PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Thomas Manton — Volume 17
Thomas Manton · 311,929 words · 307 reading sections
Section 61
4. It continueth a succession of mercies, for the more thankful we are for them the more they are increased upon us, as an husbandman trusts more of his precious seed in fruitful soils. The ascent of vapours maketh way for the descent of showers. The sea poureth out of her fulness into the rivers, and they all return a…
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Use. Oh ! then, let us be more abundant in thanksgiving and praise. It is God's will concerning us in Christ : 1 Thes. v. 18, ' In every- thing give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concern- ing you.' But there are other reasons to persuade us ; as — (1.) Our profit both spiritual and temporal. It ar…
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SEKMONS UPON 2 THESSALONIANS I. 3. 101 blessings in heavenly places in Christ.' Other blessin_o:s rim in the chan- nel of common providence, these in the channel of Christ's mediation, 4. Because these are pledges of eternal blessings, and the beginnings of our eternal well-being. The life tliat is begnn in us by the…
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Use. Is to exhort us to two things — (1.) To be in a capacity to bless God for spiritual blessings ; (2.) To be most affected with these mercies. 1. See that you be in a capacity to bless God for spiritual blessings. First see that you have these mercies, and then bless God for them. It would trouble a man even to tre…
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3. The spiritual blessings vouchsafed to others conduce to a common good, therefore our profit and interest inviteth us to this duty. The ffood of some is the ffain of the whole ; we have benefit bv their 104 SERMONS UPON 2 THESSALONIANS I. 3. example, and are confirmed by having companions in the faith and patience …
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Use. Take notice of God's favour in the addition of every new degree of grace, because the change is more remarkable. We may ascribe our first conversion to God, but we must also our after-growth. We are still under the love and care of Christ ; though we are passed from death, to life, yet not from earth to heaven. Yo…
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They are planted in his courts, and that is a fertile soil : Ps. xcii. 13, 14, ' Those that are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God ; they shall still bring forth fruit in old age, they shall be fat and flourishing.' There are ordinances by which they re- ceive a supply of the Spiri…
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4. They grow in both graces, both in faith and love. These two graces are inseparable companions : Col. i. 4, ' Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints.' So 1 Tim. i. 13, 'Hold fast the form of sound words whicli thou hast heard of me, in faith and love, which is in…
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[2.] The external expressions should abound both as to acts and objects. (1.) As to acts. In duties of charity we should not be weary. Now we may be weary upon a double occasion, either because we meet not presently with our reward; to that the apostle speaketh, Gal. vi. 9, ' Be not weary of well-doing, for in due tim…
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112 SERMONS UPON 2 TUliSSALONlAXS I. 3. that the worlds were framed by the word of God ; ' for faith is an assent to a divine testimony ; but when we know things by other ways and means of assurance, it is not faith, whatever it be. So if a man shoukl believe the passages of God's providence towards the Israelites, up…
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(1.) Historical faith, which is a simple and naked assent to such things as are propounded in the word of God, and maketli men more knowing but not better, not more holy and heavenly ; they are not excited thereby to pursue that happiness which the gospel offereth in the way of holy living or patient continuance in wel…
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1. It is not a rash consent, but such as is deliberate, and serious, and well-advised. When God in the gospel biddeth us to take Christ, men are ready to say, With all their hearts ; but they do not consider what it is to receive Christ, and therefore retract their consent as soon as it is made. No ; you must sit down …
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Now, if you would know whether your faith groweth or no, you must discover it by the firmness of your assent, or the resolvedness of your consent, or the peace and confidence of your reliance. 1. For assent. If you believe the word of God, especially the gospel part, with an assent so strong that you can resolve to ve…
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The sight of faith may be considered either — (1.) As to its certainty and clearness ; (2.) As to its power and efficacy. [1.] As to its certainty and clearness. We do so see God, heaven, Christ, that we are affected in some measure as if we saw them with our bodily eyes. God, whilst we walk before him : Acts ii. 25, …
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(2d.) For consent, when we come to enter into covenant with God, God is invisible Avho maketh the promise, and heaven, which is the great promise that he hath promised us, is future and yet to come, and lieth in another world, and before we get thither we must encounter many difficulties, yea, shoot the gulf of death ;…
