A60194:777
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 8, 9
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.
Naturally we cannot see the nothingness of the creature, that as it came out of nothing, so it will turn to nothing: but because it is sensible, these good things are sensible, and present, and necessary, and useful: and naturally we live by our senses, therefore we place our delight in them, that when they are taken away, all the soul goes with them. As he that leans upon a crutch, or any thing, when that is taken away, down he falls: so it is with a man by nature, he trusts to these things, & when they go, his soul sinks together with the things. Even as it is with those that are in a stream, when they are in a running stream, they are carried with the stream; so all these things go away, they are of a fleeting condition, we see them not in their passage, when they are gone we see them past: we see not our selves vanish by little and little out of this life, we see not the creatures present, we see not death, and other things beyond death, as we should by the eye of faith: so things pass, and we pass with them, the stream and we run together, it must be a great measure of faith that must help this. We are prone to trust to sensible things naturally we know what it is to live by sense: but to live by faith it is a remote thing, to lead our lives by reasons drawn from things that are not seen: to live by promises it is a hard thing, when things •at are sensible cannot work upon us. When we see men dye, and see the vanity of things sensible, it will not work upon us: how then do we think that things that are supernatural (which are remote far above sense) should work on us: it is a hard thing not to trust to our selves, we are so addicted to live by sense: and there is some corruption in St. Paul, in the best men, to trust to present things.
Naturally we cannot see the nothingness of the creature, that as it came out of nothing, so it will turn to nothing: but because it is sensible, these good things are sensible, and present, and necessarie, and usefull: and naturally we live by our senses, therefore we place our delight in them, that when they are taken away, all the soul goes with them. As he that leans upon a crutch, or any thing, when that is taken away, down he fals: so it is with a man by nature, he trusts to these things, & when they go, his soul sinks together with the things. Even as it is with those that are in a stream, when they are in a running stream, they are carried with the stream; so all these things go away, they are of a fleeting condition, we see them not in their passage, when they are gone we see them past: we see not our selves vanish by little and little out of this life, we see not the creatures present, we see not death, and other things beyond death, as we should by the eye of faith: so things passe, and we passe with them, the stream and we run together, it must be a great measure of faith that must help this. We are prone to trust to sensible things naturally we know what it is to live by sense: but to live by faith it is a remote thing, to lead our lives by reasons drawn from things that are not seen: to live by promises it is a hard thing, when things at are sensible cannot work upon us. When we see men dye, and see the vanitie of things sensible, it will not work upon us: how then doe we think that things that are supernaturall (which are remote farre above sense) should work on us: it is a hard thing not to trust to our selves, we are so adicted to live by sense: and there is some corruption in St. Paul, in the best men, to trust to present things.