PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Thomas Manton — Volume 19
Thomas Manton · 315,248 words · 313 reading sections
Section 181
[1.] As we are creatures. We were made and sent into the world for this end, that we might approve ourselves by a constant course of obedience to the God that made us, and finally be accepted with him, and received into his glory. The wise God made nothing in vain ; and surely he made not man to fill up the number of t…
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Secondly, We please God by doing what he hath required of us in his word. There are certain things evident by the light of nature VeR.- 10.] SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. 293 which belong to our duty ; these must not be overlooked : Micah vi. 8, ' He hath sliowed thee, 0 man, what is good ; and what doth the Lord require…
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VeU. 10.] SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. 295 speaketh f lovrardness ; ' that is, they know what is acceptable to Grod ; they are instructed out of his word how to order their speech for profit, that it may be good, and minister grace to the hearers ; others easily bewray the corruption of their hearts by their tongues. So …
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[3.] The judgment of others will be no plea for us in the last day, if we be wrong ; for we are to follow the dictates of our own consciences. I say not that we are to follow our own private fancies, but conscience enlightened by the word. So ' the spiritual man jutlgeth all things,' 1 Cor. ii. 15 ; that is, for his ow…
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298 SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. [SeR. XII. Eom. xiv. 23, ' He that doubtetli is damned if lie oat, because lie eatetli not of faith ; for whatsoever is not of faith, is sin.' [G.] We are not so to search as to depend upon our private judg- ment, or slight the helps which God hath left in the church for the establishing…
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3. That it is not easy to acquit ourselves as children of the light ; much study and search into the scriptures is required of us : Ps. i. 2, ' But his delight is in the law of the Lord ; and in that law doth he meditate day and night. And much heedful ness, that we walk accordingly ; much watchfulness over our hearts …
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[2.] Because they are suggested by the temptations of the devil, who is the prince of darkness, and the ruler of the darkness of this world ; and therefore called 'his lusts,' John viii. 44 ; 'his works,' 1 John iii. 8. He enticed the world of mankind from God, and still detaineth them by their slavery to their lusts. …
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2. These are said to be unfruitful by a /x€[coaL<;, that is, damnable ; as Heb. xiii. 17, ' That is unprofitable for you.' The meaning is, hurtful and pernicious ; however, the expression is emphatical. These works produce not only no good fruit, but certainly bring forth evil fruit, and prove bitterness in the end. So…
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304 SERMONS UPON EPIIESIANS V. [SeR. XIII. sinful practices ? Wo are often quarrelling with God ; what profit is it to serve the Almighty ? Mai. iii. 14, ' Ye have said, It is vain to serve dod ; and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinances?' Job xxi. 15, ' What is the Almighty that we should serve him? and …
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(3.) By consenting, though we be not the principal actors ; as Ahab : 1 Kings xxi. 19, 'Hast thou killed, and taken possession ?' Ahab is said to kill, though Jezebel laid the plot, and others executed it ; yet Ahab consented, and took the benefit of it. Therefore ' Hast thou killed ? ' (4.) By abetting, aiding, and a…
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VeR 11.] SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. 307 other sort. Surely it is a grief to the Holy Spirit that you are so like the devil and his children, and yet profess a nearness to God. Christ hath done his part to difference you from the world, and you will not declare the difference, and make it manifest. You harden the world,…
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4. The children of God are fitted and prepared for this, to abstain from sin. If wicked men be afraid or ashamed to do these things in the light of the sun, and they cannot easily overcome the wrestlings of conscience, how can the children of God do these things, who have the light of grace ? If conscience give back wh…
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[4.] Your hap})iness lieth in communion with God, and communion with God we cannot have if we have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness : 1 John i. 6, 7, ' If we say that we have fellowship 310 SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. [SeR. XIV. with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth. But if we wal…
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For plainness' sake we will handle them distinctly. [1.] For shame, which ariseth from the consciousness of a fault, and is a fear of blame. This showeth tliat nature hath blasted evil with some marks of her improbation and abhorrence. Certainly if we had no conscience of good and evil, we would as boldly avow our evi…