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(2>d.) To support us against the greatest dangers and terrors : Heb. xi. 27, 'By faith Moses forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for he endured as seeing him that is invisible.' To depend upon God s aid and succour in a time of great extremity and danger needeth a strong faith. As to appearance, he was re…
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[3.] This suiteth with the nature of the conditional and baptismal covenant. There is an absolute covenant whereby God promiseth to give faith to the elect, and a conditional covenant sealed in baptism, wdierein it is said that ' He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved,' Mark xvi. 16. Now by this covenant none…
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(2d.) AVe must be willing to sacrifice all our interests : Mat. xvi. 24, ' If any man will come after me, and be my disciple, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.' If God be trusted as our felicity, worldly felicity must be no impediment to our duty ; therefore, if we cannot incur blame and shame …
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The fourth essential property of faith is its respect to the word of God» That I may explain this with more full satisfaction, I shall open four things — (1.) The relation of the word to faith ; (2.) The acts of faith about the word ; (3.) The eftects of faith thus exercised ; (4.) The notes whereby we may discern a st…
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4. The word is the security and strength of our faith — (1.) As it puts God's grace into the way of a promise ; (2.) As this promise is the promise of God. [1.] AVe have much advantage in believing by the formality of a promise. A promise is more than a purpose, more than a doctrinal declaration, more than a predictio…
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Secondly, The acts of faith about the word. 1. We are to believe and credit it upon solid and sufficient evidence. It is said, Heb. xi. 11, ' They saw these thing? afar ofi'. and were per- suaded of them ; ' and Acts xiii. 48, ' When the gentiles heard this, they glorified the word of God, and believed ; ' that is, bl…
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SERMONS UPON 2 THESSALONIANS I. 3. 131 more you will see the worth of them : Luke vi. 23, ' Rejoice and leap for joy, for great is your reward in heaven.' And of the eunuch, when he had sealed covenant with God, Acts viii. 39, it is said, ' he went his way rejoicing/ Faith cannot do its office, that is, out of an holy…
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3. It is the charter of our hopes : John xx. 31, ' These things are written that ye might have life through his name ; ' 1 John v. 11, ' This is the record that God hath given unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.' Now the work of faith is to ' lay hold upon eternal life,' 1 Tim. vi. 12 ; that is, seize up…
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134 SERMONS UPON 2 THESSALONIANS I. :{. docst et suppeditat omnia quce necessaria sunt, tarn ad hanc viiam, tarn ad futuram — I indented with the Lord my God that he would never send me dreams and visions ; I am well contented with the gift of the scriptures. 2. When the word is matter of joy and firm confidence to u…
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2. Partly because the comfort of the promises is so rich and glorious, and the persons upon whom it is bestowed so unworthy, that it cannot easily enter into the heart of a man that God will be so good and gracious to us, unless we have a sound belief of his merit who hath piocured these mercies and hopes for us : 1 Co…
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That this respect is an high value and esteem of Christ above all other things. That faith implieth an esteem of Christ is plain by that of the apostle, 1 Peter ii. 7, ' Unto you therefore which believe he is precious.' And that it is a transcendental respect and esteem, so as that all other things are lessened in our …
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2. That faith doth give him this esteem, as it is an assent, consent, and affiance. [1.] As an assent, we believing what he is, hath done, and doth still do for us, therefore we prize him. Faith knoweth him partly by what the word revealeth : John iv. 10, ' If thou knewest the gift of God, a,nd who it is that saith to…
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[4.] By delighting in him and the testimonies of his love above all things else. Faith must breed such a confidence in Christ as keepeth up our delight in him, and such a delight and well-pleasedness of mind as we find not elsewhere : Ps. iv. 7, ' Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their cor…
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[2,] The world is the great let and impediment to our obedience. 142 SERMONS UPON 2 THESSALONIANS I. 3. In the first epistle of John, chap, v., in the context to the words that I am now explaining, ver. 2, 3, it is said, ' By this we know that we love the children of God,when we love God, and keep his commandments ; …
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[2.] As it is a consent. It causeth us to surrender ourselves to Christ's discipline, or that religion which wholly draweth us off from this world to the world to come. Its purpose and drift is that we may deny our- selves, bear the cross, and follow him. This we promise in baptism : 1 Peter iii. 21, ' Baptism saveth u…
