PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Thomas Manton — Volume 21
Thomas Manton · 313,086 words · 310 reading sections
Section 1
AS BAK.IiK,^H , 1 - HO Square, ^^H '\ r '"i oNDorr^^^H ;■, m§ i > Wm^:'l^ i ot *e moWm ^^^ /o^ ;u,qo PRINCETON, N. J. >■!!, BX 8915 .M3 1»/U~V^.21 Manton, Thomas, 1620-1677. The complete works of Thomasj Manton Shelf ••1. ,^i -^v>'"-\. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■■ 'A.;;*r:' '&'X if h\^ ♦) M f THE WORKS OF THOMA…
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Sermon I. " Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty ; neither do I exercise myself in great matters, nor in things too high for me," II. " Lord, my heart is not haughty," III. " Neither do I exercise myself in great matters, nor -in things too high for me," IV. " Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as…
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1. The guilt is taken away when the obligation to punishment is dissolved, and we are freed from wrath to come ; which is one great benefit we have by our Lord Jesus ; 1 Thes. i. 10, ' Which delivered us from the wrath to come.' This is done by a pardon, which relateth to sin : Eph. i. 7, ' In whom we have redemption t…
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2. As to the application, it is usually said that he taketh away the guilt of sin by his blood, and the filth of sin by his Spirit. But this is not so truly and accurately said ; for his blood cleanseth us both from the guilt and stain of sin: 1 John i. 7, 'And the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin : and Rev. i…
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2. This is to slight the price of our redemption ; for since with so much cost this work of taking away sin is carried on, for you to be indifferent whether sin be taken away or no is to disvalue and put a slight on the wisdom of God, and the wonderful condescension of his love in Christ, as if so much ado were made ab…
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VeR. 5.] SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN HI. 9 1 John i, 9, *If we confess onr sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' This is a thorough cure. [4.] There is no taking away guilt and punishment till we be sancti- fied, till sin itself be taken away. The one part of the c…
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II. As Christ is propounded by way of pattern and example, ' In him was no sin.' I shall first speak a little of the innocency of Christ ; secondly, show how he is set forth as a pattern and example of holiness unto us. 1. The scripture sets forth the Lord Jesus as an eminently holy and innocent person, that he had no…
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12 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR. iX. [4.] Christ's example, and unsinning obedience to God, is a notable check to sin, and all the temptations, occasions, and inducements which lead to it. Notliing should be of such value with a christian as to hire him to commit wilful sin. Christ obeyed at the dearest rates and ter…
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Again, let us consider his example. Will you be so unlike Christ? ' In him was no sin,' and you are all overspread with sin. He learned obedience by the things he suffered, Heb. v. 8, 9. He came to be the leader to everlasting happiness of an obeying people ; his stamp and character should be upon ail his followers. He…
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Let us come to the second thing, reatus, the guilt of sin. There is reatus culpce, the guilt of sin ; and reatus paence, the guilt of punish- ment. Beatus culpce, is the applying the law to the fact, and both to the person that hath committed it. Suppose that such a fact is a sin, because such a law forbiddeth it, and …
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[2.] For the temporal punishment : while we have sin in us, and are making out our claim, and our sanctification is imperfect, God hath reserved a liberty for his corrective discipline, and to punish and chastise his children as it shall seem meet to his wisdom and justice : VeR. 5.] SERMONS UPON 1 JOHM III. 17 Ps. I…
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[2.] That the gift of the Spirit is a kind of executive pardon, or a receiving the atonement ; for this grace was forfeited by sin, as man brought death spiritual upon himself, as well as temporal and eternal, and we made the stain of sin to consist in the loss of the Spirit, or an inclination to sin again ; therefore …
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20 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR. IX. US to do what is proper to us : 1 Peter i. 22, ' Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through tlie Spirit.' What then are we to do ? — (1.) As to our entrance into Christianity ; (2.) As to our recovery out of our falls. 1. As to our entrance into the grace o…
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Secondly, Now what grounds have we that Christ will do this for us ? 1. Christ's office and undertaking, which he cannot possibly neg- lect ; for this end was he manifested, and sent by the Father, to take away sin: Acts v. 31, 'God hath exalted him to be a prince and a saviour, to give repentance and remission of sin…
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[1.] Intimacy, or the near and close conjunction between Christ and a believer by faith. [2.] Constanc}', or an adherence to him, and dependence upon him on our part ; for the union is not like to break on Christ's side; it is we that are pressed to abide in him, and that first because some are in Christ only by visib…
