A51842:511
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.
We read of the ingrafted word, James 1. 21. There is a word bearing fruit, and a word ingrafted. Till there be the root of the matter in us, in vain do we expect fruit.
We read of the ingrafted word, Iames 1. 21. There is a word bearing fruit, and a word ingrafted. Till there be the root of the matter in us, in vain do we expect fruit.
The Reasons why this is one duty and practice of the Saints to hide the word in their hearts, are two.
Reas. 1. First, That we may have it ready for our use. We lay up Principles, that we may lay them out upon all occasions. Man hath an ingestive and an egestive faculty; when it is hid in the heart, it will be ready to break out in the tongue and practice, and be forth-coming to direct us in every duty and exigency. When persons run to the Market for every pennyworth, it doth not become good housekeepers. To be to seek of comforts when we should use them, or to run to a book, is not so comfortable as to hide it in the heart. As Christ saith, A good Scribe which is instructed unto the Kingdom of heaven, bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old, Mat. 13. 52. He hath not only this years growth, but the last years gathering (for so is the allusion made); he hath not only from hand to mouth, but a good stock by him. So should a Christian have not only knowledge from hand to mouth, but a good stock and treasure in his heart; which is a very great advantage in these seven things.
Reas. 1. First, That we may have it ready for our use. We lay up Principles, that we may lay them out upon all occasions. Man hath an ingestive and an egestive faculty; when it is hid in the heart, it will be ready to break out in the tongue and practice, and be forth-coming to direct us in every duty and exigency. When persons run to the Market for every pennyworth, it doth not become good housekeepers. To be to seek of comforts when we should use them, or to run to a book, is not so comfortable as to hide it in the heart. As Christ saith, A good Scribe which is instructed unto the Kingdom of heaven, bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old, Mat. 13. 52. He hath not only this years growth, but the last years gathering (for so is the allusion made); he hath not only from hand to mouth, but a good stock by him. So should a Christian have not only knowledg from hand to mouth, but a good stock and treasure in his heart; which is a very great advantage in these seven things.
1. It will prevent vain thoughts. What's the reason evil is so ready and present with us? because our stock of knowledge is so small. A man that hath a pocket fuller of brass farthings than pieces of silver, will more readily draw out farthings than shillings, his stock is greater; so vain thoughts will be more ready with us, unless the word dwell richly in our hearts. Mat. 12. 35. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. The workings of our spirits are as our treasure ⟨p. 65⟩and stock. The mind works upon what it finds in it self, as a Mill grinds whatsoever is put into it, chaff or corn. Therefore if we would prevent wicked thoughts, and musings of vanity all the day long, we must hide the word in our heart.
1. It will prevent vain thoughts. What's the reason evil is so ready and present with us? because our stock of knowledg is so small. A man that hath a pocket fuller of brass farthings than pieces of silver, will more readily draw out farthings than shillings, his stock is greater; so vain thoughts will be more ready with us, unless the word dwell richly in our hearts. Mat. 12. 35. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. The workings of our spirits are as our treasure ⟨p. 65⟩and stock. The mind works upon what it finds in it self, as a Mill grinds whatsoever is put into it, chaff or corn. Therefore if we would prevent wicked thoughts, and musings of vanity all the day long, we must hide the word in our heart.
2. When you are alone and without outward helps, your hearts will furnish you with matter of counsel, or comfort, or reproof, Psal. 16. 7. My reins instruct me in the night season. When we are alone, and there is a veil of darkness drawn upon the world, and we have not the benefit of a Bible, a Minister, or Christian friends, our reins will instruct us, we may draw out of our heart that which will be for our comfort and refreshing. A Christian is to be a walking Bible, to have a good stock and treasure in himself.
3. It will supply us in Prayer: Barrenness and leanness of soul is a very great defect which Gods children often complain of; one great reason is, because the Word of God doth not dwell plenteously in them; so that in every Prayer we are to seek. If the heart were often exercised in the Word, the Promises would hold up our hearts in Prayer, enlarge our affections, and we should be better able to pour out our spirits before him: Psal. 45. 1. My heart is inditing a good matter: what then? my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. When the heart is full, the tongue will be loosed and speak freely. What's the reason we are so dumb, and tongue-tied in Prayer? because our heart is so barren. When the spring is dry, there will be little water in the stream: Ephes. 6. 17. Take the sword of the spirit, that is the word of God: then presently, praying with all manner of supplication. When we have a good store of the Word of God it will burst out in Prayer.
3. It will supply us in Prayer: Barrenness and leanness of soul is a very great defect which Gods children often complain of; one great reason is, because the Word of God doth not dwell plenteously in them; so that in every Prayer we are to seek. If the heart were often exercised in the Word, the Promises would hold up our hearts in Prayer, enlarge our affections, and we should be better able to pour out our spirits before him: Psal. 45. 1. My heart is inditing a good matter: what then? my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. When the heart is full, the tongue will be loosed and speak freely. What's the reason we are so dumb, and tongue-tyed in Prayer? because our heart is so barren. When the spring is dry, there will be little water in the stream: Ephes. 6. 17. Take the sword of the spirit, that is the word of God: then presently, praying with all manner of supplication. When we have a good store of the Word of God it will burst out in Prayer.