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SERMONS UPON 2 THESSALONIANS I. 3. 145 2. Quieting the heart against doubts, fears, and cares. By a growu faith thoughts are established : Prov. xvi. 3, ' Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established/ Fire well kindled casteth the least smoke. We have firm ground to stand upon, there- fore we …
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I. The nature of his faith. It was a firm persuasion that all power and authority was eminently in Christ, and that he could do what he pleased. The great end of Christ in all his miracles was to discover himself to be the Son of God, and one in whom the divine nature and power resided,' and so by consequence that true…
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2. The speculative belief of this truth was not sufiicient then, no more than it is now, but the practical improvement. Grant that truth, that Jesus is the Son of God, and other things will follow, as that we must obey his laws, and depend upon his promises, and make use of his ])ower, and trust ourselves in his hands …
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150 SERMON UPON MATTHEW VIII. 5-10. never wants an errand to the throne of grace ; either necessity brings us thither, or delight. Christ inviteth us to come for what he hath to give : Mat. xi. 28, ' Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest' He is angry that we will not come : Joh…
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Ans. They have a deeper sense of God's majesty and greatness than others have, and also a more broken-hearted sense of their own vileness by reason of sin. They have a more affective light and sight of things ; God is another thing to them than before, so is sin and self. The more unworthy they are in their own apprehe…
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[1.] Let us see what is this all-sufficient power and dominion of Christ. It lieth in three things — (1.) A right of making and framing anything as he will, in any manner as it pleaseth him : Jer. xviii. 6, * Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.' (2.) A right and power…
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3. To be humble. In all our commerce with Christ, ftiith must produce a real humility. Faith is most high when the heart is most low: Luke xviii. 11-14, 'The pharisee stood and prayed, saying, God, I thank thee I am not as other men are, &c. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, st…
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In opening this instance, let us consider — 1. The quality of the woman. She is called in Mat. xv. 22, 'a woman of Canaan ;' in Mark vii. 26, ' a Greek,' a Syrophoenician by nation. Phoenicia was that country which was inhabited by the relics of the ancient Canaanites : she was by nation a Phoenician, and by religion …
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1. That it is a sore temptation appeareth by the complaints of the saints and servants of God : Lam. iii. 8, ' When I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer ; ' as if God had locked up himself, that their 158 SERMON UPON MATTHEW XV. 21-28. prayers should not come at him, or find access to him. So ver, 44, ' Thou co…
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(4.) To enlarge our desires, and put greater fervency into them. A sack that is stretched out holds the more. Delay increaseth importu- nity : Mat. vii. 7, ' Ask, seek, knock ; ' the door is kept bolted that we may knock the harder. The choicest mercies come to us after great wrestlings. She prayeth, but Christ keepeth…
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Secondly, Her victory over these temptations. (1.) By her importu- SERMON UPON MATTHEW XV. 21-28. 161 Dity : (2.) Her humility ; (3.) Her resolved confidence ; all which are the fruits of great faith. 1. Her importunity. She will not be beaten ofi" by Christ's silence; but she maketh some advantage of it ; for it is…
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[1.] An adherence to his way, how little -soever he seemeth to own it: Ps. xliv. 17, 18, 'AH this is come upon us, yet have we not for- gotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant : our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way.' Sharp affiictions do not discharge us from our…
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(.5.) Because the saints are wont to train up themselves for these difficulties, by proposing hard cases to themselves ; as Ps. iii. 6, ' I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that have set them- selves against me round about ; ' Ps. xxvii. 3, ' Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear…
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SERMON UPON JOHN VIIL 66. Your Father AhraJiam rejoiced to see my day ; and he sniv it, andj tvas glad. — John viii. 56. The next instance and pattern of a strong faith we find in Abraham, We must consider his faith in two thins^s — 1. His clear sight of things to come, before the exhibition of Christ or his coming …
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Docf. That a strong faith giveth such a clear sight of Christ as pro- duceth an holy delight and rejoicing in him. In handling this point — 1. I shall speak of the ground of Abraham's faith. 2. Of the strength of it, set forth by a double effect— (1.) His clear vision and sight of Christ; (2.) His deep affection, or…