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dotli not only restrain the practice, but even bridleth tlieir speech con- cerning other men's sins. Use 1. To show us the evil of sin. Two things in the text discover that— 1. It is a deed of darkness. It is done in secret, it dareth not appear in the light ; the very heathen confined it to privacy, and their closes…
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8. This induration and excecation, this blindness and hardness of heart, is at first partial, concerning this or that sin ; but at length general, concerning all sin ; and this begetteth that horrid impudence that men are past all shame. When by the terrible judgment of God they are let alone after their first transgre…
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316 SKRMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. [Ser. XIV. eye of man, and not afraid of the great God? Thoii wouldst not have a child see thee to do what God seetli thee do. This is a plain- setting man ahove God. They seek no more than to be hid from the- sight of the world. 3. The more secret any wickedness is, the more studious an…
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2. At the great day of account, and last judgment : Ps. I. 21, ' I will set thy sins in order before thee ; ' and 1 Cor. iv. 5, ' He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the heart ; ' that is, every man's intentions and purposes. Then all will be laid open before men…
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[1.] The ministry of angels : Eccles. v. 6, ' Neither say thou before the angel. It was an error; ' 1 Tim. v. 21, ' I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things ; ' 1 Cor. xi. 10, ' For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head, because of the ange…
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VeR. 13.] SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. 321 and sent abroad with a special commission to preach. Therefore all christians are said to be ' the salt of the earth,* and ' the light of the world ; ' not only ' light in the Lord,' but * the light of the world.' Jesus Christ is originally so : John viii. 12, ' I am the light o…
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[2.] Holiness of life. Not only is the light of God's word considered here, but the holy life of the christian, which is also an awful and con- vincing thing, because it hath light in it, and shines to us. It is not words prevail so much as deeds. Light hath its power as it is held forth in our words, but much more as …
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324 SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. [Ser. XV. fleshly lusts by which the rest of the world are captivated ; and as a comforter he supporteth us in the greatest trials and afflictions. So that all the persons in the Trinity receive due honour from us. We add nothing to God, but we are to tell the world what he is. (2.) I wi…
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[2.] This conviction and disproof of their practices often tendeth to and endeth in conversion : 1 Cor. xiv, 24, 25, ' But if all prophesy, and there cometh in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is con- vinced of all, he is judged of all. And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest ; and so falling do…
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(1.) Nature discovereth only some gross sins : Rom. ii. 15, ' Which show epyov vofxov, the work of the law written in their hearts,' &c. Heathens only condemned vices that appeared in external actions, as if virtue were not to regulate the purposes and intentions of the heart as well as the works of external deportment…
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3. It informeth us why Satan and his wicked instruments do so hate the light, and oppose and hinder its propagation in the world, either by the preaching of the word or the lives of christians, because the works of darkness are manifested by the light. The devil maligneth the success of the gospel : 2 Cor. iv. 4, ' In …
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2. In the testimony produced there are two things to be observed — (1.) A command ; (2.) A promise. [1.] A command, ' Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead.' In which words observe — (1.) The quality of the persons to whom the command is given; (2.) The nature of the command itself (1.) The quality of the…
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But the former is now under our consideration, the sleep of the carnal, not of the renewed. That sleep again is twofold — natural and judicial. 332 SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. [SeR. XVI. (1.) Natural, when they are careless of their souls, neglectful of heavenly things, live without God in the world. This is natural to…
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[2.] We are dead as we have lost the favour of God, and are obnoxious to his wrath. The law hath sentenced us to death, and our passing from death to life is not only put in opposition to corruption, but is opposite to condemnation : John v. 24, ' He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlas…
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VeR. 14.] SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. 335 life and <^odliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.' God hath called us to glory and virtue, which we expound, to heaven and holiness. But the call remaineth ineffectual, there being so much opposition without and within our hearts, and sli…
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[2.] Formal and constitutive, * Arise from the dead/ Our conver- sion is as the recalling of a dead man to life ; and therefore called 'repentance from dead works,' Heb. vi. 1. And it is represented by the return of the prodigal, Luke xv. 32, ' For this thy brother was dead, and is alive again.' It is as wonderful a wo…
