A60194:2797
A learned commentary or exposition
A learned commentary or exposition: upon the first chapter of the second Epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians Being the substance of many sermons formerly preached at Gray's-Inn, London, by that reverend and judicious divine, Richard Sibbs, D.D. Sometimes Master of Catherine-Hall in Cambridge, and preacher to that honourable society. Published for the public good and benefit of the Church of Christ. By Tho. Manton, B.D. and preacher of the Gospel at Stoke-Newington, near London.A learned commentary or exposition: upon the first chapter of the second Epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians Being the substance of many sermons formerly preached at Grayes-Inne, London, by that reverend and judicious divine, Richard Sibbs, D.D. Sometimes Master of Catherine-Hall in Cambridge, and preacher to that honourable society. Published for the publick good and benefit of the Church of Christ. By Tho. Manton, B.D. and preacher of the Gospel at Stoake-Newington, near London.
London: printed by J.L. for N.B., 1655
A COMMENTARY upon the first CHAPTER of the second Epistle of S. PAU… › Commentary on verse 21
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.
Is that all? Hath not the Spirit wrought these things in thy heart? hath he not given thee a taste of them? hath he not convinced thee in thy judgment that it is so? hast thou not found the power of the Spirit working upon thy soul, changing of thee, raising of thee, drawing of thee out of the world nearer to God? hast thou not (I say) felt the power of the Spirit this way?
No, but thus I was catechized, and thus I have been bred, and thus I have heard in the Ministry. And no otherwise? Alas, it will never hold out; there will be a falling away: for when a man believes not that which he believes from the Spirit of God, he will be ready when dangerous times come, when there is an onset made by the adversaries, to fall, and to fall clean away, as we see it was in the time of Popery: for whatsoever is not spiritual, whatsoever knowledge is not Divine, and from the Spirit of God, never holds out. Therefore (I beseech you) what's the reason that you have many illiterate men, that set upon the truth and hold out to the end: and on the contrary many great seeming Scholars that are skilful in school-learning, and in other Authors, do not? The reason is, the one hath the truth from the Spirit, discovering all the objections that the heart of man can make against it, and the strength that is in the truth to answer and silence all those objections. The other man hath only a discoursing knowledge, an ability to gather one thing from another, and to prove one thing by another, by strength of parts: But the Spirit of God never discovered the sleights and the corruptions of his heart, never fastened and settled his heart upon the truth, he never had experience of the truth: For indeed nothing doth stablish so much as the experience of the truth on which we are stablished.
No, but thus I was catechized, and thus I have been bred, and thus I have heard in the Ministery. And no otherwise? Alas, it will never hold out; there will be a falling away: for when a man believes not that which he believes from the Spirit of God, he will be ready when dangerous times come, when there is an onset made by the adversaries, to fall, and to fall clean away, as we see it was in the time of Popery: for whatsoever is not spiritual, whatsoever knowledge is not Divine, and from the Spirit of God, never holds out. Therefore (I beseech you) what's the reason that you have many illiterate men, that set upon the truth and hold out to the end: and on the contrary many great seeming Scholars that are skilful in school-learning, and in other Authours, do not? The reason is, the one hath the truth from the Spirit, discovering all the objections that the heart of man can make against it, and the strength that is in the truth to answer and silence all those objections. The other man hath onely a discoursing knowledge, an ability to gather one thing from another, and to prove one thing by another, by strength of parts: But the Spirit of God never discover'd the sleights and the corruptions of his heart, never fastned and settled his heart upon the truth, he never had experience of the truth: For indeed nothing doth stablish so much as the experience of the truth on which we are stablished.