A51842:475
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.
It is an useful case: How may we mention our own gracious Qualifications, and the good that is wrought in us?
Negatively: 1. Not by way of boasting, there is no such thing here, no presumptuous boasting of his own perfections, for it was accompanied with a deep sense of his weakness, wandering and straggling condition, he acknowledgeth his infirmities. There is no such thing allowed as boasting; the Apostles argument is convincing, Why boastest thou? what have we that we have not received? If we can boast of any things it is that we are most in debt, that we have received more, 1 Cor. 1. We must glory in the Lord.
Negatively: 1. Not by way of boasting, there is no such thing here, no presumptuous boasting of his own perfections, for it was accompanied with a deep sense of his weakness, wandring and stragling condition, he acknowledgeth his infirmities. There is no such thing allowed as boasting; the Apostles argument is convincing, Why boastest thou? what have we that we have not received? If we can boast of any things it is that we are most in debt, that we have received more, 1 Cor. 1. We must glory in the Lord.
2. Not pleading of merit, as if he had deserved any thing of God; so the Pharisee speaks of his good works, Luk. 18. 11. It is not to such a purpose as if we could challenge a reward as a due debt upon any good that we have done.
But Positively, How then may we make mention of our Qualifications?
1. We may mention what is wrought in us for Gods glory; surely however we humble our selves we must not belie his bounty. To be always complaining of spiritual evils, it doth not argue a good temper of soul: Psal. 116. 7. Return to thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. We may own the Lords bounty, and take notice what good we have done to the glory of his grace: Not I but the grace of God which was with me, 1 Cor. 15. 10.
1. We may mention what is wrought in us for Gods glory; surely however we humble our selves we must not belye his bounty. To be always complaining of spiritual evils, it doth not argue a good temper of soul: Psal. 116. 7. Return to thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. We may own the Lords bounty, and take notice what good we have done to the glory of his grace: Not I but the grace of God which was with me, 1 Cor. 15. 10.
2. We may mention it to our own comfort; thus Paul, 2 Cor. 1. 12. Jesus Christ is our rejoicing, but in one sense this is also our rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience. Wherefore is grace given us, but for the furtherance of our comfort? To bear false witness against our selves is naught. Though the duties of the first Table neither begin nor end in us, yet the whole Law of charity begins at home.
2. We may mention it to our own comfort; thus Paul, 2 Cor. 1. 12. Iesus Christ is our rejoicing, but in one sense this is also our rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience. Wherefore is grace given us, but for the furtherance of our comfort? To bear false witness against our selves is naught. Though the duties of the first Table neither begin nor end in us, yet the whole Law of charity begins at home.
3. For our own Vindication: Thus Hezekiah, Isa. 28. 3. Remember, O Lord, how I have walked before thee with a perfect heart. This was his plea; but I suppose it was not before God as a Judg, but before God as a witness, he called God to witness that he had walked before him with a perfect heart. He was slandered by Rabshakeh: They thought when he broke down the Altars of Baal, and cut down their Groves, that he had cut down the Altars of the God of Israel; therefore saith Rabshakeh, speaking to the humour and discontent of the people, and we must look upon it as a politic insinuation, Is not this he whose high places, and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away and demolished? 2 King. 18. 22. Now saith Hezekiah, I have walked before thee with an upright heart. Many a good Magistrate is often put upon such pleas for Gods honour, in things distasteful to the popularity.
3. For our own Vindication: Thus Hezekiah, Isa. 28. 3. Remember, O Lord, how I have walked before thee with a perfect heart. This was his plea; but I suppose it was not before God as a Iudg, but before God as a witness, he called God to witness that he had walked before him with a perfect heart. He was slandered by Rabshakeh: They thought when he broke down the Altars of Baal, and cut down their Groves, that he had cut down the Altars of the God of Israel; therefore saith Rabshakeh, speaking to the humour and discontent of the people, and we must look upon it as a politick insinuation, Is not this he whose high places, and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away and demolished? 2 King. 18. 22. Now saith Hezekiah, I have walked before thee with an upright heart. Many a good Magistrate is often put upon such pleas for Gods honour, in things distasteful to the popularity.