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God exhorteth for these reasons — (1.) To demand his right. Though we have lost our power, yet he must not lose his right. As a debt may be demanded from a prodigal creditor who hath wasted his substance, so may our duty be required of us, especially when it is demanded practically, to convince us of our impotency ; t…
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2. Their greatest concernments are forgotten by them, which is avoiding eternal death and obtaining eternal life : Prov. xv. 24, ' The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.' Our wisdom lieth in avoiding our greatest danger, and pursuing after our greatest happiness, and therefore to ch…
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5. Now is your time and season : Prov. x. 5, ' He that gathereth in summer is a wise son ; but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.' To lose time is sad, but to lose the season worst of all, and a season that bringeth profit as well as labour, as harvest doth. Usually the time of grace is between ei…
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Take two motives to quicken you to this — 1. Better never be awakened if still we continue in our sins, for this aggravateth them : John iii. 19, ' And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil.' When it prevaileth for conviction …
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[5.] Slumber is another cause of sleeping : Mat. xxv. 5, ' They all slumbered and slept ; ' first they slumbered, then they slept. No man becometh stark naught at the first step. Give way to a remiss will, and it increaseth on you ; one degree of carelessness breedeth another j 344 SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. [SeR. XVII…
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[2.] It is not an universal slumber and sleep of the whole man, and to all goodness. The heart awaketh : Cant. v. 2, 'I sleep, but my heart waketh.' And it is not an estate of sin that they are in, but some particular sins they are tempted to: Ps. cxix. 133, ' Order my steps in thy word, and let not any iniquity have d…
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YeK. 15.] SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. 347 SERMON XVIII. See then that ye loalk circumspectly, not as fools, hut as luise. Eph. v. 15. In the context the apostle inferreth a change of life from the change of then* condition ; they sometimes lived in heathenish darkness, but were now light in the Lord ; and therefore it…
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Reasons to evince the necessity of this circumspect walking. First, We have a strict rule, that doth not yield the least allowance and indulgence to sin. When David had admired the perfections of the law, for the purity of it, and its dominion over the conscience, what was the fruit of that meditation ? Ps. xix. 12, '…
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2. He must be our approver and judge. If we be sincere, we make him so : 2 Cor. v. 9, ' Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him; ' 2 Cor. i. 12, Tor our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the…
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* They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare,' 1 Tim. vi. 9, Yea, sometimes there may be a snare in our duties : 1 Tim. iii. 6, * Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemna- tion of the devil ; ' that is, grow proud by his ministerial service and employments, and so become a …
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YeE. 15.] SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. 353 deputy, and doth accuse and excuse by turns. Whithersoever we go, we carry an accuser and a witness about with us. None can escape this domestic tribunal. Conscience is either troublesome or quiet as we behave ourselves ; your own thoughts will be upon you, and your hearts repro…
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Use. Of reproof. 1. Of those that scoff at strictness and accurate walking. These scoff at that which is the glory of that religion which they do profess, that which God aimed at, that which Christ purchased, that which the Spirit worketh. They are guilty of persecution : Gal. iv. 29, ' But as then he that was born af…
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356 SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. [SeR. XVIII. glory, and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly ; ' Mat. v. 19, ' Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven : but whosoever shall do and teach them, th…
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5. Season the heart with strict principles. Two principles I shall commend to you — [1.] That the greatest suffering is to be chosen before the least sin. In suffering, the offence is done to us ; in sin, to God. The evil of suffering is but for a moment, the evil of sin for ever. Sin separateth you from God, but aflS…
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bereave us of a very practical lesson, it seemeth not proper to this place. [1.] Because the drift of the apostolical writings is to draw men to a contempt of life, and to a cheerful suffering of persecutions, not to clancular arts how to shift them. [2.] Because it is drawn from the consideration of their being * ch…