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II. Come we now to the strength of his faith ; that is seen in two things — (1.) His clear vision ; (2.) His deep affection. 1. His clear vision and sight of Christ : ' He saw my day.' The eagle eye of faith will see afar off and through many impediments, and draw comfort not only from what is present, visible, and se…
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Ans. 1. As to Christ, there is a sight of Christ past, present, and to come, which still belongeth to faith. (1.) Past : To see him whom we have not seen, that is, so to be affected with his miracles and acts of mediation as if we had seen him in the flesh, is still the work and exercise of our faith. So the apostle t…
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2. The next effect is deep affection or rejoicing in Christ, and all the work of redemption done in his day. Certainly a sight of Christ by faith doth bring true joy and peace into the soul. Here I shall show — [1.] That no other affection will become Christ, and the salvation offered by him and received by faith, bu…
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(3d.) He is so beneficial to us. We have cause to rejoice if we con- SERMON UPON JOHN VIII. 26. 175 sider the many benefits we have by him : 1 Cor. i. 30, 31, ' But of hun are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and right- eousness, and sanctification, and redemption : that according as it is writt…
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(2.) There is a holy rejoicing which may be considered — (1.) As to the lively acts ; (2.) Or solid effects. (1st.) As to the lively acts, in solemn duties, as the word, and medi- tation, and Lord's supper, it doth your hearts good to think of Christ : Cant. i. 4, ' We will be glad and rejoice in thee ; we will rememb…
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VOL. XVII. M SERMON UPON ROMANS IV. 18-21. Wlio against hope helieved in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that lohich was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not iveah in faith, he considered not his oion body now dead, lohen he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the de…
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SLIiMON UPON ROMANS IV. lS-21. 181 tlint which is said, ver. 18, ' He believed in hope against hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.' Secondly, The excellency of his faith, in four expressions — I. ' He believed in hope against hope.' Abraham …
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3. The object of faith, God all-sufficient. We must neither measure his goodness nor power by our scantling and module. Not his good- ness : Isa. Iv. 8, 9, ' For my thoughts, are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord ; but as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than y…
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184 SERMON UPON ROMANS IV. 18-21. Secondly, I shall show you the inconveniences of this sinful con- sidering the difficulties in all the parts of faith, assent, consent, and affiance. 1. As to assent. There are many difficulties which may be objected against the truths propounded in the word ; but it is enough to a b…
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[2.] Your hearts are so loose and changeable, you are afraid to bind yourselves to God. The truth is, this consent implieth a delivery over of yourselves to Christ, to seek happiness in the way that he hath ap- pointed ; it is the first egress of the soul towards the execution of the duty of a christian, our entry into…
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SERMON UPON ROMANS IV, 18-21. 187 1. A strong assent or clear sight of the evidence of the truth. If we have the word and promise of God, we should believe anything as surely as if we had the greatest evidence in the world. Thus some of the disciples doubted of the truth of Christ's resurrection : Mat. xxviii. 27, ' A…
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3. There are two things enlarge our thoughts and apprehensions about the power of God ; they are mentioned ver. 17, ' Whom he believed, even God who quickeneth the dend, and calleth those things that be not as though they were.' We have to do with a God that can say to the dead, Live. God's power can bring life out of …
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The point which I mean to handle is the grievousness of the sin of hardness of heart. Christ was grieved with it in the pharisees, and there is not a greater cause of offence to his Spirit. 192 SERMONS UPON MARK III. 5. Doct. That hardness of heart is a grievous sin, very offensive and provoliing to Jesus Christ. I …
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VOL. xvn. N 194 SERMONS UPON MARK III. 5. insensible of their condition, and will not regard the meaning of Grod's providences. Well, then, a hard heart is insensible of what they have done against God, or what God hath or may do to them. And so far as we lose our sense and tenderness, so far is the heart hardened. …
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196 SEliMONS UPON MARK III. 5. common to elect and reprobate, yet the grace that tendetli to conversion is common, and this may be resisted. God may knock at the heart that is never opened to him ; they may have excitements, but alas ! ihey are as the rock or adamant to the tool. There is no impression left upon them.…
928 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.