PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Thomas Manton — Volume 2
Thomas Manton · 293,086 words · 291 reading sections
Section 241
In the words are two things : — I. The state of believers : for lue are his luorhmansJiip, created in Christ Jesus. II. The end why we are brought into this estate : unto good ivorks, ichich, &c. I begin with the former, and there note : — 1. God's efficiency : Troirnxa avrov, his luorkmansMp. 2. The manner of his…
934 wordsSECTION 242Section 242
(4.) A partial change. Men are altered in some things, but the old nature still remaineth ; their religion is but like a new piece in an old gar- ment ; the heart is not new moulded, so as to leave an impression upon all our actions. The renewed are ' holy in all manner of conversation,' ivirdar} uvaarpo^fj, 1 Peter i.…
918 wordsSECTION 243Section 243
388 THE NINETEENTH SERMON. [EPII. II. 10. 1, The greatness of the disease ; that is clearly seen in the difficulty of the remedy. Nothing doth make a man so sensible of the corrup- ness of his nature, as when we hear by what terms our recovery or restitution by grace is set forth. It is a second creation, a new birth,…
1,270 wordsSECTION 244Section 244
Two reasons why they are as it were created anew : — 1. Because of the badness of our former estate. Ruinous and decayed buildings are only to be thrown down, to make way for a new structure and house to stand in the same place. Man naturally is a creature in a state of apostasy and defection, under a loss of original …
1,127 wordsSECTION 245Section 245
4. With respect to the use for which this new creation serveth. One is mentioned in the text : ' Created unto good works ;' but other things must be taken in. [1.] In order to our present communion with God. Till we are created anew, we are not fit to converse Avith a holy and invisible God earnestly, frequently, reve…
978 wordsSECTION 246Section 246
EpII. II. 10.] THE NINETEENTH SEliMON. 393 APPLICATION. Use 1. Of information. 1. That there is such a thing as the new nature, regeneration, or the new birth, and the new creature. It is one thing to make us men, another to make us saints or Christians. AVe have understanding, and will, and affections, and sense as…
1,000 wordsSECTION 247Section 247
Use 2. To put us upon self-reflection ; are we the workmanship of God, created in Chiist Jesus? that is, are Ave made new creatures ? It will be known by these things, — a new mind, a new heart, and a new life. 1. Have we a new mind ? A new creature hath a new sight of things, looketh upon all thinj^s with a new eye. …
952 wordsSECTION 248Section 248
396 THE NINETEENTH SERMON. [EPH. II. 10. fear and trembling ; for it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of his own good pleasure.' This principle can neither be a ground of looseness nor laziness. You are under an obligation both to return to God, and to use the means whereby you may return. Your impo…
908 wordsSECTION 249Section 249
1. The object : good iivrks; that is, works becoming the new creature : in short, we should live Christianly. 2. God's act about it : oh Trporiroiixaa-ev 6 ©eb^, lohich God hath before ordained. The word signifies hoU\ prepared, and ordained. (1.) God hath prepared these works for us. (2.) God hath prepared us for the…
986 wordsSECTION 250Section 250
4, Ope7'a charitatis et miser icordice : as to relieve the poor, to be good to all, to help others by our counsel or admonition. We are often called upon for these ; thus. Acts ix. 36, Dorcas is said to be ' full of good works and alms-deeds which she did.' So 1 Tim. vi, 18, * Charge them to be rich in good works.' It …
937 wordsSECTION 251Section 251
3. With respect to the Spirit, who reneweth us for this end ; we are new made, that we may look u})on doing good as our calling and only business. All other things are valuable according to the use for which they serve ; the sun was made to give light and heat to inferior creatures, and we are enlightened by grace, and…
901 wordsSECTION 252Section 252
402 THE TWENTIETH SERMON. [EpH. II. 10. Many ^vatcrs cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it : if a man would p:ivc all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.' The uses are: — 1. For reproof of many professing Christians, who are not more pre- pared lor the Lord, and made rea…
996 wordsSECTION 253Section 253
[2.] To ourselves, holy conversation and godliness is the surest note of our regeneration.. We judge others by external works alone, ' For the tree is known by its fruit,' Mat. vii. 16. Charity forbids us to pry any further ; but we judge ourselves by internal and external works together. If within we have faith in Chr…