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[2.] Adversity maketh men serious. It was the aggravation of Ahaz's sin, that he was the worse for his misery, 2 Chron. xxviii. 22. If ever a man would be serious and circumspect, it should be in his misery : Heb. xii. 10, ' For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure, but he for our profit, th…
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-362 SERMONS UrON EPHESIANS V. [SeR. XIX. of cold water stays the boiling of the hot), and to mortify the flesh and rule the senses. Where nature hath disabled the body, there is some- what the less for grace to do. The scriptures always call for a present obedience : ' To-day, if you will hear his voice,' Heb. iii. 7…
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2. The season : buy it whatever it cost you. The season of receiv- ing good and of doing good. [1.] Of receiving good, and that — (1.) From God. God's seasons and opportunities must not be over- slipped. There are special times when God, by a fair concurrence of all circumstances, maketh nearer approaches to a sinner…
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VeR. 16,] SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. 365 for such a time as this ? ' Some seem to be made and raised up by providence for such a turn. We read of Paul, Acts xvii. 16, ' His spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idol- atry.' Impulse of spirit, though it make not new duties, yet it deter- mineth…
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[2.] ' Without spot.' This relateth to the soul, and the filthiness contracted by sin. This is your business, to get out your deep and inveterate stain. You began as soon as you made conscience of your baptism, and you never leave till it be perfected in glory : 2 Peter i. 4, ' Whereby are given unto us exceeding great…
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3. That time is only yours which is spent well, in pleasing God, and doing good ; for that time is bought and redeemed which otherwise is lost to you. We lose all that time which is not spent in the love and service of God. Strictly and properly we are never said to live as long as we are alienated from the life of God…
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VOL. XIX. 2 A 370 SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. [SeR. XX. 9. The slight price we are to give for time. You part with nothing but wliat is better lost than kept ; with a little ease of the flesh, vain pleasure which passeth away as the wind, a little worldly profit, which at death will be of no use to thee. Now these are …
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[3] Worldly profits and emoluments, which at death will be of no use to us : Mat. xvi. 26, ' For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul ? ' The soul may be lost by sins of omission as well as commission. If our worldly projects have distracted our minds, and bereft us of our time,…
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[2.] Vain and sinful pleasures and carnal sports. These rob us of our time, not only as there is a great deal spent in them, but chiefly as they taint our hearts, that we never truly mind the glory of God nor eternal happiness: Isa. v. 12, 'And the harp and the viol, the tabret and the pipe, and wine are in their feast…
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YeR. 16.] SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. 375 3. This is wisdom. Some are wise in time, others too late ; as the foolish virgins ; they saw a necessity of getting oil into their vessels, but it was too late, Mat. xxv. 10. But the godly make much of time before it is lost. Alas ! we have no security of the next day but our o…
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[2.] Those that do aliud agere, that is, do somewhat, but not what they should do, spend their whole time in hunting after the profits of the world, or in making provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof. No ; there are better things to mind. Everytliing is lost that helpeth us not towards heaven, much more t…
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(2.) The times while powerful means of grace are continued do not always last. Persons have their day and nations their day. He may take away his word from a people that reject it, and offer them his grace no more : Acts xiii. 46, ' But seeing you put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, …
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2. We have no sure rule to walk by but the will of God. It is his favour we seek as our life, his displeasure which we fear as death to ns ; into his presence we hope at last to come, and his wrath we shun as our greatest misery ; therefore it is his will we must obey, or we are not safe : 1 Peter iv. 2, ' That he no l…
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VeR. 17.] SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. 381 actions and practices, and to guide ns in our respective duties to God and man. The two great diseases of our understandings are ignorance and folly ; ignorance, because we know not our proper remedy ; and folly, because we know not how to apply it. [1.] There is a cold and nak…
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II. The reasons why much wisdom and a good understanding i» required of christians. 1. That they may resemble God, and discover his perfections to the world. The notions which we have of God are, that he is wise, power- ful, and good. Now all these christians are to express, for they are ' to show forth his virtues,' …
987 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.