4. It will be a great help to us in all businesses and affairs: Prov. 6. 21, 22. speaking of the precepts of God, Bind them upon thy heart, when thou goest it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest it shall talk with thee. Upon all occasions the Word will be ready to cast in seasonable thoughts; when we awake, our most early thoughts in the morning will begin with God, to season the heart all the day; and as we are about our business, the Word will hold our hearts in the fear of God; and when we sleep, it will guard thee from vain dreams, and light imaginations. In a wicked man sin engrosseth all the thoughts, it employs him all the day, plays in his fancy all the night, it solicits him first in the morning, because he is a stranger to the Word of God. But a man that is a Bible to himself, the Word will be ever upon him, urging him to duty, restraining him from sin, directing him in his ways, seasoning his work and employment. Therefore we should hide the Word in our hearts.
4. It will be a great help to us in all businesses and affairs: Prov. 6. 21, 22. speaking of the precepts of God, Bind them upon thy heart, when thou goest it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest it shall talk with thee. Upon all occasions the Word will be ready to cast in seasonable thoughts; when we awake, our most early thoughts in the morning will begin with God, to season the heart all the day; and as we are about our business, the Word will hold our hearts in the fear of God; and when we sleep, it will guard thee from vain dreams, and light imaginations. In a wicked man sin ingrosseth all the thoughts, it imploys him all the day, plays in his fancy all the night, it solicites him first in the morning, because he is a stranger to the Word of God. But a man that is a Bible to himself, the Word will be ever upon him, urging him to duty, restraining him from sin, directing him in his ways, seasoning his work and employment. Therefore we should hide the Word in our hearts.
5. It is a great relief against temptations to have the Word ready: The Word is called, The sword of the spirit, Ephes. 6. 7. In spiritual conflicts there is none to that. Those that ride abroad in time of danger, will not be without a Sword. We are in danger, and had need handle the sword of the Spirit. The more ready the Scripture is with us, the greater advantage in our Conflicts and Temptations. When the Devil came to assault Christ, he had Scripture ready for him, whereby he overcame the Tempter. The door is barred upon Satan, and he cannot find such easy entrance when the Word is hid in our hearts, and made use of pertinently, 1 Joh. 2. 14. I write to you young men, because ye are strong; where lies their strength? and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. O it is a great advantage when we have the Word not only by us, but in us, ingrafted in the heart; when it is present with us, we are more able to resist the assaults of Satan. Either a man forgets the Word, or hath lost his affection to it, before he can be drawn to sin. The Word of God when it hath gotten into the heart, it will furnish us with seasonable thoughts.
5. It is a great relief against temptations to have the Word ready: The Word is called, The sword of the spirit, Ephes. 6. 7. In spiritual conflicts there is none to that. Those that ride abroad in time of danger, will not be without a Sword. We are in danger, and had need handle the sword of the Spirit. The more ready the Scripture is with us, the greater advantage in our Conflicts and Temptations. When the Devil came to assault Christ, he had Scripture ready for him, whereby he overcame the Tempter. The door is barr'd upon Satan, and he cannot find such easie entrance when the Word is hid in our hearts, and made use of pertinently, 1 Ioh. 2. 14. I write to you young men, because ye are strong; where lies their strength? and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. O it is a great advantage when we have the Word not only by us, but in us, ingrafted in the heart; when it is present with us, we are more able to resist the assaults of Satan. Either a man forgets the Word, or hath lost his affection to it, before he can be drawn to sin. The Word of God when it hath gotten into the heart, it will furnish us with seasonable thoughts.
6. It is a great relief in troubles and afflictions: Our faintings come from ignorance, or our forgetfulness: Heb. 12. 5. Ye have forgotten the consolation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. If we had an herb growing in our Gardens that would ease our smart, what are we the better if we know it not? There is no malady but what hath its remedy in the Word. To have a comfort ready is a great relief.
7. It makes our conference and conversation with others more gracious: Mat. 12. 34. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. When we have a great deal of hidden treasure in the soul, it will get out at the tongue; for there's a quick intercourse between the heart and the tongue. The Tap runs according to the Liquor wherewith the Vessel is filled; come to men of an unsavoury spirit, pierce them, broach them, give them occasion again and again for discourse, and you get nothing but frothy communication from them, and vain talk. But now a man that hath stored his heart with the Word, he is ever and anon interposing for God. Like a bottle filled with wine he must have vent. As the Spouses lips are said to drop as honey-combs. They are ever putting forth savoury expressions in their converse with others: Col. 3. 16. Let the word of God dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns, and spiritual songs. It will burst out presently if the Word of God dwell in your hearts.