947 wordsSECTION 254Section 254
Thirdly, Our works or duties which we perform in obedience to Era. II. 10.] THE TWENTIETH SERMON. 405 God, are not the first means to apply the grace of the Eedccmer, or the condition of our first entrance into the evangelical estate. No ; that is proper to repentance and faith : Kona. iii. 22, ' The righteous- ness …
1,304 wordsSECTION 255Section 255
3. It is a greater honour to God : John xv. S, * Herein is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit ;' Phil. i. 11, ' Being filled with the Iruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and EpH. II. 10.] THE TWENTIETH SERMON. 407 praise of God;' 2 Tlie.s. i. 11, 12, 'Wherefore we pray for yo…
940 wordsSECTION 256Section 256
1. The premises or principle the apostle worketh upon : seeing loe are compassed, &c. 2. The practical inferences which are deduced from thence, and they are two : — [1.] One concerning the privative part of our duty : let us lay aside every iceight, &c. There is something external and without, like to clog us in our…
916 wordsSECTION 257Section 257
HeB. XII. 1.] FAREWELL SERMON. 413 ment, say, a cloud with allusion to the pillar of cloud which conducted the Israelites to Canaan : yet neither doth this come up fully to the scope of the apostle ; for the apostle speaks not of a cloud that goes before us, but of a cloud that compasses us round about, and therefore …
1,095 wordsSECTION 258Section 258
Second thing, and that is the duty here pressed. (1.) Here is the privative. (2.) The positive part of our duty. Here is mortification and vivification. Mortification: ' Let us lay aside,' <fcc. ; vivification : 'Let us run with patience,' &c. In both the branches he alludes to terms l)roper to races. In a race, you kn…
1,249 wordsSECTION 259Section 259
2 Sam. xxiii. 17. Not to deny ourselves in what we affect and covet, lust grows into a wanton, and bold and imperious, and so prescribes upon ns, and we are ' brought under the power ' of these things. 2. The business and cares of this world; for these immoderately followed, and not in obedience to God, are a sore bur…
914 wordsSECTION 260Section 260
VOL. II. 2 D 418 FAREWELL SERMON. [HeB. XII. 1, man can as soon change his skin as lay aside his customs, that are so deeply engraven as the blackness of an Ethiopian or the spots of the leopard. And partly because it mingles itself with all our motions and actions, Rom. vii. 21, &c. It easily besets us, it is presen…
956 wordsSECTION 261Section 261
[3.] Resist and oppose strongly against the first risings of the flesh and the tickling and pleasing motions of sin that doth easily beset us when it doth entice us away from God, or to do anything that is unseemly and contrary unto the duties of our heavenly calling. Oh ! remember we are not debtors to the flesh, Rom.…
905 wordsSECTION 262Section 262
1. Partly because of the length of the race, and the distance be- tween us and the promised reward. Our race cannot be ended but after some degree of time ; long waiting is troublesome to the flesh, and therefore we have need of patience. 2, Because we meet with many impediments, troubles, and tempt- ations by the way…
964 wordsSECTION 263Section 263
Thirdly, To make it serious. Sorrows gather the soul together, and make it more itself : a man cometh to himself in his grief. Usually God taketh this course with his people ; though they begin in the flesh they end in the spirit. Sorrow maketh reason to stand still. Solomon speaketh of bethinking themselves in the lan…
1,008 wordsSECTION 264Section 264
First, We should take this occasion to mourn for our own sins ; miseries are but the effects of sin. You should labour to make sin 428 A FUNERAL SERMON. [1 CoR. VII. 30. bitter by your present feeling. There should be, I say, a special renewing; of our repentance by such providences ; experience teacheth best. Now yo…
948 wordsSECTION 265Section 265
1. This slightness proceeds : — First, From want of consideration. There can be no patience where there is no sense of evils. They will not give their thoughts leave to work upon such objects. I do not say we must make it the cause or object of our mourning, yet I say we must make it the occa- sion ; this must awaken …
954 wordsSECTION 266Section 266
2. Such as is peevish: when men indulge themselves in their disquiets, and will not hearken to what might make for the settlement of their souls ; when the heart yieldeth to passion, and huggeth grief, and will not let it go. There is a great deal of pride and stomach in men against God's dispensations, and therefore t…