4. What God hath wrought in us may be urged as an argument in prayer to obtain further grace; many ways, partly because God loves to crown his own mercies, and make one to be a step to another. We are endeared to God by his own mercies; he is very tender and choice of them; In whom he hath begun a good work he will perfect it. Zach. 3. 2. Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? What, shall all my former mercies be in vain? it is Gods own argument, and he takes it well when his people urgeth it. In many cases Deus donando debet, by giving one mercy he makes himself a debtor to give another. Plutarch gives us a story of the Rhodians, when they came to sue to the Romans for help, that one urged what good turns they had ⟨p. 61⟩done to the Romans, but the people urged what good turns the Romans did to them, and they obtained relief. Such a plea is acceptable and honourable to God, when we urge what God hath done for us. And partly because sincerity by the consent of all, hath the full room of an evidence and Gospel-plea in the Court of Justification. When the business is how a sinner shall be accepted with God, for a Law-plea, we can only plead the merits of Christ, and Gods mercy, there all we have and can do is but dung and dross, Phil. 3. 8, 9. as to an acquittance from sin. But as to our acquittance from hypocrisy, as to the plea of a Gospel-evidence we may produce our sincerity, and the fruits of our obedience, to show our title is good as the matter is ordered by the Lords grace, that we have the Gospel-title. To all the other our title is by the righteousness of Christ, but the evidence of our title is sincere walking.
4. What God hath wrought in us may be urged as an argument in prayer to obtain further grace; many ways, partly because God loves to crown his own mercies, and make one to be a step to another. We are endeared to God by his own mercies; he is very tender and choise of them; In whom he hath begun a good work he will perfect it. Zach. 3. 2. Is not this a brand pluckt out of the fire? What, shall all my former mercies be in vain? it is Gods own argument, and he takes it well when his people urgeth it. In many cases Deus donando debet, by giving one mercy he makes himself a debter to give another. Plutarch gives us a story of the Rhodians, when they came to sue to the Romans for help, that one urged what good turns they had
Secondly, Let us come to Davids Request, Let me not wander from thy Commandments. It may be translated, Make me not to err; that is, by the suspending of thy grace, for that will necessarily follow. The Septuagint read, Do not repel from thy Commandments: God seems to repel and cast off those that he doth not assist with his grace. Here David saith, I have sought thee. Observe the mischief that an heart which truly seeketh God desireth to fly from; sin, or wandering from the path of obedience. There is a communion with God but in the way of his Commandments; therefore they do not desire establishment of their interest and happiness only, but of Gods glory, that they might not wander. Hence observe,
Secondly, Let us come to Davids Request, Let me not wander from thy Commandments. It may be translated, Make me not to err; that is, by the suspending of thy grace, for that will necessarily follow. The Septuagint read, Do not repell from thy Commandments: God seems to repell and cast off those that he doth not assist with his grace. Here David saith, I have sought thee. Observe the mischief that an heart which truly seeketh God desireth to fly from; sin, or wandring from the path of obedience. There is a communion with God but in the way of his Commandments; therefore they do not desire establishment of their interest and happiness only, but of Gods glory, that they might not wander. Hence observe,
David, a man of so much experience, that sought God with his whole heart, Lord let me not wander. What's the reason? 1. Because they have a larger sense of Duty. 2. A more tender sense of dangers and difficulties that do attend them.
First, They have a larger sense of duty to God. At first while we are carnal, we take up duty by the lump, and by the visible bulk of it we look only to [Greek or Hebrew], the work of the Law, Rom. 2. 15. and to avoid gross sins, or perform outward acts of worship. O if I do sin, I am no Adulterer, no Extortioner, Luk. 18. 11. we think then 'tis well. But when we begin to have grace wrought in our heart, then we begin to serve God in the spirit, Phil. 3. 3. And my God whom I serve with my spirit, Rom. 1. 9. Then we begin to look after the regulation of the inner man, and subduing of the soul to God, and we cannot be contented with the visible bulk of obedience, and with some general conformity. I but at first there is only a general purpose to serve God in the spirit, but afterwards when they begin to look into the breadth of the Commandment, still they are sensible of their coming short, and how apt they are to wander in this and that point. Still their sense of duty is increased, because their light, their love to God, and their power is increased; and because they draw near to their everlasting hopes.
