PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Thomas Manton — Volume 17
Thomas Manton · 311,929 words · 307 reading sections
Section 121
2. The next distinction is, that hardness of heart is either total or partial. Some are in the state of hardness, others complain of it as their present frame. There is a difference between hardness of heart and an hard heart. Some hardness of heart is in God's children : Mark vi. 52, ' They considered not the miracle …
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[2.] Unfelt ; so it is in wicked men, who never consider the frame of their hearts, or bemoan themselves because of spiritual evils. The heart of stone is not sensible of itself; and so God's children for a while may be under great desertions and the guilt of heinous sins, and be insensible ; after gross falls they may…
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3. Custom in sinning. As an highway is trodden hard by long travelling in it, so the heart by long custom groweth more obstinate every day. In sin there is not only a fault, guilt, but a blot, a stronger inclination to the practice of the same sin again ; as a brand that has been once in the fire is more apt to burn ag…
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[3.] It Cometh lapped up in carnal baits of profit and pleasure, to gratify our lusts and interests. Sin pretends great advantage; but be not deceived, it will harden thy heart, and destroy thee ; it cannot profit thee. [4,] It hath many colours wherewith to beguile a man. It presents itself in another dress than its …
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204 SERMONS UPON MARK III. 5. saith the Lord ; ' andlsa. Ivii. 18, ' I have seen his ways, and will heal him ; I will lead him also, and restore comforts to him, and to his mourners.' But an hard heart is no match for God ; it is ever foiled in the enterprise: if they yield not to his mercy, they are consumed by his w…
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VI, The observations concerning this spiritual malady. 1. With spiritual hardness of heart there may be a natural and sinful tenderness. Some men have a natural softness and sweetness of spirit as to commerce with men, yea, rather a faulty easiness, yet they are very hard-hearted as to God ; as Zedekiah : Jer. xxxviii…
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SERMONS UPON MARK III. 5. 207 5. Hardness of heart is most apt to creep upon us in times of ease and prosperity. Solomon saith, Prov. i. 32, ' The prosperity of fools shall destroy them ; ' and Kom. ii. 4, 5, ' Despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering ; not knowing that the goodne…
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7. Hardness of heart groweth and increaseth on us more and more, if we let it alone : Zech. vii. 11, 12, ' But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear ; yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which th…
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[2.] Of corrective providences. The body is a tender part with wicked men ; when they are straitened for bodily conveniences, they will complain ; yet the hard heart is still insensible of judgments. They are insensible of the author or deserving cause ; they do not look upward nor inward ; and though doctrinally right…
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2. By an unteachableness, so as not to apprehendought that is spiritual. To be ignorant is one thing, to be unteachable is another : Ezek. xii. 2, * Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not ; they have ears to hear, and hear not : for they are a rebellious house …
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[1.] Did you ever lay down the buckler before God, and say, I have done foolishly ; I will do so no more ? Were you ever feelingly con- vinced, and your lusts powerfully subdued ? Did you ever say, as Paul, Acts ix. 6, 'Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ? ' Every man carrieth on his opposition against God till he be b…
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Now for the cure of it, I will recommend unto you two means, two graces, and two ordinances. First, Two means, light and love. 1. Light : Jer. xxxi. 19, ' Surely after that I turned I repented ; and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh ; I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproac…
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(Sd) What hath he purchased for us ? He gave himself a ransom and price, a ransom to free us from death and hell. We would love a man that should get a pardon for our lives when we are condemned to die: 1 Thes. i. 10, ' Even Jesus, who delivered us from the wrath to come.' There was never any such wrath past or present…
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2. Fear. It is always made a preservative against hardness of heart: Isa. Ixiii. 17, ' 0 Lord, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear ? ' Fear argueth a constant sense of God's presence, and a deep respect to him, so as that we are loath to offend him ; it makes the soul to wal…
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5. Improve afflictions. It is a means God hath appointed to shake us out of our security. We are apt to be lulled asleep with the delights and pleasures of sin till we feel the sharp rod of afflictions : 2 Chron. xxviii. 22. ' And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the Lord : this is that King…
