PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Thomas Manton — Volume 13
Thomas Manton · 318,013 words · 312 reading sections
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fM^ )MA8 BAKER, SOHO Square, LONDON. ^^^^ ,U\u ®h^olo9,V«f ^^^^ ^ PRINCETON, N. J. Manton, Thomas, 1620-16//. The complete works of Thomas Manton Shelf.. THE WORKS OF THOMAS M ANTON, D.D. VOL. XIII. COUNCIL OF PUBLICATION. W. LINDSAY ALEXANDER, D.D., Professor of Theology, Congregational Union, Edinburgh. …
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were framed by the word," &c., ver. 3, . 388 ,, VIII. " Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word," &g., ver. 3, . 397 IX. " Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word," &c., ver. 3, . 406 „ X. " Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word…
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2. There lieth their treasure and their inheritance. It is said, Eph. VeR. 6.] SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. 5 i. 3, that Christ hath ' blessed us with spiritual blessings in heavenly places.' He hath blessed us with spiritual blessings in earthly places, hath he not ? Here he hath adopted, justified, and sanctified …
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[2.] Hope was made for things to come, especially for our full and final happiness. God fits us mth grace as well as with happiness ; he doth not only make a grant of a glorious estate, but hath given us grace to expect it. Hope would be of no use, if it did not look out for another condition : Kom. viii. 24, ' Hope th…
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8 SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V, [SeR. IX, 4. Patiently endure the inconveniences of your pilgrimage. Strangers will meet with bard usage. It is no news that all things do not succeed with the heirs of promise according to their heart's desire here in the world : ' The world will love its own, but they are chosen out o…
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[2.] Now it is not full. There is a defect both in the pipe and the vessel ; we cannot contain all that he is able to give out, nor can the means convey it to us. The means are as narrow conduits from the fountain, or as creeks from the sea. The fountain could send forth more water, but the pipe or conduit can convey n…
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(2.) Out of love to Christ. We would fain get near him who is our great friend; Ps. Ixxiii. 25, 'Whom have I in heaven but thee?' VeR, 7.] SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. II And the saints are described to be those that 'love his appearing,' 2 Tim. iv. 8. If we have heard him, if we be christians indeed, if we loved hi…
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VeR. 7.] SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. 13 staggered not at the promise of God, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God/ The more faith can live upon the word of God, the better, though the things believed be neither felt nor seen ; and the less of sensible demonstration we require, the stronger the faith ever. Th…
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Doct 2. That faith is for earth, and sight is for heaven. So the apostle sorteth these two. Here we believe in God, and there we see him as he is. As soon as we are reconciled to him, God will not admit us into his immediate presence ; as Absalom, when he had leave to return, yet he could not see the king's face, 2 Sa…
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Doct. 3. That till we have sight, it is some advantage that we have faith. There is no other way to live spiritually and. in holy peace, joy, and the love of God, but by sight or faith, either by enjoyment or expectation. Therefore, sight being reserved for the other world, if we would live holily and comfortably, we m…
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3. Faith hath some enjoyment. All is not kept for the world to come. We are ' partakers of Christ,' Heb. iii. 14 ; partakers of tlie benefit, 1 Tim. vi. 2, that is, of salvation by Christ. A christian hath here by faith whatever he shall have hereafter by sight or full enjoy- ment. They believe it now, they receive it …
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YeR. 7.] SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. 19 Our spiritual life is a principle that enableth us to live unto God, to act towards liim, to make his glory our chief scope, his favour as our felicity and happiness. These two lives are governed by sense and faith — the animal by sense, the spiritual by faith ; so that reason…
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1. Through all conditions. By honour and dishonour, evil report and good report, afflictions, prosperities, 2 Cor. vi. 4-8. Whether despised or countenanced, still minding our great journey to heaven. Faith is necessary for all, that the evil be not a discouragement, nor the good a snare. Evil : Rom. viii. 18, ' For I …
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22 SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeR. XI. by sense as to the present world ; and tliey live by fancy and vain con- ceit as to the world to come. Live in their sins and vain pleasures, and yet hope to be saved. Here they walk by sight, but not such a sight as the apostle meaneth ; they must have something in the view …
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Beasons. — (1.) Because then we shall have sight and immediate communion with him, and our happiness floweth from him without the intervention of any means : Acts iii. 19, ' Days of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord ; ' compare it with 2 Thes. i. 9, ' The wicked shall be punished with everlasting dest…