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1. Confederation is the foundation of all on our part ; for entering into covenant with God is the ground of our union with him, or by Christ with him ; for then God is our God, and we are his people, Jer. xxiv. 7. Abraham is called the friend of God with respect to the covenant, James ii. 23 ; and we have the right of…
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4. Communion and fruition maketh way for familiarity, for real inter- courses of love between Christ and the soul. He dwelleth and walketh with us, and we with him ; he directeth, counselleth, and quickeneth us, and we live in a holy subjection and obedience to the motions and inspirations of liis grace : Ps. xxvii. 8,…
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28 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR. X. our life, and supplying us with all things necessary to godliness. By love he dwelleth in us objectively, by such a union as is between the object and the faculty. A star is in the eye that seeth it though it be ten thousands of miles distant ; and what you think of is in your mind…
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Use 1. Information; to teach us how to check sin by the remembrance of union and communion with Christ : 1 Cor. vi. 15, ' Shall I take the members of Christ, and make them the members of a harlot? God forbid.' The apostle is reasoning against fornication, and one main argument is taken from our union with Christ. The b…
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VeR. 6.] SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. 31 you may bring forth fruit, John xv. 8. Fourthly, In abiding in liini we have much joy and comfort: John xv. 10, 11, *If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abode in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my j…
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SERMON XI. Little children, let no man deceive you : he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. — 1 John iii. 7. The apostle had hitherto reasoned against the committing of sin ; lie now persuadeth them to the contrary, the practice of holiness. As there is a positive part in religion as well …
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Secondly, By his conformity to Christ, ' As he was righteous.' He was righteous in his nature and practice, for he obeyed God perfectly, and ever did the things that pleased God : Heb. i. 9, ' Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity ; and therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladnes…
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36 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR. XI. versation and godliness. V/e judge of others by their external works, for the tree is known by its fruits, and we judge of ourselves by internal and external works together. If there be a principle of grace within, there will be a love of God, and a hatred of evil, and a delight i…
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2. Righteousness may be interpreted with respect to the sanction, which is twofold — the threatening and the promise. [1.] With respect to the threatening, and so righteousness is opposite to the reatus poence, the guilt or obligation to punishment; and so a man is said to be righteous when he is freed from the extern…
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2. But there is more than a sign ; it is a condition of our right and interest in Christ's righteousness, and the consequent benefits thereof Our qualification is a part of our plea that we are sound believers. To understand this, let me tell you that the righteousness of the new covenant is either supreme and chief, a…
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VeR. 7.] SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. 41 3. That their sins are but petty sh'ps, and small sins, mere human in- firmities ; that no man can be perfect ; that the purest saints have fallen into as great faults. But those are not infirmities which you indulge and allow, and study not to prevent and mortify, or retract not w…
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There is a double argument couched in it. You make yourselves an opposite party to Christ, and so build again what he came to destroy ; or at least you do not improve the help and remedy offered. Let me open these things more particularly. 1. The argument itself, ' He that committeth sin is of the devil.' The argument…
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(2d.) The object, ' The works of the devil ; ' whereby is meant sins whicii are called his lusts. The devil is the author of sin, the pro- moter of sin, and hath a great power over us by reason of sin. Sin is his work ; he doth not only sin himself, but instigates others to sin ; and this Christ came to destroy by the …
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[2.] Because all unregenerate men are governed by him, so that there is subjection as well as imitation ; they are acted and guided by his suggestions; he hath a great hand and power over them; and 4G SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR. XII. therefore carnal men are said to walk after the prince of the power of the air, w…
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Quest. 2. How do you carry yourselves as to the change of masters? That we were all once under the power of Satan is evident by what is said before. But how did we get out of it, or how do we stand affected towards our recovery ? 1. As to the offers of grace; if the god of this world do so blind our minds or harden ou…
