PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Thomas Manton — Volume 9
Thomas Manton · 312,957 words · 314 reading sections
Section 181
[2.] They are sure as well as good. (1.) As promises. A promise is more than a purpose, for it is a purpose not as conceived in the mind of a man, but declared to another to invite hope. It is more than a doctrine. A doctrine giveth notice of privileges, but a promise giveth us an interest in them. It is more than a r…
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believe ! Some count these vain words, and the comforts thence deduced fanatical illusions or fantastical impressions ; nothing so ridiculous in the world's eye as trust and dependence on unseen comforts : Ps. xxii. 8, ' He trusted on the Lord, that he should deliver him ; let him de- liver him, seeing he delighted in …
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[2.] Experience : Pom. viii. 23, ' We that have the first-fruits of the Spirit, groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.' A Christian here is unsatisfied, and longeth for a better and purer state of bliss and immortality, light, life, peace, joy. One drachm of grace is more …
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288 sermons upon psalm cxix. [Ser. CLXXXVIII. 4. The state and condition of the present world; it is called, Gal. i. 4, ' The present world.' The pleasures of it are mere dreams and shadows, and the evils of it are many and real. God's children are pilgrims here, and hardly get leave to pass through ; as Israel could …
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3. If it be not worth our desire, it is little worth ; the estate being so excellent, such a complete redemption from all our troubles, so per- fect, and so full a happiness in body and soul, will not you send a groan, or a hearty act of volition after it ? It is great ingratitude, that when Christ hath procured a grea…
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We now come to the second clause, ' Thy law is my delight,' Boot. 2. That we should not only long for salvation, but delight in the way which leadeth to it. Here I shall speak to two things : — 1. That we must take the way that leadeth to it. 2. That we must delight in the way. First, That we must take the way that…
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SERMON CLXXXIX. Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee ; and let tlnj judgments help me. — Ver. 175. This verse containeth three things : — 1. David's petition for life, let my sold live. 2. His argument from the end, and it shall praise thee. 3. The ground of his hope and confidence, and Id thy judgments help…
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294 sermons upon PSALM cxix [Ser. CLXXXIX. and loved but for this end, even God's glory. How grievous a thing is it to go out of the world ere we know why we came into the world ! We live not barely to eat and drink, as brute beasts live ; we live not to live as heathens. The end of our life is service and obedience t…
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2. It is well sought when this is our scope, for then the request is lawful both for matter and end : James iv. 3, ' Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.' Life should not be loved but for further glorifying of God, for all our natural interests must be subordinate to our…
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(4.) To breed up their children in the nurture of the Lord, and that they may be useful in their families, as Jacob desired to see Joseph. (5.) We may beg it that we may not fall into the hands of men, lose our life by murderers : Ps. xxxi. 15, ' My times are in thy hand ; deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and…
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5. This end is known by the use in having and submission in asking. [1.] The use in having, how we use a mercy when we have it, if we do indeed live to the glory of God, and the rather for these experiences. [2.] Submission in asking, whether we fight or are crowned, work or receive our reward ; for God is the best j…
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300 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SEE. CXC. have it signify here liis going astray out of infirmity, from the way of God's commandments. Or else sometimes the condition of strayed sheep is put for misery ; as Hosea iv. 1G, ' The Lord will feed them as a lamb in a large place.' A lamb that is out of the fold goes up and do…
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1. In general it implies this, that we are brutish in our sin and defection from God, led by sense, fancy, and appetite ; and therefore our condition could not be expressed but by a comparison fetched from the beasts. Silly sheep are carried away by their fancy and appetite from the flock : Ps. xlix. 12, ' Man being in…
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VER. 176.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 303 neglectful of God, and unmindful of heavenly things, and we come also to grow more so ourselves. 5. To represent the danger of straying. Sheep when they are out of the pasture, are in harm's way, exposed to a thousand dangers : Jer. 1. 7, 'All that find them have devoured them.…
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1. The first cause is their present imperfection. Though grace doth heal all the faculties, yet it doth not totally heal them, or wholly overcome the weakness which is in them. God promiseth to put his law into their hearts and minds, yet both the understanding and will, and all the inferior faculties, they are but in …