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I sball see him.' The one shall see him as their judge, the other as their saviour ; but the chiefest difference is, the one shall see him for a while, and then be banished out of his presence : Mat. xxv. 41, 'Depart, ye cursed.' There is a dispute whither ^ce«a damni ov pcena sensus be the greatest ; I cannot determin…
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Doct. "1. That we are presently with the Lord as soon as the soul il itteth out of the body. VeE. 8.] SEllMONS UPON 2 COEINTHIANS V. 27 This is one of the plainest texts to prove that separated souls, as soon as they are out of the body, do enjoy bliss and glory. There are a sort of men in the world who are so drowne…
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(2.) As to pleasure and pain, joy and comfort. When all the joys of the body are gone, the joys of the soul are enlarged ; as when the bodies of the martyrs were on the rack under torturings, their souls have been filled with inward triumphings, and their consolation, 2 Cor. i. 5, ' Also aboundeth by Christ.' When thei…
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30 SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeR. XI. nothing, to use our powers and faculties than to lie in a senseless con- dition ; it would be far worse with Paul to have his body rotting in the grave, and his soul without all fruition of God, if this were true. What is that preponderating happiness which should sway his ch…
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Use 1. Well then, here is great comfort for those that are now hard at work for God ; the time of your refreshing and ease is at hand. 2. To support us against the terrors of death. In martyrdom, if you are slain, the sword is but a key to open the door, that you may presently be with Christ ; if strangled, the animal…
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[4.] There are many things to invite us to desire presence with Christ, as there are many things to show us why we are not satisfied wdth remaining in the body. While we remain in the body we dwell in an evil world, Gal. i. 4, which is a place of sins, snares, and troubles. But of this, see ver, 4 of this chapter. Use…
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2. There is no true confidence but what groweth out of a constant, uniform, self-denying obedience: Mat. vii. 21, 'Not every one that saith unto me. Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven ; but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven ; ' and 1 John iii. 18, 'My little children, let us not love…
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1. We cannot be sincere unless this.be our great aim and scope, that we may approve ourselves to God. One main difference between the sincere and the hypocrite is in'the end and scope. The one seeketh the approbation of men, and the other the approbation of God ; the one is fleshly wisdom, the other godly simplicity an…
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[2.] It will not only cut off impertinencies, but a far greater mis- chief, and that is, inconsistencies with our great end : Gen. xxxix. 9, * How can I do this wickedness, and sin against God ? ' Men do not only forget their end and happiness, but run quite from it, by doing actions directly contrary ; vanities are im…
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Secondly, That this must be our work as well as our scope ; and this design must be carried on with -the greatest seriousness, as our great care and business ; and with unwearied industry, as the main thing which we attend upon, as a matter of unspeakable importance, which must not be forgotten and left undone, for it …
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2. Else we cannot comfortably enjoy communion with God for the present. How can we come before him, if we know not whether he will accept an offering at our hands? They who, being in a state of faith and reconciliation, make it their endeavour to please God, have God ever with them : John viii. 24, ' He that sent me is…
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2. We were redeemed to this end ; for we are redeemed unto God : Eev. v. 9, ' Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood.' To be redeemed unto God is to be redeemed to his service, and admitted into his favour and friendship and communion with him, to restore God's right to us, and our happiness in the enjoyment of heav…
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2. If this be your end, it will be known by your solace. So much as a man doth attain unto his end, so much doth he attain of content and satisfaction : 2 Cor. i. 12, ' For our rejoicing is this, the testimony ■of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, we have had our conversations in the world, not wi…
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[2.] Observe the several kinds of retribution — ' Good or bad ; ' both the godly and the wicked receive a full recompense at that time. [3.] The proportion — according to their several ways ; only the reward of good is of grace, of evil of desert ; Eom. vi. 23, ' The wages of sin is death.' Boct. There will certainly…
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(2.) From the providence of God. There are many judgments which are pledges of the general judgment, that at length God will judge the whole world for sin : as the drowning of the old world, the btirning of Sodom, the destruction of Jerusalem ; these are as a warn- ing to all, for it is said, Jude 7, these are set fort…
