PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Thomas Manton — Volume 13
Thomas Manton · 318,013 words · 312 reading sections
Section 121
Fourthly, How this must be improved. First, by consideration ; secondly, by determination ; for it is said, 'We thus judge.' 1. Consideration ; whereby spiritual truths are laid close to the heart ; the soul and the object are brought together by serious thoughts. God will not govern us as brutes, and rule us with a r…
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and the pleasure of tlie Lord shall prosper in his hand/ It is not to be looked upon as a strange history, and so to stir up a little wonder or a little fond inty, as at a tragical story, but to fill us with a broken- hearted sense and deep thankfulness, that the Son of God should come to recover our forfeited mercies.…
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Ans. They are comprised in Christ's act done in their name, as if they were actually in being, and consent ing to what he did — in short, they are dead mystically in Christ, becaui^e he undertook it ; sacra- mentally in themselves, because by submitting to baptism they bind themselves and profess themselves engaged to …
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The next place is that, 1 Peter iv. 1, 'Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind ; for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin.' In that place there are three things notable — (1.) The ground and foundation of the apostle's argument ; (2.) T…
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The next place is that ; Col. iii. 3-5, ' Ye are dead, therefore mortify.' It is spoken as a thing done already ; ye are dead ; yet there is a thing to be further done, therefore mortify. But how are we dead ? partly in regard of the certainty, to assure us it shall be done, and partly to oblige us the more strongly to…
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[1.] It is actually given when we are converted: Rom. vi. 13, 'As those that are alive from the dead, yield yourselves to God, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God ; ' oTrXa, weapons ; we then give up ourselves to work, and first as to do his work, so to war in his warfare against the devil, the worl…
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4. What use the death of Christ hath to this effect, to make us die unto sin and the world. [1.] This was Christ's end. He died not only to expiate the guilt of sin, but also to take away its strength and power, 1 John iii. 8, that the interest of the devil may be destroyed in us, and the interest of God set up with m…
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• [5.] By way of pattern. Christ hath taught us how to die to sin by the example of his own death, that is, he denied himself for us, that we might deny ourselves for him, and suffered pain for us, that we might the more willingly digest the trouble of mortification. VeR. 14.] SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. 197 "When …
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2. The aim, tendency, and ordination of that life, which is to refer all our actions to God's glory, and to guide them by God's will : That they shoiddfrom henceforth live not to themselves, &c. Now this end, aim, and tendency of the new life, it is propounded negatively : ' Not unto themselves.' This is mentioned bec…
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[1] The natural life supposes generation, so does the spiritual, v.hich is therefore expressed by regeneration, or by being 'born again.' John iil 3, and 1 John ii. 27. Now look, as in natural generation we are first begotten and then born, so here there is an act qua regene- ramur, by which we are begotten again, and …
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[3.] ^Yhere there is life there is an appetite joined with it, an earnest desire after that which may feed, maintain, and support this life. What makes the brute-creatures to run to the teats of the dam as soon as they are born, but instinct of nature ? Appetite is the immediate effect of hfe. \Yhere there is life it m…
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2. Let us a little see wherein they differ. [1.] They differ in the state of them bbtli ; for this spiritual life is a life that is consistent with some degree of death. Even then when we live, we are troubled with a body of death. Paul complains of it, though grace hath the upper hand in the soul, yet corruption clea…
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[1.] Christ died before he rose, and usually God killeth us before he maketh us alive. First we find the word a killing letter before we find it a word of life. This is God's method. Paul saith, Rom. vii. 9, ' The coraraandment came, and sin revived, and I died.' A man is broken in heart with an apprehension of sin and…
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3. It is a cause of it. That Spirit of power by which Christ was raised out of the grave, is the very efficient cause of our being raised and quickened, or of our new birth; for the virtue purchased by Christ's death is then applied to us by him who is now alive, and liveth for evermore for that end and purpose. Theref…
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VeR. 15.] SEKMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. 207 for your faith, it is not enough for your love ; the apostle mentions both, and we must look after both. As to have our old offences expiated, so to live a new life in Christ : Rom. vi. 5, ' For if we have been planted together into the likeness of his death, we shall be als…