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^ Qu. 'difference of the power' 1 — Ed. VeR. 8.] SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. 49 wheat, Luke xxii. 33. He knoweth that creatures are mutable, and those that miscarry not in one condition yet may in another : 'Ephraim is a cake not turned,' Hosea vii. 8, and he himself is subtle and full of wiles and methods. Now shall we…
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I observe here — 1. Two opposite powers and agents — the devil and the Son of God. The devil sought the misery and destruction of mankind, but Christ sought our salvation. Satan is the great disturber of the creation, and Christ is the repairer of it. This malicious cruel spirit ruined mankind at first, and therefore …
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52 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR. XIII, over them. So he is called the god of this world, 2 Cor. iv. 4, because of his great prevalency here : ' The priuce of the power of the air, that Avorketh in the children of disobedience,' Eph. ii. 2, All men in their unrenewed estate are very slaves to Satan, to his motions and…
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[2.] There is the work of the devil within us ; this is destroyed also. 54 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR, XIII. But here again we must distioguisli between the purchase and the ap- plication. (1.) The purchase was made when Christ died ; for, Heb. ii. 14, ' By death he destroyed him that had the power of death ; ' a…
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[2.] The dominion and power of sin. The devil keepeth peaceable possession in the soul as long as sin reigneth : Eph. ii. 2, ' He worketh in the children of di.sobedience.' Their hearts are his shop and work- house, where he formeth weapons and instruments of rebellion against God. The devil, who hath lost his seat in …
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(2.) As to the second case, I answer — To try and exercise the godly, Job i. 12. The godly are sometimes foiled, and yield to his tempta- tions, yet not taken captive by him at his will and pleasure. He may prevail in some cases on them, as he did on David: 1 Chron. xxi. 1, ' And Satan stood up against Israel, and prov…
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VeR 9.] SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. 59 SERMON XIV. Wliosoever -is horn of God doth not commit sin, for Ms seed remaineth in him ; and he cannot sin, because he is horn of God. — 1 John iii. 9. This verse is a perfect antithesis, or standetli in direct opposition to the former. There he reasoneth against a sinful life, …
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Thirdl}^ To state the true sense of these words — (1.) I must open the assertion ; (2.) Give the reasons ; (3.) Show the cogency of them. 1. The assertion. [1.] ' He doth not commit sin.' It is not to be understood, com- mitteth no act of sin at all, but he walketh not ordinarily and custom- arily in any course of kn…
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62 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR. XIV. speeches or actions, or making provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof. In short, there may be sluggishness ; we may be affected Avith the ease of the flesh, but we will not suffer it to withdraw us from God, or grossly to neglect the duties of our general and particu…
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2. For the reasons, they are two, ' Because they are born of God ; ' and ' The seed of God remaineth in them.' [1.] The general reason, from their change of state. (1.) What is it to be born of God ? It is to have a new life and nature wrought in us. To be made by God is one thing, to be born of God is another. All th…
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(2.) How doth it keep us from sinning, so that he who is born of God doth not sin, and cannot sin ? I answer — This seed of God may be considered either as to its VeR. 9.] SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN IIL 65 tendency and efficacy, or permanency and predominancy ; all which infer tlie thing in hand. {1st.) Its tendency. This…
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SERMON XV. Whosoever is horn of God doth not commit sin ; for his seed re- maineth in him ; and he cannot sin, because he is horn of God. — 1 John iii. 9. Use 1. Is exhortation, to press 5'ou that you are born of God, or pro- fess yourselves to be so, to avoid sin. 1. You should look upon sin not only as contrary to…
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68 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR. XV. without great reluctancies and dislikes, and checks from the new nature. I observe this for two reasons — [1.] Partly to show that that doth somewhat abate the operations of the opposite principle ; tlie flesh cannot carry it so freely, you cannot do what you would in the satisfa…
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6. This vital, contrary, predominant principle against sin is the fruit of a new birth ; and if it be so, there appeareth a shoal of arguments to draw us off from sin, and to press us to avoid sin. I will content myself with two — [1.] The way by which regeneration is brought about, which is by a deep sight and sense …
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7. This birth draweth to it God's assistance ; for whosoever is born of God is taken into God's family and under God's protection : ' For all things are of him, and through him, and to him ; ' as in a way of nature, so in a way of grace, Eom. xi. 35. They have their preserva- tion from him from whom they received their…