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(2.) The types show it. I shall instance in one, which is the high priest^s entering with blood into the holy place within the vail ; and when he had finished his service and ministration there, he came forth to bless the people, which the apostle explaineth and applieth to Christ, Heb. ix. 24-28. (3.) There are ordin…
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The first and most obvious distinction is into grown persons and infants. The second distinction is those whom Christ shall find dead or alive at his coming. The third distinction is of good or bad. The fourth distinction of men whom Christ shall judge are believers and unbelievers. Fifth, Men of all conditions, hi…
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52 SERMOXS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeR. XIV. 4. There is required authority ; for otherwise, if a man should obtrude himself of his own accord, we may say to him as they to Lot, Who made thee a judge over us? If by force he should assume this to himself, or have a pretence of right, I may decline and shift his tribunal…
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54 SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeR. XIV. though not a thorough faith, not rooted in their souls, though as yet they did not betray their insincerity. But ' Jesus knew what was in man.' We cannot infallibly discern the truth and falsehood of a profes- sion before men discover themselves ; but all hypocrites are know…
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3. For power. A divine power is also plainly necessary, that none may withdraw themselves from this judgment, or resist and hinder the execution of his sentence, for otherwise it would be passed in vain, Titus ii. 13. Christ then comes to show himself as the great and powerful God. His power is seen in raising the dead…
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VeR. 10.] SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS Y. 6T do well, and ill with them that do ill ; and there is no compassion shown to any creature, but where the case is compassionable. But more plainly to show how this right accrues to Grod, how he- comes to be the supreme governor of the world. Several ways : either because of t…
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(1.) Consider, we have gone a great step to prove that it is the peculiar right of God, common to the three persons. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and this in effect proves that Christ may execute it, for 'they are one/ 1 John v. 7. They have one common nature; and as to the operations that are without, the divine essen…
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60 SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeR. XIV. the world, as the Father's deputy, then he shall give up the kingdom to God, even the Father, 1 Cor. xv. 25. So that the riglit Olii-ist hatli as mediator is not merely by creation, nor his essential kingdom common to the Father ; but a derivative, subordinate right as media…
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(7.) Those that have perverted his ordinances : Mat. xxiv. 48 — 51, * But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart. My lord delayeth his coming, and shall begin to smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken : the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in a…
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(3.) Those that war against his enemies, the devil, the world, and the flesh : Ptev. iii. 21, ' To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with ray Father in his throne.' VeR. 10.] SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. 63 (4.) Those that obey his hiws and imitate…
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3. The nature of the business requireth our appearance. Partly, because in a regular judgment no man can be judged in his absence. Therefore in this great and solemn judgment we must stand as persons impleaded to hear what is alleged, and what we can say in our defence. David saith, Ps. cxxx. 3, 'If thou shouldest mark…
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VOL. XIII. E 66 SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeR. XV. heart ; and then shall every man have praise of God/ When every man's intentions and purposes, actions and spring of actions shall be displayed, then they that deserve blame shall be discovered, and the sincere and upright justified and commended. Well then, the…
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3. Devils may accuse men in that day. The devil is called the ac- cuser of the brethren. The fathers bring him in pleading thus against the sinner, Domine, sit mens per culpam, qui tuns esse noluit per gratiam ; I never died for him, could promise him no heavenly king- dom, but a little sensitive pleasure ; Ostende tuo…
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VeK. 10.] SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. 69 by themselves, and make them accuse themselves ; he can judge them out of their own mouths, Luke. xix. 12 ; produce evidence against them out of their own thoughts, and pronounce sentence against them out of their ow i consciences, Kom. ii. 15 ; make men's tongues to fall upo…
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1. The man is conscious to himself that he doth evil ; therefore seeketh a veil and covering, would not have the world know it. If open sins be of greater infamy, yet secret sins are more against know- ledge and conviction. To sin with a consciousness that we do sin is a dreadful thing, James iv. 17. You live in secret…
