PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Thomas Manton — Volume 20
Thomas Manton · 329,200 words · 330 reading sections
Section 1
RAW ^ PRINCETON, N. J. Shelf BX 8915 .M3 1870 v. 20 Manton, Thomas, 1620-1677. The complete works of Thomas Manton THE WORKS OF THOMAS MANTON, D.D. VOL. XX. COUNCIL OF PUBLICATION. W. LINDSAY ALEXANDER, D.D., Professor of Theology, Congregational Union, Edinburgh. JAMES EEGG, D.D., Minister of Newington Free C…
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XII. " Wherefore also we pray always," &c, . 302 XIII. "Wherefore also we pray always," &c, . 313 XIV. " That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in him, accord- ing to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ," . . . .322 XV. " That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ," &c, ....…
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4. ' By sect a pharisee ; ' of the strictest among the Jews, Acts xxvi. 5. 5. Zealous above the ordinary sort of the pharisees, instructed with a commission to persecute the christians, which gave him a reputation in the eyes of those who were zealous for the law. 6. External righteousness before men for legal observ…
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[2.] Within the church, or in the bosom of Christianity. So men are turned from profaneness to holiness, from formality to serious godliness. The one is spoken of Isa. i. 16, 17, ' Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes ; cease to do evil, learn to do well ; seek judgment, reli…
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VER. 7.] SERMONS UPON PHILIPPIANS III. 7 or to the outward profession of some strict form without the power. And till God breaketh in upon us, and convinceth us of our mistakes, and those follies by which we delude ourselves, we think we have gained a great point if we have come under the form, though we have denied t…
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[2.] That we have great benefit by this enlightening. (1.) We know things more clearly, and have a spiritual discerning, without which, being blinded by the delusions of the flesh, we put darkness for light, and light for darkness. We think our misery to be our happiness, and our true and solid happiness to be our mis…
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(4.) We know things with more efficacy and power ; not only are mis- takes discovered, but lusts subdued. Sin, grace, Christ, and eternity are of weight to move a rock, yet shake not the heart of the carnal professors, because they received the word of God in word only, and not in power. But when the gospel cometh in t…
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[1.] If so, then you are humbled and awakened with a sense of your lost condition ; for God doth not offer grace to sinners, as sinners simply, but to lost sinners, such as are weary and heavy laden, Mat. xi. 28 ; to such as are broken in heart, and grieved, and troubled : Isa. lxi. 1,2,' The Spirit of the Lord God is …
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2. The causes of this contempt were great, and such as did every way justify it. As he contemned great things, so he contemned them for weighty causes. Two are mentioned — [1.] ' The excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord ; ' that is, that he might obtain the knowledge of Christ, which is so excellent tha…
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VeE. 8.] SERMONS UPON PHILIPPIANS III. 15 please and follow him, though with the loss of all things. Nothing must be preferred before the conscience of our duty to him. What- ever is a help to Christ, be it honour, wealth, or pleasure, it must be cherished ; and what is a hindrance, it must be cut off and renounced. …
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[2.] It is inferred out of the love of the gospel; we are to love Christ with a transcendent and superlative love : ' For all men must honour the Son as they honour the Father,' John v. 23. Therefore, as we love God, so we must love Christ above all. We love God above all : Ps. lxxiii. 25, ' Whom have I in heaven but t…
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our accustomed delights and dearest interests, whether we shall en- deavour to please God in all things, though never so much against our bent and humour ; whether we will entertain afflictions and persecu- tions with all joy. if the}' come upon us for Christ's sake. If we flow in wealth, can we live as having nothing,…
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2. A care in keeping Christ above all ; superlative love shows itself in this, in a chariness and tenderness of your interest in Christ above all things which are dearest to you. He is your life, Gal. ii. 20, your strength, 1 John iv. 4, your blessedness, Col. i. 27. Now, then, if you keep your beloved as a bundle of m…
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V£R. 8.] SERMONS UPON PHIL1PPIANS III. 21 SERMON III. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. — Phil. iii. 8. This is the first end or reason why he contemned all things. There are three propositions in the words — 1. That the knowledge of Christ …
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[3.] When we know him so as to obey him. In this sense we know no more than we practise : 1 John ii. 4, ' He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.' He prattleth of God, but doth not know God. It is a false- hood, cum intentione fallendi. A lie is a falsehood w…