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3. Deal with Clnist about it. Come to him, he purchased it by his death : John vi. 51, ' This is my flesh, which I have given for the life of the world ' — to God in sacrifice, to us for food. Look upon him as one that is possessed of the fulness of the Spirit, to work it in all those that come to God by him : Heb. vii…
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2. If so, there will be a solemn dedication of ourselves to God : Ptom. vi. 13, 'But yield yourselves to God, as those that are alive from the dead.' The reason is, because the great effect of grace is a tendency towards God, and that tendency produceth a setting apart of VOL. XIII. 0 210 SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V…
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[2.] To God: Gal. ii. 19, ' I through the law am dead to the law, that I may live to God.' There the apostle showeth the ordination of the spiritual life. As soon as we are alive by grace, we are alive unto God, and the stream of our afi'ections, respects, and endeavours, is turned into a new channel ; so Eom. vii. 4, …
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Xr.V.. 15.] SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHFANS V. 213 lie doth principally design and endeavour after ; what his heart is most set upon, what he seeketh in the first place. Mat vi. 33 ; the pleasing or gloritying of God, or the pleasing and glorifying of the flesh, in some inferior good thing. AVhat is it they live for? So no…
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[2.] The grace and help merited. He obtained a new life for us, that we might be made capable to live, not to ourselves, but unto him. If he had obliged us only in point of duty to live unto God, and not obtained necessary grace to enable us to perform it, the love had not been so great. No, he hath obtained for us the…
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(3.) By regeneration. Whereby we are brought actually into Christ's possession, and fitted for his use ; taken into his possession, for there is a spiritual union and conjunction between tis and Christ ; see 1 Cor. vi. 15-17, ' Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ ? Shall I take the members of Christ …
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2. We cannot be miserable while we are wholly his, and devote our- selves to his service : Ps. cxix. 94, ' I am thine, save me.' Paul's speech: Acts xxvii. 23,"' The God whose I am, and whom I serve.' Paul was confident of his help, 1 Cor. iii. 22, 23. There is no truer self-seeking than to deny all for God ; if the ha…
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VeU. iC] SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. 219 tion against Job, chaps, i. 9-11, ami ii. 4, 5 ; it is not thee they seek, but themselves ; their own commodity rather than thy glory. There is no man to seek this accusation, but to be faithful with God when he crosseth his self-interest, and to be as zealous for him when se…
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First, The general truth — ' Henceforth know we no man after the fiesh.' This knowledge is a knowledge of approbation : to know is to admire and esteem; as we ourselves should not seek our own esteem thereby, so not esteem others, KaTo, adpKa, for some external thing, which secmeth glorious in the judgment of the flesh…
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The reason is taken from the posture of the words in the context ; this disposition, whatever it be, is an effect of the new nature, of the love of Christ, and a branch of not living to ourselves. (1.) The new nature : ver. 17, ' If an)^ man be in Christ, he is a new creature.' A new creature hath a new judgment of th…
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224 SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeR. XXXI, of Jerusalem, but weep for yourselves and children.' That would not comport with the end of the death of Christ, which was not to be looked upon as a spectacle of human calamity, but as a mystery of higher consideration, and God looked for more noble and spiritual motions …
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[2.] By acts of sensitive affection in the reading or meditating on the story of Christ's sufterings, or when you hear his passion laid open in a rhetorical fashion. Men, at such occasions, find that there is stirred up in themselves some fond pity at his suff'erings, and indigna- tion at the Jews, and are ready to fly…
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3. This knowing Christ after the flesh will do us no good, be of no comfort and use to us as to the salvation of our souls. [1.] Because God is no respecter of persons : 1 Peter i. 17, '' If you call him father, who without respect of persons judgeth every man according to his works.' The irpocraiiroXri-^ia is the out…
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VeR. KJ.l SERMONS UPON 2 COKINTHIANS V. 229 1 Peter, i. 8, '"Whom having not seen, we love; in wliom, though now j-ou see him not, yet, believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory.' If ye receive his doctrine, obey his laws, believe in him, love him, rejoice in the midst of afflictions, you express y…
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[2.] It is a knowledge that obscureth the splendour of all outward excellences in our opinion, estimation, and affec'uion : 1 Cor. ii. 2, 'For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified ; ' Phil. iii. 8, ' Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the kn…
