A51846:498
A second volume of sermons preached by the late reverend and learned Thomas Manton…
A second volume of sermons preached by the late reverend and learned Thomas Manton in two parts : the first containing XXVII sermons on the twenty fifth chapter of St. Matthew, XLV on the seventeenth chapter of St. John, and XXIV on the sixth chapter of the Epistle of the Romans : Part II, containing XLV sermons on the eighth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, and XL on the fifth chapter of the second Epistle to the Corinthians : with alphabetical tables to each chapter, of the principal matters therein contained.
London: printed by J. Astwood for Jonathan Robinson, 1684
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.
(1.) Here. The sooner you begin to please God, the sooner you have an evidence of your interest in his favour, more experience of his Love, more hopes of living with him in Heaven. Oh these things are not slight things! When once you come to taste the comfort of them, you will be sorry that you had begun no sooner; as Paul complaineth that he was born out of due time, 1 Cor. 15.8. because he lost the advantage of seeing Christ in the flesh, and so of many sweet conferences, and many sweet visits of Love, and experiences of Grace, that otherwise might fail to his share, Rom. 16.7. They were in Christ before me. An early Acquaintance with Christ bringeth many benefits with it, as peace, and comfort, and joy, and hope, which others that set forth later want. The Consolations of God should not be vile and cheap with us: If you were acquainted with them, you would leave your husks for bread in your Fathers house.
(2.) The sooner you begin with God, the greater will your glory be Hereafter. For the more we improve our Talents here, the greater will our reward be in Heaven, Luk. 19.16, 17, 18, 19. And he said unto him, Well, thou good Servant; because thou hast been faithful, in a little, have thou authority over ten Cities. And the second came, and said, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds: And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five Cities. And when the Mother of Zebedee's Children came to Christ, and desired that her two Sons might sit one at his right hand, and the other at his left, Mat. 20.23. Christ doth not deny the thing, that there are degrees of Glory, set forth by sitting on the right hand, and on the left; but telleth her, that it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of his Father: As in Hell there is an hotter and cooler judgment. Certainly then they that have long pleased God, and made it the whole business of their lives, shall have larger measures of happiness.