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VOL. ix. u 306 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. CXC. standing and will, move the bodily spirits ; the bodily spirits, they move the senses and members of the body. But now by corruption there is a manifest inversion and change, for bodily pleasure doth affect the senses, the senses corrupt the phantasy, the phantasy mo…
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Use 2. It shows us the need of the new covenant, wherein the pardon of sins is established. All the saints that ever lived have had their failings, and what would become of them, even of God's own children, if there were not a forgiving God, and a gracious covenant, a way found out to remit their offences ? Ps. cxxx. 3…
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2. What encouragement they have to apply themselves unto the Lord. First, Who are those that are right for the main, and whose sins are infirmities, such as David's are represented to be here in this text ? (for I will go no further than the text). To represent that in five things: — 1. Such as have a conscience, an …
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2. It is one great part of his office to reduce his people from their straggling: Ps. xxiii. 1, 'The Lord is my shepherd.' What then? Ver. 3, ' He restoreth my soul.' If the Lord be our shepherd, it is a great part of his work to restore our souls. We fall into the disease of sin, sometimes wander out of the path, in w…
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I shall not record here the many excellent virtues that are conspi- cuous in your Lordship, and truly adorn your honour ; but I cannot forbear to mention the foundation of them, sincere and solid piety, so clearly discovered in a most Christian deportment under your heavy afflictions. Surely that reverence and meek sub…
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TO THE READER. 317 preachers have made it their business to preach Christ, and the exceed- ing riches of his grace, and to study matter rather than words, upon Mr Perkins' old principle verba sequentur res. But all have not had alike fertile invention, or solid judgment, or alike skill and learning in languages and ar…
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Thou wilt, reader, find some things once and again spoken to, as the text led him, but in such a variety of phrase that they have much new in them. Had this eminent person lived to have supravised his own notes, he might possibly have added or altered something. We have seen no reason to do it, but given thee his notes…
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In the words we have — First, The thing compared, the kingdom of heaven. ftecondly, The comparison itself, shall be likened to ten virgins. "Who are — 1. Described by their quality or state, virgins. 2. By their number, ten. 3. By their rank or distribution, five ivise, and five foolish. 4. By their work or emplo…
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(2.) Virgins for the purity of worship. Idolatry and corruption of worship is often expressed by harlotry ; and therefore the prophet, to figure out Israel's apostasy and corruption in worship, is bidden to take a wife of whoredoms, Hosea iii. And those that followed the Lamb are said to be virgins not defiled, Eev. xi…
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2. Mark again, it is not meant the scandalous and faulty members of a pure church. There are many Christians in name on]y, but indeed deny it, Titus i. 16. But it is not meant of the scandalous, that live as if their hopes were altogether in this world, that engulph them- selves in all manner of sensuality, as if there…
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First, Therefore I shall show you what they may do as to faith. I shall show what the grace is, and how far they may go along with it. The scripture speaketh so much of faith, that we need to know what it is. Faith in its peculiar respect works towards Christ and heaven ; but take it in its general latitude, it is a fi…
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[2.] There is besides this, temporary faith ; that is, such an assent as is accompanied with a slight and insufficient touch upon the heart, called a taste, Heb. vi. 4, so that they do not only believe the truths of the gospel, but are tickled with some delight, and do in some measure find their hearts drawn off from w…
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Second Reason. Though a common work may go far, it is not likely to hold out. Their lamps went out, and they had no vessels to supply them. Notwithstanding the sudden pangs and fervours, and forward profession of temporaries, yet usually they fail in the issue. They believe for a while, Luke viii. 13, and hope for a wh…
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330 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. I. Lord, is it I ? In the purest churches many may lie hid and not dis- cerned. Oh ! therefore take not up with weak and groundless hopes. 1. Do not please yourselves by being of such a sect or such a pro- fession. Men think the safest place to lie asleep in is Christ's own lap. If…
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What would you have us do ? I will only press you to three things : — [1.] Let your belief be sound and firm to the great articles of Christianity. It is faith enlivens all our notions of God : John vi. 69, ' We believe and are sure that thou art Jesus the Son of God.' [2.] Let your resolutions for God be unbounded, …
