A60194:849
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.
And let us make this Use of it, when we are in any grievance, and God follows us still, let us mourn and lament the stubbornness of our hearts, 1that will not yield. God intends to draw us near to him, to trust in him: if we would do this, the affliction would cease, except it be for trial, and for the exercise of Grace, and for witness to the truth. When God afflicts sometime for trial, and for witness, there is a spirit of Glory in such a case, that a man is never afflicted in mind: but, I say, when God follows us with sickness, with crosses, with loss of friends, and we are ⟨p. 151⟩not wrought upon, let us censure our hard hearts that force God to take this course.
And let us make this Use of it, when we are in any grievance, and God followes us still, let us mourn and lament the stubbornsse of our hearts, 1that will not yeeld. God intends to draw us near to him, to trust in him: if we would do this, the affliction would cease, except it be for tryall, and for the exercise of Grace, and for witnesse to the truth. When God afflicts sometime for tryall, and for witnesse, there is a spirit of Glory in such a case, that a man is never afflicted in mind: but, I say, when God followes us with sicknesse, with crosses, with loss of friends, and we are ⟨p. 151⟩not wrought upon, let us censure our hard hearts that force God to take this course.
- 1Use 4. To lament our stubbornness of heart.Vse 4. To lament our stubbornnesse of heart.
And justice God in all this, Lord thou knowest I could not be good without this, thou knowest I would not be drawn without this: bring me near to thy self that thou mayest take away this heavy hand from me. The intemperate man that is sick makes the Physician seem cruel. It is because I set my affections too much on earthly things, that thou followest me with these troubles: we force God to do this. A Physician is forced to bring his Patient even to skin and bone; an intemperate Patient sometimes, that hath surfeited upon a long distemper, he must bring him to Deaths door, even almost to death, because his distemper is so settled upon him, that he cannot otherwise cure him: So it is with God the Physician of our souls, he must bring us wondrous low, we are so prone, so desperately addicted to present things, to trust to them, and to be proud of them, and confident in them, that God must deal as a sharp Physician: he must bring us so low, or else we should never be recovered of our perfect health again, and all is that we might trust in God.