PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Thomas Manton — Volume 21
Thomas Manton · 313,086 words · 310 reading sections
Section 181
[2.] As to our progress, continuance, and perseverance ; for this is not the work of a day, but of our whole lives. This is our walking in the narrow way, and evidenceth our sincerity in making covenant, and our pursuit showeth it is a true consent. As to this progress and perseverance, three things are required — (1.…
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[2.] On our part they are a badge and a bond to oblige us to the duties of the covenant ; a badge of the profession, and a bond to engage us to the duties which that profession calleth for. It is a debt : Gal. v. VeR. 38.] SERMONS UPON ACTS IT. 37, 33. 285 3, * For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, th…
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[3.] By these sealing signs we are solemnly invested into a right to the things promised, put in possession ; as when we are put in posses- sion of a bargain by formalities of law ; so, ' This is my body.' It is our solemn investiture. A believer receiveth Christ in the word : John i. 12, ' To as many as received him.'…
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1. For the obtaining of this benefit by a more serious work of 288 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SeR. VIL faith and repentance, for the washing away of sin : 1 Cor. vi. 11, ' And such were some of you ; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of…
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I answer — I take the promise indefinitely, as it is propounded, and so exclude neither the one nor the other. First, The extraordinary gifts are not wholly to be excluded, partly because these were the things which they now saw and admired in the apostles. Now saith Peter, Eepent, and believe in Christ, and ye shall …
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VeR. 38.] SERMONS UPOX ACTS II. 37, 38. 291 apostles, conversed togetlier in a wonderful, charitable manner, owned Christ boldly and comfortably in the midst of affiictions. The sum is this, that though all had not miraculous gifts, yet they had better, being enabled to believe on Christ unto righteousness, and make a…
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1. In purging out the lusts of it. The Spirit is said to cleanse us, and to purify us to the obedience of the truth : 1 Peter i. 22, ' Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit.' The Spirit showeth what purity of heart is pleasing to God, and work- eth it in us, casting out pride, and h…
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1. For the present, to witness to us our adoption and pardon of sins, and acceptance with God : Rom. v. 5, ' The love of God is shed ahroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost given unto us.' The love of God is shed abroad in the scriptures: ' Thy name is pouied out as a precious ointment.' But it is shed abroad in our hea…
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Use. First, Why ? To quicken us to look after this gift. Let us see why and how. 1. Consider our necessity. Better never had the spirit of a man, if we have not the Spirit of God. Man is only in fieri, in the way to his perfection. A brute hath all things now that belong to the perfection of his nature. Man, that was …
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3. Wait in the word ; the Spirit is gotten and increased there : Gal. VeR. 38.] SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. 297 ill". 2, ' Eeceived ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith ? ' The ordinary means whereby God worketh this grace is by the hearing of the word : 2 Cor. iii. 6, ' Who also hath m…
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5. They are led by the Spirit : Rom. viii. 14, ' As many as are led by the Spirit are the sons of God,' Dost thou take his counsel ? Art thou ruled and determined by him which way thou shalt go ? What authority and sway doth it bear with thee ? Art thou not driven, but led ? There is spontaneity and readiness for holy …
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{2d.) The word ' abideth for ever.' The word dieth not when we die : Luke xxi. 33, ' Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away ; ' Ps. cxix. 89, ' For ever, 0 Loid, thy word is settled in the heavens.' It is an eternal truth. The word abideth in the effects of it upon the regenerate. The sum of …
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4. The child so born cometh from a place of darkness and confine- ment into a state of light and liberty ; so doth the new creature. The terminus a quo, term from which, is darkness and bondage, figured by the state of the child before his birth ; and the terminus ad quern, term vo which, is a state of liberty, of ligh…
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304 SERMONS UPON 1 PETEK I. 23. [SeR. L fis if we would have the Sph-it blow to a dead coal. They confess only the infirmities of soul, when they should bewail the misery of an unre- generate and carnal estate. They complain of incident weakness, when we should first see that our habitual aversion from God be cured. …
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2. You that are old, oh, it is high time for you to be born again ; you are as good as dead already : Heb. xi. 12, ' Therefore sprang from him one, and him as good as dead.' Chimneys long foul, if they be not swept, will be fired at length. You have long lived or died in the world : ' A sinner of a hundred years old sh…
