather than another man, that the head loveth the feet of his own body rather …
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432 SERMONS UPON 2 COKINTHIANS V, [SeR. II. some measure affecteth the heart, as if they were ah-eady enjoyed This hope is not a fancy, hke the supposal or bare imagination of a beggar, what an happy life he might lead if he were a king, but the expecta- tion of a prince who is the undoubted heir of the crown, and kno…
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3. It is propounded as a common privilege. You, and I, and all the suffering servants of God, we know. When we prove the possi- bility of assurance from the experience of the saints recorded in scripture, as put case Job xix. 25, 26, ' I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that I shall see him at the last day ;' or David…
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greater credibility in these visions and apparitions than what is commonly offered in the scriptures. Why ? how cometh the believer to have such a prospect into an unknown world, to be so sure and certain? I answer, partly by the intei-nal grace of God's Spirit opening the eyes of his mind to see the truth and worth of…
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I shall here first show what are the qualifications of those who shall have this blessed estate ; secondly, the several degrees of certainty about our interests ; thirdly, what reasons there are why we should attend upon this work with all diligence ; that we may come to a full confidence. [1.] What are the qualificat…
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(4.) They are described by their fruitfulness in good works, and acts of self-denying obedience, Mat. xxv. 84, 35, &c. ; 1 Tim. vi. 18, 19, ' That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, tha…
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(4.) There is an actual certainty, or an assured sense, of our qualifi- cation, and so of our interest, which admits of a latitude ; it may be not only full or not full, firm or not firm, but interrupted or con- tinued. The full hope removeth all doubts and fears, and that which is not full hath some doubts accompanyin…
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1. It is of great force to support us under the difficulties of obedi- ence. In the context Paul is discoursing of what supported him and kept him from fainting under the labours of his apostolate. It was a toilsome life to go up and down, venturing upon all hazards and uncertainties, and to travel far and near, and al…
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SEEMON III. For we htoiv thai if our earthly house of this tabeniade were dis- solved, tve have a building of God, an house not made ivith hands, eternal in the heavens. — 2 Cor. v. 1. Use 1. Is an exhortation to press you to several duties : as — First, To believe the promised glory. Here I shall first show the ne…
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[3.] We need press this sound belief of the world to come ; because whatever men pretend, eternal life is little believed in the world. The 444 SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SbR. Ill, most part of those men wlio live in the common light of Christianity are purblind, and cannot see afar off, or look be^'ond the grave…
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[5.] The pretended strength of our faith about the future recom- penses doth in some measure show the weakness of it, and that it is but a slight and overly apprehension. I demonstrate it thus : most men will pretend to be able to trust God for their heavenly inheritance, and yet cannot trust God for their daily mainte…
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VeR. 1.] SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. 447 3. How shall we rouse up our faith, and more firmly believe the promised glory ? Foundation stones can never be laid with care and exactness enough. None of us believe it so, but we may believe it again with more cer- tainty and assurance of understanding ; at least we need …
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2. There is another hope, which cometh after much exercise in godliness, which requireth a great diligence, sobriety, and watchful- ness before we can have it : 1 Peter i. 13, and Heb. vi. 11, ' We desire that every one of you do show the same diligence, to the full assurance of hope unto the end.' The first hope may b…
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Fifthly, Improve it to the vanquishing of temptations. 1. Those which arise from the delights of sense, or the pleasures, honours, and profits of the world. The proper notion of a christian is that of a stranger and pilgrim, and the duty of strangers and pilgrims VOL. XII. 2 F 450 SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeR.…
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2. The object or thing affected — To he clothed upon toith our house which is from heaven, whei'e our glory and blessedness is set forth by a double metaphor — a house, and a garment. Men do not clothe themselves with houses ; but this is such a house as is so fitted for us, and we for it, as apparel is for the body. W…
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(2.) Bitter and grievous persecutions, which sometimes make them VeR. 2.] SERMOXS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. 453 weary of their lives ; hard task-masters, that trouble them : 2 Thes. i. 6, 7, ' To you that are troubled, rest with us ;' but before the rest Cometh, they groan and long. (3.) Sharp afflictions from God himse…
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4. The three theological graces imply it, — faith, hope, and love ; therefore we must seek and earnestly desire it. These graces, 1 Cor. xiii. 13, ' Faith, hope, and charity ;' and 1 Thes. v. 8. [1.] Faith. They that believe that there is another sort of life inhnitely more desirable than that which we now enjoy, will…
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456 SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeR. IV. 8. The state of the present world doth set the saints a-groaning and longing for this house from heaven. For this world is vexatious, the pleasures of it are mere dreams and shadows, and the miseries of it are real, and many and grievous : Gal. i. 4, ' To deliver us from thi…
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Ans. 1. There is a difference between velleity and a volition, serious desires and passionate expressions. In a pet or passion we wish for many things which really we desire not, and are loth God should take us at our words. Now the saints desire to be dissolved and to enjoy another state, is quite another thing. Ans.…
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2. It informs us how far they are from the spirit of sincere chris- tians who are content to live here always, will not part with their earthly portion ; their hearts are set upon satisfying the vile lusts of the body. They are not as yet weaned children, but hang upon the world's dug ; have no desire of that great hap…
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3. What he expected and groaned for he showeth in the 8th verse. We ai-e confident and willing rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. Therefore Paul doth not suppose that he should live in the body till Christ should come to change his body, without having need to put it off. 4. The commodiousnes…
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462 SEKMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SfiR. V as tlie sore. If Christ sliould free us onlj' from the guilt of sin, he would perform but half our cures, he would provide for our inipvmitj, but not for our holiness and serviceableness to God. Our misery, lay in our sinfulness as well as our liableness to wrath. Therefore C…
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3. There are no garments of salvation to be had but from Christ alone, no way else found out to cover our nakedness. Therefore we are said to put on Christ : Gal. iii. 27 ; and Eom. xiii. 11, ' Put on the Lord Jesus.' So that then we are not found naked, but clothed with Christ, who alone can cover our loathsome nakedn…
965 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.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.