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But is there any such disposition in the children of God ? Yes ; David kept silence, Ps. xxxii. 3. Moses pleadeth not the main till God toucheth his privy sore ; he pleadeth other excuses, but the fear of his life was the main thing. It is a hard thing to bring the soul to deal openly and ingenuously with God, to draw …
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[2.] His remunerative justice. There is a threefold justice in God; his general justice, his strict justice, his justice of benignity oi- fidelity, according to his gospel-law. (1.) His general justice requireth that there should be a different proceeding among them that differ among themselves ; that every man should …
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(1.) The evil works of the faithful show that every one is worthy of VeR. 10.] SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. 75 death for sinning, though we do not die and perish everlastingly for it as others do. God's best saints have need to deprecate his strict judg- ment: Ps. cxliii. 2, 'Enter not into judgment with thy servant…
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[1.] The judge must keep close to the law as his rule, for the absolv- ing or acquitting of the parties impleaded. So it belongeth to Christ, as a judge, to determine our case according to the law which we are under. We christians are under a double law, of nature and grace. The law of nature bindeth us to love and ser…
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Secondly, How these works are considered, with respect to our sen- tence and doom. 1, Our actions are considered here with respect to the principle from whence they flow, a renewed heart ; God doth not look to the bare work, but to the spring, and motives, and ends, Prov. xvi. 2. He weigheth the spirits, quo cmirno, n…
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Thirdly, What room and place these works have, with respect to punishment and reward. There is a plain difterence, as appeareth, Eom. vi. 23, ' The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.' The works of the wicked have a proper, meritorious influence upon their ruin and destruction ; wicked men stand…
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An act of voliantary sin is as monstrous as a hen to lay the egg of a crow ; many men's lives speak contradictions. Saul at one time puts all the witches to death, at another time, hath recourse with a witch himself. Jehu showeth his zeal against Ahab's idolatry, but .not against Jeroboam's. 2. Constant. There is a st…
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2. As there are different persons, so there are different recompenses, and a different doom and sentence which is executed upon either ; the conclusion is dreadful to the wicked but comfortable to the godly, for everlasting life shall be the portion of the godly, and everlasting punishment the portion of the ungodly. T…
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[2.] The other notion is punishment, the word signifieth not only punishment, but torment ; so we render it, 1 John. iv. 18, ' Because fear hath torment.' Annihilation were a favour to the wicked ; they have a being, but it is a being under punishment and torment. Divines usually distinguish oi'pcena damni and j^cei^ci…
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But how can it stand with the justice of God, for a momentary action to cast men into everlasting torment ? I answer — 1. God will govern the world by his own reasons, and not by our fancies ; for we are told, he giveth no account of his matters ; he hath made a holy law, and that law hath a sanction, it is establishe…
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5. Both are the result of a foregoing judgment, wherein the cause had been sufficiently tried and cleared, and sentence passed. In all regular judgment, after the trial of the cause, there is sentence, and upon sentence, execution. So it is here, there is a discussion of the cause, and then a sentence of absolution to …
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* Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord.' So when the wicked in the sight of the godly are driven into their torments, they have a greater apprehension of their Redeemer's mercy. Use 1. To press us to believe these things. Most men's faith about the eternal recompenses is but pretended ; a…
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SEKMON XVIIL Knoioing, tlierefore, the terror of the Lord, roe 'persuade men ; hut ive are made manifest unto God, and I trust also are made mani- fest in your consciences — 2 Cor. v. 11. The apostle is giving an account of his sincerity, zeal, and faithfulness in his ministry. Three things moved him to it ; hope, fe…
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92 SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeR. XYIII. The privilege of the christian is baptism, the knowledge of Christ, being of his party, and visibly owning his interest in the world ; they have eaten and drunk in his presence, he hath taught in tlieir streets, and they have frequented the assembly where he is ordinarily …
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4. The execution, in case of failing in our duty, is terrible beyond expression. Because this is the main circumstance, and is at the bottom of all, I shall a little dilate upon it, not to affright you with needless perplexities, but in compassion to your souls, God knoweth. I shall take the rise thus: the object of al…
1,014 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.