PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Thomas Manton — Volume 13
Thomas Manton · 318,013 words · 312 reading sections
Section 241
YeE. 2.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XL 381 skins, and then to bait tliem as bears ; and it is an usual practice of Satan to put the skin and livery of shame upon christians, and then bait them. He first blasts the repute of reli^^ious persons, then perse- cutes them as offenders. This is the meaning of that expression, Ps. …
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Secondly, In vv'hat manner doth the Lord dispense this privilege ? And it is grounded upon an objection, that may be framed thus ; the servants of God are often clouded with black reproaches, ' They took away the spouse's veil,' Cant. v. 7 ; that is, her honour and name. David complains, Ps. xxii. 6, ' He was a reproac…
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5. Those that do obseiwe the usual course of God's providence shall find strange traverses in reference to the good report of the saints. God is ever ready to confute the reproaches of the wicked, and to clear up the innocency of his particular servants. It is good to observe providence herein, how God brandeth the wic…
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3. All the respect that we have to men, is by a greater care of duty, to prevent undue surmises and suspicion : 2. Cor. viii. 21, 'Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of God, but in the sight of men.' To clear up their hearts to God, and clear up their religion to men : 1 Peter iii. 16, ' Having a good c…
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VePv. 2.] SEKMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. 387 thon. John Baptist's bead in a cliarirer is an ordinary dish at our meals. Wlien men's hearts are warm with wine and good cheer, then the children of God are brought in bke Samson, to make sport for the Philistines. When thev are full, then they call for a holy person, upon whom …
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p.] The manner — KarrjprLaOai, he curiously jointed and made it, and digested it iuto an exquisite rank and frame. [3.] The instrument — pr^ixan Qeov — By the toord of God. It may be taken either for his substantial word, or his word of power, by which all things were produced out of nothing ; ' He spake, and it was d…
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(2.) His power. God brought all things out of the womb of nothing; hisjiat was enough : Isa. xl. 26, ' Lift u}) your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number ; he calleth them all by names, by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power, not one faile…
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Use. It serveth to quicken us to think of the creation. But oh, bow backward, cold and sluggish are we in this work! either we use the creatures as beasts, without thankfulness, and looking up to the 392 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. VII. creator ; or else, as philosophers, there is more curiosity than profit ia our…
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2. God hath made man fit to learn, he hath given us faculties to this purpose, that we may understand the creatures: Eccles. iii. 11, 'He hath set the world in their heart' The great work ot" Gods Spirit is to pluck the world out of our hearts ; what is the meaning then of it ? He hath not only given us the creature to…
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6. It is a duty that lies upon all reasonable creatures. (1.) The angels delight in this work ; Job xxxviii. 7, it is said, when the earth was YeR. 3] SERMONS UPON- HEBREWS XL 395 founded. ' the mornings stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy ; ' that is, when God tirst laid the foundations of t…
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8. If there were no profit, j'et it is a matter of much spiritual delight to reflect upon the creature. Man is a creature taken with variety and beauty. Now what prospect is more various and beautiful tlian the works of God ? when we are weary of one object we may go to another. Unclasp the book of nature, turn over a …
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2. There must be also set and solemn meditation upon special occasions. Set meditation brings in profit to the soul. Passant and transient thoughts are more pleasant, but not so profitable. Meditation that is deliberate, is of most use. Usually sudden thoughts pass away from UP, and do not return with such advantage ; …
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[4.j When your hearts faint in regard of outward su[)plies and temporal provision, survey the creatures. Who is it that feeds the beasts of the earth, and makes some of the fowl fattest in winter when provisions are scarcest ? At whose charge are all the fish of the sea and the beasts of the forest maintained ? Who spr…
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VeR. 3.] SERMOXS UPOX HEBRLWS XI. iOl If you would meditate upon tlie faitlifulness of God, you cannot have n. better object thau the constant course of the heavens and recourse <;f the seasons ; they still remain as they were from the beginning of the world, and so they will continue : Ps. cxix. 90, 91, ' Thy faithfu…
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[2.] Think upon man. Man is not only the creature of God, but the image of God. One calls man the masterpiece of nature ; it is good to consider ourselves; there is nothing nearer to ourselves than ourselves. Man, as he is the image of God, so he is the image of the world, the short draft and model of all the rest of t…