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2. The civil and ingenious,Hhat have been well educated and brought up, need also to be born again : Mat. v. 20, ' Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.' Who more exact than they as to external conformity ? There is a strai…
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First, That regeneration is the proper work of God, and the sole effect of his Spirit — 1. From the state of the person who is to be regenerated. The object of regeneration is a sinner lying in a state of defection from original righteousness, averse from God, yea, an enemy to him ; prone to all evil ; weak, yea, dead…
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Secondly, The exhortation is not in vain, for tliese reasons — 1, Because the ohject of regeneration is the reasonable creature, upon whom God worketh, not as upon a stock or a stone, but maketh use of the faculties which he hath, and dealeth with reasonable crea- tures in a reasonable manner; draweth them with the cor…
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5. The exhortation is not in vain, that men may not hinder this work, and obstruct their own mercies. This a man* may do two ways — (1.) Either by neglecting the means which God hath appointed ; or, (2.) By refusing the helps which God vouchsafeth to prepare and mollify the heait. [1.] By neglecting the means. Though …
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VeR. 23.] SERMONS UPON 1 PETER I. 23. 313 Well, now, let me go on with my exhortation. Since we are to labour after that which God will give, let me persuade you earnestly to desire, and carefully to endeavour after, this great benefit. But what is it that we are to do ? (1.) Something to prepare for this work : (2.) …
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2. With respect to the work itself. [1.] You are with brokenness of heart to bewail your corruption and the wretchedness of your natural estate : Luke xviii. 13, ' Lord, be merciful to me, a miserable sinner.' [2.] Beg grace of God : Jer. xxxi. 18, ' I have surely heard Ephraini bemoaning himself thus, Thou hast chas…
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(1.) Because there is more need that you should be born again, that you may receive the effect and fruit of your baptism, that it may not be an idle ceremony. Because they had ' put on Christ,' the apostle biddeth them ' put on Christ,' Col. iii. 10, 12 ; and again, because 'risen with Christ,' therefore ' set your aff…
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318 SERMONS UrON 1 PETER I. 23. [SeR. III. Gal. V. 25, ' If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.' Spiritual motion and action presupposeth a principle of spiritual life, as a thing previous unto and different from it. Therefore you do but delude yourselves to think to alter your course and way, or do…
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3. This habitual power or spiritual principle, as it worketh forth towards several objects, and in several kinds and ways of operation, hath divers names; as faith, hope, love, meekness; all which are called so many graces or fruits of the Spirit, but indeed are but the various discoveries of the same principle of spir…
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[2.] To enter into covenant with God doth imply a renouncing of other lords and masters which are opposite to Christ and the Spirit. These are the devil, the world, and the flesh ; for these are enemies of that salvation to which God of his infinite love would bring us, through the merits of Christ, by the sanctifying …
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YeR. 23.] SERMONS UPON 1 PETER I. 23. 323 then he is first afraid, and then ashamed of liis beasthness ; when he Cometh to himself, and the wine is gotten out of his head, then he is sorrowful that he should so much forget himself. So while we are in an estate of nature, we are without remorse, and go on with delight …
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[3.] Is it such a change as doth amount to conversion or regenera- tion ? Every change will not serve the turn, but such as doth induce a new life and likeness unto God. First, The infusion of a new life or vital principle is the great thing in regeneration. Is it so indeed that you begin to live in Christ? Life is kn…
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Secondly, The next effect is likeness : Gal. iv, 19, ' My little chil- dren, of whom I travail in birth till Christ be formed in you.' His image portrayed, drawn upon the soul ; so that a christian representeth Christ and expresseth his life in all that he doeth ; discovereth his Spirit working in him. The image of Chr…
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3. In the moral way the word hath a double operation. First, it prepareth to receive the gracious principle ; secondly, it exciteth the gracious principle newly infused to actual believing and turning to God. The one is ordinarily done by the law, the other by the gospel. Moses may bring to the borders, but Joshua lead…
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Butyou will say. This is true indeed of the apostles, who were infallibly assisted, and had the power of miracles to evidence their mission and call. I answer — The ordinary ministerial teaching is Christ's institution as well as that of the apostles : Eph. iv. 11, 'He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some ev…
