PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Thomas Manton — Volume 9
Thomas Manton · 312,957 words · 314 reading sections
Section 61
94 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. CLXVII. 'judgment without mercy/ James ii. 13. Sometimes for the covenant of grace, and free promises of God, or that merciful right which he hath established between hini and his people, wherein God acteth as an absolving and pardoning judge. Of this", see ver. 132. And of this the p…
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Use. To encourage the people of God, when they miss his help in the spiritual life, to lay open their case to God. The thought of strict justice striketh us dumb, there is no claiming by that covenant ; but the remembrance of this merciful right or judgment should open our mouths in prayer, and loosen our tongues in ac…
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2. From the providence of God, who permitteth malicious enemies to draw nigh to his people, and to have many advantages against his people for holy and righteous ends. [1.] That this is the usual course of God's providence, to suffer his people to be reduced to great dangers and extremities, that there is not a hair-b…
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(3.) That the deliverance of his people may be more glorious : partly because there is more of his power and care discovered when our straits are great : 'Israel may now say, We had been swallowed up quick,' Ps. cxxiv. Rescues in extremity of dangers are more glorious : VER. 150.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 99 Ps. cxvi…
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2. You may take notice of this wickedness, and represent it so to God; for he is the judge of the world, and it concerneth him to cut short their power to do mischief that have such a ready principle to act it, and are likely to have no other restraints than God layeth upon them by his providence and the interest of th…
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2. That which is said of his word and law is, ' Thy commandments are truth.' One would think it had been more proper to say, are just and righteous, than to say are truth. His commandments are just as the rule of our duty, they are just as the rule of God's process; but the word commandment is not taken strictly for th…
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4. This nearness may be understood of his visible presence in his 104 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SKR. CLXIX. ordinances, or of that spiritual inwardness and saving union and com- munion that is between God and his converted people, or those that are brought home to him by Christ, and are the members of his mys- tical …
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6. The grounds and reasons of all nearness, or the way how it cometh about, are these four :— 106 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXIX. 1.1 God's covenant with us. "2.1 Our incorporation into Christ. 3. j The inhabitation of the Spirit in us. 4.] Mutual love between God and us. These are the reasons why God is nea…
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[4.] The mutual love between God and them. Gocl loveth them, and they love Gocl ; and so they are near and dear to one another : 1 Sam. xviii. 1, ' The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.' Such love is here between Christ and believers, and between them and God. God…
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[2.] On our part, it is delightful to converse with God — • (1.) In holy duties : Isa. xxvi. 16, ' Lord, in trouble have they visited thee ; they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them ; ' Job xxii. 21, ' Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace ; thereby good shall come unto thee.' We have no reas…
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Use 1. To persuade us to enter into this state of nearness by taking hold of God's covenant. It is an excellent thing in the general ; all will grant that it is good to draw near to God ; but it is not only good, but good for you, all things considered : Ps. Ixxiii. 28, ' It is good for me to draw near to God ;' it is …
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[2.] In point of dependence, did we believe more firmly that God was so near and so ready at hand, to comfort, support, deliver, and bless us, this would stay our hearts in all our troubles. Is God near us ? What should we be afraid of? Ps. xxiii. 1,2,' The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie dow…
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SERMON CLXX. Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever. — Ver. 152. In this verse is a further illustration of the last clause of the former. He had said there, ' Thy commandments are ipsissima Veritas ; ' now he amplifieth that saying from God's ordination and appointment, …
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First, Their author is God, who is the self-same God, and needs not say and unsay ; for he has wisdom enough to foresee all events ; power enough to answer all difficulties that may stand in the way of his promises ; authority supreme, and so is above all controlment. VER. 152.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 115 Sometimes…
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2. In obedience. The weakness of our faith and dependence necessarily inferreth that they that do not trust God cannot be long true to him : James i. 8, Sfyvxps dtcaTacrTaTos, ' A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways/ Sometimes when we are soul-sick, we mourn and complain of sin, and seem to have a passionate …
