A51842:255
One hundred and ninety sermons on the hundred and nineteenth Psalm preached by the late reverend and learned Thomas Manton, D.D. ; with a perfect alphabetical table directing to the principal matters contained therein.
London: printed for T.P. &c, 1681
Title page: Internet Archive scan of the Early English Books microfilm
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.
2. Such desires as are absolute, and do not stand upon terms. There is an Hypothetical and conditional will. We would, but with such conditions: I would have Christ if it did not cost me so dear; to deny lusts, interests, friends, relations, much waiting, praying, watching, striving. So Mat. 22. 5. they would come to the Supper, but house, oxen, farm, merchandise, there was something in the way that hindered them, there was no full and perfect will. A Chapman no doubt would have the wares that he liketh, but will not come to the price. I will have Heaven whatever it cost me, is the voice of a desiring Saint.
2. Such desires as are absolute, and do not stand upon terms. There is an Hypothetical and conditional will. We would, but with such conditions: I would have Christ if it did not cost me so dear; to deny lusts, interests, friends, relations, much waiting, praying, watching, striving. So Mat. 22. 5. they would come to the Supper, but house, oxen, farm, merchandize, there was something in the way that hindred them, there was no full and perfect will. A Chapman no doubt would have the wares that he liketh, but will not come to the price. I will have Heaven whatever it cost me, is the voice of a desiring Saint.
3. Such desires as are active and industrious, not a remiss will, Prov. 13. 4. The soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing; but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat. Cold raw wishes are unuseful and fruitless; we must work as well as wish. Poor languid unactive desires come to nothing, when men do not put forth their endeavours, and apply themselves to the prosecution of what is desired. Faint and sluggish velleities do hurt, Prov. 21. 25. The desires of the slothful killeth him, for his hands refuseth labour. Whatever a man doth seriously desire to have, he will use proper means to procure it. Wishes are but the fruits of a speculative fancy, rather than an industrious affection.
4. Such desires as are constant and not easily controlled by other desires. Idle lazy wishes, uneffectual glances, sudden motions, while their hearts are detained in the speculation of holiness, are like children's desires, soon put out of the humour. There may be vehement and sudden lustings in an unregenerated person; free-will hath its pangs of devotion. But the Apostle declares, Rom. 7. 18. To will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not. 'Tis a constant habitual will, not a volatile devotion, that cometh upon us now and then, but such a will as is present, as sin is present. He had said before, When I would do good, evil is present with me. Whithersoever you go you carry a sinning nature about with you. 'Tis present urging the heart to vanity, folly, lust; so should this will be present with you urging the heart to good.
4. Such desires as are constant and not easily controuled by other desires. Idle lazy wishes, uneffectual glances, sudden motions, while their hearts are detained in the speculation of holiness, are like childrens desires, soon put out of the humour. There may be vehement and sudden lustings in an unregenerated person; free-will hath its pangs of devotion. But the Apostle declares, Rom. 7. 18. To will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not. 'Tis a constant habitual will, not a volatile devotion, that cometh upon us now and then, but such a will as is present, as sin is present. He had said before, When I would do good, evil is present with me. Whithersoever you go you carry a sinning nature about with you. 'Tis present urging the heart to vanity, folly, lust; so should this will be present with you urging the heart to good.
5. Such desires are joined with serious groans and sorrow for our defects. He cannot be so good as he would, but desireth and complaineth; therefore God accepteth of the will for the deed. Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death! Though an unrenewed man seem to desire grace, yet he feeleth no grief in the want of grace, it never troubleth him; his desires do not break out into groans and bitter complaints, because of indwelling corruption. Now by these things may you try your hearts.
3. The third thing observable from hence, is the necessity of directing grace, Oh that my ways were directed.
I shall first premise some Distinctions.
1. There is a general direction, and a particular direction: (1) The general direction is in the word, there God hath declared his mind in his statutes: He hath showed thee, O man, what is good, Micah 6. 8. (2) A particular direction by his Spirit, who doth order and direct us how to apply the rule to all our ways, Isa. 58. 11. The Lord shall guide thee continually. Now this particular direction is either to our general choice, Psal. 16. 7. I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel. It is the work of God only to teach us how to apply the rule so as to choose him for our portion. Or secondly, as to acts and orderly exercise of any particular grace, so 2 Thes. 3. 5. The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ. Or thirdly, as to the management of our Civil actions; as the pillar of the Cloud went before the Israelites in their Journeys, so doth God still guide his people in all their affairs both as to duty and success. As to Duty, Prov. 3. 6. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Ask his counsel, leave and blessing; in doubtful things ask his counsel; in clear cases ask his leave: Shall I go up or not? and then ask his blessing. As to Success, Prov. 16. 9. A mans heart deviseth his way, but the Lord directeth his steps. Events cross expectation; we cannot foresee the event of things in the course of a mans life, what is expedient, and what not: Prov. 20. 24. Mans goings are of the Lord, how can a man then understand his own way? We purpose and determine many things rightly, and according to rule, but God disposeth of all events: Rom. 1. 10. Making request (if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God) to come unto you. God brought Paul to Rome by a way he little thought of. Therefore we need to call God to counsel, and to enquire of the Oracle in all matters that concern Family, Commonwealth or Church. We need a guide,
II. Distinction. There is a Literal direction, and an effectual direction: 1. The Literal direction is by that speculative knowledge that we get by the Word, Psal. 119. 105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Sufficient not only for general courses but particular actions. 2. The effectual direction is by the Holy Ghost applying the Word, and bending the hearts to the obedience of it, Isa. 61. 8. I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting Covenant with them. That is, I will so show them their way, as to work their hearts to the sincere obedience of it.