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■104 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. VIII. ' For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of ser[)ents, and things iii the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind.' Man is able to tame all beasts, to bring- them to his own use and purpose ; but God made them. In the art of navigation consider the wonders of the Lo…
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[3.] Therefore doth he create the world to make a fliir way for Je.'^us Christ, Col. i. 15. The a])0stle proves the godhead of Christ by this argument : ' He is the firstborn of every creature ; for by him all things were created, that are in heaven and in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or domin…
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[3.] If you meditate aright, the heart will be more drawn off from the creature to God. This is the main end either of making the crea- ture, or of meditating upon the creature. Of making the creature: Acts xvii. 26, 27, ' He hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath …
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\'ki;. 3.j SEKMOXS UPON HEIiUEWS XL 4UL> cannot make any piece of workmanship, but they must have matter to work upon ; but the Loid made thee out of nothing, therefore certainly thou art his ; and therefore the right and dominion of God must be infinitely greater than that of man ; and what a riglit hath God by his p…
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3. The only remedy and cure for this is faith, and external revelation from God. The blindness of reason is cured by the word ; the pride of reason is cured by the grace of faith. Eevelation supplies the defect of it ; and faith takes down the pride of it, and captivates the thoughts into the obedience of the truths re…
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412 BEilMOisS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. IX. than all the gods of the heathens. The wars of Troy were about the time of the judges. The youngest prophets of the old testament were before the oldest philosophers and historians of the gentiles. Then they knew not whence, from what term, God should begin his work. This is a …
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2. It informs us that the heathens had never light enough for salvation. Their charity is too large who think that the heathens may be taught enough by those natural apostles, sun, moon, and stars. Certainly they are blind in the work of redemption, since they are so blind in the work of creation. Though God hath not l…
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VeR. 3.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. 415 advantages, and to facilitate tlie belief of other truths upon this ground; did he make the world out of nothing ? Many truths are less wonder- ful than this. SEEMON X. Through faith we understand that the worlds luere framed hy the ivord of God, so that things which are seen we…
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YeR. 3.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. 417 but there is a difference. This speaks the beauty and excellency of the world, the variety of God's works. 2. The beauty and artificial composition of all things. Human wit cannot reach it ; whether we respect the outward shape or inward frame, look upon man ; ' He is fearfully a…
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4. This accurate frame is seen in the wonderful consent of all the parts of the world, and the proportion they bear one to another. There are several steps and degrees in the creature, by which we may go higher and higher, and climb up till we come to God himself. The proportion of the creatures leads us up to God. As …
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4iJ0 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. X. viii. 22. The sun hath its period and point in the heaven, according to which it doth rise and set. David takes notice of the sun's setting : Ps. civ. 19, ' He appointeth the moon for seasons ; the sun knoweth his going down ; * the meaning is, he hath appointed the moon for seas…
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ObJ. But because the objection speaks of many things, Whence come venemous things, &c. therefore take another question, what that is we may properly look upon to be a fruit and issue of the fall ? I answer; all corruptive and destructive alterations ; for in entire 422 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. X. nature all al…
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[2.] The majesty and greatness of God. Look up to him, that is at the upper end of all these causes, that are so sweetly subordinate to one another in the world ; and he can turn them as he pleaseth : Job, speaking of the bright cloud, saith, chap, xxxvii. 12, ' It is turned round about by his counsels ; that they may …
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VeR. 3.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS Xf. 425 in that state. There would have been government and some inequality ; there would have been difference of sex, women and men ; the relation of fathers and cliildren ; the disparity of age, young men and old ; now much more is there need of it since the fall. There can be no peace …
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Use. 3. It discovers the odiousness of sin that disjointed the frame of nature. When God made the world, ' he saw everything he had made, and behold it was very good,' Gen. i. 31 ; but Solomon when he looked upon it, he saw all Avas ' vanity of vanities,' Eccles. i. 2. What is the reason ? sin intervened and so the cou…