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118 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXX. do not think that he will alter the ordinances of his wisdom and jus- tice for your sakes : Ps. cxix. G6, ' Teach rue good judgment and knowledge, for I have believed thy commandments.' 2. To the promises of it. They are founded for ever, whatever carnal reason suggests to the…
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[2.] To know signifieth to consider. This is also necessary, be- cause all knowledge is improved by consideration, without which it is but as ignorance or oblivion at the best, till consideration doth awaken it. Certainly it can have no efficacy upon us, breed no delight and hope in us. A transient view doth not acquai…
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VER. 152.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 121 man were not prepossessed and leavened with prejudice and corrupt affections, he could not choose but see it. That there is such an objective evidence or aptitude in the doctrine itself to beget faith in those that consider it, is plain from that of the apostle : 2 Cor. iv. 2-45…
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Use. Oh ! study to be informed more and more of this great truth. Let us think of and often consider the unerring certainty of the scrip- tures. It is a truth not to be supposed and taken for granted, but known, that you may build sure. Man is apt to suspect evangelical truths, as being cross to his lusts and interests…
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124 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SEE. CLXX. to another, we give from ourselves ; we waste by giving. The crea- tures are at a stint, and soon spend their allowance ; but God cannot be exhausted ; there is no decrease of love and power, no wrinkle upon the brow of eternity. 2. Experience begets confidence : Rom. v. 3, 'A…
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2. Begin to do so betimes; long experience is a great advantage. Most Christians are to be blamed that they begin so late to know God, or to observe the truth of his word, or that adjourn and put it off. Fruits planted late are seldom ripe and come to anything. When we have a long journey to go, we set forth early. Beg…
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2. To prepare for them. 3. When they come, bear them with more patience. 1. Look for them. The first day that we begin to be Christians we must reckon of the cross. Christ hath drawn up the form of our in- denture, to which every one must yield and consent before he can call him Master : Mat. xvi. 24, ' If any man wi…
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3. When they come, bear them with more patience. A resolution which we thought strong out of a trial, is often found weak in a trial ; for we have other apprehensions of things when we know them by experience, of what we have when we know them only by guess and imagination. Therefore, notwithstanding expectation and pr…
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Use 1. It informeth us of the goodness of God, that he is willing to receive us upon any terms. When afflictions drive us to liim, he doth not turn away his face from us. Those very prayers that are extorted from us by necessity, he accepts as a piece of worship done to him, provided we do not neglect him upon other oc…
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2. The sight of misery is a real argument. It is clear that we are to use arguments in prayer ; for God dealeth with us as rational crea- tures, and as such we are to deal too with him. Now, among argu- ments, our afflictions and miseries are real ones ; they have a voice 132 sermons uroN tsalm cxix. [Sjbr. CLXXL to …
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Doct. 4. We may ask deliverance from temporal troubles ; not only support, but deliverance. So doth David. 1. God hath promised : Ps, 1. 15, ' Call upon me in the day of trouble ; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.' 2. Much of God is discovered in it. His wisdom : 2 Peter ii. 9, ' The Lord knoweth how to…
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Reason 2. Because uprightness giveth boldness with God in prayer : 1 John iii. 21, 'If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God.' So Paul showeth he was capable of their prayers, or a fit object of them : Heb. xiii. 18, ' Pray for us ; for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing t…
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2. Inter hominem et didbolum, between man and the devil : he is called avTiSiKos, the adversary, 1 Peter v. 8, ' Your adversary the devil like a roaring lion walketh about continually seeking whom he may devour ; ' and such an adversary as hath law of his side, and by law would carry it against all the children of fall…
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138 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SllR. CLXXII. his client, he was accursed, devoted to slaughter, and any man might kill him. Clientes quasi colentes, patroni quasi patres, saith Servius. So that to deceive a client was as to deceive a son. This was begun by Eomulus, who commended the common people and worser sort to the…
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3. The effect of God's pleading, which is the clearing of God's people, and the convincing of their adversaries ; which God doth partly by the eminency and notableness of the providences whereby he delivereth his people, and the marks of his favour put upon them : Neh. vi. 16, ' And it came to pass that when all our en…