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[1.] These promises should have some accomplishment at their return from Babylon, which was a new world to the ruined and exiled state of the church of the Jews. [2.] These promises were fulfilled to all believers in their regenera- tion, which is as a new world to sinners. [3.] They shall be accomplished most fully …
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[2.] Not some sudden turn into a religious frame, and as soon worn off. A man may have some devout pangs and fits, such as Ahab had in his humiliations, when he went mournfully and softly, 1 Kings xxi. 27 ; or as those that howled upon their beds for corn and wine and oil, and wei-e frightened into a little religiousne…
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[2.] Where the new creation obtaineth there is likeness ; and to be new creatures is to be made like God, or to have the soul renewed to God's image : 2 Cor. iii. 18, ' Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, we are changed into the same image from glory to glory ; ' ' Christ is formed in you,' Gal. iv. 19 ; mad…
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[1.] Faith, which convinceth us of things unseen, and to live in the YeR. 17.] SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. 237 delightful foretliongbt of a world to come : 2 Cor. iv, 16-18, * For this cause we faint not ; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light ajfflictions, which…
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[3.] In order to our future enjoyment of God, and that glory and blessedness which we expect in his heavenly kingdom. None but new creatures are fit to enter into the new Jerusalem. It is said, John iii. 3, ' Except a man be born again, he shall not see the kingdom of God.' Seeing is put for enjoying. He shall not be s…
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2. As he hath a new mind and judgment, so the heart is new moulded. The great blessing of the covenant isa new heart. Now the heart is new when we are inclined to the ways of God, and enabled to walk in them. There is — [1.] A new inclination, poise or weight upon the soul, bending it to holy and heavenly things. This…
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VOL. XIII. Q 242 SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeR. XXXIII. and put light for darkness, aud darkness for light, Isa. v. 10. However, to choose the one and leave the other, that is not in their power. They may have loose desires of spiritual favours, especially as appre- hended under the quality of a natural good, or…
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244 SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeR. XXXIII. 4. From the effect of this renovation, which is the implantation of the three graces, faith, hope, and love, which are our light, life, and power. In the new nature faith is our light, because by it we see things otherwise than we did before. We see God : Heb. xi. 26, ' …
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5. All things belonging to the new creature the scripture ascribeth to God. Take that noted place, Phil. ii. 13, ' For God worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure ; ' all that we will and all that we do in the spiritual life is of God. Mark here — [1.] He did not only give us the natural faculties at…
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(4.) This grace we give thanks for ; not for a power to repent and believe, but for repentance and faith itself to be wrought in us. Put it into the instance of Peter and Judas. For otherwise God would do no more for Peter than for Judas, if God did only give a power to will, if we please to do it, so man would differe…
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[1.] Not to the unregenerate ; tbeir impotency doth not dissolve their obligation, A drunken servant is a servant, and bound to do his work, though he hath disabled himself; it is no reason the master should lose his right by the servant's default. Again, God's doing all is an engagement to us to wait upon him in the u…
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[4.] The exhortation is not in vain, that men may not hinder God's work, and obstruct their own mercies, and render themselves more unapt to be changed. God taketh notice they would not observe his checks : Prov. i. 23, ' They set at nought my counsel, and would not turn at my reproofs.' Sometimes conscience boggleth, …
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2, Gol is never actually reconciled to us, nor we to him, till he give us the regenerating Spirit ; that is receiving the atonement, Eora. v. 11. Nothing but the new creature will evidence his special favour. Therefore it is said, Eom. v. 5, ' Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost given…
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[4.] The parties interested — on the one hand, the ivorld ; on the other — To himself (1.) ' The world.' The expression is used indefinitely, though not VeR. 19.] SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. 253 universally — First, the world, to show that men, and not angels, 2 Peter ii. 4 ; the sinning angels had no mediator nor…
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Thii-dly, That reconciliation in scripture is sometimes ascribed to God the Father, sometimes to Christ as mediator, sometimes to believers themselves — 1. To God the Father, as in the text, 'God was in Christ, reconcil- ing the world to himself ; ' and in the verse before the text, ' Who hath reconciled us to himself…