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428 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. XI. that dwell therein.' Our actual sinninf:^ spoils the earth, and makes it barren and disorders the elements, and makes the i-ain from heaven unseasonable. Yea, we are guilty every day of doing that which Adam did once — laying a greater burden upon the creatures by abusing them to…
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6. There is a loss to us by the disorder of nature, and by the dis- tempering of the creature. Man by the fall lost imperium sici, the command of himself, and itnperhcm suum, his command over the creatures ; they are enemies to man because he hath rebelled against God. If ever we find them hurtful and rebellious, we ma…
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VeR. 3.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XT. 431 what he pleaseth, than for man to speak a word, or think a thought of what he wonkl have to be done. Quest. Here is another question. If nothing is to be understood but God's will, and willing the creation of all things ? then whether the making of the world in six days be only f…
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2. It is of great use to encourage believers to wait for the accom- plishment of the promises. Every promise rightly understood is a creat- ing word. When God saith that he will make them perfect to every good work, it is as much as if he said, Be thou perfect, be thou justified, be thou sanctified, be thou enabled to …
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Use. God by this would teach the world what to think of him. He created the world out of mere nothing, or out of matter not prepared; he created them wholly by his word, having no partaker with him. The great thing that we should learn hence is God's power. That you may consider it with profit, I shall lay down a few p…
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436 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XL [SeR. XII. the world began to taste the blood of martyrs, and ever since it is glutted with it. 2. Because Abel was the first person that was never in a possibility to be saved by any other way than that of faith. Adam had other means propounded to him at first in the covenant of works, an…
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First. What was the special occasion of this sacrifice ? That may be gathered out of the phrase used : Gen. iv. 3, ' And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord." In process of time, or as it is in the margin, at the end of days ; in the original it is,…
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(2.) This is to honour Christ in duties, when you look for your assistance from the Spirit of Christ. The Lord hath promised to shed abroad his Spirit upon his ascension. You honour God in Christ when Tee. 4.] sermons upon Hebrews xi. 439 you worship God tlirongb Christ : Phil. iv. 13, ' I can do all things through C…
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4. The wonderful agreement that is between this first act of solemn worship and the solemn constitutions of the Jewish church, doth wonderfully evince it (as we shall prove by and by), that there was some rule and divine institution according to which this worship was to be regulated, which, probably, God revealed to A…
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442 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. XII. - Thirdly, The third question is, Wherein lies tlie difference between the two sacrifices ? Some place it only in the acceptation of God as if the sense were, Abel offered gratiorem, a more acceptable sacrifice, better in God's esteem; but in the original it is 'TrXeiova, more s…
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Doct. That when we serve God, w^e must serve him faithfully, with our best. It is a high dishonour and contempt to God when we bring him a contemptible offering, and think anything is good enough for God: Mai. i. 14, ' Cursed is the deceiver, that hath a male in his flock, and voweth and sacrificeth to the Lord a corr…
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[3.] Though it be no sin-offering, yet it is a thank-ofl:ering. This in the text was in part so. There are eucharistical as well as ilas- tical sacrifices, as most of the sacrifices under the law: Heb. xiii. 15, VeR. 4.1 SEIUIONS UPON HEBREAVS XI. 445 ' By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God con…
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VeR. 4.J SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. *i47 * Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years ? ' Mark the reason and impulse ; for the under- standing of which you must know that the Jews in the fifth month kept a day for the temple ; for you shall see, 2 Kings xxv. 8, 9, the destru…
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Use 1. It serves to inform us that the bare performance of the duties ot religion is no gracious evidence. Cain may sacrifice as well as Abel. A christian is rather tried by his graces than by his duties ; and yet this is the usual fallacy, the paralogism and false reason that we put upon our own consciences. We secure…
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VOL. XIII. 2 F 450 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. XIII. the carriaj^e of a duty, when we come off roundly, when parts have their free course and career ; and this not only in public, where we hsive an advantage to discover our parts with applnnse, but many times in private intercourses between God and our souls, to w…