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VER. 154.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 141 men, and not any secular motives. All the countenance and owning God will give to it is by infusing courage and constancy to his servants to suffer for it, and so they overcome by the blood of the Lamb, and not loving their lives to the death, Rev. xii. 11. He speaketh of such a…
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Use 1. To rebuke our fears and misgiving of heart. When we see the best men go to the wall, and to be made objects of scorn and spite, we are apt to say, as the church doth in the prophet Isaiah, chap. xl. 27, ' My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God;' that is, in effect, that God doth …
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144 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXII. enemies; desire that God would determine it, and declare what is right and what is wrong. Secondly, He begged God in the text to redeem or deliver him ; the word in the text, ^N-^, the usual word for goel, redeemer ; the Sep- tuagint, XvTpascrai fxe, ' ransom me.' Here he cr…
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Use. Let us encourage ourselves, rouse up our heavy hearts, and wait for God's quickening ; let us not give God cause by our negli- gence to deny support to us. SERMON CLXXIII. Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes. — Ver. 155. David had begged his own deliverance, as one of God's servant…
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VER. 155.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 147 watchful eye of God over the righteous, to supply their wants, to direct them in their ways, to uphold them against clangers, to comfort them in their griefs, to deliver them out of all their troubles. God hath an eye to take notice of their condition, and an ear to hear their p…
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2. By correction. The wicked have no right by promise or cove- nant, and so salvation is far from them ; for this promise or covenant- right inferreth two things — (1.) A sanctified enjoyment ; (2.) A more sure tenure. [1.] A sanctified enjoyment ; they that have salvation by promise, they have it as an effect of God'…
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Use 2. Comfort in a good cause, wherein the godly are opposed by the wicked. There is a double comfort : — 1. Because the prosperity, power, and pride of the wicked is not to be regarded ; for though they flourish for a while, and all things flow in upon them according to their heart's desire, yet salvation is far fro…
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Reason 2. Because of the perfect contrariety between the temper of wicked men and this salvation, so that they are wholly incapable of it. 1. They care not for God, who is the author of this salvation ; he is not in all their thoughts, words, and ways : Ps. x. 1, ' The wicked through the pride of his countenance will …
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5. They despise the salvation itself, rightly understood, partly be- VER. 155.] SERMONS UPON RSALM CXIX. 153 cause they only value it under a fleshly notion, as a state of happiness and ease, not as a state of immaculate and sinless purity ; for so it is wholly unsuitable to them. What should a carnal sensual heart d…
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3. Do you hope of repentance hereafter, but in the meantime ye run a desperate hazard to leave the soul at pawn in Satan's hands ? It is not easy work to get it out again. Who would poison himself upon a presumption that before it cometh to his heart he shall meet with an antidote ? Judicial hardness is laid on them th…
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156 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [^ER. CLXXIIL earnest ; as a man, when he is seeking a thing, qnitteth all other cares, and mindeth that only. [2.] Constant endeavour, seeking till we find; as the woman for her lost groat : Luke xv. 8, ' What woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a can…
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2. Because they are guilty of great wrong to God and to their own souls. [1.] To God ; it is a contempt of his authority when men will not study to know and do his declared will ; that is, make it their business to do so ; for it is a great slighting of him, looking upon his direction as of little importance : Hosea v…
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But because all these points have been often discussed, I shall only handle this one point. Doct. That in the Lord Jehovah there are great and tender mercies. 1 . I shall open the mercy of God. 2. The adjuncts, the greatness and tenderness of them. First, I shall open the mercy of God. That mercy is one of God's at…
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2. We must distinguish between mercy as it is an attribute in God, and the acts and effects of it as they are terminated upon the creature. As it is an attribute in God : Ps. ciii. 8, ' The Lord is merciful and gracious.' So it is infinite, as his nature is ; but in the effects as to us there is a great difference. Mer…
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2. His tender mercy is seen in his readiness to hear and help, and come in to the cry of his people, if they be but anything humble and profitable in their afflictions : Isa. lviii. 10, ' And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul, then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darknes…