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2. A profession of godliness, though never so glorious, should not be rested in without a saving work of grace upon the heart to main- tain it. There was the folly of one sort of virgins, that they were contented with having oil in their lamps for their present use, without looking further ; and the wisdom of the other…
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4. This constant, abiding state of grace or principle of life may be known partly by the terms by which it is set forth in scripture, and partly by the effects of it. First, By the terms by which it is expressed in scripture. 1. It is expressed sometimes with respect to the original author, pattern, and fountain of i…
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336 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SeK. II. legible characters. And what is the effect ? A man becometh a law to himself, he carrieth his rule about with him, and hath a ready and willing mind to obey it : Ps. xxxvii. 31, ' The law of God is in his heart ; none of his steps shall slide.' The truth is rooted in him, and hi…
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[1.] There is an inclination and propensity to a godly life ; for as God created all creatures with an inclination to their proper operations, so the new creature hath a tendency to those actions which are proper to its state ; as the sparks fly upward and the stone falleth downward from an inclination of nature, so ar…
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Vers. 3, 4.] sermons upon matthew xxv. 339 This is opposite to dulness, sleepiness, listlessness, or wearisomeness in our service, opposite to aicrjSia, which the schoolmen make to be one of the seven deadly sins, a remiss, cold will, hanging off from God. [3.] An earnest impulsion, which quickeneth us to all holy en…
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2. Grace produceth a hatred of sin as sin, out of a principle of love to God, and as it is contrary to his law, and the new nature planted in us: ' Ye that love the Lord, hate evil ;' and ' he that is born of God, sinneth not ;' that is the principle, ' because the seed of God abideth in you.' The schoolmen distinguish…
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Use 1. Is to reprove those that can afford a little religion, but cannot afford enough. It may be good words without practice, or practice without principle. Good words without practice : many talk well, their notions are high and strict; but observe them narrowly, and you will find them cold and careless ; like the ca…
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4. Unbelief ; for faith doth enliven all our notions of God, and Christ, and heaven, and the day of judgment, and inaketh them effec- tual and powerful. The apostle telleth us, Heb. xi. 1, ' That faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.' It puts a presence into things, and so affects…
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Vers. 3, 4.] sermons upon matthew xxy. 345 distant one from another, so these operation may seem near together, when in bottom and root they much differ. These motions argue God's Spirit working on them, not dwelling in them. Actuated they are with the Spirit of Christ assisting, but not reforming ; as an angel someti…
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(5.) Do not only cherish, and keep it from decay, but see that you increase it : 2 Peter i. 5, ' Add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge ;' 1 Thes. iii. 10, ' Perfect what is lacking ;' 1 Thes. iv. 1, ' That as you have received of us how you ought to walk, and please God, so you should abound therein.' A lit…
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348 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SeR. IV. Boci. 2. That this will be found to be true wisdom, and the other folly. For wisdom, to begin with that. Wisdom is index sui et obliqui. Wisdom lieth — 1. In proposing a right end. 2. In the choice of fit means. 3. In an earnest prosecution of the end by these means. This i…
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(1.) A weak and dead faith, that consists more in a form of know- ledge than a lively assent to the truths of godliness. A dead opinion- ative belief may stand with a carnal life : James ii. 20, ' Faith without works is dead.' The word of God is come to them in word only, not in power ; it puts no life into what we do …
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Secondly, How far may this seize upon Christians ? The question may be stated negatively and affirmatively ; how far it may, and how far it may not. 1. Affirmatively. [1.] It may seize upon them not only when they are young, but when they are of long standing. When they are young : Many a man newly converted, having …
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VER. 5.] SERMONS UFON MATTHEW XXV. 353 trust in his righteousness, and commit iniquity,' Ezek. xxxiii. 13; that is, upon the presumption that he laid in a fore-merit. Our hearts will be seeking some unlawful liberty, and we intermit our watch upon such occasions. 2. Negatively. We must make the exceptions that are ne…
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4. Another cause is a dead worship : missa non mordei. Christ compareth spiritual duties to new wine, Mat. ix., but the pharisaical feasts to taplash, or old unsavoury stuff that hath no spirits. Old VER. 5.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. 355 bottles will endure that well enough. Nothing lulleth the soul asleep so much a…