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[3.] Natural conscience doth not do duties out of gratitude or thankfulness, but the great gospel-principle is gratitude. If there were no law to bind a regenerate man, yet he would not be ungrateful to God ; but nature is rather prone to a sin-offering than a thank- offering. When our consciences are troubled, that we…
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VeK. 4.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI, 453 sacrifice. But Baal's priests might fetch blood from themselves, but not fire from heaven ; so carnal men may force nature, beat themselves, cut their flesli, but their sacrifice will not burn ; there is no holy flame by which their hearts are heightened and carried out as christi…
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2. There is a difference in the manner how these duties are to be performed ; this is to be regarded as well as the matter. A man may sin in doing good, but he can never sin in doing well. A man may sin though the matter be lawful, for the manner is all : Luke viii. 18, ' Take heed liow you hear,' saith Christ ; not on…
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456 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. XIV. returns their fears upon them, and puts them to a new penance, and brings their sorrow to their remembrance ; therefore the}^ cannot act with any complacency. Isa. Iviii. 13, the prophet bids us ' call the sabbath a delight.' When we rest in the bosom of God all day, there are a…
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2. For the manner, Whether the children of God may not be sur- prised sometimes with perfunctory deadness, and wicked men may not by some high impulses be raised to some extraordinary quickness and zeal in duties of worship ? 3. For the end. Whether the children of God may not reflect some- times upon a carnal end in …
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YeR. 4.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. 459 (5 ) The acts of the creature are never gracious but when they are ultimately terminated on God. When natural men act in the (hities of reiiyion, seh" is always botii in the beginning, and end, and middle of the work ; they act from self-love, in self-strength, and with self- resp…
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(1.) You may use them to encourage and quicken a backward heart. We look upon duty through carnal prejudices, and count it a sore exac- tion , and so draw back ; in such a case we may safely use God's arguments as encouragements. God propoundeth tliem to us in the word, and pleads with us upon this advantage, and seeks…
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2. Though there may such deadness fall upon them, yet still there is a willing bent of the heart towards God. Gi'aces that live may not always be lively : there is a living faith and a lively failh ; and there may be deadness in the children of God, though there be not an utter death. Look, as our saviour found in his …
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Ques. But you will say, How shall we discern this false veliemency from that which is true, and that which is holy feivour and going out of the s|)irit towards God ? It may be tried by the irreverence of your souls in [aayer, and carelessness of your souls after prayer. L By the irreverence of soul in prayer. When the…
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4. Though the carnal nature may vex the new nature with those carnal reflections, yet there is a sensible difference still between them and others, because grace hath the strongest influence. And though there be carnal reflections, yet there are not carnal principles : these are but collateral and supervenient glance^,…
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1. I answer, because it discerneth by a clearer light and apprehension. Faith is the eye of the soul. A beast liveth by sense, a man by reason, and a chiistian by faith. By sense a beast discerneth what is con- venient and inconvenient to their manner of life ; reason guides ordinary men in their choice and course of a…
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468 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. XV. may work as cmfJior naturce, the author of nature, though not as fons gratice, the fountain of grace. Therefore it must needs make a differ- ence. What is the vigour of parts to the efficacy of the spirit ? Faith draws Christ into the duty, and his Spirit bears a part of the burd…
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470 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. XV. bounty; he hath clolhed thee, fed thee, and opened the treasures of tlie sea and land to give thee provisions ; what liast thou done for God ? Natui'e abhors nnthankfulness. Holy David, 2 Sam. vii. 2, his heart reasons within iiim, ' I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of Go…
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Application. — To press you to exercise faith in all your duties of religion. James ii. 23, it is said, 'Abraham's faith wrought with his works.' Let us consider God and duty. Here arise some cases — 1. Concei-ning the discerning work of faith. How shall we do to see him that is invisible ? or to conceive of God in pr…
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Case 3. The third case respects the reasoning work of faith. How far is assurance necessary, that so faith may have some strength and encouragement, that we may be persuaded into acts of obedience by these arguments of faith ? I answer — 1. We live by faith, and not by assurance. The first act of faith is vital, and u…
944 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.