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[1.] Because there is nowhere else such a discovery of God. The main end of regeneration is conformity to God's image, or to make us ' partakers of a divine nature,' 2 Peter i. 4, to work such a change in us as may make us like unto God in wisdom, righteousness, and humility, and pity to poor creatures. Now what fitter…
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(3.) To persuade to holiness in a high and potent way of reasoning, by pure precepts and strict injunctions, by high patterns and examples of being perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect, holy as he is holy; by fit inducements from the rewards and punishments, strict precepts requiring not only external practice, bu…
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VeR. 23.] SERMONS UPON 1 PETER I. 23. 333 deceive ns they deceive themselves, whose fidelity in other things we have experience of, that are to confirm their message by their practice, yea, with their suffering and their blood if need be. Use 1. Is to inform and instruct us in the nature of the word's concurrence, th…
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4. It informs us how much they are out who think there is too much preaching. Is there too much converting souls to God ? They think if preaching were not so common it would be the more reverenced. This is the popish plea, that ignorance is the mother of devotion. Indeed that is the way to keep up devotion to men's int…
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(3.) It abideth for ever as to the effects — (1.) In the execution of wrath on the wicked, it is the word of God that keeps them for ever in hell : Mark xvi. 16, ' He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned.' (2.) As to the enjoy- ment of everlasting blessedness : John v…
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1. Humiliation. The best man, when he cometh to compare him- self with the law of God, will be forced to blush and acknowledge more faults than ever he took notice of before. Too short an exposition of liie law begets a large opinion of our own righteousness ; that the ell VOL. XXI. Y 338 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. …
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[1.] Sins of mere infirmity and human frailty. [2.] Sins of presumption. We cannot understand the one without the other. [1.] Sins of infirmity ; they are of four kinds — (1.) Sins of ignorance ; (2.) Sins of sudden surreption or surprise ; (3.) Sins of daily incursion ; (4.) Sins of violent passion. (1.) Of ignoran…
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VeR. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. la 341 businesses and employments of the present life, they contract some filth, which must be Avashed off every day by a renewed application of the blood of Christ, that fountain which God hath opened for unclean- ness. The infirmities of the saints are not like the voluntary wallow-…
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But because this is not strict enough, and does not search the core to the bottom, I shall only add two things — First, That presumptuous sins are double — by way of omission and commission ; when they live in any known sin, or allow themselves in the omission of any necessary duty. 1. For presumptuous sins of commis…
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3. It is a daring of God, or a provoking him to do his worst: 1 Cor. X. 22, 'Do ye provoke the Lord to jealousy? are ye stronger than he ? ' What care they ? Some are said to be wicked in the sight of the Lord: Gen. xxxviii. 7, 'Er, Judah's first-born, was wicked in the sight of the Lord.' They were bold, presumptuous,…
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346 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13 [SeR. II. heavy on our persons, children, estate, and all other outward comforts. It is not safe to offend him. [3.] It bringeth a dishonour on the name of God, and a disgrace on religion : Eom. ii. 24, ' For the name of God is blasphemed among the gentiles through you ; ' 2 Sam. xii. 1…
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3. One argument more. If the offences of his children, that are dear and precious to him, are recompensed in the earth, much more the wicked and the sinner, Prov. xi. 31. If Sion sip of the cup, Babylon shall drink up the dregs of it. If the hand of a father be so heavy, what shall the wrath of a judge be? If offending…
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capitur, nee tangitur ira ; that be is neither pleased with our good deeds, nor angry with our offences. And because many that live in the bosom of the church are poisoned and leavened with this blasphemy, as appeareth, Zeph. i. 12, ' I will search Jerusalem as with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their…
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Thirdly, Thou presuniest that thou shalt repent at last. It is uncer- tain. God may take thee away in the act of sin, as he did Zimri and Cosbi, Korah and his accomplices, or deny thee space to call for mercy. Death doth not always give warning ; and those that forget God in health may forget themselves when they come …
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[1.] The love of benevolence, or that love whereby he doeth us good, which may be considered either in the eternal purpose of God, or his present readiness to execute his purpose, or indeed our readiness to receive it. Amor intentionis et executionis ; his purpose to do them good remaineth firm, notwithstanding their s…