Before I go to the second Reason, let me answer an Objection: But is not this to take from the Spirit, and to give it to the Word? and that to the Word, not as written in Gods Book, but as it is in our hearts; will not this be to ascribe all to created Grace? I Answer,
1. Questionless it is the office of the Spirit to bring things to our remembrance, and the great help of the Spirit of God is by suggesting such passages as may be of most seasonable relief to the soul in Temptations, in Prayer, and in Business, Joh. 14. 16. But what is given to the Scriptures and Grace, is not to the wrong of the Spirit, for the Scripture is of his inditing, and Grace is of his working; yea, we still reserve the chief honour to the Holy Ghost, for he not only worketh grace, but worketh by grace; he not only indites the Scripture, but works by it; it is he that quickeneth prayer; and therefore it is ill trusting to our own understanding and memory, for it is the Spirit that is the great remembrancer, and impresseth upon the mind savoury and seasonable thoughts.
1. Questionless it is the office of the Spirit to bring things to our remembrance, and the great help of the Spirit of God is by suggesting such passages as may be of most seasonable relief to the soul in Temptations, in Prayer, and in Business, Ioh. 14. 16. But what is given to the Scriptures and Grace, is not to the wrong of the Spirit, for the Scripture is of his inditeing, and Grace is of his working; yea, we still reserve the chief honour to the Holy Ghost, for he not only worketh grace, but worketh by grace; he not only indites the Scripture, but works by it; it is he that quickneth prayer; and therefore it is ill trusting to our own understanding and memory, for it is the Spirit that is the great remembrancer, and impresseth upon the mind savoury and seasonable thoughts.
2. I grant further, The Children of God are subject to much forgetfulness of the truth that is impressed upon their hearts; partly through the present cloud and mist which the temptation raiseth. The Psalmist had truths enough to support him, Psal. 73. 17. yet he saith, Until I went into the Sanctuary of God, I was foolish and ignorant, I was as a beast before thee. There is so much dullness upon the Children of God that they cannot remember seasonable thoughts; as Hagar had a fountain by her, yet she did not see it till God opened her eyes, Gen. 21. So under the temptation all is benighted, and the light that is in the understanding is obscured. And partly through the little sense they have for the present of the need of the comforts which the Word propoundeth; few so wise as to lay up for a dear year; and partly through sloth and negligence, being taken up with other things. It is possible sometimes that we may be guided by the Spirit, and act right merely by the guidance of the Holy Ghost without any interposing and concurrence of our own understandings; as Joh. 12. 10. compared with the 14, and 15. They took branches of Palm-trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried Hosanna, blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. These things understood not his Disciples at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him. Mark, they were guided by the Spirit to do that they knew not for the present; they had only a back-look, but not a fore-sight; they were ignorant of what they were doing until afterward; thoughts came not in their mind but only in the review: Joh. 2. 22. When he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them. They did not take up the meaning of them, yet they were guided aright. They did not carp against Christ as the Jews did. They were guided by the Spirit in a case they were wholly ignorant.
2. I grant further, The Children of God are subject to much forgetfulness of the truth that is impressed upon their hearts; partly through the present cloud and mist which the temptation raiseth. The Psalmist had truths enough to support him,
3. The Holy Ghost makes use of a sanctified memory, bringing Scriptures to our remembrance as we have need. It is made their act, because the Holy Ghost made use of their memories: They remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up, Joh. 2. 17. They that neglect to search and hide the Word in their hearts, they have not such seasonable refreshment; for God works more strongly with the strongest graces; there where there is the greater receptivity, there's the greater influence; those that are ignorant cannot expect such help as those that have the Word dwell richly in their hearts.
3. The Holy Ghost makes use of a sanctified memory, bringing Scriptures to our remembrance as we have need. It is made their act, because the Holy Ghost made use of their memories: They remembred that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up, Joh. 2. 17. They that neglect to search and hide the Word in their hearts, they have not such seasonable refreshment; for God works more strongly with the strongest graces; there where there is the greater receptivity, there's the greater influence; those that are ignorant cannot expect such help as those that have the Word dwell richly in their hearts.
The second Reason is, Therefore should we hide the Word in our hearts, because God doth so in the work of Conversion, Heb. 8. 10. I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts. The mind is compared to tables of stone, and the heart to the Ark; and so this is required of us to write them upon the table of our heart, Prov. 7. 3. and here, I have hidden thy word in my heart. How doth this follow, because God doth so in conversion, therefore it is our duty?
I answer, (1) God requires what he works, to show the Creatures duty, as well as the power of his own grace. God is to convert and turn, yet do you turn. Circumcise your heart, and I will circumcise. Mortify your members, &c. and yet, If ye through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live. He gives and requires, to engage the subserviency of our endeavours, and to make us sensible of our duty and obligation. (2) This followeth because this work must be gone over again and again that it may be more explicit; we must revive the work, and put a fresh copy of the Law into our heart, to keep the old work afoot.
I answer, (1) God requires what he works, to shew the Creatures duty, as well as the power of his own grace. God is to convert and turn, yet do you turn. Circumcise your heart, and I will circumcise. Mortifie your members, &c. and yet, If ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live. He gives and requires, to engage the subserviency of our endeavours, and to make us sensible of our duty and obligation. (2) This followeth because this work must be gone over again and again that it may be more explicite; we must revive the work, and put a fresh copy of the Law into our heart, to keep the old work afoot.