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I. I shall give you some general observations from the story ; for in the story of Pharaoh we have the exact platform of an hard heart. 1. Between the hard heart and God there is an actual contest who shall have the better. The parties contesting are God and Pharaoh. (See the first Sermon on Mark iii. 5.) 2. The sin …
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5. God was not wanting to give Pharaoh sufficient means of convic- tion. The magicians turned their rods into serpents, but ' Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods,' Exod. vii, 12 ; which showeth God's super- eminent power. They could not deliver him from the frogs, though they could bring frogs. God may suffer the devil…
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[3.] Because it was vanishing. The good motions of an hard heart are of no long continuance ; they pass through, and are gone like a flash of lightning. Pharaoh's remorse for the frogs and grasshoppers was as a cloud soon blown over. Till there be sound repentance, re- morse must needs be short, for it is an unpleasing…
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How then doth he harden the heart ? I answer— (1.) Negatively ; (2.) Affirmatively. 1. Negatively. In the explication of this matter we must avoid both extremes ; some say too much of it, others too little. [1.] We must not say too much, lest we leave a stain and blemish upon the divine glory. (1.) God infuseth no h…
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(1.) Because he is debtor to none. He may give his grace to whom he pleaseth, and withhold it as he will ; he is not bound to give or con- tinue, but is free to bestow or withhold. Man sinneth when he doth not hinder sin, because he is bound to hinder it all that he can : Neh. xiii. 17, ' Then I contended with the nobl…
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Use. Let us take warning by Pharaoh's example, that this great judgment light not upon us. The Philistines, that were otherwise a blind and stupid people, yet were aftected with it. Dagon was broken in pieces, and they were smitten with emrods once and again, and they begin to consult what to do. Their diviners told tl…
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2. Unbelief There is an hardness of the heart against the light and offers of the gospel, when Christ is tendered, but not received, and the cause of that is ignorance, affected ignorance ; and there is an hardening of the heart against the truth once received, out of love of 232 SERMONS UPON EXODUS IV. 21. their tem…
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[2] It is a just dispensation. It is just with God to take the refusal and be gone, and to cease to deal with your hearts any more, when, after all the melting entreaties of his grace, you cast him off; he commands, and you will not obey ; he is willing, and you are not willing ; he entreats, and you will not hearken ;…
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[3.] Gross hypocrisy. This is a constant lie, a contempt of God, an habitual and customary stifling and smothering of checks of conscience; for their form and profession showeth what they should be, and if they were what they seem to be, all would be well. Men have light enough to take on the form of religion, and sin …
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SERMONS UPON EXODUS IV. 21. 237 of the Spirit as they had before : 2 Chron. xvii. 3, ' Jehoshaph.it walked in the first waj's of his father David,' as liaving some note of blemish n his latter ways. These sins, in short, as a wound in the body, let ut our blood and strength. As a prodigal, that hath once broken after …
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[5.] Carelessness and spiritual sloth. When we carelessly entertain the motions of his Spirit, and lie upon the bed of ease, he is gone : Cant. V. 2, 3, ' I sleep, but my heart waketh : it is the voice of my be- loved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled : for my head is filled w…
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(2.) When you scorn at reproof, when you are not only actors, but defenders of sin, and bear up yourselves impudently and stubbornly in your transgressions : Jer. vi. 10, ' To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear ? Behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken ; behold, the word of the …
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The words are considerable — 1. For the person who speaketh them, the Lord God himself, who was the first preacher of the gospel in paradise. The draught and plot was in his bosom long before, but now it cometh out of his mouth. 2. For the occasion when they were spoken. When God hath been but newly provoked and offe…
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(2c?.) For the other clause, ' Thou shalt bruise his heel,' Where — (1.) Note the intention of the serpent, who would destroy the kingdom of the Eedeemer if he could ; but he can only reach the heel, not the head. (2.) The greatness of Christ's sufferings ; his heel was bruised, as he endured the painful, shameful, acc…
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5. That he might take possession of heaven for us in our nature : John xiv. 2, 3, ' I go to prepare a place for you ; and if I go and pre- pare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to myself, that where I am, there ye may be also.' The devil comes to depress our nature, and Christ came to exalt it ; he e…