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Use. *Oh ! take heed of this evil : Mark xiii. 26, ' Watch, lest the Lord cometh suddenly, and he find you sleeping.' Would you have Christ come and find you in this case ? 1. Some are wholly in a state of spiritual sleep. To them the Lord speakcth, Eph. v. 14, ' Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and …
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2. Stupid dulness and cold indifferency in heavenly things : their 358 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SeK. IV. want of zeal and cheerfulness in holy duties; they go about them heavily: dull of hearing, Mat. xiii. 5; cold in prayer, when they should be fervent and effectual, James v. 6. In all things we show forth a heart…
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6. Consider, God's eye is ever upon us, and beholdeth all our ways : Job xxxi. 4, ' Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps ? ' Shall we sleep when the great God looketh on us ? How dreadful is his displeasure ! There is no dallying with him. Thirdly, Means. 1. Pray to God for his quickening Spirit, that he w…
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1. From the nature of God. There is a God, and this God is just : it is agreeable to his general justice that it should be well with them that do well, and ill with them that do evil ; these principles are out of dispute, and supposed as the foundations of all religion. Now, supposing these principles, there must be a …
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4. The conveniency of such a day. [1.] To vindicate truth and honesty from the false judgment of the world. The best cause is often oppressed ; there needeth a review of things by a higher court, that that which is good may be restored to its public honour, and evil may receive its proper shame. Christ will convince t…
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3. The affections of his saints to him, which Christ will satisfy. There are many that never saw him, and yet believed in him, and loved him heartily : 1 Peter i. 8, ' In whom believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and lull of glory;' and John xx. 29, ' Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed ; blessed are the…
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Secondly, I shall now speak of the tarrying of the bridegroom, ' While the bridegroom tarried.' What ! is Christ more backward than the church, that goeth forth to meet him ? They are ready with their lamps, but he delayeth his coming. Ans. 1. Some understand it of our opinion, not the reality of the tiling. Though Ch…
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Thirdly, His coming at midnight. He tarried somewhat beyond the season, to show that he would come unlooked for. Jerome saith it was an ancient tradition that Christ should come at midnight ; and therefore in the vigil, or watch before Easter, anciently they were not wont to be sent away till midnight : ' But of that d…
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Use 1. Let us improve this to the particular use of Christ's coming, either in a way of mercy to his people, or in a way of judgment. 1. In a way of mercy. The Lord tarrieth sometimes when men think he should come sooner : John xi. 6, Jesus loved Lazarus ; and he abode still two days in the same place that he was when…
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Use 3. We should improve it as to Christ's general coming-. If it be so that the bridegroom will certainly come, but at his own time — 1. Then be not of the number of those scoffers and mockers that either deny or doubt of his coming. The most part of men expect no such matter ; the profane scoff at it, and would fain…
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2. On the part of the foolish, they found their oil spent. 3. That they go to the wise for a supply : ' Give us of your oil.' First, The effect of the cry that is common to them all, ' They arose and trimmed their lamps.' Which is first to be considered on the wise virgins' part, and so it will teach us this note : —…
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] Qu. ' works as well as word ' ? — Ed. Vers. 7, 8.] sermons upon matthew xxv. 373 [1.] That we be justified, and reconciled to God through Christ; that we daily renew friendship by the exercise of a godly sorrow for sin, and a lively faith in Christ: 1 John v. 1, 'Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is bor…
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1. The exhortation is generally propounded, ' Be diligent.' 2. Particularly, in what this diligence is to be exercised and laid out. [1.] With respect to the means, ' That ye may be without spot, and blameless.' [2.] With respect to the end, ' That ye may be found of him in peace.' In the original the posture of the…
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376 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. VI. Spirit, : Eph. v. 27, ' That he might present it to himself a glorious church, nor having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish.' It is begun here, and consum- mated there, Col. i. 22, and Jude 25. 2. Because of the manner of his com…
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1. To rouse up ourselves. Shake off sloth and security : 2 Tim. i. 6, ' Stir up the gift that is in thee ; ' Isa. lxiv. 7, ' There is none that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee/ There is need of awakening ourselves yet more and more. Conscience is too sleepy, the will too re- miss, the affections are dead and e…
947 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.