1,084 wordsSECTION 267Section 267
[L] Because otherwise our cairiage would be very dishonourable and derogatory to Jesus Christ, as if he wei-e not better to us than all the comforts that we lose : 1 Sam. i. 8, as Elkanah said to Hannah, ' AVhy weepest thou ? am not I better to thee than ten sons ? ' So why weepest thou ? Is not Christ better to thee t…
928 wordsSECTION 268Section 268
[4.] It is very unreasonable. If men would cite their affections be- fore the tribunal of reason, and ask them what is the matter why they are so violently stirred, they might discern much of their folly : Ps. xlii. 5, David calleth himself to an account, ' Why art thou so dis- quieted, 0 my soul ? why art thou cast do…
1,081 wordsSECTION 269Section 269
2. Live in a continual expectation of the creature's change. Things are not half so burdensome when we look for them. A burden cast upon a man's back breaketh it ; but when it is compacted and fitted for his shoulders, he goeth away well enough with it. It was some solace that Job could say. Job iii. 26, ' The evil tha…
1,050 wordsSECTION 270Section 270
1 Cor. VII.30.] a funeral sermon. 437 Use 2. We have reason also to be comforted. First, For the glory that cometh to God by her sweet departure. Those that have envied her life, may wish for her death, even such solace as she felt in the most bitter agonies : Nmii. xxiii. 10, ' Let me die the death of the righteous,…
944 wordsSECTION 271Section 271
The strength of sin is the laiu. How is that to be understood? The law giveth strength to sin, ratione cognitionis, ohligationis et aurjmen- tationis ; they are the words of a German diviue,i and will yield us a fit method wherein to open this matter. [1.] The law discovereth sin, and maketh it appear in its own colou…
930 wordsSECTION 272Section 272
2. The next reason of the apostle's thanksgiving is the application : he 'hath given us victory ;' for understanding of which you must note that (1.)— Christ's victory is imputed to us as if it were done in our own persons. When we are actually united to him, we are possessed of all his merit. Christ fought our war, an…
1,337 wordsSECTION 273Section 273
2. The next question is, How far he hath delivered us from death ? We see the godly are obnoxious to the changes and decays of nature, yea, to the strokes of violence, as well as others ; and how are we de- livered ? I answer — It is enough that ' the second death hath no power over us,' Rev. xx. 6 ; nothing to do with…
901 wordsSECTION 274Section 274
(3.) The body, which scemeth most to suffer, hath much advantage ; a shed is taken down to raise up a better structure. ' It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body,' &c., 1 Cor. xv. 44. Here it is not capable of high enjoyments ; it is humbled with diseases, un- fit for duties. Again, ' It is sown a corr…
1,337 wordsSECTION 275Section 275
[4.] It will be utterly abolished at the last day. AVe scarce know now what Christ's i)urchase meaneth till the day of judgment. It is said, 1 Cor. xv. 26, ' The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death;' it is weakened now, but then it shall be abolished as to the elect : Rev. 1 Cor. XV. 57.] the saint's triumph o…
1,207 wordsSECTION 276Section 276
Use 2. It serveth to exhort us all to get an interest in this conquest of Christ. Every one is not fit to make use of Christ's victory over death ; there are many things necessary to enjoy the full comfort of it. I shall name them : — (1.) A care to get sin pardoned. All the power of the devil and death hangeth on sin …
938 wordsSECTION 277Section 277
Use 3. It serveth to press God's children to improve the comfort? of Christ's victory ; do not let it go out of your hands. (1.) Improve it for your friends that are departed in the Lord. Our weeping puts 452 THE saint's triumph over death. [1 Cor. XV. 57. some disparagement upon Christ's conquest. Why should we weep…
1,047 wordsSECTION 278Section 278
What remaineth, then, but that we die by faith, as well as live by faith ; but that we welcome death with confidence, and breathe out our souls in triumph ? Moses, when he took up the serpent in his hand, it was but a rod ; death thus welcomed and entertained by faith will prove at most but a correction, yea, rather a …
928 wordsSECTION 279Section 279