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'246 SERMON UPON GENESIS III. 15. is the repairer of it. Now salvation and destruction are diametrically opposite ; so are tlie kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of Satan, the limction and office of Christ as a saviour, and the purpose and design of the devil as Abaddon, the destroyer. And therefore Christ proveth tha…
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(2.) Satan hath a tn'annical usurped power. So the devils are called ' rulers of the darkness of this world,' Eph. vi. 12, the blind, idolatrous, superstitious world ; and Satan is called ' The prince of this world,' John xiv. 30, and ' The God of this world,' 2 Cor. iv. 4. God made him an executioner, but we make him …
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3. It was only his heel that was bruised. It could go no further ; for though his bodily life was taken away, yet his head and mediatory power was not touched : Acts ii. 36, ' This same Jesus whom ye have crucified, God hath made both Lord and Christ.' Again, his bodily life was taken away but for awhile. God would not…
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[3.] Who is overcome ? The devil : Kev. xii. 10, ' Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accused them before our God day and night;' ver. 11, ' And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of their…
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252 SERMON UPON GENESIS III. 15. Whilst any of these remain, Satan hath some power ; and all these Christ came to dissolve, but by several means and at several times. [1.] The devil's power lieth in the corruption of v'>ur natures ; for men continuing in the apostasy from God are of Satan's party : Eph. ii. 1-3, ' An…
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Well, then, how is this power destroyed ? By satisfying the law, Christ destroyeth the power of the devil. For first, ' he blotted out the handwriting that was against us,' and then 'spoiled principalities and powers,' Col. ii. 14, 15. And when he doth actually justify, we feel the comfort and benefit of it : Kom. viii…
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SERMON UPON GENESIS III. 15. 255 all events that fall out in the world. None of the creatures are left to their own arbitrament or uncertain contingences, but under the govern- ment of a supreme providence, which is left in Christ's hands. Thus you see, though the devil's interest be held up by the combined interests …
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(1.) Though Satan's head be crushed, yet still there is room for our duty, that we may use the means for our safety, as good soldiers of Christ, and live as in a continual fight. These are set down, 1 Peter v. 8, 9, ' Be sober and vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking who…
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VOL. XVII. II 258 SERMON UPON GENESIS III. 15. the discipline of the clmrch into a temporal domination ; and all thi» supported by the blood of the saints and worldly grandeur, and the combined interests of many popish nations. And here are the ebbs and flows between the two shores of Christ and antichrist amongst us…
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1. Not in an exemption from troubles. No ; you must expect con- flicts. Though Satan's deadly power be taken away, our heel may be crushed. Christ hath delivered us from the present evil world : Gal. i. 4, ' Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from this present evil world.' Not that the world should troubl…
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6. The Lord Jesus doth often give out demonstrations of his power and providence. Partly in protecting, strengthening, assisting his people, and prospering their just endeavours for the advancement of his kingdom, so that all the machinations of the wicked against them SERMON UPON GENESIS III. 15, 261 come to nought.…
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2. To open his work to you, ' to meditate,' or, as it is in the margin, to pray, "^l^*?, the word used in the original is indifferent to both senses ; it properly signifies muttering, or an imperfect and suppressed sound. The Septuagint sometimes renders it by deiSeco, to sing, but here they render it by dSoXeaxijo-at,…
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266 SERMONS UPON GENESIS XXIV. 63. night-watches.' The expression is taken from the custom of the Jews, who divided the night into so many watches. Whilst others were repos- ing their bodies on their beds, David was reposing his soul in the bosom of God, and he gave the less rest to his eyes that he might give the mor…
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Doct. That it is the duty of christians to sequester and set apart some time and place for solemn meditation, or the exercising their souls in heavenly and holy things. My purpose is to speak of meditation, a duty unaccustomed and unpractised ; both the practice and the knowledge of it are become strangers to us. The …
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(1.) Dogmatical meditation is when we exercise ourselves in the doctrines of the word, and consider how truths known may be useful to us. It differeth from study, partly in the object ; study is conver- sant about a thing unknown in whole or in part : Rom. xii. 2, ' That ye may prove what is that good and acceptable an…