First, They have a larger sense of duty to God. At first while we are carnal, we take up duty by the lump, and by the visible bulk of it we look only to 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, the work of the Law, Rom. 2. 15. and to avoid gross sins, or perform outward acts of worship. O if I do sin, I am no Adulterer, no Extortioner, Luk. 18. 11. we think then 'tis well. But when we begin to have grace wrought in our heart, then we begin to serve God in the spirit, Phil. 3. 3. And my God whom I serve with my spirit, Rom. 1. 9. Then we begin to look after the regulation of the inner man, and subduing of the soul to God, and we cannot be contented with the visible bulk of obedience, and with some general conformity. I but at first there is only a general purpose to serve God in the spirit, but afterwards when they begin to look into the breadth of the Commandment, still they are sensible of their coming short, and how apt they are to wander in this and that point. Still their sense of duty is increased, because their light, their love to God, and their power is increased; and because they draw near to their everlasting hopes.
1. Because their light is increased: By Communion with God they see more of his holiness. The more a man is exercised in obedience, the clearer is his light and understanding, both to God, and the will of God: Mat. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. All sight of God it is (as Nazianzen speaks) according to the proportion of our purity; and therefore the more Communion we have with God, the more sight into the nature of God, and the will of God, and the more they are held under the awe of God. In moral Disciplines the further we wade in them, the more we see of our defects. Those that went to Athens, first they counted themselves [Greek or Hebrew], wise men; afterward only [Greek or Hebrew], lovers of wisdom; then they were only men that could talk a little; afterward they found themselves nothing. So a Christian in Communion with God, the longer he converseth with God, the more he doth see of his perfection and holiness; Surely I am more brutish than any man, was the expression of wise Agur, Prov. 30. 2. This holy man of God, saith Chrysostom, speaks it not only humbly, but truly as he thinks. Sure they did not complement with God; these holy men in the serious actings of their souls, they speak as they think; why? because they have a high sense of Gods holiness, therefore a deeper sense of their own vileness; they think there are hardly any so bad as themselves. Now they are convinced that the holy God will not be put off with any slight matter; and they are become sensible of that precept, Mat. 5. ult. Be perfect as your father which is in heaven is perfect.
1. Because their light is increased: By Communion with God they see more of his holiness. The more a man is exercised in obedience, the clearer is his light and understanding, both to God, and the will of God: Mat. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. All sight of God it is (as Nazianzen speaks) according to the proportion of our purity; and therefore the more Communion we have with God, the more sight into the nature of God, and the will of God, and the more they are held under the awe of God. In moral Disciplines the further we wade in them, the more we see of our defects. Those that went to Athens, first they counted themselves , wise men; afterward only , lovers of wisdom; then they were only men that could talk a little; afterward they found themselves nothing. So a Christian in Communion with God, the longer he converseth with God, the more he doth see of his perfection and holiness; Surely I am more brutish than any man, was the expression of wise Agur,
2. Their love to God is increased by acquaintance with him, and therefore their hearts are more tender and sensible of the least deflection. The more a man loves God, the more he will do for God, 1 Joh. 5. 3. This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. That's a clear rule, the more we love God, the more chary we will be of his commandments; and therefore ⟨p. 62⟩they cannot sin upon such easy terms as before, nor go to Heaven upon such easy terms as they thought before.
2. Their love to God is encreased by acquaintance with him, and therefore their hearts are more tender and sensible of the least deflection. The more a man loves God, the more he will do for God, 1 Joh. 5. 3. This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. That's a clear rule, the more we love God, the more chary we will be of his commandments; and therefore ⟨p. 62⟩they cannot sin upon such easie terms as before, nor go to Heaven upon such easie terms as they thought before.
3. Their Power is increased. He that is grown to a man's estate, minds other work than what he did when a child; and as they have more strength, they look after more work. At first it was only to prevent excesses and breaking out of sin; but afterward to subdue every thought to the obedience of Christ.
3. Their Power is encreased. He that is grown to a man's estate, minds other work than what he did when a child; and as they have more strength, they look after more work. At first it was only to prevent excesses and breaking out of sin; but afterward to subdue every thought to the obedience of Christ.