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VeR 9.] SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. . 73 10. The evidence of this character, and as it concerneth the satis- faction of our consciences, is made to consist in two things — (1.) That he that is born of God doth not sin ; (2.) Cannot sin ; and both expres- sions contain great arguments in them. [1.] That he doth not sin. …
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2. Consider where the new nature is in most danger, there is vitium sceculi, vitium gentis, and vitiicm pet'sonce. [1.] The fault of the age and nation, where sin being the more common, it is the less odious. Sins are in reputation where usually practised, and the inundation and torrent of examples carry men away stra…
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Doct. 1. That there is, and should be, a broad and manifest difference between the children of God and the children of the devil. Doct. 2. That charity and purity are true notes of God's children. The first doctrine may bear two senses — that this difference is mani- fest to others, or to themselves. 1. To others. I…
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78 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN HI. [SeR. XVI. but be dotb not so efficaciously work in tbem as on tbe carnal. Tbere- ibre between tbese two sorts of people there should be a manifest and broad difference. (2.) They have a different principle, the seed of God and corrupt nature : John iii. 6, ' That which is born of flesh is …
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Use 2. Is information. It informeth us of two important truths ; the one concerneth the ministry, the other all christians. 1. If there be such a manifest difference between the children of God and the childrea of the devil, then ministers must carefully make the distinction, and convince the one sort and comfort the …
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Use 3. It is an awakening to God's people, who after long profession are no more clear in their own qualification. You should so unques- tionably carry it for God, that others should know you ; at least you should know j'our own selves : ' Examine yourselves, prove yourselves ; know ye not your own selves, how that Jes…
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Doct. 2. That purity and charity are true notes of God's children. These are characters laid down here, as manifest evidences whereby our estate may be determined. First, Purity. See how it is described in the text, ' He that doeth not righteousness is not of God.' Where observe — 1. That not only sins of commission…
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2. But let us explain the nature of this doing righteousness. It is to fear God, and walk in all his ways : Acts x. 35, ' He that feareth God and worketh righteousness.' Or he is said to do righteousness who, being justified and sanctified by the Spirit, doth give up himself to God to do his will, and maketh it the bus…
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VeU. 10.] SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. 85 to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you.' God must be loved in all his creatures ; his natural image in all men, his spiritual image in his saints. Well, then, if you would be accounted children of }'our Father which is in heaven, love…
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SERMON XVII. For this is the message that ye heard frovi the beginning, that ice should love one another. — 1 John iii. 11. In these words we have a reason of the last clause in the former verse, why he that lovetli not his brother is not of God. This is his argu- ment : He that keepeth not God's commandments is not …
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I. What is this love to one another ? There are two branches of it : 2 Peter i. 7, ' And to brotherly kindness, charity.' 88 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR, XVII. First, There is contained in it brotherly kindness, a grace wrought in us by the Holy Spirit, inclining us to love all those without excep- tion as brethren…
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[3.] As occasion serveth, we must really promote their good to the uttermost of our power ; for it is a cold love that will not be at any pains and charges, or hazard any interests, for the sake of those whom we love ; that contenteth itself with wishes, yea, though they be formed into prayers. No ; we must not say onl…
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(3.) We should love them all, whether we be obliged or disobliged ; for in brotherly kindness we are not to mind our own things, but the image of God and the glory of God, and the good and benefit of others : Phil. ii. 4, * Look not every one upon his own things, but every man also upon the things of others.' Whether w…
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2. From this love enemies and persecutors are not excepted : Mat. V. 44, ' Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and perse- cute you.' For this is to be like Grod, who is kind to the unthankful and the evil : Luke vi. 35, ' But love your…
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II. How God hath recommended it to our obedience. 1. It is a precept and a commanded duty, and not bare counsel and advice only. There is a great deal of difference between allowing and commanding; where a thing is allowed, licet, it may be done; but where a thing is commanded, oportet, it must be done, a necessity is…
1,073 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.