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[2.] It is not a duty of an arbitrary concernment. It is not only a moral help that may be observed or omitted, but a necessary duty, without which all graces would languish and wither. Faith is lean and ready to starve unless it be fed with continual meditation on the promises ; as David saith, Ps. cxix. 92, * Unless …
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272 SERMONS UPON GENESIS XXIV. 03. Eccles. vli. 4. We usually complain we want temper and we want matter ; but the truth is we want an heart. David saith, Ps. cxix. 97, ' Oh ! how love I thy law ; it is my meditation all the day.' Delight- some objects will engross the thoughts. Therefore see if it be not a moral dist…
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3. Of spiritual things. This notetli the object, and so I call matters that are of an useful consideration ; as for instance, God, that we may fear him ; sin, that we may abhor it ; the works of God for the Creator's glory ; any useful subject. So David limiteth it : Ps. xlix. 3, ' My mouth shall speak of wisdom ; and …
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2, It is a great advantage to the work of grace upon the affections. Ponderous thoughts are the bellows that kindle and inflame the affec- tions ; they blow up those latent sparkles of grace that are in the soul. Impure thoughts stain the heart, and convey a taint and filth to the soul : 2 Peter ii, 14, ' Having eyes f…
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SERMONS UPON GENESIS XXIV- C3. 277 3. It is an advantage to the fruits of grace in the life ; it maketh the heavenly life more easy, more sweet, more orderly and prudent. [1.] More easy, because it calleth in all the rational help that may he, Eeason, which otherwise would serve the senses, and be enslaved to appetit…
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2. Do not pry further than God hath revealed ; your thoughts must be still bounded by the word. There is no duty that a fanatic brain is more apt to abuse than meditation. When men are once able to raise their thoughts, they soar too high, and being ])uffed up with their fleshly mind, intrude themselves into things tha…
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6. Meditate of those things especially which you have most need of. There is the greatest obligation upon the heart. The matter is not arbitrary ; there you will find most help, and there the benefit will be most sensible. Seasonable thoughts have the greatest influence. The servants of God have sometimes meditated on …
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11. Your success in the duty is not to be measured by the multitude and subtlety of the thoughts, but the sincerity of them. Christians puzzle and disquiet themselves because they look too much at gifts ; you should covet the best gifts, but not inordinately : Ps. IL 6, ' Thou desirest truth in the inward parts.' In pr…
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SERMONS UPON GENESIS XXIV. iV3. 283 obedience : it is expressed by a constant course of work and labour : 1 Cor. XV. 58, ' Be ye steadfast and unmovalile, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your Uibour is not in vain in the Lord.' Keligion is a constant exercise ; there are no loitere…
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How shall we do to wean the soul from pleasures ? [1.] Consider to love pleasure is to gratify the beast in us rather than the angel. Man is in part an angel and in part a beast ; he hath a nature common to both. Now when men study altogether to gratify their sensual part, it is to turn men into beasts. To serve our l…
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4. Another let and hindrance is unwieldiness of spirit to spiritual and heavenly duties. The heart is many times burdened and oppressed, and sunk down with its own burden and weight, that it cannot be lifted up to any holy duties, and so is unfit for any exercise of religion. This our Saviour bids his disciples have a …
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2. A loose garish spirit, that is apt to skip and wander from thought to thought. There is a madness in man ; his thoughts are light and feathery, tossed to and fro, and like the loose wards in a lock, only kept up whilst we are turning the key. This doth much discourage christians, that they cannot keep up their affec…
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SERMONS UPON GENESIS XXIV. 63. 289 and not come reeking from the world into God's presence. There must be a time to raise the soul into a zealous height and ardour ; there must be a blowing of the fire, for here you come to flame, your thoughts are to flame out in great and raised ascents : Cant. i. 12, 'While the kin…
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[2.] Chide the heart for your vain excursions. Christians might have more command over their hearts if they would but hold the reins a little straiter, and check their souls ; they are not so sadly sensible of the idle roving of the brain, which do not so directly carry them after the evil, though they make them to neg…
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292 SERMONS UPON GENESIS XXIV. 63. thoughts. (2.) Enforcing reasons, when we pitch upon one matter, and inculcate it, and whet it upon the soul according to our present distress and exigencies, which is a pleading with our own hearts from the main design and end of the duty. 2. It is not good to skip from matter to m…
917 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.