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24 SERMONS UrON PHILIPPIANS IIL [[S'EK IIL remembrance of oar approaching misery, than redemption by Christ ? yea, what to allay our present sorrows and trouble about a naughty heart, an opposite world, and a tempting devil, but the remembrance of the captain of our salvation, who hath undertaken to bring us to- God, …
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Use 1. Of reproof — 1. To those who study to know all things else but Jesus Christ. There is no sap or savour to them in this knowledge. They would know the course of nature by philosophy, the affairs of the world by history. We condemn not this knowledge simply, but if it be with the neglect of the knowledge of Chris…
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3. It is profitable. Its use commendeth it. Curiosities and need- less speculations we can well spare ; that is a knowledge occasioneth more pain than pleasure. To have the mind stuffed with needless notions is but a burden, not a perfection ; but this maketh us wise to salvation, and therefore doth most concern us. Fo…
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[3.] This lordship and dominion which the Eedeemer is possessed of is comfortable and beneficial to us; and the end of it is to effect man's cure and recovery. God had a full right to govern us, which could not be vacated by our sin ; and it was so great that it cannot be greater ; yet it was not comfortable to us. It …
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[2.] The duties. The notion of the Lord doth call for duty and obedience, and it is our part to obey : Heb. v. 9, ' He became the author of salvation to them that obey him.' Our obedience is the best testi- mony of our subjection to him. This is to be pressed, because the carnal world is usually guilty of a double inju…
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SERMON IV. That I may win Christ — Phil. iii. 8. Third point. That there should be some application when we consider Christ and address ourselves to know him. (1.) What is this applica- tion ; (2.) Why. I. What is this application. I shall give you — (1.) Some distinctions ; (2.) Some observations. 1. Distinctions…
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YEK. 8.] SERMONS UPON PHILIPPIANS III. 33 2. The one is necessary, the other is comfortable. [1.] The one is necessary. A sound convert, who esteemeth highly of this knowledge of Christ, hath no rest in his soul till he doth apply Christ ; which application is expressed diversely in scripture ; some- times by receivi…
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2. Without some application there can be no interest or benefit to us ; for general grace must some way be made particular, or else it cannot profit us ; else why are not all justified, all adopted, all saved ? There is the same merciful God, and the same sufficient Saviour, the same gracious covenant. Some apply this …
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4. Because our interest in him is the ground of our comfort and confidence. It is not comfortable to us, or not so comfortable, that there is a God, and there is a Christ. Devils believe so far ; but the thoughts of God and Christ are a part of their torment : James ii. 19, c Thou believest that there is one God ; thou…
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Doct. To be made partakers of Christ is the greatest gain. To evidence this I shall show you — (1.) What gain we have in having Christ ; (2.) How much this gain excelleth all other gain. I. What gain we have in having Christ. 1. He is our ransom from the wrath of God, and so you have some- what whereby to appease yo…
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2. It is the most universal gain : 1 Cor. iii. 22, 23, ' All things are yours,' because 'ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's.' Ordinances, providences, graces, comforts, this world, and the next, death between both. Yea, with Christ we receive temporal blessings : 1 Tim. iv. 8, ' Godliness is profitable unto all thing…
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40 SERMONS UPON THILIPPIANS III. [SeR. IV. this world, and in the world to come as happy as heart can wish. See it set forth, Kev. vii. 14, 15, ' These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them whife in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, a…
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First, The distinction. What is meant by ' his own righteousness ? ' Either the false, superficial righteousness which he had as a pharisee, mentioned ver. 6, ' Touching the righteousness which is in the law blameless ; ' exact in legal observances ; or else any other righteous- ness that might be thought of, that stan…
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YER. 9.] SERMONS UPON PHILIPPIANS III. 43 of us have such a personal legal righteousness ; for then there were no gin, no place for confession, nor for Christ. No ; we have all broken with God ; yea, there is no one work perfectly justifiable by the law : ' all are corrupt and abominable, there is none that doeth good…
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YeR. 9.] SERMONS UPON PHLLIPPIAXS III. 45 Faith and repentance, or new obedience, is not the least part of it. But in the second, believing, repentiDg, and obeying is our righteous- ness in their several respective ways ; namely, that the righteousness of Christ may be ours, and continue ours. Doct. It shall go well …