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VOL. XXL z 354 SERMONS UPON PSALM XEX. 13. [SeR. II. 2. They do exceedingly weaken the work of grace that is wrought in their hearts. It is far abated ; it is much weakened, though not totally abolished. Gradus remittitur, actus intermittitur, licet habitus non amittitur. The degree may be remitted : Mat. xxiv. 12, *…
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356 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SeR. III. SERMON III. Keep hack thy servant from presumptuous sins. — Ps. xix. 13. Having showed you the danger of the first sort of men, that Kve in known sins against the light of conscience and the things they presume upon, I now come to a second sort, that live in sin, and please…
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Secondly, The distinction of sins. All sin, but not all alike. The scripture intimateth a distinction : * Their spot is not the spot of God's children,' Deut. xxxii. 5. They are a perverse and crooked generation ; their sin which spotteth and blemisheth their souls is not such a sin which is of infirmity, which his chi…
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Fourthly, The observations are these two — 1. That there is some difficulty in the case to state what sins are sins of presumption, and what of infirmity ; partly because some sins which in their nature are infirmities may prove iniquities in the com- mitter, as when he abandoneth himself to vain thoughts, idle words …
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VeR. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. 361 the Lord said unto Moses, ' The man shall surely be put to death : all tlie congregation shall stone him without the camp,' Num. xv. 35. You will say, Was that such a great matter, to gather a few sticks ? Or, he being the first instance, might have been spared. No ; it was ag…
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[4.] Consider the multitude of them. Small sins with their multitude and number hurt the soul as much as greater sins with their weight. David, a good man, crieth out, Ps. xl. 12, ' Innumerable evils have compassed me about ; mine iniquities have taken hold of me, so that I am not able to look up : they are more than t…
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304 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SeR. III. move excusable for these strivings ; no, but the more culpable, since their own conscience does not acquit them. No question but every one is the most favourable judge of his own actions. Now our own hearts condemn us, and there is a sentence against what we do in our own bre…
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[1.] A greater sorrow and humiliation : ' Peter went out and wept bitterly,' Mat. xxvi. 75 ; and Luke vii. 38, ' Mary Magdalen washed Christ's feet in her tears.' The incestuous Corinthian, that was almost swallowed up in ifncleanness, was swallowed up in sorrow, 2 Cor. ii. 7. David speaketh of broken bones, Ps. li. Gr…
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VeR. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. 367 SER]\ION IV. Let them not have dominion over me. — Ps. xix. 13. We have handled the first branch of David's prayer as it is absolutely considered. I now come to speak of the second, which is conceived upon supposition and by way of reserve, that if he should fall into those …
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Thirdly, As to the godly, sin remaineth in them, but reigneth not there. It is cast down in regard of regency, though not cast out in regard of inherency, like the beasts in Daniel, chap. vii. 12, ' Their dominion was taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.' There is some degree of life, but t…
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Secondly, The reasons why we are to take care that sin reign not over us. First, Because in giving way to the dominion of sin, we renounce the government of Christ, and transfer the kingdom from him to Satan. Let me — 1. Prove that we do so, and that to do so is — (1.) A great wrong and injury to Christ ; (2.) A grea…
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372 SEKMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SeR. IV. use, God striketh him dead in the place, Acts v. 5. And if we alienate ourselves, who were Christ's before the consecration, of how much sorer vengeance shall we be guilty? God's complaint was just: Ezek. xvi, 20, ' Moreover, thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom th…
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[2.] The hope of victory. Our strife will end, and it will end well. If we strive against sin, we are sure to conquer : Eom. vi. 14, ' For sin shall not have dominion over you.' Let it not, and it shall not. If there be but a likelihood of victory, we are encouraged to figlit. Here a christian may triumph before the vi…
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YeR, 23.] SEEMOKS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. 375 What comfort, peace, joy, would there be in the soul if your hearts were once enlarged to run the way of God's commandments ! Shall I tell you of the sad reward sin will give for all your serx-ice ? What will it prove but bitterness in the issue ? and thou shalt mourn at last,…
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Fourthly, Set the contrary principle of grace a- work : Gal. v. 16, * Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh.' Cherish and obey the motions and directions of the renewed part ; this will keep the carnal part under, so as the motions of it, if they be not totally suppressed, yet will not be …
951 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.