The chief wisdom of a man is to live well and die well, to live godly and die blessed. The same corruption of nature that makes us un- willing to live well makes us unwilling to die. To forsake our cor- ruptions, and go out of the world, are both displeasing to flesh and blood ; therefore we need to be pressed often bo…
996 wordsSECTION 280Section 280
To ' die in the Lord ' may relate either to the cause for which, or to the state wherein, or to tiie manner how, we die. [1.] The cause for which we die. So the martyrs die in the Lord, PiEV. XIV. 13.] THAT DIE IN THE LORD. 4.'j9 or for the Lord's sake ; and are blessed of God, though, it may be, cursed of men. The …
1,159 wordsSECTION 281Section 281
(4.) Obedience. A Christian is not to die like a beast, to be merely passive ; his soul is not tnken away, but yielded up ; there is a resig- nation and consent on his part. A carnal man suffers death, but a Christian gives up the ghost. The scripture useth this distinctness of speech concerning them, as concerning the…
923 wordsSECTION 282Section 282
462 THE BLESSED ESTATE OF THEM [ReV. XIY. 13. our ear hath received a little thereof, let me endeavour to lay it before you. In blessedness there must be : — (1.) A removal of all evils ; (2.) A coacervation, and complete presence of all goods. (1.) A removal of evil. As long as the least evil continues, a man is not…
1,009 wordsSECTION 283Section 283
(2dly.) The next evil is the evil of affliction. Whatever is painful and burdensome to nature is a fruit of the fall, a brand and mark of our rebellion against God ; therefore affliction must be done away as well as sin if we be completely happy. As in hell there is an evil, an only evil ; a cup of wrath unmixed, witho…
944 wordsSECTION 284Section 284
(2.) In blessedness there is a confluence of all good necessary to the happiness of the creature. Our blessedness is full for jiarts, full for the degrees and manner of enjoyment ; and all tiiis continues for ever, without fear of losing it. Our crown of glory is a garland that will never wither; it is an eternal state…
929 wordsSECTION 285Section 285
2dly, For the blessedness of the soul, which is the heaven of heaven. Our happiness is called 'The inheritance of the saints in light.' Col. i. 12, for which we must be prepared. It is not for them that know no other heaven but to eat, drink, and sleep, and wallow in filthy and gross pleasures ; it is an inheritance in…
1,148 wordsSECTION 286Section 286
(3.) Complete union with God and fruition of God : see 2 Cor. v. 6, Phil. i. 23. Here we are imited by faith ; but that is nothing to sight and immediate tuition. We lay hold upon Christ, but have not such an absolute possession of him ; he is a head that gives out himself not by necessity, but choice and [)leasure ; t…
991 wordsSECTION 287Section 287
3. Whence it is that they who die in the Lord are sure to be thus blessed, [1.] From their union with Christ. [2.] From the covenant of God with them. [l.] From their union with Christ, which can never be dissolved. Death severeth body and soul, but not Christ and the soul. From this union there result two things — …
1,021 wordsSECTION 288Section 288
If you would die in the Lord, you had need to have promises ready, and your faith well exercised, that you may have good proof of it be- fore it comes to stead you in death. In hello non licet his jjeccare. As in war, so in death ; there is no erring twice ; then you are to throw your last cast for everlasting woe or w…
1,088 wordsSECTION 289Section 289
To comfort others and faint ourselves is to bring a di.scredit upon what we propound to them. Remember the glory of God is concerned in your behaviour under this trial, and the honour of your ministry. Let your Christian friends know there is a reality in what you liave held forth for their support in like case. Let th…
936 wordsSECTION 290Section 290
474 THE BLESSED ESTATE OF THEM [ReV. XIV. 13. the widow's heart to sin?: for joy. When the Scots were shiit up and starved by thousands at Westminster, she very frequently visited them, and ministered to them ; yea, bought divers of them with her own money, <::;iacious good men, whom she led and clothed, and disposed …
1,109 wordsSECTION 291Section 291
the end of vol. II. PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE AND COMPANY EDINBURGH AND LONDON 1 1012 01195 8503 Date Due ii««i«ii*»- «• .>.^<r1fi ^ -BiirrrOTJij »!>?*.• m PRINTED IN U. S. A. f f jiiMM<rti>i>wiiii(|<i^:iilil»ii>!lni|ii>^ . >itsiii.\Tr.mmrttivn9:m.m in^niiiiini)ii,h^ |Mj…
38 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.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.