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4. Man having broken the law of nature or works, is lost or disabled to his own recovery, or to do anything whereby to satisfy God. We cannot make any satisfaction to God for the pardon of sin, or escaping the curse of the law ; or change our natures to return to the obedience of it ; or if we could, the paying of new …
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48 BEBMOHS OifQN PHILIPPIC'S III. [SeB. V. and condemn, and execute his sentence accordingly, partly in this life, yad partly in the life to come, as the scriptures abundantly witness : Acts xvii. 31, ' Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will j udge the world in righteousness, by the man whom he hath ord…
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[2.] A thankful acceptance ; for so great a benefit as pardon and life should not be entertained but with a grateful consent, and deep sense of his love, who so freely loved us, and forgave us so great a debt, and doth so freely save us : Luke vii. 47, ' Her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much ; but …
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[2.] Again, he reckoneth affliction for Christ's sake among the advan- tages of Christ. Surely the afflictions of the gospel, when they are holily and patiently endured, are an advantage ; not affliction as affliction, but partly from the cause : Phil. i. 29, ' For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only…
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1. Experience giveth us a more intimate knowledge of things. While we know things by hearsay, we know them only by guess and imagina- tion ; but when we know them by experience, we know them in truth ; as he that readeth of the sweetness of honey may guess at it, but he that hath tasted of honey better knoweth what it …
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comforter, and we carry about in us the matter of our continual joy, confidence, and comfort ; and therefore we have greater obligations to love God and Christ : Kom. v. 4, 5, ' And patience, experience ; and experience, hope ; and hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Hol…
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2. If you have not the practical experimental knowledge of Christ, how will you be able to carry on the spiritual life with any delight, seriousness, and success ? This appeareth by a serious view of that context which you have, 1 John v. 3-10. In the 3d verse he saith, ' This is love, to keep his commandments, and his…
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[1.] By word. You cannot recommend the heavenly life, nor the comforts of entertaining communion with God, as when you have had experience of them in your own souls. David speaketh affectionately, and like a man of experience : Ps. xxxiv. 8, ' Oh, taste and see that the VER. 10.] SERMONS UPON PHILIPPIANS III. 57 Lord…
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3. Close application. Things work not upon us at a distance, with- out being applied ; as the plaster doth not cure till laid close to the wound. We ourselves must take home the truth if we would feel the virtue of it. The comfort and the mercy must be brought near to us that was before afar off and at a distance. Whil…
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60 SERMONS UPON PHILIPPIANS III. [SER. VL and so spoken of everywhere in scripture ; as here it is called, ' the power of his resurrection ; ' so it is said, Eph. ii. 5, ' He hath quickened us together with Christ.' Not at the same time in our own persons, for so we are quickened a long time after Christ's resurrectio…
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[2.] Conformity to Christ. We must be like him whom we have chosen for our head and chief. What do we with Christianity, if we refuse to be like Christ? Rom. viii. 29, 'Whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son ; ' to be holy as he was holy, and to be afflicted as he was affl…
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[1.] To intimate the difficulty, thereby to quicken his desire and diligence ; as if he had said, I know it is hard to come by this happy estate, but I resolve to pursue it by any means. It is a matter of great difficulty to attain to the glorious resurrection of the just, and have our portion in it ; but though it be …
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I. What is the happiness of the saints in that day. The blessedness is either subjective and inherent, or relative and adherent. 1. Our personal inherent blessedness is glory revealed in us, Rom. viii. 18. Now this glory in us is a complete felicity in body and soul. [1.] The body hath its felicity, for several reaso…
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VOL. xx. e 66 SERMONS UPON PHILIPPIANS III. [SeR. VIL sinning again. We shall fully enjoy the vision of God, and by seeing be made like him. If specular vision transformeth us (2 Cor. iii. 18r ' But we all with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to gl…
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[2.] Living to God. None shall live with God but those that first live to God in a state of holy communion with him, and glorify him upon earth. The spiritual life is heaven begun : if it be begun, it will be perfected ; if not, we eternally miss of it. If we look for the resur- rection of the dead, we must prepare for…