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3. The greatness of these effects, the sending of his Son : 1 John iv. 9, 10, ' In this was manifested the love of God towards us, because that God sent his only-begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be a propitiatio…
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5. When our sense of sins and miseries hath most recommended mercy to us, we should magnify it, both with respect to supplication and gratulation. [l.j With respect to supplication. When we are under fears and discouragements, we should oppose and set these great and tender mercies in the balance against our doubts an…
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168 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXY. they will scourge you in their synagogues ; and ye shall be brought be- fore governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.' Though we be persecuted with censures, civil and eccle- siastical, and both judicatures thunder against us : John xvi. …
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1. I will show you what it is to stand in awe of the word. 2. Then give you the reasons why they that are godly will do so. First, What it is to stand in awe of the word. We will determine it by opening the circumstances of the text. And — 1. Let us take notice of the seat of this affection, the heart, ' My heart st…
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[2.] There is an awe of the word, not that maketh us shy of it, but tender of violating it, or doing anything contrary to it. This is not the fruit of slavish fear, but holy love ; it is not afraid of the word, but delighteth in it, as it discovereth the mind of God to us, as in the next verse. This is called by a prop…
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[1.] Its authority in searching the heart: Heb. iv. 12, 13, 'The word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, joints and marrow ; and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart ; ; that is, as a sharp sword doth pierce as…
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3. The third reason, because of the profit of standing in awe of the word. [1.] It fortifieth us, and preserveth us in such temptations as arise from the fear of man. Where there is a reverence and awefulness of God's word, the greater awe overcometh the less. In such a temptation a man may miscarry two ways — by dist…
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2. It is a great help in reading and hearing : Acts x. 33, ' Now therefore we are all present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God/ 3. A great help in humiliation and suing out our pardon : Ps. cxxx. 3, 4, ' If thou shouldest mark iniquity, who could stand ? but there is forgiveness with thee,…
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1. Deliverance after a doubtful conflict. No man goeth to war but carrieth his life in his hands, and the event is very uncertain. Now when it is unexpectedly determined on our side, there is great rejoicing. 2. The joy of victory, especially to be victorious in a battle. 3. There is booty and spoil, whereby men are …
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VER. 162.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 179 told of the joys of the world to come : 1 Cor. ii. 9, ' Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.' We should exult for joy to hear of those things. Thus you see the word of God afforde…
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SERMON CLXXVII. i" hate and abhor lying : but thy laiv do I love. — Ver. 163. In this verse the man of God showeth his affection to the word by the hatred of those things which are contrary to the word. Observe here — 1. Affection set against affection., 2. Object against object. •First, Affection against affectio…
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3. The more we hate sin the more prepared we are to love the law. A carnal heart hateth the law : John iii. 20, ' He that doeth evil hateth the light ; ' and Rum. viii. 7, ' The carnal mind is not subject to the law.' He that doth not hate sin hateth the word of God. We cannot delight in it till our affections be purif…
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4. The constant discoveries of hatred against sin are watching and striving against it ; they are ever careful that they may not offend God : Acts xxiv. 1 6, ' And herein do I exercise myself, to keep a con- science void of offence both towards God and men ; ' and keep striv- ing, and a serious resistance, even when th…
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2. There is a fault in these purposes, in these strivings and prayers ; they do not come from a heart thoroughly set against sin. [1.] These purposes are not hearty and real, and then no wonder they do not prevail. There may be a slight purpose, and there is a full purpose, Acts xi. 23. If thy purposes were more full …
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VER. 163.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 187 [3.] For praying. We oftener pray from our memories than from our consciences, and from our consciences enlightened than hearts renewed by grace. Prayer, as it is the fruit of memory and invention, is but a few slight and formal words said of course, a body without a soul ; as d…
1,004 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.