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[5.] God hateth sinners as they hate him ; for we are children of wrath from the womb, Eph. ii. 3 ; and that wrath abideth on us till we enter into God's peace, John iii. 36 ; and the more wicked we are, the more we incur God's wrath : Ps. vii. 11, ' He is angry with the wicked VeK. 19.] SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. …
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[2.] Access to God with boldness and free trade into heaven: Eom. V. 2, ' By whom we have access by faith ; ' and Eph. ii. 18, ' For through him we have both access by one Spirit unto the Father.' When a peace is made between two warring nations, trading is revived ; when you have occasion to make use of God, you may g…
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260 SEKMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeR, XXXIV. have I any more to do with idols ? ' and Isa. xxx. 22, ' Thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth ; thou shalt say unto it, Get ye hence.' Thirdly, How far Christ is concerned in it, and why. 1. God was resolved to lose no honour by the fall of man, hut to keep up…
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, 4. And this done by Jesus Christ, that so costly a remedy should be provided for us : Rom viii. 32, ' God spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all.' God may be said to spare, either in a way of impartial justice, or in a way of bountiful and condescending love ; the first hath its use, this latter is t…
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1. It supposeth that sin is a debt. Mat. vi. 12, — "Ai^e-i 7][uv ra 6(f)€L\j]nara yficov, ' and forgive us our debts.' 2. That God will one day call sinners to an account, and charge such and such debts upon them : Mat. xxv. 19, ' After a long time the lord Yeh. 19.] SERMONS rrox 2 comxTHL^JS's V. 263 of those serva…
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(2.) Because of the good depending upon it in this life and the next. {1st) In this life — Partly, because we are not fitted to serve God till sin be pardoned : Heb. ix. 14, ' How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your consciences from dead w…
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266 SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeR. XXXV. and our enjoying pardon, or actual interest in it. God purposed it from all eternity, but we are not actually reconciled and pardoned from all eternity, no more tlian we were actually created, sanctified, and glorified from all eternity. So Christ purchased it, when he die…
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(2.) This faith and repentance is wrought in us by the word, and mainly acted in prayer. First, It is wrought in us by the word, wherein God is pleased to propound free and easy conditions of pardon and mercy, praying us to be reconciled, and to cast away the weapons of our rebellion, and submit to the law of grace ; f…
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Use 1. Is to inform us, that all those that seek after reconciliation with God, or would take themselves to be reconciled to him, should bo VeR. 19.] SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. 269 dealing with God about the pardon of sins, and suing out this privi- lege, which is of such use in their commerce with Grod. But here…
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[6.] A renewed pardon for every renewed sin which we commit - 1 John ii. 1, ' My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we bave an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous ; ' and 1 John i. 9, ' If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our s…
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Secondly. This branch is mentioned, because this was the most inviting motive to bring the creature to submission, and to comply with God's other ends. To understand this reason, consider — 1. Among the benefits which we have by Christ, some concern our fehcity, others our duty; some concern our privileges, others our…
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3. Pardon of sins is very necessary to the end of reconciliation, which is living in a course of holy amity and state of friendship with God till we live with him for ever in heavenly glory. Here I am to prove three things : — (1.) That the end of reconciliation is walking in a course of holiness; (2.) That this holine…
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[3.] Pardoning mercy in Christ is the great argument which breedeth and feedeth this love. How can I love a God which I think will damn me, and may propably do it ? Our turning to God must be by love, and our living to God and for God is carried on by love ; but how can I come to him who seemeth so unlovely to me ? The…
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VeK. 19.] SERBIONS UPON 2 COKIKTHIANS V. 277 Use 1. Is to pre>is us to enter into God's peace by looking after the pardon of sins. I shall only urge three things- — (1.) The necessity; (2.) The readiness of God to bestow this benefit; (3.) The excellency of the privilege. 1. The necessity of obtaining this benefit. T…
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2. "To the broken-hearted I shall speak of God's readiness to pardon and to forgive. It is his name, Neh. ix. 17, ' But thou art a God ready to pardon.' It is his glory, Exod. xxxiii. 18, compared with Exod. xxxiv. 7. It is his delight, Micah vii. 18. The case of any sin- ner is not desperate ; a pardon may be had, Isa…
972 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.