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2. From the temper of his goverment, or the mitigation of his sovereignty, which he observeth in all his dealings with his people. God is an absolute sovereign, and giveth no account of his matters ; therefore we must acquiesce in his laws and providences, though we know not the reasons of them. Yet his sovereignty in …
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VER. 11.] SERMONS UrON PHILIPPIANS III. 71 thought worthy of the pains and difficulties to be sustained in going towards it. So it is in the case of heaven. Heaven is a good place, but out of indulgence to the ease of the flesh, and because of the strictness of holy walking, and the difficulties of obedience, we give …
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2. In our passive obedience. We are uncertain what changes we may see; it is past our skill to understand the methods of providence. We know not what God will do with us ; but whatsoever he doth, you must say, ■ If by any means I might attain the resurrection of the dead.' If we never suffer, we must be sure to have a …
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[3.] Love. All your looking to the reward must be mixed with a love to God, that there may be longing as well as looking. Our spiritual joys consist in a holy love and fruition of God. This is that we desire and value : Phil. i. 23, ' Having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better.' To be with Ch…
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2. An earnest endeavour for the future : ' But I follow after it that 1 may apprehend,' hidoKto. I run as hard as I can, pursuing and striving to overtake, with as great desire and diligence in that exercise, when he was behind another; so though he had not attained his crown, yet he would not slacken his diligence til…
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4. They have assurance, because they have the spirit of adoption in a more eminent degree. All God's children have it : Gal. iv. 6, ' And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father ; ' Eph. i. 13, 14, ' In whom ye also trusted, after ye heard the word of truth,…
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[2.] Neither is this spoken to hinder the comfort and encouragement which ariseth from the application of this doctrine. The belief of per- severance in the general is one thing, and the belief of my perseverance is another. That is not so evident and certain every way as the doc- trine itself ; for my own sincerity is…
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3. Some have ' left their first love,' Kev. ii. 4, have fainted in the race before they came to the goal : Gal. v. 7, ' Ye did run well ; who hindered you ? ' Men that have made long profession of the name of Christ may find a great abatement of their integrity in their latter days: 2 Chron. xvii. 3, ' Jehoshaphat walk…
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SEEMON IX. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect ; hut I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. — Phil. iii. 12. Use 2. Is to teach us three duties which are to be observed to the very last — diligence, watchfulness, and self-denial. 1.…
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Doct. 2. That whatsoever degrees we have already attained, we must press forward to perfection. As Paul laboured hard after it, so should we all in the sense of our defects, and endeavour a constant progress. Reasons. 1. By this our title is assured. All that will be saved must either be perfect or labour after perf…
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VER. 12.] SERMONS UPON PH1LIPPIANS III. 85 3. The notion of grace implietb it. You must not only begin it, but continue it till you come to the goal. Besides your entrance into Christianity, there must be a progress. There is a gate, and a way, Mat. vii. 14. Will you always keep at the door and entrance ? It is not en…
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3. The tendency of this life infused is to be considered by us, which is to God and heaven. Converting grace draweth and bendeth the soul to its end and rest, that we may grow more divine and heavenly ; for you are so far sanctified as you are divine and heavenly. [1.] Divine : 2 Peter i. 4, ' Whereby are given unto u…
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This consideration giveth you a double advantage — [1.] It assureth you of his willingness and readiness to assist and help you to the end of the race; for Christ will not lose his own crown, if believers be his crown and rejoicing. [2.] Our Saviour Christ hath given an example of enduring the highest afflictions in t…
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90 SEHMONS UPON PHILIPPIANS III. [SER. IX. to perform that which is good, I find not ; ' and ver. 24, ' 0 wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me from the body of this death ? ' The increase of light showeth sin to be more than we thought it to be, and the increase of love maketh it to be more a burden to us. Lo…
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4. By frequent commerce with God they know more of God, and so more of themselves. A godly man hath much to do with that majesty and perfection which continually aweth him, and keepeth him humble: Job xlii. 5, 6, ' I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear ; but now my eye seeth thee : wherefore I abhor myself, an…
1,089 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.