A51840:609
A fourth volume containing one hundred and fifty sermons on several texts of Scripture…
A fourth volume containing one hundred and fifty sermons on several texts of Scripture in two parts : part the first containing LXXIV sermons : part the second containing LXXVI sermons : with an alphabetical table to the whole / by ... Thomas Manton ...
London: printed by J. D., 1693
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Use 1. Information.
Vse 1. INformation.
1. It informs us, that we may look for the Reward. Those Men would be wiser than God, that deny us a Liberty to make use of the Spirit's Motives, they begrudge God's Bounty. To what end should God propound Rewards, but that we should close with them by Faith? Graces may be exercised about their proper Objects without Sin. It requireth some Faith to aim at things not seen. The World is drowned in Sense and present Satisfactions, they are Mercenaries that must have Pay in hand, their Souls ⟨p. 111⟩droop if they do not meet with Credit, Applause and Profit, they make Man their Pay-master: They have the Spirit of a Servant, that prizes present Wages above the Inheritance; but it is the Work of Grace to look for the blessed Hope, and a great help to us in our Work. It was the Comfort of Christ's Human Soul, Heb. 12.2. Who for the Joy that was set before him, endured the Cross, despising the Shame. Christ as Man, was to have rational Comforts and human Encouragements. Nothing is sinful, but coveting the Reward whilst we neglect the Work; when we will be Mercenarii, but not Operarii; we would receive the Reward, but not do our Work. We are all born Libertines, we would sever the Reward from the Duty. Hosea 10.11. Ephraim is an Heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the Corn, but not to break the Clods; in treading out the Corn there was Pleasure and Profit, but in breaking the Clods Pain and Labour. Or else we sin, in having a carnal Notion of Heaven; our looking for Heaven, is like their looking for Christ as the Consolation of Israel. Some of the Jews look for a carnal Messiah, so do many Christians for a carnal Heaven, for base Pleasures, fleshly Delights; such Hopes debase the Heart: it is the Privilege of our Profession, that we have a sublime Hope. Or else we sin in looking for the Reward as the Fruit of Merit; if we expect it as Wages for Work done, we are Mercenaries. Sin and Death are as Work and Wages,