II. Distinction. There is a Literal direction, and an effectual direction: 1. The Literal direction is by that speculative knowledg that we get by the Word, Psal. 119. 105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Sufficient not only for general courses but particular actions. 2. The effectual direction is by the Holy Ghost applying the Word, and bending the hearts to the obedience of it, Isa. 61. 8. I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting Covenant with them. That is, I will so shew them their way, as to work their hearts to the sincere obedience of it.
Now to give you the Reason for the necessity of this Direction: Three things prove it.
1. The blindness of our minds: We are wise in generals, but know not how to apply the rule to particular cases. The Heathens were vain [Greek or Hebrew] in their imaginations, Rom. 1. 21. And the same is true of us Christians, though we have a clearer knowledge of God, and the way how he will be served and glorified, yet to suit it to particular cases how dark are we! A Dial may be well set, yet if the Sun shine not upon it, we cannot tell the time of the day. The Scriptures are sufficient to make us wise, but without the light of the Spirit how do we grope at noon-day!
1. The blindness of our minds: We are wise in generals, but know not how to apply the rule to particular cases. The Heathens were vain 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 in their imaginations, Rom. 1. 21. And the same is true of us Christians, though we have a clearer knowledg of God, and the way how he will be served and glorified, yet to suit it to particular cases how dark are we! A Dial may be well set, yet if the Sun shine not upon it, we cannot tell the time of the day. The Scriptures are sufficient to make us wise, but without the light of the Spirit how do we grope at noon-day!
2. The forgetfulness of our Memories: We need a Monitor to stir up in us diligence, watchfulness, and earnest endeavours, Isa. 30. 21. And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee saying, This is the way, walk ye in it. When ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. The cares and businesses of the world do often drive the sense of our duty out of our minds. One great end of Gods Spirit is to put us in remembrance to revive truths upon us in their season. A Ship though never so well rigged needs a Pilot; we need a good guide to put us in mind of our duty.
3. The obstinacy of our hearts, so that we need every moment to enforce the Authority of God upon us, and to persuade us to what is right and good. The Spirits light is so directive, that it is also persuasive, there needs not only counsel but efficacy and power. We have boisterous lusts, and wandering hearts, we need not only to be conducted but governed. We have hearts that love to wander. Jer. 14. 10. We are sheep that need a shepherd, for no creature is more apt to stray, Psal. 95. 10. It is a people that do err in their hearts; not only ignorant, but perverse, not in mind only apt to err, but love to err. Thus you see the necessity of this direction: Oh that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes.
3. The obstinacy of our hearts, so that we need every moment to enforce the Authority of God upon us, and to perswade us to what is right and good. The Spirits light is so directive, that it is also perswasive, there needs not only counsel but efficacy and power. We have boisterous lusts, and wandring hearts, we need not only to be conducted but governed. We have hearts that love to wander. Jer. 14. 10. We are sheep that need a shepherd, for no creature is more apt to stray, Psal. 95. 10. It is a people that do err in their hearts; not only ignorant, but perverse, not in mind only apt to err, but love to err. Thus you see the necessity of this direction: Oh that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes.
Well then, give the Lord this honour of being your continual guide, Psal. 48. 14. For this God is our God for ever and ever, he will be our guide even unto death. You do not own him as a God unless you make him your guide, Psal. 73. 24. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterwards receive me to glory. In vain do you hope for eternal life else. Therefore,
1. Commit your selves to the tuition of his Grace; a man is to choose God for a guide as well as to take him for a Lord, to ask his counsel as well as submit to his Commandments: Jer. 3. 4. Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father thou art the guide of my youth.
1. Commit your selves to the tuition of his Grace; a man is to chuse God for a guide as well as to take him for a Lord, to ask his counsel as well as submit to his Commandments: Ier. 3. 4. Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father thou art the guide of my youth.
2. Depend upon him in every action: The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: all his particular actions: Rom. 8. 26. For we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
1. There is a general direction, and a particular direction: (1) The general direction is in the word, there God hath declared his mind in his statutes: He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good, Micah 6. 8. (2) A particular direction by his Spirit, who doth order and direct us how to apply the rule to all our ways, Isa. 58. 11. The Lord shall guide thee continually. Now this particular direction is either to our general choice, Psal. 16. 7. I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel. It is the work of God only to teach us how to apply the rule so as to chuse him for our portion. Or secondly, as to acts and orderly exercise of any particular grace, so 2 Thes. 3. 5. The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ. Or thirdly, as to the management of our Civil actions; as the pillar of the Cloud went before the Israelites in their Journeys, so doth God still guide his people in all their affairs both as to duty and success. As to Duty, Prov. 3. 6. In all thy ways acknowledg him, and he shall direct thy paths. Ask his counsel, leave and blessing; in doubtful things ask his counsel; in clear cases ask his leave: Shall I go up or not? and then ask his blessing. As to Success, Prov. 16. 9. A mans heart deviseth his way, but the Lord directeth his steps. Events cross expectation; we cannot foresee the event of things in the course of a mans life, what is expedient, and what not: Prov. 20. 24. Mans goings are of the Lord, how can a man then understand his own way? We purpose and determine many things rightly, and according to rule, but God disposeth of all events: Rom. 1. 10. Making request (if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God) to come unto you. God brought Paul to Rome by a way he little thought of. Therefore we need to call God to counsel, and to enquire of the Oracle in all matters that concern Family, Commonwealth or Church. We need a guide, Ier. 10. 23. O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himself, neither is it in man that walketh to direct his steps. Affairs do not depend on our policy or integrity, but on the Divine Providence, who ordereth every step to give such success as he pleaseth.
